Bank Negara Malaysia released its Annual Report 2023 on Wednesday, together with two other flagship publications — Economic and Monetary Review 2023, and Financial Stability Review for 2nd Half 2023 — in which the central bank shared its assessments on the nation's economy and financial system, current and potential risks, and actions taken to manage them.

10 key charts from BNM's Annual Report 2023

Malaysia will not be facing a balance of payment crisis, the central bank said on Wednesday, after the current-account surplus narrowed sharply to its lowest in 26 years.

Current-account surplus is expected to improve in 2024, mainly driven by growth in the tourism sector and export recovery this year, Bank Negara Malaysia’s deputy governor Marzunisham Omar told reporters following the release of the central bank’s annual report.

Malaysia will avoid balance of payment crisis as current-account surplus widens, BNM says

Malaysia has a “window of opportunity” to undertake the necessary structural reforms on the back of steady economic growth projections, coupled with moderating and stable inflationary pressures, said Bank Negara Malaysia governor Datuk Shaik Abdul Rasheed Abdul Ghaffour.

Malaysia has window of opportunity for structural reforms amid growth rebound and stable inflation, says BNM governor

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) strongly urged Malaysian businesses from all sectors to repatriate their overseas investment income and convert export proceeds back to ringgit to support the central bank's efforts to manage short-term pressure on the local currency.

BNM finds rising foreign currency holdings, widens calls for repatriation to bolster ringgit

KUALA LUMPUR (March 20): Bank Negara Malaysia expects wages to increase further in 2024 following slowdown last year, while the jobless rate will likely remain stable near its past trend.

Wages to increase further in 2024, jobless rate to stay stable, says BNM

The upcoming Consumer Credit Act (CCA), aimed to promote responsible practices among credit lending activities, does not address credit scoring services provided by credit reporting agencies (CRAs).

Credit scores have 'useful purpose', not addressed in Consumer Credit Act, says BNM deputy governor

KUALA LUMPUR (March 20): The impact of reform measures such as subsidy rationalisation are temporary in measure and as such, do not require monetary policy intervention, said Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) on Wednesday.

Subsidy reform measures do not require monetary policy intervention, says BNM governor

Malaysia’s current-account surplus in the balance of payment is expected to improve this year following a sharp decline to a 26-year low in 2023, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) said.

BNM projects current-account surplus to improve this year after hitting 26-year low in 2023

KUALA LUMPUR (March 20): The profitability of insurance and takaful funds declined in the second half of 2023 (2H2023) due to larger net underwriting losses of life insurance and family takaful funds as a result of an increase in medical claims payments, said Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).

BNM: Insurance and takaful funds’ profit dropped in 2H2023 as payments of medical claims increased

KUALA LUMPUR (March 20): Malaysian banks remain well-capitalised to absorb unexpected shocks and support financial intermediation in the economy, according to Bank Negara Malaysia.

BNM: Malaysia’s banking system remains well-capitalised, resilient against liquidity shock

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has pledged a monetary policy stance supportive of the economy, even as the central bank flagged potential risks to inflation and growth as the government tightened its budget for subsidies.

BNM pledges supportive monetary policy, flags risks to inflation, growth

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) recorded a marginal growth of 2.4% in its net profit after tax (PAT) to RM7.16 billion for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2023 (FY2023), against RM6.99 billion in FY2022, according to its annual report released on Wednesday.

BNM records marginal 2.4% growth in PAT to RM7.16b in FY2023

Get the key takeaways of the BNM Annual Report 2023 here.

Highlights of the BNM Annual Report 2023

The movement of the ringgit, which depreciated by 3.9% against the US dollar and by 3.7% against major trade partners in nominal effective terms, in recent times neither reflects the country’s economic fundamentals nor positive economic prospects, said Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) in its Economic and Monetary Review 2023 report.

BNM: Ringgit fundamentally undervalued, will remain vulnerable to advanced economies' monetary policy trajectory

Confidence among US homebuilders advanced to a seven-month high in November on a jump in sales expectations and optimism a Trump administration will ease regulatory burdens.

A gauge of housing market conditions from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and Wells Fargo climbed three points to 46 this month, exceeding all estimates in a Bloomberg survey of economists.

US homebuilder sentiment reaches seven-month high after election

An undersea data cable connecting Finland and Germany was severed in the early hours of Monday by what was likely an external impact, authorities in the Nordic country said.

The 1,200km (750-mile) high-speed fibre optic Helsinki-Rostock link serving data centres is damaged in the Baltic Sea east of southern Sweden, and there’s a high likelihood that it’s completely cut as all of its fibre connections are down, executives of its owner and operator Cinia Oy said at a news conference.

Finland says subsea Germany link serving data centres is cut

The only alternative to the UN Palestinian relief agency in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, its chief said on Monday, repeating calls for states to resist an Israeli ban.

No alternative to UNRWA in Gaza besides Israel, says agency chief 

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva opened the summit of the Group of 20 (G20) major economies on Monday with the launch of a global alliance to combat poverty and hunger that 81 countries have agreed to back.

G20 summit kicks off with global pact to fight hunger, poverty

Oil prices rose on news on Monday that output at Norway's giant Johan Sverdrup oilfield has been halted, adding to earlier gains stemming from escalation in the Russia-Ukraine war.

Oil prices rise on Sverdrup outage, Ukraine war escalation

Here is a brief recap of some corporate announcements that made the news on Monday.

