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.
Asian markets fell on Tuesday as investors reassessed the long-term impact of the new U.S.-EU trade deal and the reality that higher tariffs are here to stay , raising concerns over global growth and inflation. Key Market Moves MSCI Asia-Pacific ex-Japan: Down 0.7% Japan’s Nikkei: -0.8% China Blue Chips: -0.1% Euro: Flat at US$1.1592 after its biggest drop since May (-1.3% overnight) Brent Oil: +0.1% to US$70.10 , following a 2.3% jump Monday Tariff Shock The U.S.-EU pact avoided the worst-case scenario but imposed a 15% levy , up sharply from the 1–2% rates before Trump took office. Trump warned of a potential 15–20% “world tariff” on countries without deals, the highest global rate since the 1930s. JPMorgan economists said the move is “a significant tax increase on EU exports” and “unwinds a century of U.S. leadership in free trade.” Other Market Drivers Oil Prices: Spiked on Trump’s 10–12 day deadline for R...