KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia closed lower on Friday amid mixed regional market performance as investors turned cautious over a possible rate hike by the Bank of Japan (BOJ) and upcoming US economic data that may influence the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) interest rate decision next week. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) pared most earlier losses to settle 4.55 points easier, or 0.28 per cent, to 1,616.52 from Thursday’s close of 1,621.07. The benchmark index, which opened 0.37 of-a-point lower at 1,620.70, moved between 1,609.67 and 1,621.25 throughout the day. The broader market was negative, with decliners outpacing advancers 604 to 439. A total of 550 counters were unchanged, 1,151 untraded, and 18 suspended. Turnover declined to 3.17 billion units worth RM2.24 billion from 4.48 billion units worth RM2.75 billion yesterday. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice-presiden...
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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