Day: August 6, 2024

PUTRAJAYA, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has accepted an apology from Meta Platforms Inc (Meta) for removing his recent posts related to the Palestinian issue, particularly on the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, from Facebook and Instagram. Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, who is also Unity Government’s spokesman, said it was also hoped that such removal of a prime minister’s social media posts by Meta, would not recur. ‘He (Anwar) told me that his friends, including those in the Middle East, have read the news (about the posts removal), meaning that it has gone global. Yes, PM has accepted

KUALA LUMPUR, The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) futures contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives ended higher today, tracking the underlying cash market. Spot month August 2024 gained 35.5 points to 1,565.5, September 2024 bagged 34.5 points to 1,547.5, and both December 2024 and March 2025 rose 32.5 points to 1,552.5 and 1,542.5, respectively. Turnover firmed to 23,306 lots from 19,125 on Monday, while open interest widened to 68,127 contracts from 63,439 previously. At 5 pm, the FBM KLCI soared 37.91 points or 2.46 per cent to its intraday high of 1,574.39 compared with Monday’s close of 1,536.48. Source: BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR, The gold futures contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives retreated to close lower today, albeit with better performance of COMEX gold futures. At the close, spot month August 2024 was down to US$2,432.60 per troy ounce from US$2,474.50 per troy ounce at yesterday’s close. Meanwhile, September 2024, October 2024, November 2024, December 2024, and February 2025 settled lower at US$2,436.30 per troy ounce compared to US$2,478.20 per troy ounce previously. Volume improved to 51 lots from 22 lots on Monday, while open interest rose to 21 contracts against nine contracts previously. The price of physical gold stood at US$2,393.85

KUALA LUMPUR, The ringgit retreated from its winning streak to close lower against the greenback today as the US Dollar Index (DXY) rebounds. At 6 pm, the ringgit declined to 4.4725/4770 versus the greenback from yesterday’s close of 4.4240/4305. Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid opined that global financial markets have yet to calm as fears over the potential recession would continue to hog the limelight. “There might be a tendency for US dollar demand to rise as traders seek refuge in the safe-haven currency. “At the moment, the ringgit will move closer to the

KUALA LUMPUR, The Muda Dam in Kedah, the Bukit Merah Dam in Perak and the Teluk Bahang Dam in Penang have shown a drop in remaining raw water reserves, at a dangerous level of 7.44 per cent, 16.43 per cent and 28.20 per cent, respectively, as of yesterday. In a brief report on the hot weather status, the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) today said five other dams had their water reserves at a warning level of less than 59.99 per cent. Quoting the National Water Services Commission (SPAN), the agency said the five dams were Air Hitam Dam in