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.
Asian equities experienced a broad pullback on Thursday as investors reacted to President Donald Trump's latest trade announcement, which included new tariffs on auto imports. This news heightened global trade concerns, especially regarding growth in the world’s largest economy, leading to a risk-off sentiment across the region. Key Points: Tariff Impact on Automakers : Trump’s move to impose a 25% tariff on imported cars has triggered sharp declines in automaker stocks, including major companies like Toyota, General Motors, and Ford. The new tariffs, set to take effect on April 2, are expected to raise car prices by up to $10,000, further denting investor confidence. Market Reactions : The regional equity index dropped as much as 0.6%, with Japan’s Nikkei falling by 1.2%, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 down by 0.5%, and China’s Shanghai Composite seeing a slight uptick of 0.7%. Meanwhile, Hong Kong stocks bucked the trend with a 1.6% rise. Volatility and Liquidity : The uncertainty a...