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.
Key Takeaways: Stocks Up as Tariff Fears Ease: Asian stocks rose on Tuesday, taking cues from Wall Street's positive performance after U.S. President Trump indicated that not all of the threatened tariffs would be imposed on April 2. The prospect of more targeted tariffs boosted investor confidence, particularly in the tech sector. U.S. Market Rally: U.S. stocks closed higher, with the S&P 500 reaching its highest point in over two weeks and a significant rally in tech stocks lifting the Nasdaq by over 2%. This optimism spread to Asian markets, with Japan’s Nikkei and Taiwan stocks rising over 1%. Dollar Hits 3-Week High: The U.S. dollar climbed to a three-week high, boosted by stronger-than-expected U.S. economic data. The S&P Global U.S. Composite PMI showed economic expansion, indicating that the economy is rebounding after a mid-quarter slowdown. Caution Amid Optimism: While the tone on trade appears to be softening, analysts remain cautious. R...