KUALA LUMPUR (July 11): CIMB remains confident of a stronger 2H as concerns should be priced in by November, with the equity capital market set to rebound toward year-end as benefits from govt reform becomes clearer, Kong Sooi Lin, CEO of CIMB Investment Bank says in emailed interview.

* Meanwhile the concerns, including ongoing review of policies and global trade tensions, may affect near-term corporate earnings and delay investment decisions

** Investors have remained and will continue to be defensive

* NOTE: CIMB was absent from Malaysia’s 2018 1H league table for equity and rights offering, first time since 2000, according to Bloomberg data

** Malaysia’s 1H equity and rights volume at RM4.13b is lowest since 2008

** Despite fall in volume, top 5 competitors gaining market share

** Annually, CIMB had consistently been in top 3 since 2008 

* “Half-year league tables are useful but they tell only one small part of the long-term story,” Kong says

* CIMB has healthy deal pipeline and expects big mandates in Malaysia and Indonesia, subject to market conditions: Kong