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 Faces Margin Pressure From Tariffs, But BofA Sees Recovery Ahead
Tariff Impact: $Apple (AAPL.US)$ is absorbing ~$900M in tariff-related costs in fiscal Q3, with another $1B expected in the September quarter, according to BofA Securities.
Margins: BofA says fiscal Q4 could mark the trough for gross margins, with recovery expected afterward on a stronger product mix.
Drivers for Improvement:
New Product Cycle: A rumored slim iPhone Air (priced $100 above the Plus model) could boost replacement rates.
Mac & iPad refresh: New MacBook Airs and iPad Pros are expected to support sales momentum.
Geographic strength: Better iPhone demand in China and steady growth in services revenue.
Outlook:
BofA expects Apple to deliver in-line Q3 results and a slight beat on September quarter revenue.
Rating: Buy
Price Target: $235
📌 Key note: Despite near-term tariff headwinds, BofA views Apple’s gross margin recovery as driven by premium hardware and services expansion.
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