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 European Union is prioritizing negotiations over retaliatory tariffs in response to US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose 25% duties on steel and aluminum imports starting March 12 . EU officials aim to prevent a full-scale trade war , though they remain prepared for countermeasures if talks fail. 🔹 EU’s Strategy: Dialogue Over Retaliation 📌 EU trade ministers held a video conference to coordinate their response, emphasizing a unified front in upcoming negotiations. 📌 While countermeasures were discussed , including reinstating 2018 tariffs on US goods (bourbon, motorcycles, orange juice) , the primary approach remains diplomacy . 📌 EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic had his first call with US officials, including Commerce Secretary nominee Howard Lutnick and USTR nominee Jamieson Greer , with both sides agreeing to meet soon. 💬 Irish Foreign Minister Simon Harris: "There is a window for negotiat...