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.
Fiscal Power Play Meets Monetary Pushback President Trump is entering full negotiation mode as he attempts to push through his landmark tax-and-spending bill ahead of the July 4th deadline. His involvement in negotiations is increasingly direct and aggressive — exerting political leverage over dissenters in the Senate and openly pressuring the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates. Market Relevance Legislative Timeline Risk: Prolonged intraparty conflict could delay or dilute the fiscal package, introducing headline risk across Treasuries, equities, and USD. Fed Independence at Risk: Public criticism and aggressive rate-cut demands from the President raise questions about the Fed’s autonomy — a factor that could add volatility to bond and FX markets. Macro Crosscurrents: Elevated borrowing costs, surging debt service, and unresolved tariff threats create a complex policy landscape heading into H2 2025. Highlights & Strategic Signals Trump Turns Up the Heat...