Win Streak May Continue For Malaysia Stock Market

(RTTNews) - The Malaysia stock market has finished higher in three straight sessions, although it has advanced just 4 points or 0.2 percent in that span. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index now sits just above the 1,630-point plateau and it may pick up steam on Wednesday.

The global forecast for the Asian markets is upbeat thanks to softening oil prices and treasury yields. The European and U.S. markets were up and the Asian bourses are expected to open in similar fashion.

The KLCI finished slightly higher on Tuesday following mixed performances from the financial shares, technology stocks, industrials and plantations.

For the day, the index perked 1.60 points or 0.10 percent to finish at 1,633.35 after trading between 1,632.77 and 1,641.20.

The lead from Wall Street is firm as the major averages opened modestly higher on Tuesday and stayed that way throughout the trading day.

The Dow climbed 253.38 points or 0.49 percent to finish at 51,521.28, while the NASDAQ added 122.48 points or 0.45 percent to close at a record 27,599.79 and the S&P 500 gained 44.98 points or 0.58 percent to end at 7,818.93, also a record.

The early strength on Wall Street came amid a pullback by treasury yields, which retreated after recently surging to multi-decade highs.

Traders were also looking ahead to the release of the minutes of the Federal Reserve's latest monetary policy meeting later. The minutes may shed additional light on Fed officials' thinking ahead of the central bank's next interest rate decision later this month.

In U.S. economic news, a report released by the Commerce Department showed the U.S. trade deficit widened by more than expected in the month of August.

Crude oil prices came off of early lows but still ticked lower on Tuesday following reports that Middle East crude exports are recovering back up toward pre-war levels. West Texas Intermediate crude for November delivery dipped $0.18 or 0.2 percent at $89.25 a barrel.