KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia closed lower on Friday amid mixed regional market performance as investors turned cautious over a possible rate hike by the Bank of Japan (BOJ) and upcoming US economic data that may influence the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) interest rate decision next week. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) pared most earlier losses to settle 4.55 points easier, or 0.28 per cent, to 1,616.52 from Thursday’s close of 1,621.07. The benchmark index, which opened 0.37 of-a-point lower at 1,620.70, moved between 1,609.67 and 1,621.25 throughout the day. The broader market was negative, with decliners outpacing advancers 604 to 439. A total of 550 counters were unchanged, 1,151 untraded, and 18 suspended. Turnover declined to 3.17 billion units worth RM2.24 billion from 4.48 billion units worth RM2.75 billion yesterday. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice-presiden...
US President Donald Trump said he did not discuss authorising exports of Nvidia Corp’s Blackwell AI chips to China during his meeting with President Xi Jinping, cooling investor hopes that the powerful processors might be cleared for sale to the world’s largest semiconductor market.
Blackwell Chips Off the Table
Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said he and Xi discussed Nvidia’s access to China in general, but confirmed that Blackwell accelerators were not part of the conversation.
“We did discuss chips,” Trump said. “They are going to be talking to Nvidia and others about taking chips. But we’re not talking about the Blackwell.”
The clarification followed Trump’s earlier remarks suggesting he might revisit US export restrictions, which briefly fuelled market optimism and helped Nvidia shares rally — pushing its market value to US$5 trillion for the first time.
Policy Stance: No Change in AI Chip Controls
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer reinforced that message, saying the Blackwell lineup remains off-limits and is unlikely to feature in future negotiations.
“The Blackwells are part of the US’s crown jewels, so those were not really on the table,” Greer said.
Greer added that the US expects China’s investigations into American chipmakers — including Nvidia, Qualcomm, and Texas Instruments — to ease following the bilateral talks, potentially opening a path for greater sales of approved AI chips.
Nvidia’s Position and Industry Context
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has lobbied to ease restrictions, arguing that banning advanced chips only strengthens Chinese rivals like Huawei. However, Beijing has discouraged firms from using downgraded versions, such as Nvidia’s H20 processors, citing security concerns.
“The president has licensed us to ship to China, but China has blocked us from being able to ship,” Huang said earlier this week.
While the US authorised limited exports of downgraded H20 chips, it also introduced an unusual policy where Washington claims a 15% revenue share from resulting sales — a move still awaiting a formal legal framework.
Strategic Outlook
The Blackwell family of processors represents Nvidia’s most advanced AI hardware, critical for training and running large-language models like ChatGPT. The chips remain restricted under US national security controls that limit China’s access to cutting-edge computing technology.
For now, Nvidia’s China exposure is largely capped — the company no longer includes China revenue in its forecastsafter prior write-downs from export bans.
Investor Takeaway
Trump’s remarks underscore Washington’s hard line on AI exports, suggesting the US–China tech decoupling will persist.
While Nvidia continues to dominate the global AI chip market, investors should note:
Blackwell exports remain banned, limiting upside from China demand;
Policy volatility around AI trade remains a key risk factor;
Any future easing would mark a major policy reversal, not a near-term likelihood.
Nvidia shares remain under watch as traders recalibrate expectations following the administration’s latest clarification.
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