KUALA LUMPUR (March 9): The FBM KLCI is expected to tread water and end the week on a flattish note today, in the absence of any fresh domestic catalyst to prop the local index higher.

The mixed overnight close at global markets is also unlikely to provide any impetus to stocks on Bursa Malaysia.

The euro dropped on Thursday as the European Central Bank signalled caution on inflation and protectionism, while a gauge of global stocks edged higher as investors awaited more clarity on U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to impose import tariffs, according to Reuters.

While the ECB took a small step toward weaning the euro zone economy off protracted stimulus by dropping its easing bias, ECB President Mario Draghi said monetary policy would remain "reactive" and that underlying inflation was subdued, it said.

MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe gained 0.11 percent as the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index rose 1.02 percent, it said.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 75.2 points, or 0.3 percent, to 24,726.16, the S&P 500 lost 2.68 points, or 0.10 percent, to 2,724.12 and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.99 points, or 0.03 percent, to 7,394.66, said Reuters.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported JPMorgan Chase & Co. executive Daniel Pinto as warning that equity markets could fall as much as 40% in the next two to three years.

“We know there will be a correction at some point,” said Pinto, who oversees the trading and investment-banking unit at one of the largest U.S. banks. He said that markets are “nervous,” and if President Donald Trump goes beyond what he has already announced on steel tariffs, then investors could react badly.

Based on corporate announcements and newsflow yesterday, stocks in focus on Bursa Malaysia today could include: DRB-Hicom Bhd, S P Setia Bhd, Dolphin International Bhd, KESM Industries Bhd, Star Media Group Bhd and NWP Holdings Bhd.