Market Daily Report: KLCI down 5.55 points amid India-Pakistan tension, US-China trade talk uncertainty

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 27): The FBM KLCI closed 5.55 points or 0.32% lower today at 1,713.45 after the India-Pakistan geopolitical tension hit world stock markets and as US-China trade talk uncertainty affected sentiment.

Reuters reported that Asian shares and Wall Street stock futures turned negative on Wednesday after Pakistan said it had shot down two Indian jets in its territory, sending investors out of riskier markets and into more conservative choices such as the yen. It was reported that Islamabad said on Wednesday it had carried out airstrikes in Indian-controlled Kashmir and shot down two Indian jets in its own airspace, capturing one of the pilots as the risk of conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours escalates.

It was reported that Indian bonds, stocks and the rupee all sold off. The flare up in geopolitical risks hit broader sentiment, driving investors out of stocks and into safe-haven assets with US stock futures slipping and the Japanese yen gaining.

As global investors took cue from the India-Pakistan geopolitical tension, they were still mindful of the uncertainty from US-China trade talks. In Malaysia, Areca Capital Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Danny Wong Teck Meng told theedgemarkets.com that "uncertainty from US-China trade talks is still present". 

Across Bursa Malaysia today, 2.19 billion shares with a value of RM2.07 billion were traded.
Top decliners included British American Tobacco (M) Bhd, Nestle (M) Bhd and Hong Leong Financial Group Bhd.



Source: The Edge