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...
Apple (AAPL) heads into Thursday’s fiscal Q3 earnings with its stock down 14.4% YTD, lagging the S&P 500’s +8.6%and trailing fellow Mag-7 heavyweights like NVIDIA (+29.2%) and Microsoft (+21.9%).
Wall Street remains cautious, with 20 of 29 analysts trimming their estimates this quarter. Consensus expects EPS of $1.42 on $89B revenue, reflecting modest 1.4% earnings and 3.7% revenue growth year-over-year — soft compared to Apple’s historical performance.
Why the Weakness?
Slow adoption of generative AI relative to peers.
Lack of major product innovation in recent cycles.
Despite a $100B buyback authorization and higher dividends in May, investor sentiment hasn’t fully recovered.
The Technical Setup: Triple-Top or Breakout?
Apple’s chart paints a critical picture. Since May, the stock has formed a triple-top pattern around the $215 resistance level, signaling potential bearish reversal. However, AAPL is now testing that ceiling for a fourth time.
If it breaks above $215, the pattern fails, opening the door for a bullish breakout.
The $215 level also aligns with the 50% retracement of its Dec 2024–Apr 2025 sell-off, making it a key technical battleground.
Support zones include the 21-day EMA and 50-day SMA, where institutional buyers may step in.
Momentum Indicators:
RSI: Healthy, not overbought.
MACD: Bullish cross, with both 12- and 26-day EMAs above zero.
Histogram: Above zero — short-term positive.
Bottom Line
Apple’s Q3 earnings could determine whether the stock breaks out of its range or sinks further. A surprise beat coupled with any AI or product roadmap update could ignite a rally past $215. Conversely, a miss or muted guidance might confirm the triple-top and put more pressure on AAPL in the near term.
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