Asian stock markets broadly declined today, with Singapore's Straits Times Index and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index leading the losses. This reflects investor concerns over slowing global economic growth and the US Federal Reserve's interest rate outlook. This regional weakness also impacted the Malaysian market.
On February 6, 2026, Southeast Asian and broader Asian stock markets generally trended lower today, exerting external pressure on the Malaysian market. Singapore's Straits Times Index fell 0.7% to 3,180 points, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index plunged 1.5% to 15,850 points, primarily influenced by weaker Chinese economic data and geopolitical tensions. Overnight, US markets closed mixed, with the Dow Jones seeing a slight gain but the tech-heavy Nasdaq declining, which further fueled cautious sentiment in Asia. Investors are digesting comments from US Federal Reserve officials suggesting that further rate hikes might be necessary to curb inflation. This regional pessimism has led to foreign outflows and prompted local investors to adopt a wait-and-see approach.
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