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.
AUG 1 DEADLINE LOOMS, BUT THE DOOR TO NEGOTIATIONS STAYS OPEN U.S. President Donald Trump has officially unveiled a new round of tariff demands, escalating trade tensions across Asia — but in a move watched closely by investors and governments alike, he signaled that the Aug. 1 deadline is “firm, but not 100% firm.” Who’s Hit — and How Hard? Japan & South Korea: 25% tariffs South Africa: 30% Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, Indonesia, Thailand: Fresh levies unveiled Warning issued: Transshipped goods from China to avoid tariffs will still be penalized This latest round is part of Trump’s broader trade offensive aimed at reducing Chinese trade influence through third-party countries. Market Reactions S&P 500 fell 0.8% Korean won emerged as Asia’s best-performing currency Asian equity markets traded in a tight range , reflecting investor caution Australian bonds dipped and AUD strengthened ahead of a rate cut decision ASEAN in th...