KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia closed higher, buoyed by Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) decision to maintain the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) at 2.75 per cent, alongside positive cues from Wall Street. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 19.30 points, or 1.19 per cent, to 1,635.86 from Wednesday’s close of 1,616.56. The benchmark index opened 6.72 points higher at 1,623.28, and fluctuated between an intraday high of 1,642.44 and a low of 1,622.62 during the trading session. However, market breadth was negative, with losers outnumbering gainers 723 to 497, while 466 counters were unchanged, 1,075 untraded and 10 suspended. Turnover rose to 3.74 billion units valued at RM3.61 billion compared with yesterday’s 2.81 billion units valued at RM2.57 billion.
With Washington hinting at punitive semiconductor tariffs as high as 200%-300% , uncertainty is clouding the global chip supply chain. A week after Trump’s announcement, the final scope and exemption details remain unclear, leaving investors to weigh potential winners and losers. Policy Contrast: Subsidies vs. Tariffs Biden era: Focused on subsidies and incentives via the CHIPS Act to encourage “Made in America.” Trump era: Favors penalizing offshore manufacturing through tariffs to force reshoring. While both approaches share the same end goal — strengthening US semiconductor competitiveness — the cost and execution dynamics diverge sharply. Key Mechanics: Who Pays? Origin rules matter: For integrated circuits, the front-end wafer fabrication sets country of origin. Back-end packaging (CoWoS, 2.5D, 3D) rarely shifts this classification. US-made wafers shipped abroad: If Section 9802 treatment appl...