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...
Market Overview
Singapore shares opened lower on Thursday as regional markets digested mixed global cues, while Wall Street closed higher overnight, led by gains in technology and banking stocks.
FTSE Straits Times Index (STI): 4,367.77 (-0.01%)
Volume / Value: 81.18M / S$111.02M
Advancers / Decliners: 77 / 72
Global Highlights
Nasdaq and S&P 500 Advance on Tech and Bank Strength
US markets closed higher on Wednesday, with the Nasdaq Composite up 0.7% to 22,670.08 and the S&P 500 rising 0.4% to 6,671.06.
The rally was fueled by strong results from key players such as Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), which gained 9.4%after HSBC raised its price target.
Bank of America (BAC) and Morgan Stanley (MS) also rose 4.4% and 4.7%, respectively, after upbeat Q3 earnings.
Precious Metals Surge as US-China Trade Tensions Escalate
Trade tensions resurfaced after Washington and Beijing imposed new port fees and expanded export controls.
President Donald Trump threatened 100% tariffs on Chinese goods and hinted at a ban on Chinese cooking-oil imports.
As safe-haven demand spiked, gold futures hit a record US$4,235.80/oz (+1.7%), while silver jumped 3.8% to US$52.57/oz.
Singapore & Regional Developments
MoM Introduces Singapore Opportunity Index (SOI)
The Ministry of Manpower (MoM) has launched the Singapore Opportunity Index, a new tool assessing 1,500 employers across five metrics — career progression, pay, hiring, retention, and gender parity.
Developed in collaboration with Singapore University of Social Sciences and the Burning Glass Institute, the SOI aims to help jobseekers identify top employers and guide companies in improving workforce practices.
OCBC SME Index Steady at 50.5 in Q3
The OCBC SME Index remained at 50.5, indicating continued expansion driven by the ICT and manufacturing sectors.
SME collections and payments rose 8.5% and 6.4% year-on-year, respectively.
ICT rebounded to 51.0 after 12 quarters of contraction, while manufacturing expanded at 50.9.
Meanwhile, F&B (49.4) and construction (49.9) remained under pressure.
OCBC’s GDP nowcast estimates growth slightly above 3.5%, aligning with official forecasts.
Stocks to Watch
Sea (SE.US) — Shares plunged 9.6% overnight, erasing several weeks of gains amid concerns over Shopee’s growth outlook and valuation.
Apple (AAPL.US) — Partnering with BYD to manufacture tabletop robots and home hubs in Vietnam, expanding its regional supply chain.
Singapore Airlines (C6L.SG) — September passenger traffic rose 3.7% YoY, outpacing a 2.5% increase in capacity. Load factor improved to 87.1%, though cargo load eased to 56.2%.
Jardine C&C (C07.SG) — Appointed Samuel Tsien, former OCBC CEO, as independent chairman effective Nov 11, succeeding John Witt.
Aztech Global (8AZ.SG) — Q3 net profit fell 21.2% YoY to S$10.8M on 19.9% lower revenue at S$133.5M, citing weak customer demand.
Q&M Dental (QC7.SG) — Proposed acquisition of a Thai dental chain valued at 1.95B baht (S$77.7M)through a cash-and-shares deal.
FoodInnovators (KYB.SG) — Reported S$206K profit for H1 2026, versus a S$1M loss a year earlier, driven by a turnaround in core operations.
Quick Take
Despite rising trade tensions between the US and China, Singapore’s market fundamentals remain resilient, supported by stable domestic indicators and a healthy SME environment. Investors will watch for Q4 earnings momentum, particularly from the aviation, banking, and manufacturing sectors.
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