KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia ended the first half of the 2026 trading year on a softer note, following a range-bound trading session as investors remained cautious amid the lack of fresh domestic catalysts. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice-president of equity research Thong Pak Leng said regional equities finished broadly higher, supported by stronger-than-expected business activity data from China and continued strength in technology stocks. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 1.85 points to 1,664.06 from Monday’s close of 1,665.91. The index opened 1.37 points higher at 1,667.28 and fluctuated between an intraday low of 1,661.80 and a high of 1,669.88 throughout the day. Market breadth was positive, with gainers outnumbering decliners 562 to 415, while 589 counters were unchanged, 1,124 untraded, and 79 suspended.
Quick Summary
US stock futures moved higher while gold rebounded sharply after recent losses. A partial US government shutdownhas delayed the January jobs report, adding uncertainty to near-term data. Meanwhile, a US–India trade deal, major AI investments, and strong earnings from Palantir shaped early market sentiment.
Key Takeaways
January US jobs report delayed due to partial government shutdown
US to cut India tariffs from 25% to 18% under a US$500bn+ trade deal
Gold rebounds over 5% after a two-day rout
SpaceX acquires xAI, forming a vertically integrated AI ecosystem
Big Tech ramps up AI spending; earnings season remains in focus
Markets Before the Bell
Nasdaq 100 futures +0.41%
S&P 500 futures +0.11%
Dow futures -0.11%
Gold +5.43%, rebounding strongly
Apple +4.06%, Tesla -2.00%
Macro & Policy
US–India trade deal:
Tariffs on Indian goods cut to 18% from 25%
India to reduce tariffs and non-tariff barriers on US goods
Commitment to buy US$500bn+ in US energy, tech and agricultural products
India to halt purchases of Russian oil
Government shutdown impact:
US Labor Department funding lapse delays January payrolls, JOLTS, and regional employment data
New release dates pending congressional action
Tech & AI Developments
Google to invest US$4.75bn in AI data center infrastructure
Palantir posted 70% YoY revenue growth, beating expectations with strong US government demand
SpaceX acquires xAI via share exchange (0.143 ratio), integrating SpaceX, Starlink, xAI and X platform
Apple M6 chip to use TSMC 2nm (N2) node, prioritising cost and supply stability over marginal performance gains
Earnings Watch
Before market: PayPal, Merck, PepsiCo
After market: AMD, Super Micro Computer
What to Watch Next
Delayed US jobs data once shutdown ends
AMD and SMCI earnings as AI hardware demand remains under scrutiny
Market reaction to gold’s rebound and broader risk sentiment
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