KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 29): Malaysian shares may take cue from news that North Korea launched a missile early today. The news had earlier led to US equity futures losses as investors anticipated geopolitical uncertainty.

As markets open in Asia, investors may closely watch how such sentiment will affect major regional shares as Malaysia's corporate financial-reporting season progresses.   

Yesterday, the FBM KLCI added 0.32 point to close at 1,769.49 points. The ringgit strengthened to 4.2677 against the US dollar.

Today, KLCI-linked IOI Corp Bhd and UMW Holdings Bhd's share price movements may attract investors' attention after both groups announced their quarterly results yesterday.
 
US equity futures fell. Reuters reported that US stock futures opened sharply lower on Monday for the overnight session after the Japanese and South Korean governments said North Korea fired a missile that passed over northern Japan early on Tuesday. S&P 500 e-minis were down 0.6%, Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 0.8% and Dow e-minis were down 0.5%

The S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average had earlier ended little changed, with energy and bank shares lower as Tropical Storm Harvey crippled the US energy hub in Texas, while tech and healthcare gave a light boost to the Nasdaq.