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...
August is shaping up to be a critical month for financial markets, with major policy decisions, economic data releases, and key earnings reports on the calendar. Investors should prepare for potential volatility across equities and other asset classes.
August 1: Tariff Deadline and Jobs Report
The month begins with President Trump’s tariff deadline and the release of July’s jobs data. Any escalation in trade tensions or a weak employment report could increase expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut, while stronger numbers may reinforce the current “higher for longer” stance.
Big Tech Earnings
August 4: Palantir (PLTR) – Insight into enterprise AI and government spending trends.
August 5: AMD and Super Micro (SMCI) – Investors are watching for strong AI-related guidance to justify valuations.
August 12: Circle (CRCL) – A focus point amid rising stablecoin regulation.
August 27: NVIDIA (NVDA) – One of the most anticipated earnings reports of the month as AI demand remains in the spotlight.
Inflation and Retail Data
August 12 and 14: Producer Price Index (PPI)
- August 15: Retail SalesThese indicators will shape expectations ahead of the Federal Reserve’s meeting minutes on August 20. Cooling inflation or weaker consumer spending could support the case for easing, while persistent inflation may keep the Fed cautious.
August 21–23: Jackson Hole Symposium
The annual economic policy meeting is closely watched for signals from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Any indication of flexibility could boost equities, while a firm stance on inflation may put pressure on risk assets.
August 29: Core PCE
The release of the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge will be the final key data point before the pre-meeting blackout period, potentially influencing expectations for the next policy decision.
Bottom Line:
With tariff deadlines, labor data, inflation reports, and high-profile tech earnings converging, August could be a defining month for U.S. markets and global investor sentiment.
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