MONEY MASTER

U.S. 10Y touches 5%, AI stocks tumble and oil stays above US$105 markets brace for tomorrow’s Fed decision Global markets enter Tuesday with three pressure points converging:  U.S. borrowing costs briefly crossed 5%, oil remains above US$100, and the AI trade suffered a sharp reset overnight . The S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq all closed lower Monday, while the Philadelphia semiconductor index plunged  5.9% .  For Malaysian investors, there was one encouraging counterpoint: the  FBM KLCI rebounded 0.66% to 1,698.01 , snapping four consecutive losing sessions despite the difficult global backdrop.  30-second market snapshot Market / Asset Latest 🇺🇸 S&P 500 7,619.98, -0.48% 🇺🇸 Dow Jones 52,421.20, -0.29% 🇺🇸 Nasdaq 26,186.41, -0.56% 🇲🇾 FBM KLCI 1,698.01, +0.66% 💵 USD/MYR ~4.04–4.05 🇺🇸 U.S. 10Y Treasury briefly >5%; ~4.98% later 🥇 Spot gold ~US$4,313/oz, -0.8% 🛢️ Brent US$105.68/bbl, +~1% ₿ Bitcoin ~US$79,150, +~2% Monday The dollar strengthened Mo...

Oil jumps above US$107 as Asia sells off, Fed and BOJ rate decisions now collide with a fresh energy shock Markets are opening the week under renewed pressure.  Brent crude has jumped about 3% to above US$107 , Asian equities are falling sharply, and U.S. Treasury yields remain close to 5%. At the same time, investors are preparing for possible rate hikes from  both the Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan this week .  For investors, the central question has become: Can central banks contain inflation without causing a much larger slowdown when energy prices are surging at the same time?  30-second market snapshot Market / Asset Latest 🇺🇸 S&P 500 7,656.98, +0.86% Friday 🇺🇸 Dow Jones +0.98% Friday 🇺🇸 Nasdaq +0.96% Friday 🇲🇾 FBM KLCI 1,686.74, -1.10% Friday 🇯🇵 Nikkei -1.7% Monday morning 🇰🇷 Kospi -3.3% Monday morning 🌏 MSCI Asia ex-Japan -0.8% 🛢️ Brent crude ~US$107.36, +2.6% 🛢️ WTI crude ~US$102.48, +2.4% 🇺🇸 U.S. 10Y Treasury ~4.97% 🥇 Gold ~US$4,336...

Key Takeaways FBM KLCI slipped below its 2026 gains , pressured by renewed geopolitical concerns and regional market weakness. Foreign fund outflows and political uncertainty  continue to cap market sentiment ahead of upcoming state elections. Higher oil prices and elevated US interest rate expectations  could prolong market volatility. Analysts favour domestic, cash-generative companies , viewing market weakness as a selective buying opportunity. Market Overview Malaysian equities started the week on a weaker footing, with the  FBM KLCI  falling as much as  0.8%  to  1,655.28 , wiping out its gains for the year. The decline mirrored losses across major Asian markets as investors shifted their focus back to geopolitical tensions involving  Iran  and the broader Middle East. Financial heavyweights led the pullback, with  Public Bank  declining 1.5%, contributing significantly to the benchmark index's weakest level since December 2025...

Malaysia’s market opened with mixed signals as  strong global sentiment contrasts with local profit-taking , while the  IMF upgraded the country’s 2026 GDP outlook , reinforcing medium-term optimism. Wall Street Gains on Easing Geopolitical Risks US markets closed mostly higher as optimism grew that the  US-Iran conflict may be nearing an end : S&P 500   +0.8% Nasdaq Composite   +1.59% Dow Jones Industrial Average   -0.15% Technology stocks led gains, driven by continued  AI enthusiasm and corporate developments : Tesla   +7.6%  on AI chip progress Oracle   +4.2%  on energy deal Lower geopolitical risks are expected to  ease oil prices and inflation pressures , supporting equities. KLCI Slips on Profit-Taking in Heavyweights The  FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI  edged  0.28% lower to 1,683.42 , as gains were capped by  profit-taking in financial and utility stocks . Top gainer:  Axiata Group   +3.72% ...

