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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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

Malaysia’s banking system total deposit annual growth slowed to 3.9% in June 2021 from 6% in March 2021, but remained supported by precautionary savings by households and businesses, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) said.

Banking system deposit growth slows; preference grows for liquid assets

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 25): Paramount Property, the property development arm of Paramount Corporation Bhd (KL:PARAMON), has signed a development agreement with Lembaga Perumahan Negeri Pulau Pinang (LPNPP) for the proposed redevelopment of 15.3 acres of land in Ujong Batu, Butterworth, Penang.

Paramount Property, Penang Housing Board sign agreement for Ujong Batu redevelopment

(Oct 25): The opposition Conservative Party won an election in the Canadian province of British Columbia for the first time in nearly 100 years, promising to ramp up liquefied natural gas production, provisional results showed on Sunday.

Conservative party wins first election in nearly a century in British Columbia

LUMUT (Oct 25): The proposed establishment of an artificial intelligence (AI)-focused polytechnic in Lumut has been included in Rolling Plan 3 of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), with preliminary work expected to begin next year.

Zambry: AI-focused polytechnic in Lumut included in 13MP Rolling Plan 3

(Oct 25): IndiGo and Air India will move some of its international operations to Navi Mumbai International Airport as two of India’s biggest airlines expand their presence at the new aviation facility serving the country’s financial capital.

IndiGo, Air India to shift some flights to new Mumbai airport

ZURICH (Oct 25): As many as 12,000 UBS jobs in Switzerland could be at risk if tougher capital rules prompt the bank to relocate, according to the Swiss Bank Employees Association, or SBPV.

Employees group warns of major Swiss job losses if UBS relocates

(Oct 25): Suzhou Dongshan Precision Manufacturing Co, a printed circuit board maker, raised about HK$9.9 billion (US$1.3 billion) in Hong Kong’s biggest listing in nearly two months, which hit a volatile market for companies related to the artificial intelligence build out.

Chinese manufacturer Dongshan raises US$1.3 bil in HK listing

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 25): Eight areas nationwide recorded unhealthy air quality as of 6pm on Sunday, with Serian IPD in Sarawak recording the highest Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 192.

Haze: Eight areas record unhealthy API readings as of 6pm

LONDON (Oct 25): British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he wants a discussion about returning to the European Union's (EU) freedom of movement rules for workers, a key issue in the 2016 Brexit referendum which led to Britain leaving the bloc.

UK's Burnham says he is open to discussing EU free movement

KUCHING (Oct 25): Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) must continue to lead the state government to ensure the continuity of socioeconomic development and to keep the future of the people on the right track, said Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.

Sarawak polls: GPS needs to continue leading state for continuity of development — Awang Tengah

BELGRADE (Oct 25): Serbian voters turned out in force on Sunday as a mass student protest movement seeks to unseat longtime populist leader Aleksandar Vucic in the biggest challenge to his rule for more than a decade.

Serbia votes in historic election as students seek to end Vucic's long grip on power

(Oct 25):&nbsp;Goldman Sachs Group Inc&nbsp;strategists slashed their target for South Korea’s Kospi Index by 25%, after raising it repeatedly this year, as concerns over the artificial intelligence trade intensify.

Goldman cuts Kospi 12-month target by 25% as AI trade unravels

SINGAPORE (Oct 25): Malaysia has significant potential to expand power generation capacity and attract data centre developers, but meeting rising electricity demand will also require adequate transmission capacity and access to land and water, said Japan's largest power generation company,&nbsp;Jera.

Malaysia needs adequate power, grid capacity to attract data centres — Jera

(Oct 25):&nbsp;Brookfield Asset Management Ltd&nbsp;is opening an office in Qatar, deepening its presence in the Middle East where many countries are grappling with the economic fallout from the war.

Brookfield to open Doha office to deepen its Middle East reach

LUMUT (Oct 25): The proposed establishment of an artificial intelligence (AI)-focused polytechnic in Lumut has been included in Rolling Plan 3 of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), with preliminary work expected to begin next year.

LAM&nbsp;DONG, Vietnam (Oct 25):&nbsp;A 40-year-old Malaysian woman was rescued after falling into a 10m-deep hole while hiking in Da Lat, Lam Dong,&nbsp;on Sunday, the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported, citing&nbsp;local authorities.

Malaysian rescued after falling into a 10-metre-deep hole in Da Lat, Vietnam

(Oct 25): The opposition Conservative Party won an election in the Canadian province of British Columbia for the first time in nearly 100 years, promising to ramp up liquefied natural gas production, provisional results showed on Sunday.

ZURICH (Oct 25): As many as 12,000 UBS jobs in Switzerland could be at risk if tougher capital rules prompt the bank to relocate, according to the Swiss Bank Employees Association, or SBPV.

(Oct 25):&nbsp;IndiGo and Air India will move some of its international operations to Navi Mumbai International Airport as two of India’s biggest airlines expand their presence at the new aviation facility serving the country’s financial capital.

(Oct 25):&nbsp;Suzhou Dongshan Precision Manufacturing Co,&nbsp;a printed circuit board maker, raised about HK$9.9 billion (US$1.3 billion) in Hong Kong’s biggest listing in nearly two months, which hit a volatile market for companies related to the artificial intelligence build out.

SINGAPORE (Oct 25): Singapore will work closely with Asean&nbsp;member states during its 2027 chairmanship to advance the Asean Power Grid (APG), including efforts to establish a regional submarine power cable framework and strengthen cross-border renewable energy (RE) trading.

Singapore to advance Asean power grid, subsea cable framework during 2027 chairmanship

JOHOR BAHRU (Oct 25): Schools in Johor will reopen in phases, with the first phase on Monday (Oct 26) and Tuesday (Oct 27) limited to students sitting for examinations according to the scheduled timetable.

Haze: Johor schools to reopen in phases, exam candidates first

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 25): Paramount Property, the property development arm of Paramount Corporation Bhd (KL:PARAMON), has signed a development agreement with Lembaga Perumahan Negeri Pulau Pinang (LPNPP) for the proposed redevelopment of 15.3 acres of land in Ujong Batu, Butterworth, Penang.

(Oct 25):&nbsp;Riyadh’s main airport reopened to global air traffic after a two-week shutdown, despite sustained Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia’s capital over the weekend.

Riyadh Airport resumes flights as Saudis fight Houthi missiles

ISKANDAR PUTERI (Oct 25): The Johor government expects 26,000 job opportunities to be offered to young people across the state this year, driven by rapid economic growth and the influx of high-value investments.

Onn Hafiz: 26,000 job opportunities to be offered to Johor youth this year

KUCHING (Oct 25): Twenty-seven schools in the Tebedu district of Serian will be closed on Monday (Oct 26) due to haze, following continuous monitoring of Air Pollutant Index (API) readings and reports from the Malaysian Meteorological Department&nbsp;(MetMalaysia).

Haze: 27 schools in Tebedu to close tomorrow — Sarawak State Education Department

BELGRADE (Oct 25): Serbian voters turned out in force on Sunday as a mass student protest movement seeks to unseat longtime populist leader Aleksandar Vucic in the biggest challenge to his rule for more than a decade.

KUCHING (Oct 25): Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) must continue to lead the state government to ensure the continuity of socioeconomic development and to keep the future of the people on the right track, said Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.

JERUSALEM (Oct 25): Israel will hold a general election on Oct 27, with veteran Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu locked in a tight race to stay in power.

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