Malaysia's KLCI Expected to Retreat as Wall Street, Global Growth Worries Weigh

Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur Composite Index is expected to fall Thursday, giving back Wednesday's modest 0.40% gain, as soft global growth and inflation concerns pressure Asian markets. The KLCI added 5.79 points to finish at 1,460.62, trading between 1,454.25 and 1,463.04. Wall Street ended lower, with the Dow off 0.57% at 34,443.19, the NASDAQ down 1.06% at 13,872.47 and the S&P 500 off 0.70% at 4,465.48, after ISM data showed U.S. services growth unexpectedly accelerated in August, lifting Treasury yields. Malaysia's central bank is widely expected to hold its benchmark rate at 3.00%. WTI crude rose $0.85 to $87.54 a barrel, a nine-month closing high, after Russia and Saudi Arabia extended production cuts.