KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia gave up earlier gains to end mixed today, amid a higher regional market showing, as property, construction, and healthcare counters attracted buying interests, while plantation, banking, and telecommunication stocks saw some profit-taking, an analyst said. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 1.70 points to close at 1,602.34 from yesterday’s close of 1,604.04. The benchmark index, which opened 0.86 of-a-point lower at 1,603.18, moved between 1,601.02 and 1,608.88 during the trading session. However, the broader market was mixed to higher, with gainers leading decliners by 565 to 438 while 502 counters remained unchanged, 961 untraded, and 14 suspended. Turnover narrowed to 2.83 billion units valued at RM2.08 billion versus 2.96 billion units valued at RM2.23 billion yesterday. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng said the benchmark index remained range-bound and it required a dec
European stocks rose on Tuesday while the US dollar remained under pressure, as investors anticipated a potentially aggressive rate cut from the US Federal Reserve (Fed) . With the Fed expected to begin its easing cycle, markets have increasingly priced in the possibility of a 50-basis-point rate cut . Futures markets have fully priced in a quarter-point cut and now show nearly a 70% probability of a half-percentage-point rate cut on Wednesday, up sharply from around a 15% chance last week. This shift comes after multiple media reports suggested more aggressive monetary easing. The prospect of a deeper rate cut has boosted risky assets and driven down the dollar and bond yields. "It's back to the Fed put," said Eddie Kennedy , head of discretionary fund management at Marlborough Investment Management . "Everyone's pricing in the soft landing... Generally, stocks have done well in such environments." The pan-European STOXX 600 was up 0.5% to a two-