KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia closed almost flat on Tuesday as buying interest rotated away from index heavyweights towards smaller-cap construction stocks, with sentiment affected by geopolitical uncertainty, said an analyst. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 0.39 of a point to 1,714.40 from Monday’s close of 1,714.79. The benchmark index opened 1.65 points lower at 1,713.14 and moved between 1,710.44 and 1,714.50 throughout the trading session. The broader market was almost evenly balanced, with decliners leading gainers 548 to 546, while 598 counters were unchanged, 1,107 were untraded and 25 were suspended. Turnover expanded to 4.13 billion units valued at RM3.14 billion from 3.60 billion units valued at RM2.45 billion on Monday.
Key Takeaways:
Asian equities advanced for a fifth day, led by technology shares such as TSMC, Samsung Electronics, and SK Hynix.
Oil prices rose following Israel’s strike in Qatar, raising fears of further Middle East escalation.
Markets are now bracing for US inflation data that will shape the Fed’s September policy meeting.
Market Performance
South Korea’s Kospi jumped as much as 1.4%, setting up for a record close, supported by AI-driven momentum and corporate reforms.
Japan’s Topix rose 0.2%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.7%.
MSCI Asia-Pacific Index extended its winning streak to five sessions.
US equity futures edged higher, following the S&P 500’s record close.
Meanwhile, China’s consumer prices slipped 0.4% YoY, highlighting persistent deflationary pressures and renewed concerns over growth momentum.
Macro & Policy Outlook
US jobs revision: Payrolls for the year through March were revised down by a record 911,000, reinforcing concerns about a slowing labour market.
Fed expectations: Markets are pricing in three Fed cuts this year, with most analysts expecting a 25bps cut in September. However, a hotter-than-expected inflation print could complicate the outlook.
Global trade risks: President Trump signaled potential joint US-EU tariffs on China and India to pressure Russia over Ukraine.
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon noted the US economy is “weakening,” though it remains unclear if it is heading into recession.
Market Snapshot
Stocks
S&P 500 futures: +0.2% (10:36am Tokyo)
Topix (Japan): +0.2%
ASX 200 (Australia): +0.1%
Hang Seng (HK): +0.7%
Shanghai Composite: flat
Euro Stoxx 50 futures: +0.3%
Currencies
Dollar Index: little changed
Euro: –0.1% to $1.1695
Yen: flat at 147.41/$
Offshore yuan: flat at 7.1257/$
Bonds
US 10Y yield: 4.08% (steady)
Japan 10Y yield: +1.5bps to 1.575%
Australia 10Y yield: +2bps to 4.28%
Commodities
WTI crude: +0.7% to $63.07/barrel
Spot gold: little changed
Crypto
Bitcoin: –0.4% to $111,042
Ether: +0.1% to $4,310
Bottom Line
Asian equities extended their rally as tech momentum and expectations of Fed easing outweighed weak labour signals. But with inflation data due this week, markets face a critical test: whether falling job growth and stable prices give the Fed room to cut—or force policymakers into a tougher balancing act.
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