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 Dilemma Facing the Federal Reserve Growth Threat: Tariffs risk dragging the economy into a recession by weakening hiring and spending. Inflation Risk: At the same time, tariffs are expected to raise prices , particularly for imported goods and materials, complicating any decision to cut rates. Fed Chair Jerome Powell now faces one of the toughest challenges in decades—balancing rising inflation against slowing growth. Why the Fed Can’t Win Either Way Cut rates too soon? Could sustain or worsen inflation. Wait too long? Risks deeper economic slowdown and rising unemployment. The Fed’s dual mandate —price stability and maximum employment—is under unprecedented strain. Investor Expectations vs. Fed Reality Markets expect rate cuts later this year to cushion economic damage. However, Fed officials may wait for clearer signs of a weakening labor market before acting. Powell recently said there...