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 Trump administration is once again raising the stakes on global trade, with President Donald Trump threatening to impose 25% tariffs on any country that continues doing business with Iran . The move is aimed at tightening economic pressure on Tehran amid escalating unrest and renewed concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme. Key Developments 25% tariff threat on Iran trading partners Trump said countries trading with Iran could face blanket 25% tariffs , a move that would likely affect major economies such as China and India , both key buyers of Iranian oil. Tariffs may not be final According to policy analysts, the proposed tariffs could stack on top of existing duties , but exemptions or reversals are possible within 48 hours , especially given Washington’s recent efforts to maintain stability with China and manage cost-of-living pressures. Geopolitical backdrop intensifies Trump warned Iran was nearing U.S. “red lines” following reports of civilian dea...