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.
The US-China tech war is anticipated to escalate no matter the outcome of the November 5 US presidential election , with Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris offering differing approaches but a shared commitment to curbing China’s technological and military advancements. Both candidates are expected to implement new restrictions on Chinese imports of tech products like chips, smart cars , and AI technologies , according to former officials and experts. Harris has pledged to ensure "America, not China, wins the competition for the 21st century" , while Trump continues to emphasize tariffs as a key solution. In either administration, the goal is clear: to slow China’s technological progress , particularly in areas that could enhance its military capabilities. The Biden administration has already laid the groundwork with rules to keep Chinese-made connected cars off US streets, and Harris is likely to continue this targeted, allied-based strategy. A second T...