Kuala Lumpur: The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) futures contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives is projected to trade with caution next week, mirroring the performance of the underlying cash market amid global uncertainties, notably the trade policies of the United States.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng forecasts the FBM KLCI to fluctuate within the range of 1,580-1,600 points in the coming week. Thong suggests that traders may adopt a careful approach and consider waiting before making any significant moves.

For the recently concluded week, the February 2025 contract month saw an increase of 29.5 points, closing at 1,586.50. Meanwhile, the March 2025 and June 2025 contracts each rose by 27.0 points, reaching 1,566.50 and 1,570.0, respectively. The September 2025 contract settled at 1,560.50.

Trading activity decreased, with turnover falling to 39,531 lots from 108,467 lots the previous week. Open interest also saw a reduction, narrowing to 39,414 contracts compared to 47,219 contracts previously.

On a week-to-week basis, the FBM KLCI climbed by 33.99 points to 1,590.91, up from 1,556.92 the prior week.