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.
Key Expectations: Non-farm payrolls : +135,000 (vs +151,000 in February) Unemployment rate : Steady at 4.1% Range of estimates : 50,000 to 185,000 jobs Federal jobs cut : Up to 25,000 in March alone Key Drivers of the Slowdown: Mass federal layoffs under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) , with Elon Musk’s cost-cutting campaign facing legal and administrative delays. Tariff Shock : President Trump’s sweeping 10% universal tariff plus targeted duties on 60 nations has raised the effective US tariff rate to a 100-year high. Businesses are pulling back on hiring, delaying capital expenditure, and preparing for margin pressures. Consumer Retrenchment : A wave of pre-tariff stockpiling in late 2024 has reversed, with spending slowing in Q1 2025. Retail and manufacturing payrolls expected to face pressure in April data. Economic Risks Rising: GDP : Q1 growth tracking below 0.5% annualized ; recession odds in...