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.
Sweeping Import Duties Effective Oct 1 President Donald Trump announced a fresh round of tariffs that will take effect on Oct 1 , targeting a wide range of imported goods including pharmaceuticals, building materials, furniture, and heavy trucks. Pharmaceuticals Face 100% Tariff Unless Produced in U.S. Under the new measures, branded and patented drugs will face 100% duties unless their manufacturers have already started or are in the process of building production facilities in the United States. Companies with U.S. facilities under construction will be exempt from the new levy. Trump did not specify under which authority the tariffs are being imposed. Building Materials and Furniture Hit With 50%–30% Tariffs Imported kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, and related products will face 50% tariffs , while upholstered furniture will be subject to 30% tariffs . Trump claimed that foreign suppliers have been “flooding” the U...