Malaysia Stock Market May Find Traction On Monday

(RTTNews) - The Malaysia stock market has finished lower in three straight sessions, slipping more than 35 points or 2.4 percent in that span. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index now sits just above the 1,665-point plateau although it may stop the bleeding on Monday.

The global forecast for the Asian markets is mixed to lower on concerns over crude oil prices and the outlook for interest rates. The European markets were down and the U.S. bourses were mixed and the Asian markets figure to split the difference.

The KLCI finished modestly lower on Friday as losses from the financials, industrials and REITs were mitigated by support from the plantation and energy sectors.

For the day, the index sank 13.65 points or 0.81 percent to finish at 1,665.56 after trading between 1,661.79 and 1,677.83.

The lead from Wall Street offers little clarity as the major averages opened mixed and slumped midday before ending mixed and little changed.

The Dow sank 95.36 points or 0.18 percent to finish at 51,682.64, while the NASDAQ climbed 104.24 points or 0.39 percent to end at 26,522.54 and the S&P 500 rose 12.74 points or 0.17 percent to close at 7,650.50.

For the week, the NASDAQ added 0.7 percent, the S&P 500 eased 0.1 percent and the Dow slumped 1.7 percent.

The choppy trading on the day came amid a mixed performance by crude oil prices and treasury yields, which have been key drivers of trading in recent sessions.

Oil prices moved lower amid optimism about a potential de-escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, but treasury yields jumped due to ongoing worries about the outlook for interest rates.

Crude oil prices slumped on Friday, extending losses as investors anticipate upcoming meetings between the U.S. and gulf leaders to de-escalate Middle East tensions. West Texas Intermediate crude for October delivery was down $1.74 or 1.71 percent at $100.17 per barrel.

On the U.S. economic front, the Fed reported that industrial production unexpectedly came in flat in August, with a jump in utilities output offset by a decrease in manufacturing output.