KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 9): The ringgit continued to be primarily influenced by external developments in the first half of 2023, while banks continued to maintain strong liquidity buffers.

BNM: Ringgit mainly influenced by external factors in 1H2023, banks had strong liquidity buffers

The decelerating number of new applications among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) for rescheduling and restructuring (R&R) from its July 2021 peak signalled greater confidence among SMEs of their ability to service their debt, said Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).

BNM: SME loan restructuring requests down from July 2021 peak

KUALA LUMPUR (March 30): Post-pandemic structural trends are likely to add to pre-existing imbalances in the country's commercial real estate (CRE) market, as vacancy and rental rates of office and retail spaces have worsened since the onset of the pandemic and could take longer to improve, given the structural shifts observed.

BNM sees vulnerabilities in commercial real estate which makes up 7.8% of total banking system assets

Despite a higher level of coverage relative to earlier periods, the December 2021 floods highlighted the significant underinsurance of flood risks, according to Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) latest report.

BNM: December 2021 floods highlight significant underinsurance of flood risks

The number of unsold houses remained elevated in the third quarter of 2021 despite some improvements in activity in the residential property market, said Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).

Elevated unsold houses reflect pre-existing affordability issues, says BNM

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) said its updated stress test continued to affirm the resilience of capital buffers of banks to withstand potential losses under severe macroeconomic and financial shocks, while sustaining support for an economic recovery.

BNM: Stress test shows banks remain well buffered against credit risks

Malaysia’s insurance and takaful funds posted a decline in aggregate profitability for the second half of 2021 (2H21) due to a weaker investment performance, according to Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).

Weaker investment performance weighed on insurance and takaful funds' profitability, says BNM

The quality of business borrowings has not shown significant deterioration, with the overall business loan impairment ratio remaining low at 2.4% in the second half of 2021 (2H21) thanks to support measures that remained in place, particularly for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), according to Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).

BNM: No significant deterioration seen in quality of business borrowings

Low Employees Provident Fund (EPF) savings have underscored material longer-term risks to household resilience, according to Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).

Low EPF savings underscore long-term risks to households' resilience, says BNM

The impact of Covid-19 claims and the December floods on the profitability of insurers and takaful operators (ITOs) in the country remained manageable, according to Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), despite aggregate profitability having declined for insurance and takaful funds, which was mainly driven by a weaker investment performance.

BNM: Impact of Covid-19 and December flood claims on insurers manageable

KUALA LUMPUR (March 30): Against the backdrop of low interest rates domestically and globally, there have been limited signs of credit-fuelled speculative investments in the housing market, according to Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).

In its Financial Stability Review for the second half of...

Limited signs of credit-fuelled speculative house purchases despite low interest rates, says BNM

KUALA LUMPUR (March 30): Malaysia’s household debt-to-Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio fell to 89% as at December 2021 from 89.6% in June 2021, according to Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) in its Financial Stability Review for the second half of 2021, released on Wednesday (March 30).

Malaysia’s household debt-to-GDP ratio falls to 89% as at end-2021 from a record 93.2% a year ago

Despite various extensions of rental relief, up to half of mall operators reported significant difficulties collecting rents from their tenants in the first half of 2021 (1H21), according to Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).

Pressure on office and retail rents to remain as vacancy rates rise — BNM

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia saw their portion of bank loans under repayment assistance spike to 21.6% in June 2021 from below 8% in September 2020, according to Bank Negara Malaysia's (BNM) Financial Stability Review report for the first half of 2021 (1H21).

One-fifth of SME loans underwent repayment assistance — BNM report

(April 19): ANZ Group Holdings Ltd is in discussions with Australian pension funds about investing in India’s infrastructure assets and its debt market, according to a senior bank official.

ANZ Bank in talks with Australian pension funds on India investments

(April 19):Blackstone Inc. collected more fees from big retail funds and credit strategies during the first quarter, compensating for the slower pace of deal exits.

Distributable earnings increased 1% from a year earlier to $1.27 billion, or 98 cents a share, the world’s biggest alterna...

Blackstone credit and retail lines drive narrow profit beat 

Shares of IT services firm Infomina Bhd fell on Friday to its lowest in nearly one year as its latest results disappointed investors even as analysts largely remained bullish.

Infomina shares near one-year low as earnings miss expectations

KUALA LUMPUR (April 19): Meta Bright Group Bhd is forming a joint venture company (JVco) with a Bumiputera firm to bid for renewable energy (RE) projects with a Bumiputera equity requirement.

Meta Bright forms JVco with Bumiputera firm for RE projects

(April 19): Moody’s Ratings this week gave private credit investors greater reason for concern about credit quality in the flourishing $1.7 trillion industry.

The ratings company on Monday reduced its outlook for direct lending funds managed respectively by BlackRock Inc., KKR & Co....

Private credit funds get Moody’s warning on problem loans

MKH Oil Palm (East Kalimantan) Bhd’s initial public offering (IPO) has been oversubscribed by 8.43 times, ahead of its listing on the Bursa Malaysia Main Market on April 30.

Main Market-bound MKH Oil Palm’s IPO oversubscribed by 8.43 times

WASHINGTON (April 18): The International Monetary Fund urged Asian central banks on Thursday to focus on domestic inflation and avoid tying their policy decisions too closely to anticipated moves by the U.S. Federal Reserve.

Receding expectations for a near-term interest cut by the U.S....

IMF tells Asian central banks not to follow Fed too closely

Batik Air will suspend its operations to Istanbul, Turkiye, effective May 1, 2024, and affected passengers will be notified via email and text, said the airline operator, Malindo Airways Sdn Bhd.