Escalating Middle East tensions are reigniting momentum in commodity markets, and Maybank Investment Bank sees  short-term trading opportunities emerging in oil- and aluminium-linked counters  despite broader equity volatility. Crude oil has jumped nearly 46% in just two weeks — the sharpest rally since the post-pandemic rebound — while aluminium continues its bullish climb. Key Takeaways Crude oil up nearly 46% in two weeks Aluminium extends rally, widening producer margins Maybank highlights PETRONAS Chemicals and Press Metal as trading plays Elevated freight rates may benefit Westports Defensive yield plays remain attractive FBM KLCI 2026 target maintained at 1,780 (bear case: 1,550) Commodity-Linked Stocks in Focus Maybank identifies tactical opportunities in: PETRONAS Chemicals Group Bhd  – Higher average selling prices amid oil spike Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd  – Wider aluminium spreads Westports Holdings Bhd  – Potential upside from elevated freig...

Global markets stabilised overnight as oil prices cooled, while Bursa Malaysia retreated below a key technical level amid rising geopolitical tensions. Investors are balancing  energy market volatility, geopolitical developments in the Middle East, and corporate earnings momentum , while monitoring new developments in Malaysia’s data centre and infrastructure sectors. Wall Street Rebounds as Oil Market Stabilises US equities staged a rebound after oil prices eased from earlier spikes triggered by geopolitical tensions. Major indices closed higher: Nasdaq Composite:   22,807.48 (+1.29%) S&P 500:   6,869.50 (+0.78%) Dow Jones:   48,739.41 (+0.49%) Oil prices stabilised with  crude futures rising 1.9% to US$75.96 per barrel , significantly lower than earlier spikes of up to  12% earlier in the week . The market recovery followed  President Donald Trump’s announcement that the US would insure oil shipments and provide naval escorts for tankers passing ...

  Malaysia’s manufacturing sector slipped back into contraction in February, while global markets reacted to escalating tensions in the Middle East following US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Key Takeaways Wall Street volatile after US–Israel strike on Iran Bursa Malaysia slumps with over 1,000 stocks in the red Malaysia PMI falls to 49.3, back below 50 contraction line Stocks in focus: Optimax, Dagang NeXchange, OMH and others US Market Recap: Oil and Gold Surge on Geopolitical Tensions Nasdaq Composite  rose 0.36% to 22,748.86 S&P 500 Index  ed ged up 0.04% to 6,881.62 Dow Jones Industrial Average   slipped 0.15% to 48,904.78 Markets initially dropped after US and Israeli forces launched coordinated strikes targeting Iran’s alleged nuclear and missile facilities. Iran retaliated with missile attacks on Israel and US-linked targets in the region. Oil prices jumped as much as 12% before easing: West Texas Intermediate crude traded at US$72.54 per barrel. Safe-haven...

Malaysia’s benchmark index tumbled sharply on Monday as escalating tensions in the Middle East and renewed US tariff concerns triggered a regional sell-off. Market Snapshot FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI  fell as much as 32.33 points, or nearly 2%, before trimming losses to close  down 0.96% at 1,700.21 points . In the broader market: Losers outnumbered gainers  four to one 3.9 billion shares traded, valued at nearly RM4 billion The ringgit weakened in line with regional currencies as the US dollar strengthened following the US-Israel strike on Iran. Key Point: Geopolitical tensions and higher US tariffs triggered broad-based selling pressure on Bursa Malaysia. Tariff Pressure Builds The US implemented a new  10% global tariff  last week, with President  Donald Trump  reportedly pushing to raise it to 15%. The combined impact of tariff uncertainty and geopolitical risks dampened investor sentiment across Asia. Hong Leong Investment Bank noted that the confli...