KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia ended lower on the final trading day of the week, weighed down by the plantation sector as investors locked in gains following its recent strong performance. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 7.03 points 1,708.10, compared with yesterday’s close of 1,715.13. The benchmark index opened 1.39 points lower at 1,713.74 and fluctuated between 1,704.86 and 1,715.20 throughout the day. The broader market was negative with losers outnumbering gainers 568 to 523, while 596 counters were unchanged, 1,085 untraded and 19 suspended. Turnover expanded to 4.33 billion units valued at RM2.98 billion from 3.90 billion units valued at RM3.21 billion on Thursday.
A closely watched US inflation report due Thursday is expected to reinforce the Federal Reserve’s cautious stance , with price pressures easing only gradually and still running above the central bank’s comfort zone. What the Market Expects Economists forecast that the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index , the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, will show little change in momentum . Core PCE (ex-food & energy): +0.2% MoM +2.8% YoY Headline PCE: +0.2% MoM +2.8% YoY If confirmed, inflation would be moving sideways , not accelerating — but still well above the Fed’s 2% target . Why This Matters for Policy Core PCE tends to adjust more slowly than CPI, and recent data suggest inflation cooled only modestly toward the end of 2025. While consumer inflation closed December at 2.7% , PCE readings point to stickiness rather than renewed disinflation . Economists note that: Inflation ran hot but stable in late 2025 Seasonal adj...