KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia closed higher, buoyed by Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) decision to maintain the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) at 2.75 per cent, alongside positive cues from Wall Street. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 19.30 points, or 1.19 per cent, to 1,635.86 from Wednesday’s close of 1,616.56. The benchmark index opened 6.72 points higher at 1,623.28, and fluctuated between an intraday high of 1,642.44 and a low of 1,622.62 during the trading session. However, market breadth was negative, with losers outnumbering gainers 723 to 497, while 466 counters were unchanged, 1,075 untraded and 10 suspended. Turnover rose to 3.74 billion units valued at RM3.61 billion compared with yesterday’s 2.81 billion units valued at RM2.57 billion.
What’s happening The US dollar is coming under renewed pressure in early 2026 as investors reassess political, monetary and geopolitical risks tied to the US. The greenback is on track for its sharpest three-day drop since April 2025 , when tariff threats triggered a broad selloff in US assets. Under Donald Trump , policy unpredictability has resurfaced — from tariff threats and geopolitical brinkmanship to attacks on Federal Reserve independence — prompting investors to rethink long-held assumptions about dollar stability. Why the dollar is under fire Several forces are converging: Political risk premium is rising : erratic trade threats, diplomatic tensions, and renewed talk of a US government shutdown Monetary policy divergence : markets expect the Fed to cut rates at least twice this year, while other central banks pause or even tighten Fed leadership uncertainty : Chair Jerome Powell is set to step down in May, with speculation that a more dovish...