MONEY MASTER

Asian equities advanced for a second straight session, driven by  broadening gains in AI-linked sectors , even as  rising oil prices and geopolitical tensions  capped upside momentum. Tech and AI Stocks Lead Regional Gains The  MSCI Asia-Pacific Index  climbed  0.8% , putting markets on track for a  weekly gain . Key highlights: Nikkei 225   +2.7% (regional leader) SoftBank Group   +13%  on Arm-related strength Lenovo  hit a  26-year high The rally reflects  continued investor rotation into AI beneficiaries , beyond just leading chipmakers. AI Theme Expands Beyond Semiconductors Markets are increasingly pricing in  second-order AI beneficiaries , including: Memory and hardware suppliers Robotics and automation players Broader  enterprise adoption of AI solutions This signals a shift from  core infrastructure (chips)  to  downstream applications , supporting a wider range of stocks. Oil Rebounds, Li...

Global markets turned risk-off on Monday as  renewed US-Iran tensions  shattered last week’s optimism, sending  oil prices sharply higher  and  US equity futures lower . Risk Sentiment Deteriorates After Weekend Escalation Futures tied to the  S&P 500  dropped  nearly 1% , reversing momentum after the index closed at a record high last week. The shift comes after: Iran signaled it may  skip upcoming peace talks The US maintained its  naval blockade around the Strait of Hormuz Escalating rhetoric between both sides raised fears of  prolonged conflict This highlights how recent market gains were largely driven by  optimism rather than concrete progress . Oil Prices Spike as Supply Risks Intensify Crude markets reacted sharply to the renewed tensions: Brent crude surged more than 7% The escalation threatens  global energy supply routes , particularly the  Strait of Hormuz , a critical oil transit chokepoint. Analysts...

US markets are set for a weaker open as  geopolitical tensions escalate sharply , following the US decision to impose a  naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz , a key global energy artery. Futures Drop as Risk Sentiment Deteriorates US stock futures declined in early trading: Dow Jones Industrial Average  futures  -0.9% S&P 500 Index  futures  -0.9% Invesco QQQ Trust futures  -1.1% The pullback follows a  strong rally last week , as investors now reassess risks tied to the Middle East conflict. Oil Prices Surge on Supply Disruption Fears Energy markets reacted sharply to the blockade announcement: US crude surged ~8% to US$104.40 per barrel Brent crude rose ~7% to US$102.51 The Strait of Hormuz is a  critical chokepoint , handling roughly  20% of global oil flows , making any disruption a major driver of prices. Blockade Escalates Geopolitical Tensions Donald Trump  confirmed that the US Navy will  blockade all vessels ent...

US stock futures rose in early Asian trading as upbeat earnings from  Amazon.com  and  Apple Inc.  helped lift sentiment following a volatile session that saw sharp declines in major technology names. Tech Earnings Drive Overnight Turnaround Amazon  surged up to  15% in after-hours trading  after reporting its  fastest AWS growth in nearly three years , while  Apple  advanced following a  better-than-expected quarterly revenue  and a  bullish holiday outlook . Futures tied to the  S&P 500  and  Nasdaq 100  gained, partly offsetting Thursday’s broad selloff driven by concerns over heavy  AI spending  and the  Federal Reserve’s cautious tone  on rate cuts. Meta Platforms  tumbled 11% after unveiling a  US$30 billion bond issuance  and rising AI-related costs, dragging the  Nasdaq 100 down 1.5%  and the  S&P 500 down 1%  earlier in the day. “Th...

Shutdown Deadline Approaches Asian shares opened cautiously on Monday as investors weighed the risk of a potential  U.S. government shutdown . Without a funding deal, the shutdown could begin  Wednesday , coinciding with the rollout of new U.S. tariffs on  heavy trucks, pharmaceuticals, and other products . President Donald Trump is set to meet congressional leaders later Monday in an effort to secure an extension. Analysts warn that a prolonged closure would delay critical economic data releases — including the September  payrolls report  — leaving the  Federal Reserve (Fed)  with less visibility ahead of its  Oct 29 meeting . Fed Implications Bank of America (BofA)  analysts noted that if the shutdown extends beyond October, the Fed would have to rely more on private-sector data. Markets currently price in a  90% chance of a Fed rate cut in October  and a  65% probability of another in December . Economic growth impact is est...

US futures opened with sharp moves among key tech and energy names. Oracle’s blowout cloud results lifted related AI infrastructure stocks, while NIO weighed on sentiment after unveiling a major equity offering. Gapping Up Oracle (ORCL.US)  jumped  31.5%  after securing large contracts and reporting strong growth in its cloud infrastructure revenue. The company guided to $455 billion in booked orders, fueling optimism across AI and data center plays. CoreWeave (CRWV.US)  gained  11.9% , with momentum spilling over from Oracle’s bullish cloud outlook. Vertiv Holdings (VRT.US)  rose  5.1% ,  Credo Technology (CRDO.US)  added  3.9% , and  Astera Labs (ALAB.US)  advanced  3.8% , all benefiting from cloud infrastructure enthusiasm. Bloom Energy (BE.US)  surged  7.8%  on news of international clean energy orders worth Rs. 386.06 crore. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD.US)  climbed  4.2% , buoyed by optimism t...

  Global Market Snapshot Wall Street Slips on Trade Jitters S&P 500 : 6,259.75 (-0.33%) Dow Jones : 44,371.51 (-0.63%) Nasdaq : 20,585.53 (-0.22%) US futures fell  after Trump threatened  new tariffs  on  EU and Mexico . Markets are pricing in a risk-off sentiment ahead of this week’s  US inflation report  and  Q2 earnings . Meanwhile,  Bitcoin  hit a record high of  $119,487 , up  27% YTD . Malaysia Market Highlights KLCI : 1,536.52 (+0.48%) USD/MYR : 4.2520 (+0.07%) Top Gainer : GAMUDA (+2.62%) Top Loser : IOICORP (-1.28%) Malaysia’s stock market ended  flat for the week , with the  KLCI shedding 0.91%  overall. Despite a mild rebound Friday, foreign investors remain cautious amid: Slower GDP growth outlook RM2.7 billion foreign outflows YTD Tariff concerns hitting AI & export-oriented counters Analysts are now revising down KLCI targets as  AI euphoria fades  and  trade risks escalate . ...

The   US dollar rallied   while   European stocks tumbled   on Tuesday after President-elect   Donald Trump   announced sweeping   tariff plans   targeting imports from   Mexico, Canada, and China . Market Impact The  STOXX 600 fell 0.7% , led by automakers such as  Volkswagen  and  Stellantis , which dropped between  2.6%-5% . The threat of tariffs on the  European Union  added pressure, with traders anticipating the EU could be next. S&P 500 futures  eased 0.1%, following Monday’s  0.3% gain . Currencies Under Fire The dollar surged  2.3% to 20.75 pesos  and climbed  1% to C$1.4139 , reflecting investor fears that Mexico would bear the brunt of Trump’s tariffs. Offshore yuan weakened to  7.2674 per dollar , its lowest since late July. The euro fell  0.1% to $1.04838 , while the British pound eased  0.2% to $1.2548 . Trump’s Tariff Plan Sweeping Tariffs Announced ...