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...
Singapore stocks opened higher on Wednesday, following a record-setting session on Wall Street and steady investor sentiment across Asia. The Straits Times Index (STI) rose 0.13% to 4,386.55 in early trade, with 51 gainers and 42 decliners, as traders digested upbeat global cues.
Wall Street: Dow Hits Record High
The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 218 points (0.5%) to close at 46,924.74, setting a new all-time high driven by strong corporate earnings.
3M Co jumped 7.7% after raising its profit outlook.
Coca-Cola rose 4.1%, beating Q3 expectations.
Salesforce gained 3.6% after announcing a partnership with Alphabet (Google).
General Motors surged 14.9% on solid earnings and improved guidance.
Meanwhile, the S&P 500 edged up 0.003% to 6,735.35, while the Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.2% to 22,953.67, as tech shares paused following a strong rally.
Commodities: Gold and Silver Retreat
Gold and silver prices plunged as optimism grew that U.S.-China trade tensions and the U.S. government shutdowncould soon ease.
Gold futures (Dec 2025) tumbled 6.1% to US$4,093/oz, the biggest one-day drop in over five years.
Silver futures (Dec 2025) slid 8.3% to US$47.12/oz.
Traders said precious metals’ sell-off reflected a rotation out of safe havens as market uncertainty began to subside.
Singapore Trade Surges to S$1.23 Trillion
According to the DHL Global Connectedness Tracker, Singapore’s total trade volume reached S$1.23 trillion (US$951.6 billion) in 2024 — a robust performance supported by strong flows in electrical machinery and equipment, particularly exports to Hong Kong SAR.
Exports: S$640.8 billion
Imports: S$591.6 billion
The data reaffirms Singapore’s position as one of the world’s most globally integrated economies.
Inflation Expectations Ease
Singapore consumers’ one-year-ahead inflation expectations dropped to 3.3% in September 2025, the lowest since 2021, according to the SInDEx survey by SMU and DBS. This indicates growing confidence that price pressures are moderating after two years of elevated inflation.
Stocks to Watch
Seatrium Ltd (5E2.SG): Rejected a US$475 million contract termination from a Maersk Offshore Wind affiliate, alleging wrongful termination and reserving its rights.
Keppel DC REIT (AJBU.SG): Issued 180.6 million new units at S$2.24 each, with trading beginning today.
Soilbuild Construction (V5Q.SG): Considering a spinoff and mainboard listing of its precast and prefabrication business on the SGX.
Market Outlook:
With global equities near record levels and local inflation expectations easing, Singapore’s market may continue to benefit from improved sentiment. However, the sharp correction in gold and silver underscores that volatility in safe-haven assets remains high amid shifting global trade dynamics.
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