Market Watch

Oil is back above US$100, bond yields are approaching uncomfortable levels and major central banks are turning increasingly hawkish, raising the risk of a difficult combination of persistent inflation and weaker growth. Meanwhile, investors are weighing whether US Treasuries look attractive at yields near 5%, whether China can shift from export-led growth towards stronger domestic demand, and whet...

US equities slipped overnight as Brent pushed above US$100, nearly 30% off its early-August lows, while longer-dated Treasury yields kept climbing despite the Treasury tripling its bond buyback to US$6 billion. Hebe Chen, Senior Market Analyst at Vantage Markets, tells us which of those two pressures is the bigger threat to stocks right now, what the latest PPI and jobless claims data mean for Fed...

Bursa Malaysia's REIT Index has had a roller-coaster year, and unlike the benchmark index it remains in the red — even as the 20 companies it tracks delivered a sturdy set of first-half results, with growth in both revenue and dividends. So why the disconnect? Afifah Ishak, Equity Research Analyst at Affin Hwang Investment Bank, joins us to break down the 2Q2026 reporting season: which sub-sectors...

Global equity sentiment turned lower as oil prices hit their highest in over three months — but tech has been the surprising bright spot through the latest correction. Tony Nash, CEO of Complete Intelligence, joins us to unpack whether this is a buying opportunity, what's driving diesel and copper to record highs, and why the Atlanta Fed's 4.7% GDPNow forecast has revived talk of a rate hike befor...

Malaysia’s technology sector has been one of Bursa Malaysia’s standout performers in 2026, fuelled by booming investment in AI, semiconductors and data centres. Second-quarter earnings largely lived up to expectations, but the technology index has since retreated from its highs and valuations remain demanding. Which Malaysian companies are capturing the biggest gains from the global AI spending bo...

China’s August exports grew 25% from a year ago, accelerating from the previous month. But this stronger than expected performance was based on three categories: integrated chips, computing equipment and EVs. Meanwhile, with the Chinese yuan hitting a three and a half year high against the USD recently questions are being asked about more upside to the currency. Finally we look at the move by Chin...

Strong US jobs data has kept a September Federal Reserve rate hike firmly in play, testing whether equities can continue performing in an environment of elevated borrowing costs and a resilient economy. In Japan, a stronger yen and speculation over a faster pace of Bank of Japan tightening are also putting monetary policy back in focus. Meanwhile, gold has lost some of its momentum since Jackson H...

Malaysia’s data-centre story is entering a new phase as the focus shifts from building facilities to actually powering, cooling and connecting them. With electricity capacity emerging as a major constraint, alongside water availability and network connectivity, the investment opportunity could increasingly move from construction players towards utilities, renewable energy providers and connectivit...

A surprisingly strong US jobs report has reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve could raise rates again, putting even greater focus on this week’s inflation data. At the same time, global bonds are reeling from a sharp sell-off, US equities have lost some momentum and semiconductor stocks are showing fresh signs of life. With the Japanese yen also experiencing another volatile week, wher...

US markets closed higher overnight, but the calm hides a lot of tension underneath. Oil has pushed to its highest level since July as the Middle East conflict intensifies, and August payrolls land tomorrow after July's big negative surprise, leaving the Fed staring at a possible stagflation problem. Volumes have been thin, Treasury yields are climbing, and the question is whether that's a strong e...

Malaysian corporate earnings for the June quarter came in stronger than almost anyone expected, with more positive surprises and fewer misses than the first quarter. For the first time since December 2020, not a single sector reported earnings that missed expectations overall, helped by strong commodity prices, our position as a net oil and gas exporter, and a resilient tech sector. But even with...

The G20 has wrapped up against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions, trade disputes and rising global bond yields, with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent arguing that economic growth is the best answer to America’s mounting debt burden. Meanwhile, markets are pricing in the possibility of another Federal Reserve rate hike, while stronger consumer confidence is adding to expectations that the Bank...

Fresh US economic data, rising global bond yields and renewed Middle East tensions are giving investors plenty to contend with as September gets underway. Meanwhile, Kevin Warsh’s hawkish Jackson Hole message has kept another Federal Reserve rate hike firmly on the table. With Treasury yields testing uncomfortable levels and higher oil prices adding to inflation concerns, how much room do policyma...

