KUALA LUMPUR, April 1 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia closed higher on Wednesday, with the key index rising 1.10 per cent, in line with firm gains across regional markets following a strong rally on Wall Street overnight, said an analyst. IPPFA Sdn Bhd director of investment strategy and country economist Mohd Sedek Jantan said the improvement in sentiment was underpinned by easing geopolitical concerns and a decline in oil prices. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) increase 18.54 points or 1.10 per cent to 1,708.90 from Tuesday’s close of 1,690.36. The benchmark index opened 25.58 points higher at 1,715.94, marking its intraday high, and hit a low of 1,700.20 during the mid-morning session. The broader market was positive, with gainers leading decliners 780 to 444. A total of 475 counters were unchanged, 926 untraded and 11 suspended.
Market Rally Driven by Trump’s Tax Cuts & Economic Optimism
- Global stocks surged after House Republicans approved President Trump’s $4.5 trillion tax-cut plan.
- U.S. stock futures rebounded, with Nasdaq futures up 0.8% and S&P 500 futures gaining 0.5%.
- European stocks climbed for the second day, with STOXX 600 up 0.7%, and blue-chip indexes in Frankfurt, Paris, and London rising between 0.7% and 1.1%.
Treasury Yields & Fed Rate Expectations
- U.S. Treasury yields edged higher:
- 10-year yield rose to 4.311% after dropping 10 basis points on Tuesday.
- 2-year yield increased by 2 basis points to 4.112%.
- Investors anticipate more debt issuance and at least two Fed rate cuts this year due to slowing U.S. economic data.
- U.S. consumer confidence fell at its sharpest pace in 3.5 years, fueling expectations of a dovish Fed policy.
Dollar, Commodities, and Market Trends
- The dollar index gained 0.2%, recovering from a two-month low.
- Oil prices rebounded, with Brent crude at $73.22 and WTI crude up 0.4% to $69.19 after Tuesday’s slump.
- Copper prices jumped 4% after Trump ordered a probe into potential copper tariffs.
- Gold remained steady at $2,915 per ounce.
Nvidia Earnings & AI Market Focus
- Investors await Nvidia’s earnings report, a key indicator of AI sector momentum.
- AI-linked stocks saw a selloff earlier this week, with Magnificent Seven stocks dropping 2.5% on Tuesday.
- Analyst concerns about slowing data center investments could impact sentiment on AI stocks.
Summary:
- Global stocks surged as Trump’s $4.5 trillion tax-cut plan advanced in the House.
- U.S. Treasury yields climbed, while expectations for Fed rate cuts grew due to weak consumer confidence data.
- The dollar rebounded, oil and copper prices gained, and markets are closely watching Nvidia’s earnings for AI sector clarity.
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