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.
Investor Takeaway : Li Chenggang’s Washington visit is a signal of continued dialogue but not yet a breakthrough. Markets will likely stay in headline-driven volatility mode , with U.S. tariff policy as the main swing factor. Until clarity emerges, positioning around retail, logistics, and export-sensitive equities should remain cautious. Senior Chinese trade negotiator Li Chenggang , Beijing’s international trade representative and a key aide to economy tsar He Lifeng , will travel to Washington this week for meetings with deputy-level U.S. officials. While not a formal negotiating round, the visit comes at a sensitive juncture, as global markets weigh whether the 90-day tariff truce between the two largest economies will hold. Current Tariff Landscape On Aug 11 , Washington and Beijing agreed to extend their truce, maintaining 30% tariffs on Chinese imports and 10% duties on U.S. goods . Economists warn that if Tr...