MONEY MASTER

Asian markets surged at the start of April as  hopes of easing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East  boosted risk sentiment, while strong economic data from North Asia added further support. Equities Rally on War De-escalation Signals The  MSCI Asia-Pacific ex-Japan index jumped 2.7% , snapping a four-day losing streak as investors reacted to signs that the  US-Iran conflict may be nearing a resolution . US President  Donald Trump  indicated that military operations could  end within two to three weeks , improving market sentiment despite ongoing hostilities. Regional markets responded strongly: South Korea’s Kospi surged up to 5.5% Japan’s Nikkei 225 climbed as much as 3.9% The rebound followed a strong session on Wall Street, where the  S&P 500 rallied 2.9% , reflecting global optimism over a potential diplomatic path forward. Korea’s Data Surprise Fuels Tech-Led Gains South Korea led regional gains, supported by  robust economic da...

US  equities  opened  higher  on  Friday  as  soft  economic  data  strengthened  expectations  that  the  Federal  Reserve  may  cut  interest  rates  later  this  year .  Investors  also  remained  cautious  as  geopolitical  tensions  in  the  Middle  East  continued  to  influence  market  sentiment  and  energy  prices. Market  Rebound  After  Recent  Losses The  S& P 500  rose 0.8%   in  early  New  York  trading,  recovering  after  three  consecutive  sessions  of  declines .  The  Nasdaq 100  also  gained 0.8% ,  supported  by  technology  stocks,  although  the  Magnificent  Seven  index  remained  near  ...

Simple Summary World stocks extended losses for a third day , heading for the worst week since November Tech and AI-linked stocks led the sell-off , with software shares hit hard Silver and cryptocurrencies plunged , then staged shaky rebounds Markets are beginning to price in higher odds of a Fed rate cut What’s Driving the Market Rout Global markets stayed under pressure as volatility ripped through  equities, precious metals and cryptocurrencies . MSCI All-Country World Index  slipped  0.1% , on track for its worst week since mid-November Asia-Pacific ex-Japan stocks fell 0.8% S&P 500 e-mini futures:  -0.3% Nasdaq e-mini futures:  -0.5% The selling followed a sharp Wall Street rout, where fears are mounting that  new AI models may erode software profit margins , just as  US labour-market data weakens . AI Optimism Meets Reality Investors are rotating away from crowded AI trades. “The market is starting to ask:  what is the payback? ” said P...

US equity futures climbed as investors shrugged off the federal government shutdown and priced in stronger odds of further Fed rate cuts. Meanwhile, gold surged past the $3,900 mark to a new record high, supported by safe-haven demand and expectations of easing monetary policy. Market Overview Index Last Change E-mini S&P 500 (Dec) 6,789.75 +0.38% Nasdaq 100 Futures (Dec) – +0.62% Dow Futures (Dec) – +83 pts (+0.18%) Both the  S&P 500  and  Nasdaq  have advanced in four of the past five weeks, reflecting investor confidence despite policy uncertainty from Washington. Key Highlights AMD Surges on Multi-Billion Dollar OpenAI Partnership $AMD (AMD.US)$ rallied  35%  after  OpenAI  agreed to deploy up to  6GW of AMD Instinct GPUs , starting 2026. The partnership includes a  warrant for up to 160 million shares , potentially giving OpenAI  a 10% stake in AMD . The deal highlights AMD’s rising competitiveness in the  AI infra...

Key Takeaway Gold hit a fresh record above  US$3,600/oz  as traders priced in a September Fed rate cut and sought protection amid stagflation concerns, governance risks at the Fed, and tariff-driven inflation threats. Market Snapshot Gold Futures (DEC5) : Session High:  US$3,631.00  (+1.1%) Prior Close:  US$3,592.20  (record) ICE USD Index : 98.35 (–0.05) Treasury Yields : 2Y: 3.66% (+1.5 bps) 10Y: 4.272% (+0.9 bps) Drivers of the Rally Fed Policy Outlook : Markets fully pricing a  25bps cut  at Sept. 17 meeting. Lower rates reduce gold’s opportunity cost vs interest-bearing assets. Softer USD enhances appeal of gold to foreign investors. Safe-Haven Demand : Rising stagflation fears from tariffs slowing growth while raising prices. Trump pressures Fed: attempts to fire Governor Lisa Cook, push Powell for deeper cuts. Governance Premium : Concerns over Fed independence adding to gold’s bid. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to start process of ...

  Global Markets Indices:  Dow -0.02%, S&P 500 +0.03% (3rd straight record close), Nasdaq -0.01% Drivers:  Hotter-than-expected July PPI showed the largest jump in US services costs since Mar 2022, trimming odds of a larger September Fed rate cut to 90%. Jobless claims fell, indicating labour market strength. Yields:  US 10Y Treasury at 4.29% as stronger inflation data pressured bonds. Notable Stock Move:  Intel +7.38% on reports of potential Trump administration investment to fund Ohio chip plants, part of efforts to boost domestic semiconductor output. Malaysia Market Macro:  USD/MYR +50 pips to 4.2125; MGS 10Y steady at 3.48% KLCI:  1,581.05 (-5.55 pts) on profit-taking after recent gains. Sector Performance:  Gainers – Property (+0.39%), Energy (+0.25%), Telecommunications (+0.11%); Laggards – Transportation (-1.11%), Technology (-0.86%), Consumer (-0.77%). Trade in Focus ECOWLD (8206.MY):  Jumped to RM2.17 (highest since 2014) with v...

