
Bursa ends higher on tariff truce
PETALING JAYA: Bursa Malaysia extended its upward momentum to close higher, boosted by news of the United States' decision to extend its 90-day tariff truce with China until Nov 10, which lifted market sentiment.
At 5pm, the FBM KLCI rose 4.66 points, or 0.30%, to close at 1,567.90 from Monday's close of 1,563.24.
Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice-president of equity research Thong Pak Leng said major Asian indices also trended positively as investors welcomed news that the United States and China had agreed to extend their tariff truce by 90 days, avoiding steep duties.
'The deal maintains existing US tariffs at 30% and Chinese tariffs at 10%, providing additional time for negotiations and lifting investor sentiment across the region,' he told Bernama.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
China-built photovoltaic power station completed in Romania
BUCHAREST, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- A 31.82-megawatt photovoltaic power station built by China's Pinggao Group International Engineering Co., Ltd. was completed Tuesday in Stefan cel Mare, Calarasi County, in southeastern Romania. The project, a subsidiary venture of China Electric Equipment Group Co., Ltd., took about 10 months to build and is expected to operate for 25 years. It will generate 42 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 20,000 tonnes. At the completion ceremony, Song Xianmao, counselor in charge of business affairs at the Chinese Embassy in Romania, highlighted the role of green energy in tackling climate change and boosting economic growth. He said China and Romania had deepened cooperation in recent years, with Chinese firms contributing to the country's low-carbon transition. Nicolae Pandea, mayor of Stefan cel Mare commune, said that although Bucharest and Beijing are 7,100 km apart, the distance had not hindered successful collaboration. He welcomed further Chinese investment and promised swift approvals for major projects. Zhu Jibin, general manager of Pinggao Group International Engineering Co., Ltd., hailed the plant as "a significant milestone" in green energy collaboration between China, Italy and Romania. The project, he said, followed principles of safety, efficiency, greenness and innovation, and was completed on time and to high standards. Local site manager Alexandru Gheorghe called the plant "the future" for the commune, adding that residents were proud to see the park finished. Calarasi County deputy prefect Valentin-Dumitru Deculescu praised the initiative as vital for both the community and Romania's renewable energy output.


The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Chinese firms fuel Thailand's gateway ambitions
Chinese firms have brought higher-value, more complex and novel technologies to Thailand, marking a significant strategic shift away from traditional manufacturing. — Xinhua BANGKOK: Chinese investment is driving a wave of high-value projects in Thailand's Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), focusing on advanced technology sectors and fuelling the country's ambition to become a crucial global export hub, a top EEC official says. Initiated in 2017, the EEC is Thailand's flagship area-based development project, designed to transform three eastern provinces into a leading economic zone for high-tech industries through massive infrastructure upgrades and attractive investment incentives. As a key foreign investor, Chinese firms have brought higher-value, more complex and novel technologies to Thailand, marking a significant strategic shift away from traditional manufacturing, said Chula Sukmanop, secretary-general of the EEC Office. 'The emergence of advanced Chinese technologies made in Thailand has strengthened the kingdom's goal to be a gateway for exporting high-tech products,' Chula told Xinhua in an interview. This trend is most evident in the automotive industry, where leading Chinese brands, including BYD, Changan, GAC Aion, Great Wall Motor and MG, have established production facilities within the EEC to serve both Thai markets and export destinations. Beyond car manufacturing, Chinese investment has developed the entire supply chain and infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs), encompassing batteries, charging stations, energy storage and related components, Chula noted. Thailand's Board of Investment has so far approved investments totalling 137.7 billion baht (US$4.25bil) in the EV supply chain, including 21 projects for battery EV production with a combined capacity of up to 386,000 units per year. For the first half of 2025, production of passenger battery EVs increased 380% year-on-year to 23,798 units, accounting for 3.28 % of total auto manufacturing in Thailand, data from the Federation of Thai Industries showed. Under the Thai government's investment promotion, the South-East Asian country aims to convert 30% of its annual auto production to zero-emission vehicles by 2030 as part of its transition towards green mobility. Aside from the automotive sector, Chula said two other areas of interest for Chinese investors that also align with the government's targeted industries are the digital technology sector and the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) economy, which focuses on sustainable and circular manufacturing. Looking ahead, Chula emphasised that Thailand aims to be a strategic partner for China, filling gaps and providing a platform to showcase its advanced technology, building on the golden jubilee of Thai-Sino diplomatic relations and a strong people-to-people connection. — China Daily/ANN


The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
PETRONAS to expand LNG exports to Asian markets
The firm plans to expand beyond its traditional markets – Japan, China and South Korea – to countries in South-East Asia, including Vietnam and the Philippines. KUALA LUMPUR: Petroliam Nasional Bhd (PETRONAS) is seeking to expand its liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to growing Asian markets while also supporting Malaysia's rising energy needs, which are partly driven by a data-centre boom. The state-owned company's diversified portfolio – which includes a newly operational export plant in Canada – will enable it to meet overseas demand for gas, said PETRONAS' gas and maritime business chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Adif Zulkifli. The firm plans to expand beyond its traditional markets – Japan, China and South Korea – to countries in South-East Asia, including Vietnam and the Philippines, he said in an interview. But the gas-producing country is also eyeing more imports because its reserves are dwindling at a time when its energy requirements are growing thanks to a proliferation in power-hungry data centres serving the artificial intelligence industry. Malaysia imported about 3.3 million tonnes of LNG in 2024, up from 2.1 million tonnes in 2021, according to Bloomberg's vessel-tracking data. PETRONAS will continue exploration for more resources to sustain its domestic production, which has already peaked, Adif added. It operates one of the world's largest LNG terminals in Bintulu on the Sarawak coast, and has enough gas to fill up its plant there 'for as long as we need,' he noted. 'We have brought in a number of upstream projects to make sure that we are able to deliver gas and sustain that for the next 20 to 30 years,' Adif said yesterday. — Bloomberg