KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia closed higher, buoyed by Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) decision to maintain the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) at 2.75 per cent, alongside positive cues from Wall Street. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 19.30 points, or 1.19 per cent, to 1,635.86 from Wednesday’s close of 1,616.56. The benchmark index opened 6.72 points higher at 1,623.28, and fluctuated between an intraday high of 1,642.44 and a low of 1,622.62 during the trading session. However, market breadth was negative, with losers outnumbering gainers 723 to 497, while 466 counters were unchanged, 1,075 untraded and 10 suspended. Turnover rose to 3.74 billion units valued at RM3.61 billion compared with yesterday’s 2.81 billion units valued at RM2.57 billion.
The European Union is prioritizing negotiations over retaliatory tariffs in response to US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose 25% duties on steel and aluminum imports starting March 12 . EU officials aim to prevent a full-scale trade war , though they remain prepared for countermeasures if talks fail. 🔹 EU’s Strategy: Dialogue Over Retaliation 📌 EU trade ministers held a video conference to coordinate their response, emphasizing a unified front in upcoming negotiations. 📌 While countermeasures were discussed , including reinstating 2018 tariffs on US goods (bourbon, motorcycles, orange juice) , the primary approach remains diplomacy . 📌 EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic had his first call with US officials, including Commerce Secretary nominee Howard Lutnick and USTR nominee Jamieson Greer , with both sides agreeing to meet soon. 💬 Irish Foreign Minister Simon Harris: "There is a window for negotiat...