Mixed Close for Major Indexes S&P 500  edged up  1.96 points (0.03%)  to a record  6,468.54 . Nasdaq Composite  slipped  2.47 points (0.01%)  to  21,710.67 , pulling back from Wednesday’s record. Dow Jones Industrial Average  dipped  11.01 points (0.02%)  to  44,911.26 . PPI Surprise Clouds Fed Cut Expectations July  Producer Price Index  rose  3.3% YoY , the fastest pace since February. Higher wholesale inflation reignited concerns that  Trump’s tariffs  could fuel broader price pressures. CME FedWatch  now shows a  92.6%  chance of a  0.25% rate cut  in September, down from 100% earlier in the week. Earlier in the week, a tame  Consumer Price Index  report had boosted hopes for three consecutive rate cuts. Magnificent Seven Performance Decliners:  Tesla (-1.1%) ,  Apple (-0.2%) . Gainers led by  Amazon (+2.9%) ; the other four names also ended high...

Asian equities are set for a cautious open after  stronger-than-expected US wholesale inflation  curbed Wall Street’s momentum and lifted Treasury yields, trimming bets on aggressive Federal Reserve rate cuts. Futures:  Australia & Japan point to gains, Hong Kong futures lower. Wall Street:  S&P 500 flat after a 30% rally since April lows;  Intel  surged on reports of a potential US government stake;  Applied Materials  gave a weak forecast after hours. Rates & FX:  US 2-year Treasury yields +6bps to  3.73% ; September Fed rate cut odds slipped to ~90%. USD rose; Bitcoin pulled back from record highs. Inflation Data:  July PPI rose at the fastest pace in 3 years, reflecting higher import costs from tariffs. CPI earlier in the week suggested milder pass-through; Fed still expected to cut next month but the strength in wholesale prices could temper the pace. Regional focus: China:  July retail sales and industrial out...

Asian Equities Cool After Three-Day Advance Asian stocks pulled back Thursday, with the  MSCI Asia Pacific Index  slipping 0.2% as Japanese shares dropped 1.4% under pressure from a stronger yen. The yen gained 0.5% against the US dollar after US Treasury Secretary  Scott Bessent said the  Bank of Japan (BOJ)  was lagging in tackling inflation and would likely raise interest rates. Bessent’s Push for Fed Rate Cuts Weakens the Dollar The dollar fell against all G-10 peers as Bessent also urged the  Federal Reserve  to ease policy. He argued that the Fed’s benchmark rate should be at least  1.5 percentage points lower  and suggested starting with a  50 bps cut in September . His comments follow softer US inflation data earlier this week, which reinforced market expectations for a  quarter-point cut next month . Monetary Policy Outlook Fed : The FOMC kept rates at  4.25%-4.5%  in July. Analysts expect a more dovish tone in 20...

Despite rising global uncertainty triggered by new rounds of tariffs,  Wall Street seems to have its eyes set on something else — Big Tech's unstoppable momentum.  The  S&P 500  rose by  0.6% , powered by mega-cap tech names, while the  Nasdaq 100  added  0.7% . Even the  Dow Jones  is creeping toward all-time highs. What’s fueling this rally? AI Stocks Aren’t Slowing Down One of the biggest stories of the day is  Nvidia briefly touching a $4 trillion valuation  — the first company in history to reach that milestone. Riding the AI wave, Microsoft also gained after a bullish upgrade by Oppenheimer, citing fast-growing AI revenue. This isn't just hype. As long as artificial intelligence continues to attract enterprise and consumer demand, companies that build or support this infrastructure —  chipmakers, cloud providers, and AI software firms  — will remain in the spotlight. Rate Cuts > Tariff Fears? With Preside...

The  S&P 500 closed Q2 2025 at a record high , capping its strongest quarterly performance since Q4 2023 with a  +25% rally from April lows , led by continued tech sector strength and growing optimism over Fed rate cuts. However, markets are also facing  elevated valuation risks , geopolitical volatility, and upcoming macro data that may determine whether this momentum can persist. Market Highlights S&P 500  topped the  6,200 level , led by megacap techs (Apple +X%, Oracle +Y% on $30B cloud deal). Treasuries  posted their best 1H performance in five years;  yields softened  on dovish Fed expectations. USD weakened  for the fifth consecutive month — its longest decline since 2017. Global equities  remain resilient despite tariff threats and geopolitical shocks. Gold and crude diverged : Gold up on haven demand; crude down amid OPEC+ output expectations. Analyst Insights: Positioning for H2 2025 Fed Pivot Still Central to Market Na...