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.
Global markets slid on Friday as concerns over a potential US government shutdown mounted and Donald Trump’s trade threats against Europe heightened tensions. Investors also focused on upcoming US inflation data that could influence Federal Reserve policy for 2025. Key Market Highlights 1. US Government Shutdown Risks A spending bill failed in the House of Representatives on Thursday, highlighting political volatility under President-elect Donald Trump . Trump’s proposed tariffs and spending policies have increased uncertainty, with credit default swaps (CDS) on six-month US bills rising to a four-week high of 11 basis points . 2. Trump’s Trade Threats Trump warned the European Union to increase purchases of US oil and gas or face tariffs: “Otherwise, it is TARIFFS all the way!!!” he stated on Truth Social. European stocks fell 1%, marking a 3% weekly drop , as U...