This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on July 14, 2025 - July 20, 2025

Central to the week’s focus are Malaysia’s economic data releases, including the advance gross domestic product (GDP) estimates for the second quarter of 2025 (2Q2025), which will be released on Friday.

Also of interest will be the planned meeting on Monday between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and members of parliament over the issue of judicial appointments and judicial independence. According to news reports, the Conference of Rulers is also due to meet this week.

On Friday, the Department of Statistics Malaysia will also announce the monthly external trade statistics for June. 

Other local economic data releases during the week include the performance of wholesale and retail trade for May 2025 on Monday; the 2023 economic census; research and development statistics; and the 2024 agriculture census interim report on Tuesday. A day later, the 2024 analysis of the annual Producer Price Index (PPI) is scheduled for release.

Singapore’s advance estimate for 2Q2025 GDP will also be published on Monday, while the nation’s June non-oil domestic exports will be made available on Thursday.

China’s 2Q2025 GDP data will be announced on Tuesday, with UOB Global Economics & Markets Research estimating 5.2% year-on-year growth, while Bloomberg is predicting 5.1% y-o-y growth from 5.4% y-o-y in the first quarter.

China’s June monetary data, including new CNY (China New Yuan) loans for June for the year to date (YTD), will be released from July 11 to 15 while June trade will be out on July 13.

Other key Chinese economic releases for the month of June due on Tuesday (July 15) include industrial production, retail sales, the surveyed jobless rate, new and used home prices, and June property investments YTD.  The third China International Supply Chain Expo will be held in Beijing from July 16 to 20.

Other important data releases from the region will include India’s key June data on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Wholesale Price Index on Monday, and unemployment rate and trade data on Tuesday. Australia’s June employment report will be out on Thursday.

In the developed economies, the June CPI is due for the US and Canada on Tuesday and the UK on Wednesday. The final print and core CPI for the eurozone will be out on Thursday, followed by Japan on Friday.

Over in the US, it is the corporate reporting season for more than 630 US companies, with the focus on major US banks.

The US data calendar will also be zeroing in on retail sales and consumer sentiment over the week with data releases such as the US Empire Manufacturing Survey for July and June PPI final demand on Tuesday and US June industrial production on Wednesday. Thursday will see a slew of data releases including June advance retail sales, initial jobless claims for the week ending July 12 (in which UOB expects claims to climb higher to 240,000 from 227,000 in the preceding week), and the US import and export price index for June.

In terms of international events, European Union trade ministers are scheduled to meet in Brussels on Monday amid heightened uncertainty over US tariff policies. On Thursday and Friday, G20 finance ministers and central bank governors will gather in Zimbali, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. However, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is not expected to attend. Global trade tensions, economic growth and geopolitical uncertainty will likely top the agenda.

On the corporate front, Bursa Malaysia-listed companies with annual general meetings during the week include ICT Zone Asia Bhd (KL:ICTZONE) on Tuesday; Atlan Holdings Bhd (KL:ATLAN), Kim Loong Resources Bhd (KL:KMLOONG) and Crescendo Corp Bhd (KL:CRESNDO) on Thursday; followed by the extraordinary general meeting of WTEC Group Bhd (KL:WTEC) on Friday.

The Malaysian Bar is organising a members’ “Walk to Safeguard Judicial Independence” on Monday from the Palace of Justice to the Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya. The walk is intended to express the Bar Council’s “grave institutional concerns regarding the state of the judiciary, the pressing issue of prolonged vacancies, the need for leadership continuity, and to urge reforms to safeguard the independence of one of our most vital democratic institutions”.

On the same day, the KL High Court will hear the Ministry of Communications and the government’s application to strike out lawsuits by Hydroshoppe Sdn Bhd and its subsidiary Menara KL Sdn Bhd pertaining to KL Tower.

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