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.
China has warned Japan of severe economic retaliation if Tokyo proceeds with further restrictions on the sales and servicing of chipmaking equipment to Chinese companies. This stance complicates ongoing US-led efforts to limit China's access to advanced technology. Senior Chinese officials have conveyed this message in recent meetings with their Japanese counterparts, according to people familiar with the matter. Key Takeaways: Potential Economic Retaliation : China's warning to Japan is seen as a direct response to US pressure on its allies to curtail technology transfers to Chinese firms. A specific concern for Japan, highlighted by Toyota Motor Corp., is that Beijing might restrict access to critical minerals essential for automotive production if Japan tightens chip-related exports. This mirrors past incidents, such as in 2010 when China temporarily halted rare earth exports to Japan after a territorial dispute. Japan's Delicate Balancing Act : Japan faces a challenging...