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-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to impose tariffs on the United States' largest trading partners—Canada, Mexico, and China—has sent shockwaves through the auto and tech industries, as companies with significant operations in Mexico brace for potential trade wars. Impact on Asian Automakers Honda Motor : Ships 80% of its Mexican production to the U.S. . COO Shinji Aoyama warned that permanent tariffs could force the company to reconsider its manufacturing footprint. Nissan Motor : Operates two plants in Mexico, producing 505,000 vehicles in the first nine months of 2024 , including models like the Sentra and Versa for the U.S. market. Toyota Motor : Manufactures the Tacoma pick-up truck exclusively in Mexico, exporting 230,000 units to the U.S. last year , representing 10% of its U.S. sales. Mazda : Exported 120,000 vehicles from Mexico to the U.S. in 2023, with President Masahiro Moro stating that tariff resolutions require broader c...