Wall Street slips as geopolitical tensions push oil prices higher

Bursa Malaysia opened higher on Thursday but quickly retreated, mirroring the weaker performance of Wall Street overnight. This decline was largely driven by rising US Treasury yields, which added to a cautious sentiment in the market. At 9:34am, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI index fell 10.55 points, or 0.65%, to 1,601.23, down from Wednesday's close of 1,611.78.

Initially, the index had opened 1.67 points higher at 1,613.45. Among the many factors, the US 10-year Treasury yield reached a 24-year high of 5.365% before easing to 5.286%. The Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong also dipped after an initial two-day uptrend, as crude oil prices strengthened and breached the US$101 per barrel threshold.

In terms of domestic performance, the FBM KLCI was trading at a relatively low 15 times price-to-earnings ratio, offering a potential opportunity for bargain hunters. The expectation is that the index will fluctuate within the 1,605-1,620 range for the day. Major companies like Tenaga Nasional, Maybank, and IHH Healthcare saw slight decreases, while Top Glove and Zetrix AI registered minor gains.

Notably, Binastra Corporation surged 20 sen to RM2.70, and Fraser & Neave climbed 12 sen to RM20.90. However, Malaysian Pacific Industries, Hong Leong Bank, and Mi Technovation experienced more significant drops, falling by 90 sen, 44 sen, and 30 sen, respectively.