KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia ended marginally lower on Monday amid selling activity as the market lacked fresh catalysts to spur investors’ buying interest, an analyst said. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 1.60 points, or 0.09 per cent, to 1,670.02, from Friday’s close of 1,671.62. The benchmark index, which opened 0.93 of-a-point higher at 1,672.55, moved between 1,668.61 and 1,674.11 throughout the trading session. Market breadth was negative as losers surpassed gainers 748 to 388, while 517 counters were unchanged, 1,271 untraded and 91 suspended. Turnover slipped to 3.11 billion units worth RM2.40 billion from 4.07 billion units valued at RM2.69 billion on Friday.
President-elect Donald Trump faces diminished US influence in Africa , where China and Russia have gained ground amid rising jihadist threats. Under President Biden, staffing and resource shortages at African embassies weakened US efforts, leading to diplomatic setbacks like losing a major spy base in Niger. Reports show US embassy understaffing in critical areas, with some posts lacking essential resources to address instability. In Guinea, a key source of bauxite for China, US diplomatic efforts have been hampered by vacant posts, underscoring challenges in competing with Beijing. Trump is expected to take a pragmatic approach , potentially focusing on transactional benefits for US spending in Africa and fostering partnerships to counter China’s influence .