News
India to grow at 6. 6% in 2027, says World Bank
3+ hour, 11+ min ago (340+ words) Doubts lingered over a fragile two-week Middle East ceasefire, raising concerns that energy flows through the crucial Strait of Hormuz will remain restricted. India, which imports about 90% of its oil, is among economies most exposed to prolonged war-related energy supply…...
Malaysia must do more to achieve its debt reduction goal
6+ hour, 50+ min ago (313+ words) The government's Medium-Term Fiscal Framework projects national debt peaking at 65. 8% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2026 before gradually declining to 60% by 2030, in line with the Public Finance and Fiscal Responsibility Act target. However, the bank said projections based on historical…...
World Bank raises Malaysia's GDP growth to 4. 4% despite Middle East crisis
9+ hour, 52+ min ago (418+ words) Its lead economist for Malaysia Apurva Sanghi said Malaysia enters this crisis period "mostly from a position of strength. He cited Malaysia's resilient macroeconomic fundamentals, even as downside risks from geopolitical conflicts, trade tensions and structural shifts in global supply…...
Ringgit holds firm at 3. 97 as sentiment improves
18+ hour, 30+ min ago (232+ words) At 8am, the local currency rose to 3. 9730/3. 9915 against the greenback, compared with Wednesday's close of 3. 9735/3. 9785. Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Afzanizam Rashid said the US dollar index (DXY) continued to hover below 100, at 99. 013 this morning, giving a 0. 85% decline. Yesterday, the…...
Wall Street futures climb on relief from US-Iran ceasefire
1+ day, 3+ hour ago (480+ words) The announcement came less than two hours before US President Donald Trump's deadline, in a sharp turnaround from his previous warning of wiping out "a whole civilization" if Tehran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that…...
Malaysia emerges as regional leader in Milken Institute investment report
1+ day, 5+ hour ago (206+ words) In its Global Opportunity Index 2026, Malaysia ranked 23rd globally, outperforming regional peers such as Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia and Laos. Malaysia recorded the highest overall score among the six Southeast Asian economies assessed, reflecting policy consistency and structural strengths that…...
Bank Negara's GDP projections look too rosy, says economist
1+ day, 13+ hour ago (766+ words) Alvin Desfiandi, chief economist at the Center for Market Education, said the central bank's projections may be" too rosy", especially its top-end forecast of 5% GDP growth, while Ahamed Kameel Mydin Meera of Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah said he believed the…...
Ringgit rebounds to 3. 99 against US dollar on improved sentiment
1+ day, 14+ hour ago (216+ words) At 8am, the local currency rose 0. 67% to 3. 9975/4. 0050 against the greenback, compared with Tuesday's close of 4. 0275/4. 0320. Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Afzanizam Rashid said Trump had agreed to a two-week truce, describing the move as a "double-sided ceasefire. At the time…...
Iran war drives Philippine inflation above 4%
2+ day, 9+ hour ago (288+ words) The spike " the highest since July 2024 and well up from 2. 4% in February " comes as the import-dependent archipelago struggles with a declared "national energy emergency. The past month has seen the Philippines open supply chains with non-traditional partners like Russia to…...
Ringgit flat against US dollar, firmer vs major currencies
2+ day, 14+ hour ago (261+ words) At 8am, the local currency stood at 4. 0245/4. 0360 against the greenback, almost unchanged from Monday's close of 4. 0245/4. 0320. Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Afzanizam Rashid said ongoing negotiations between the United States and Iran offered some hope of de-escalation, but the situation…...