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 World Trade Organization (WTO) has criticized China for its lack of transparency in providing financial support to key industrial sectors such as electric vehicles, aluminium, and steel production. In its latest assessment, the WTO noted that while China has supported these industries financially from 2021 to 2024, it failed to provide enough information for a complete understanding of these programmes. "The overall lack of transparency on China's government support may also contribute to debates on what is perceived by some as overcapacity in certain sectors," the WTO report stated. The report mentioned several sectors, including semiconductors and shipbuilding, where transparency was particularly lacking. A key concern was the inability to determine the extent of Chinese government funds used for equity investments in crucial industries. The 173-page review is part of the WTO's regular trade policy assessment, which all 166 members undergo periodically. Several ...