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...
U.S. stocks closed lower on Tuesday with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 205 points to 44,632.99, as investors turned cautious ahead of the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision. Despite the decline, the CNN Business Fear & Greed Index remained in the “Greed” zone at 69.1, down slightly from 72.2 in the previous session.
Market Movers and Economic Data
UnitedHealth (UNH) plunged 7.46% after reporting weaker-than-expected Q2 2025 earnings, though it reinstated its full-year guidance.
Procter & Gamble (PG) posted better-than-expected Q2 earnings, providing some support to consumer staples.
On the data front:
Job openings dropped by 275,000 to 7.437 million in June, missing estimates of 7.55 million.
The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Home Price Index rose 2.8% YoY in May.
U.S. trade deficit narrowed to $86 billion, down $10.4 billion from May.
Wholesale inventories inched up 0.2% MoM to $907.7 billion.
Sector Performance
Most S&P 500 sectors ended in the red, with industrials, consumer discretionary, and health care leading losses. Real estate and utilities were the only gainers, benefiting from defensive positioning ahead of the Fed meeting.
S&P 500: -0.30% to 6,370.86
Nasdaq Composite: -0.38% to 21,098.29
Fed Decision in Focus
The Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged, but traders are watching Chair Jerome Powell’s remarks for clues on the September meeting. A potential rate cut later this year remains the base case, contingent on upcoming economic data.
Earnings to Watch
Investor attention now turns to post-market earnings from Meta Platforms (META), Microsoft (MSFT), and Kraft Heinz (KHC), which could set the tone for Wednesday’s trading session.
Sentiment Snapshot
Fear & Greed Index: 69.1 (Greed)
Previous session: 72.2
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