KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia closed almost flat on Tuesday as buying interest rotated away from index heavyweights towards smaller-cap construction stocks, with sentiment affected by geopolitical uncertainty, said an analyst. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 0.39 of a point to 1,714.40 from Monday’s close of 1,714.79. The benchmark index opened 1.65 points lower at 1,713.14 and moved between 1,710.44 and 1,714.50 throughout the trading session. The broader market was almost evenly balanced, with decliners leading gainers 548 to 546, while 598 counters were unchanged, 1,107 were untraded and 25 were suspended. Turnover expanded to 4.13 billion units valued at RM3.14 billion from 3.60 billion units valued at RM2.45 billion on Monday.
As trade negotiations tick down with two weeks left, the European Union isn’t taking any chances. While talks with the US are still active, Brussels is drawing up countermeasures—and they're hitting where it hurts.
Phase 1: Already-Approved Retaliation (US$21B in US goods)
Targeting politically sensitive states and sectors:
Soybeans from Speaker Mike Johnson’s Louisiana
Poultry, motorcycles
Strategic goods aimed to spark domestic political pressure
Phase 2: On Standby
- Boeing planes
- US-made cars
- Bourbon whiskey
— These hits are designed to send a message without triggering a full trade war… yet.
Phase 3: The Nuclear Option
If talks fully collapse, Europe may escalate with:
New digital taxes on US tech giants (Meta, Google, Amazon)
Restrictions on US investments
Bans on US firms in EU government tenders
"The EU sees the US position stiffening — and it’s quietly gearing up for economic battle," insiders say.
Why It Matters:
A breakdown in US-EU trade talks could rock global markets, especially in:
Aerospace & autos
Agriculture
Big Tech
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