A weekly round-up of tanker and dry bulk market (Oct 9, 2026)

Baltic Exchange shipping updates: Oct 9, 2026

Budget 2027 has fallen short of addressing Malaysia’s healthcare workforce crisis, underinvestment in public hospitals and gaps in preventive healthcare, the Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy said on Friday.

Galen Centre says Budget 2027 misses mark on healthcare reform

The government plans to introduce a family office model for Forest City in Johor that allows a family office to serve multiple affluent families simultaneously.

Malaysia to introduce multi-family office model in Forest City

Following the tabling of Budget 2027 on Friday, City & Country spoke to several property consultants on their views on the budget. While they applauded some of the property-related initiatives in the budget, they generally think that it is a rather muted one for the property sector as it lacks fresh measures.

Muted budget for property sector

Employees Provident Fund (EPF) members below the age of 55 will be allowed to use their Sejahtera Account to pay MediAsas medical insurance premiums, while small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 75 employees will receive subsidies to help cover premium costs.

Budget 2027: EPF members can use Sejahtera account for MediAsas premiums, SMEs get subsidies

Timely and coordinated implementation will be the key test of Budget 2027, with infrastructure, investment and housing measures needing to translate into stronger connectivity, investor confidence and sustainable economic activity, according to Knight Frank Malaysia.

Knight Frank: Timely execution key to Budget 2027 property impact

Zetrix AI Bhd (KL:ZETRIX) managing director Wong Thean Soon has cut his stake to 8.245% after selling another 46.88 million shares at 7.5 sen each on Thursday (Oct 8), worth about RM3.52 million.

TS Wong’s Zetrix AI stake falls to 8.25%, exits Excel Force as substantial shareholder

Tesla Inc is backing away from its full self-driving branding to help secure approval for the driver-assistance system in Europe, distancing the company from a name that has drawn criticism as dangerously misleading.

Tesla drops ‘self-driving’ branding to appease Europe regulators

Pre-election spending pressures could limit Malaysia’s fiscal consolidation even as the government could afford the additional measures, Moody’s Ratings said on Friday.

Malaysia's pre-election spending pressures could limit fiscal consolidation — Moody’s

Malaysia has a genuine healthcare affordability problem. Medical and health insurance/takaful premiums have risen sharply, private hospital bills have increased, and more Malaysians are finding private healthcare increasingly difficult to afford. Bank Negara Malaysia reported medical cost inflation of 15% in 2024, compared with a global and Asia-Pacific average of 10%.

Opinion: Beyond cost containment: Building a sustainable, patient-centred healthcare ecosystem for Malaysia

Follow our live coverage of Budget 2027 as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim tables it.

Highlights of Budget 2027

The government on Thursday has announced key individual tax reforms aimed at reducing the cost of living for the middle 40% of earners (M40).&nbsp;

Income tax relief level raised to RM12,000, tax rate cuts to put RM1,600 into pockets of people 

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 8): Klang member of Parliament (MP) V Ganabatirau has filed a defamation suit at the High Court here against independent preacher and activist Firdaus Wong over social media postings questioning the lawmaker's loyalty to the country.

Klang MP Ganabatirau sues Firdaus Wong over social media posts questioning his loyalty to Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 9): A former company director of a property development company has been charged with criminal breach of trust (CBT) for transferring RM100,000 of company funds to himself for a non-existent "director fee".

Former property development company director charged with CBT for transferring RM100k to himself for non-existing 'director fee'

首相拿督斯里安华提呈2027年度财政预算案重点摘要

2027年财政预算案重点摘要

Malaysia will raise the minimum wage to RM2,000 per month in June 2027, from RM1,700 currently.

Minimum wage goes up to RM2,000 from June 2027, MSMEs with below RM50m revenue exempted

Oriental Kopi Holdings Bhd (KL:KOPI) could see its share price rise by more than 50%, according to CGS International Securities (CGSI), which expects the cafe operator's expansion and growing packaged food business to drive stronger earnings over the next few years.

CGSI sees over 50% upside for Oriental Kopi on expansion, earnings growth

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 9): Dagang NeXchange Bhd (KL:DNEX) could see renewed investor interest after settling its long-running legal dispute over semiconductor subsidiary SilTerra Malaysia Sdn Bhd, removing a major uncertainty that has weighed on the stock, according to TA Securities.

DNeX's SilTerra legal settlement clears path for growth, says TA Securities

Malaysia is expected to spend 82% of its forecasted record RM459.84 billion budget on operating expenditure (opex) in 2027, leaving RM83 billion, or 18%, for development expenditure (devex).

Budget 2027 expected to hit record RM459.84b, 82% for operating expenditure

Malaysia is proposing a full stamp duty exemption on loan agreements and instruments of transfer for the purchase of first&nbsp;homes priced up to RM500,000.

Govt proposes full stamp duty exemption for first homes priced up to RM500,000

Genting Bhd (KL:GENTING) plans to raise RM1.25 billion through a renounceable rights issue to repay maturing debt and fund working capital.

Genting to raise RM1.25b via rights issue to repay debt

Unisem (M) Bhd (KL:UNISEM) and its subsidiary plans to invest RM396 million to expand its semiconductor manufacturing plant in Gopeng, Perak, as the group seeks to capture growing demand for advanced chip packaging used in artificial intelligence (AI) and data centres..

Unisem plans RM396 mil second phase of Gopeng plant expansion

Despite raising the minimum wage and the economy's recovery since the pandemic, wage progression remains weak beyond the minimum wage floor, according to the Economic Outlook 2027 report. 
&nbsp;

Minimum wage lifts the floor, but Malaysia's 'missing middle' remains

PMB Technology Bhd (KL:PMBTECH), a 58.78%-owned subsidiary of Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd (KL:PMETAL), plans to invest RM650 million to build a silicon-aluminium (Si-Al) alloy plant in Sarawak as the group seeks to diversify away from a struggling silicon metal business.

PMB Technology plans RM650 mil silicon-aluminium alloy plant in Sarawak

The worsening haze in Malaysia could disrupt manufacturing operations, affect worker attendance and drive up business costs, according to the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturing (FMM).

Haze threatens manufacturing productivity, raises business costs — FMM

Malaysia’s retail and tourism sectors are set to benefit as the government increases cash aid and raises the minimum wage to ease cost-of-living pressures in what could be Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s final budget before a national election.

The winners and losers of Malaysia’s 2027 spending plan

Brothers Datuk Seri Nazir Hussin Akhtar Hussin and Datuk Wira Mubarak Hussain Akhtar Husin have voluntarily gone on garden leave from their executive roles at Avangaad Bhd (KL:AVANGAAD) amid an investigation into their personal business interests.

Brothers Nazir, Mubarak go on garden leave at Avangaad; Nazir also steps aside at Kinergy

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 9): Malaysia's fiscal deficit is projected to narrow to 3.3% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2027, even as the actual shortfall remains elevated at RM77.5 billion.

Malaysia's fiscal deficit to narrow to 3.3% in 2027, but shortfall remains above RM77 bil

The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) on Thursday charged a former unit trust consultant and Private Retirement Scheme (PRS) consultant at the Ipoh Magistrate’s Court for offences relating to unlicensed capital market activities.

Former unit trust, PRS consultant charged with dealing in securities without licence

The government has introduced a range of new incentives and high-value investments to drive energy transition and energy efficiency under Budget 2027, tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on Friday.

Ivan Mok, CEO of Moomoo Malaysia / Branded

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

Ivan Mok, CEO of Moomoo Malaysia / Branded

‌‌

‌‌

‌‌

‌‌

‌‌

‌‌

‌‌

‌‌

‌‌

‌‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