Kevin Warsh has used his first Jackson Hole address as Fed Chair to put the fight against inflation firmly back at the centre of monetary policy, raising expectations that another rate hike could come as soon as September. Meanwhile, renewed US-Iran tensions are pushing energy prices higher, Treasury yields remain elevated and the Japanese yen is once again under pressure. With US equities coming...

Malaysia’s banking sector has just wrapped up its second-quarter 2026 earnings season, offering fresh insights into how the country’s largest lenders are navigating current operating conditions. Chin Jin Han, Research Analyst at Affin Hwang Investment Bank, joins BFM’s Market Watch to break down key earnings drivers, emerging operational pressures, and where the true risks lie for the remainder of...

The ringgit has firmed against the US dollar in recent weeks, from around RM4.09 in mid-August to roughly RM4.03 — but how much of that is a Malaysia story, and how much is simply a softer greenback ahead of Jackson Hole? Against the yuan the picture reverses: the ringgit has slipped since May, with one ringgit now buying about 1.67 yuan, down from 1.73 — and China is still our largest trading par...

We look at what yesterday's jobless claims say about the US labour market, and what to listen for when Kevin Warsh delivers his first Jackson Hole keynote as Fed chair tonight. With Treasury yields easing and the dollar near its weakest since May, we ask whether the worst of the bond turmoil has passed, whether the Fed's next move could be a hike rather than a cut, and how investors should be hedg...

Nvidia's earnings are once again taking center stage as the AI market barometer, even as tech behemoths commit close to US$700 billion in AI CAPEX this year alone, increasingly funded through debt. Patrick Chang, Chief Investment Officer at CIMB Bank, joins BFM’s Market Watch to unpack what Nvidia's numbers signal for the broader market, the evolution of AI monetisation, and where the next compell...

This week equity markets are being dictated by the escalating trade war between the US and Canada while recovering Treasury yields lent some support. David Dietze, Chief Investment Strategist at Dietze Wealth Management Group, shares his thoughts on these developments as well as signals from the Jackson Hole symposium taking place this week. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener f...

Malaysia’s automotive market continues to defy economic uncertainty, with vehicle sales rising nearly 3% in the first seven months of 2026 and the Malaysian Automotive Association expecting another year above 800,000 units. But beneath the headline numbers, the competitive landscape is shifting as Proton gains ground, Perodua loses market share and Chinese marques make deeper inroads. Can sales ma...

Stronger-than-expected US economic data is keeping pressure on Treasury yields and complicating the outlook for interest rates, even as investors await fresh signals from the Jackson Hole Symposium. Meanwhile, a weaker US dollar has supported gold and the Australian dollar, while Nvidia’s upcoming earnings could determine whether the AI-driven technology rally has further to run. Can markets conti...

Walmart, Home Depot and Target all reported this week, and the picture they paint is of a K-shaped American consumer, where Walmart's US comparable sales grew at their slowest pace in over six years, even as it gained share among higher-income households. But the bigger threat to equities may not be the consumer at all: it's the long end of the Treasury curve, with Washington now trying to boost b...

While recent FOMC minutes revealed a divide among Federal Reserve members over whether to hike interest rates or await clearer inflation data, global markets quickly pivoted to the US Treasury’s increased long-term bond buybacks. Vishnu Varathan, Head of Economics & Strategy at Mizuho Bank, discusses how these buybacks drove bond yields lower while sparking a rally across equities and precious...

A sharp pullback in semiconductor stocks and climbing global bond yields signal growing market fatigue as investors weigh the rising capital costs of scaling artificial intelligence ambitions. Hebe Chen, Senior Market Analyst at Vantage Markets, joins BFM’s Market Watch to evaluate the outlook for US equities ahead of the July FOMC minutes release, analysing how interest rate expectations and gove...

Equities have responded negatively as crude oil prices have moved to their highest in two months while the 30-year US Treasury yield hit its highest level since June 2007. Joe Quinlan, Chief Market Strategist, US Trust-BOA Private Wealth Management, shares his insights into the latest market movements. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.