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.
President Donald Trump caused a stir on Tuesday when he threatened to double tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum after Ontario retaliated with higher tariffs on electricity exports to the U.S. However, by the end of the day, both sides agreed to suspend these measures. Key Points: Tariff Threat and Retaliation : The tension began on Monday when Ontario announced it would impose a 25% surcharge on electricity sent to U.S. states like Michigan , Minnesota , and New York . Trump responded by threatening to raise tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum from 25% to 50% , starting the next morning. Negotiations and Suspension : Late Tuesday, after talks between Ontario Premier Doug Ford and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick , Ontario agreed to suspend the electricity surcharge, which led to a de-escalation of the tariff threats. Ongoing Steel and Aluminum Tariffs : Despite the suspension of ...