KUALA LUMPUR, July 30 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia's key index closed at an intraday high today, supported by continued buying interest even as renewed geopolitical tensions and a weaker overnight lead from Wall Street following the US Federal Reserve's (Fed) decision to stand pat on interest rates weighed on broader sentiment. The Fed has decided to hold rates steady for the fifth consecutive meeting, with the Federal Funds Rate unchanged between 3.50 per cent and 3.75 per cent. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 4.84 points to 1,720.40 from yesterday’s close of 1,715.56. The benchmark index, which opened 1.14 points lower at 1,714.42, hit its lowest level of 1,710.69 in early trade before gaining momentum for the rest of the day. However, the broader market was negative with losers outpacing gainers 581 to 411, while 612 counters were unchanged, 1,173 untraded, and 87 suspended. Turnover declined to 2.49 billion units valued at RM2.25 billion from ...
Asian markets retreated on Friday after recent highs, as investors took profits and adopted a cautious stance ahead of a high-stakes week filled with geopolitical risks, key economic data, and major central bank decisions.
Market Snapshot: Asia Pulls Back
Japan’s Topix fell 0.7% after hitting a record high earlier in the week
Nikkei eased 0.5% from a one-year peak
Hang Seng dropped 0.5%, mainland China slid 0.2%, Australia slipped 0.5%
Meanwhile, the US dollar strengthened, and the yen weakened as:
US economic data came in firm
Japanese political uncertainty grew amid reports that PM Shigeru Ishiba might resign
Global Markets Still Optimistic
S&P 500 futures +0.2%, after Alphabet’s strong earnings pushed the index to a fresh record
Nasdaq also hit a new high
MSCI World Index dipped 0.1% but remains near record levels, eyeing a 1.3% weekly gain
Why Investors Are Cautious
Next week is packed with critical events:
Aug 1: Trump’s tariff deadline for trade deals with the EU and China
Fed policy meeting – markets watching for any change in interest rate outlook
US monthly payrolls report – key labour market signal
Earnings from tech giants – Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft
Bank of Japan policy decision
LDP meeting in Japan amid political instability
Currency & Bond Market Moves
Euro: down 0.2% to $1.1743
Dollar/yen: up 0.3% to ¥147.37
US 10-year yield: fell to 4.39%, unwinding Thursday’s gain
Japanese 10-year yield: down slightly to 1.595%, just below a 2008 high
Commodities Check
Gold: steady at $3,368/oz, up 0.5% for the week
Brent crude: +0.3% to $69.35
WTI crude: +0.2% to $66.18
Conclusion & Key Takeaways:
Asian markets dipped after strong rallies, as investors turned cautious
Next week’s key events: Trump tariffs, central bank decisions, US jobs, tech earnings
Stronger US dollar, weaker yen amid political turmoil and economic divergence
Global equities remain buoyant, supported by earnings and optimism on trade
With multiple market-moving headlines lined up, investors are locking in gains and bracing for volatility. Keep a close watch—the next week could shape the direction of global markets for the rest of the quarter.
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