Emerging market stock markets closed down for the fourth week in a row, and investors continued to withdraw their AI-related holdings; rising oil prices heightened concerns about inflation and further suppressed risk appetite. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index once fell 0.8% to 1562.47 points, hitting a three-month low, continuing its 2.5% decline on Thursday. The index is about to face its longest continuous weekly decline in seven months. Shaun Lim, a foreign exchange strategist at Maybank, said that risk assets are currently mainly affected by two major factors: weakening sentiment in the AI sector and rising oil prices. The two trends may not be synchronized, but the superposition effect will amplify market fluctuations. Brent crude traded around $114 a barrel on Friday, up close to 4% this week.

Emerging market stock markets closed down for the fourth week in a row, and investors continued to withdraw their AI-related holdings; rising oil prices heightened concerns about inflation and further suppressed risk appetite. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index once fell 0.8% to 1562.47 points, hitting a three-month low, continuing its 2.5% decline on Thursday. The index is about to face its longest continuous weekly decline in seven months. Shaun Lim, a foreign exchange strategist at Maybank, said that risk assets are currently mainly affected by two major factors: weakening sentiment in the AI sector and rising oil prices. The two trends may not be synchronized, but the superposition effect will amplify market fluctuations. Brent crude traded around $114 a barrel on Friday, up close to 4% this week.