Batik Air to suspend operations to Istanbul from May 1

Indonesia said fiscal and monetary policies are in sync to cushion the economy from the rising dollar, demonstrating an all-hands-on-deck approach, with the central bank signalling they’re intervening more actively to aid the rupiah.

Indonesia takes steps to shield economy from strong dollar

Some lenders to Thames Water could face losses of as much as 40% in the event that it ends up being nationalised by the UK government, according to contingency plans drawn up by officials.

Thames Water lenders face 40% losses if it’s nationalised

Most read this week - Stay up to date with the biggest news and latest trending topics by checking out the top 10 articles of the week. 

Most read this week

Israel launched an attack on Iranian soil on Friday, sources said, in the latest tit-for-tat exchange between the two arch foes, whose decades of shadow war has broken out into the open and threatened to drag the region deeper into conflict.

Israel attacks Iran, Reuters reports, as drones shot down over Isfahan 

Shares of Sapura Energy Bhd will be suspended from trading pending an announcement, the company said on Friday.

Trading in Sapura Energy suspended pending announcement 

Shares of Awanbiru Technology Bhd (Awantec) fell as much as 53% on Friday, prompting Bursa Malaysia to suspend the counter’s intraday short selling (IDSS).&nbsp;

Awantec shares plunge 53%, intraday short selling suspended 

PIE Industrial Bhd, whose share price extended its rally to a new all-time high on Thursday on reports that it has secured a new customer, confirmed the matter and said it is expecting the new customer to contribute an additional RM2.5 billion revenue to the group, of which RM1 billion will be recognised as early as next year.

PIE Industrial confirms bagging new client, expects additional RM2.5 bil revenue

RHB Investment Bank Bhd (RHB IB) on Friday upgraded Public Bank Bhd to “buy” from “neutral”, with a higher target price (TP) of RM4.80 (from RM4.70).

RHB upgrades Public Bank to ‘buy’, raises target price to RM4.80

The oil-rich Malaysian state of Sarawak in Borneo is aiming to transform itself into a centre for clean hydrogen energy, betting that its ability to harness an abundance of hydropower can help it defy challenges that are clouding the fuel’s prospects elsewhere.

 Sarawak aiming to transform itself into a centre for clean hydrogen energy

Malaysia's economy grew by 3.9% in the first quarter of 2024 (1Q2024), as compared to 3.0% in the previous quarter, according to Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) advance gross domestic product (GDP) estimates.

Malaysia's economy grew 3.9% in 1Q2024, advance estimate shows

Asian shares and bond yields sank on Friday while safe-haven currencies, gold and crude oil jumped after reports Israel attacked Iran in a continuing series of assaults that have increased concerns of a wider Middle East conflict.

Stocks sink, oil jumps after Israeli attack on Iran

Apple said on Friday it had removed Meta Platforms' WhatsApp and Threads from its App Store in China after being ordered to do so by the Chinese government, which cited national security concerns.

Apple pulls WhatsApp, Threads from China app store after Beijing order

The Malaysian rubber glove industry has demonstrated resilience and adaptability amidst challenging global dynamics, with optimism for a rebound in 2024, with an anticipated surge to approximately 450 billion pieces by 2027 despite a downturn in 2023, according to the Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (Margma).

Margma optimistic of rebound in 2024, expects surge to 450 billion pieces by 2027

MKH Oil Palm (East Kalimantan) Bhd’s initial public offering (IPO) has been oversubscribed by 8.43 times, ahead of its listing on the Bursa Malaysia Main Market on April 30.&nbsp;

The escalating tensions in the Middle East have influenced market sentiment and shifted investors' emphasis to the energy, finance and plantation sectors, which helped boost the FBM KLCI higher by midday on Friday.

KLCI up 0.43% with focus on energy, plantation, financial stocks

Bursa Malaysia Bhd’s core net profit may have risen 34% in the first quarter, from a year earlier, on higher securities and derivatives trading activity when the exchange operator reports its results, Hong Leong Investment Bank said.

Bursa Malaysia 1Q earnings likely up 34% y-o-y, HLIB projects

Malaysia’s exports contracted at a slower than expected pace in March mainly due to lower foreign demand for electronics while shipments to China fell, official data Friday showed.

Malaysia’s March exports down 0.8%, imports surge 12.5%

The planned merger of Axiata Group Bhd, Malaysia’s largest telecommunications company by revenue, with India’s Bharti Airtel Ltd raises concerns as the latter's subsidiary Airtel Lanka is currently a loss-making company, analysts said.

Malaysia’s Axiata merger with Bharti Airtel of India raises earnings concern — analysts

RHB Retail Research said Inari Amertron Bhd is poised to challenge the RM3.27 resistance level once again, which would make this its fourth attempt this year.

Inari poised to challenge RM3.27 resistance, says RHB Retail Research 

The US on Thursday effectively stopped the United Nations from recognising a Palestinian state by casting a veto in the Security Council to deny the Palestinian Authority full membershipof the world body.

US stops UN from recognising a Palestinian state through membership

The amount of reserves in banking system — a key determinant for the Federal Reserve to continue shrinking its balance sheet — dropped by the most in two years as Americans paid income tax bills out of their bank accounts.

US bank reserve balances see largest drop since 2022 tax season

Melaka State Secretary Datuk Zaidi Johari died of a heart attack this morning. He was 54.

According to a statement from the Melaka Chief Minister’s Office, Zaidi breathed his last at about 8.15am at Hospital Melaka here.

Bnm-financial-stability-review

‌
‌

Bnm-financial-stability-review

‌‌

‌
‌