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.
The Trump administration has turned up the heat on Mexico by urging it to impose tariffs on Chinese imports—a move aimed at bolstering domestic industries and tightening border security. U.S. officials, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, USTR nominee Jamieson Greer, and White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett, laid out the demands during a high-level meeting in Washington. In exchange for a one‐month reprieve, extending the deadline to March 4, Mexico is expected to take steps that align with broader U.S. efforts to restrict the flow of migrants and fentanyl. Key Trade Highlights Tariff Threat: The Trump administration warned Mexico of a potential 25% tariff if it fails to restrict Chinese imports. One-Month Reprieve: Mexico was granted an extension until March 4, providing time to deliberate on the proposed measures. Additional U.S. Measures: Concurrently, the U.S. imposed an extra 10% tariff on all Chinese imports. Potential Winners Domestic Indust...