KUALA LUMPUR, June 18 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia’s key index finished marginally higher, supported by strong buying interest in consumer-related counters, amid mixed performance across regional markets. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose by 1.40 points, or 0.08 per cent, to 1,711.39 from Tuesday's close of 1,709.99. The key index opened 12.36 points firmer at 1,722.35 and moved between 1,711.31 and 1,722.63 throughout the session. Market breadth was negative, with losers leading gainers 678 to 493, while 549 counters were unchanged, 1,016 untraded and 34 suspended. Turnover increased to 4.50 billion units worth RM3.45 billion from 3.93 billion units worth RM3.45 billion on Tuesday.
The US market opened lower on Tuesday as weak Chinese data brings back the fear of a global economic slowdown.
Reuters reported that China's February trade performance was far worse than economists had expected, with exports tumbling the most in over six years. The data weighed on markets worldwide.
It is obvious that people are still very nervous and the market is in such a fragile state that any bad news could easily break it. Crude prices also shed their gains and were down about 2%.
Oil has recovered from the 2016 low touched in January, but Goldman Sachs analysts on Tuesday said the recent rally was premature as prices would need to remain lower to help rebalance the market later in the year.
At 9:39 a.m. ET, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 84.02 points, or 0.49%, at 16,989.93, the S&P 500 was down 13.35 points, or 0.67%, at 1,988.41 and the Nasdaq Composite index was down 35.30 points, or 0.75%, at 4,672.95.
Investors are focusing on data for clues on the state of the global economy and monetary policies of central banks across the world.
The European Central Bank is expected to announce further stimulus at its meeting later this week.
In contrast, the U.S. Federal Reserve is looking to raise interest rates this year as a raft of data suggested the economic recovery in the United States was gaining momentum.
The positive sentiment helped the S&P 500 to its first five-day streak of gains since October and close above 2,000 for the first time since Jan. 5 on Monday.
Declining issues outnumbered advancing ones on the NYSE by 1,973 to 665. On the Nasdaq, 1,607 issues fell and 602 advanced.
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It is obvious that people are still very nervous and the market is in such a fragile state that any bad news could easily break it. Crude prices also shed their gains and were down about 2%.
Oil has recovered from the 2016 low touched in January, but Goldman Sachs analysts on Tuesday said the recent rally was premature as prices would need to remain lower to help rebalance the market later in the year.
At 9:39 a.m. ET, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 84.02 points, or 0.49%, at 16,989.93, the S&P 500 was down 13.35 points, or 0.67%, at 1,988.41 and the Nasdaq Composite index was down 35.30 points, or 0.75%, at 4,672.95.
Investors are focusing on data for clues on the state of the global economy and monetary policies of central banks across the world.
The European Central Bank is expected to announce further stimulus at its meeting later this week.
In contrast, the U.S. Federal Reserve is looking to raise interest rates this year as a raft of data suggested the economic recovery in the United States was gaining momentum.
The positive sentiment helped the S&P 500 to its first five-day streak of gains since October and close above 2,000 for the first time since Jan. 5 on Monday.
Declining issues outnumbered advancing ones on the NYSE by 1,973 to 665. On the Nasdaq, 1,607 issues fell and 602 advanced.

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