KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia’s benchmark index edged higher at the close as bargain hunting emerged following Monday’s sharp sell-off, although it narrowly failed to reclaim the 1,600 level, said an analyst. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) gained 3.83 points, or 0.24 per cent, to 1,599.58 from Monday’s close of 1,595.75. The index opened 3.18 points lower at 1,592.57, marking its intraday low, and reached an intraday high of 1,602.83 in early trading. On the broader market, decliners outnumbered gainers 751 to 331, while 499 counters were unchanged, 1,259 untraded and 10 suspended. Turnover rose to 2.86 billion units worth RM2.42 billion against Monday’s 2.49 billion units worth RM2.38 billion.
Bitcoin’s Rally Stalls Amid Market Uncertainty
- Bitcoin (BTC/USD) hit an all-time high of $109,225 on Jan. 20 following Trump’s inauguration, fueled by hopes of deregulation and a U.S. bitcoin reserve.
- Since then, BTC has fallen over 20% to $87,080, with a 7.3% drop on Tuesday alone.
- Support levels now sit at $70,000 - $75,000, according to market analysts.
What’s Driving the Decline?
Regulatory Uncertainty:
- Optimism over a Trump-led pro-crypto environment has been priced in, but no concrete policy changes have materialized.
- A crypto working group has been formed but won’t submit recommendations for another 180 days.
Scandals & Hacks:
- Argentina’s President Javier Milei faced backlash after a meme coin he promoted, Libra, crashed.
- Bybit, a top crypto exchange, suffered a $1.4 billion hack, raising security concerns.
Trump’s Trade Policies & Inflation Fears:
- New tariff threats—especially on semiconductors to China—could fuel inflation, impacting risk assets like crypto.
- Investors are seeing “bitter medicine” (tariffs, layoffs) but no “spoonful of sugar” (tax cuts, deregulation) yet.
Outlook: Can Bitcoin Recover?
- Bitcoin’s next rally depends on clear crypto-friendly policies from Trump’s administration.
- If market uncertainty persists, BTC could test the $70K-$75K range in the coming weeks.
Summary:
- Bitcoin tumbles 20% from its peak, falling below $87K due to regulatory uncertainty and macroeconomic concerns.
- Crypto market hit by scandals & security breaches, shaking investor confidence.
- Trump’s tariffs & inflation fears weigh on risk assets, contributing to Bitcoin’s pullback.
- Future price action hinges on clear regulatory steps from the administration.
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