CelcomDigi, Ajinomoto, Master Tec, TMC Life Sciences, Perak Transit, UEM Sunrise, EA Technique, AWC, Johor Plantations, Berjaya Corp, REDtone, Mercury Industries, TCS Group, MMAG, Pecca, and OM Holdings

Members of President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team have told advisers they plan to make a federal framework for self-driving vehicles one of the Transportation Department’s priorities, according to people familiar with the matter.

Trump team is seeking to ease US rules for self-driving cars, Bloomberg reports

Wall Street's main indexes were mixed on Monday, as investors looked ahead to earnings from AI-chip leader Nvidia following a rout the previous week on apprehensions about Donald Trump's cabinet appointments and the central bank's policy path.

Wall Street indexes mixed; Nvidia earnings, Fed policy in focus

The new leadership change in the US is expected to affect the global trade landscape, particularly in trade relations between the US and China.

The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti) said that should the geopolitical issues continue, there is a greater opportunity for other countries such as Malaysia to become alternative destinations for multinational companies to increase or start their investments.

US-China trade war can boost Malaysia's chances to be multinational investment destination — Miti

Pharmaceutical company YSP Southeast Asia Holding Bhd (KL:YSPSAH)’s net profit fell 41.9% to RM3.47 million in the third quarter ended Sept 30, 2024 (3QFY2024), from RM5.98 million a year ago, dragged by foreign exchange (forex) loss and lower sales.

YSP's 3Q profit falls 42% on forex losses, lower sales

A Singapore court has sentenced oil tycoon Lim Oon Kuin to 17-and-half years in jail for cheating HSBC Holdings plc and instigating forgery, in a case that has shaken the city-state’s commodity-trading community.

Singapore oil tycoon OK Lim sentenced to 17½ years in jail

TMC Life Sciences Bhd (KL:TMCLIFE) saw its net profit for the first financial quarter ended Sept 30, 2024 (1QFY2025) fall 80.6% to RM2.94 million from RM15.14 million a year ago, as the healthcare group posted a lower revenue while its staff costs and other operating expenses rose.

TMC Life Sciences 1Q net profit drops 81%

A major shareholder of Lagenda Properties Bhd (KL:LAGENDA) and Epicon Bhd (KL:EPICON) has triggered a takeover offer for Mercury Industries Bhd (KL:MERCURY) after having purchased over half of the contractor’s equity interest.

Lagenda Properties, Epicon major shareholder Doh Tee Leong triggers takeover offer of Mercury Industries

Gandingan Jakel Sdn Bhd said it is actively working with Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to address concerns at its J Satine project in Wangsa Maju, following a stop-work order issued by the authorities on Nov 8.

Gandingan Jakel says working with City Hall to address J Satine's stop-work order

Businessman Chung Chee Yang, who emerged as Cape EMS Bhd’s (KL:CEB) substantial shareholder last week, has mopped up an additional 3.39 million shares in the company.

Cape EMS’s new substantial shareholder Chung Chee Yang continues to raise stake

THE board of directors of Sapura Resources Bhd (KL:SAPRES) is understood to be considering legal action against former managing director Datuk Shahriman Shamsuddin, who resigned at the end of last month, and two consultants who have been advising the company’s property and aviation businesses ove...

Sapura Resources may take legal action against Shahriman, consultants

The Human Resources Ministry (Kesuma) is allocating RM3 billion starting in 2025 to strengthen the local workforce and its adaptability in response to rapid technological advancements and changing industry demands, said its minister Steven Sim Chee Keong.

HR Ministry to allocate RM3b to upskill Malaysian workforce amid tech advancements

UEM Sunrise Bhd (KL:UEMS) has received development approval for its 0.49ha site in Perth, Australia for a mixed-use development with a gross development value potential of A$450 million.

In a press statement issued on Monday, the developer said that the approval, which involved Lots 1 and 2 at The Oval within Subiaco East, was issued by the Western Australian State Government’s central land and development agency, DevelopmentWA. It is also the first mixed-use project approved within the Subiaco East masterplan.

UEM Sunrise secures development approval for its first project in Perth, Australia

The Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) has called on the European Union (EU) to classify Malaysia as a “low risk” country under the EU’s new Deforestation-free Products Regulation (EUDR).

MPOC said in a statement on Monday after the EU's decision to postpone the legislation by 12 months.

MPOC urges EU to recognise Malaysia as 'low risk' under deforestation regulation

Setia Awan Group has announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Astrum Ampang and BilaBila Mart to integrate the convenience store chain into the Astrum Ampang development.

Setia Awan Group’s Astrum Ampang signs MOU with BilaBila Mart to offer convenience store for residents

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 18): MMAG Holdings Bhd (KL:MMAG) has been granted a waiver by Bursa Securities from being classified as an affected listed company under Guidance Note 3 (GN3).

MMAG gets GN3 status waiver from Bursa Securities

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 18): Opposition political party Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), through its two office bearers, has filed an originating summons against five Members of Parliament (MPs) to vacate their seats. The five MPs were elected under the party’s logo in 2022, but later became independents who are close to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Bersatu files suit against five govt-friendly MPs to vacate their seats

DIVIDEND stocks are likely to be the preferred option for investors following Donald Trump’s comeback as the 47th president of the US and the uncertainties stemming from potential policy changes, analysts say.

Fortress Capital founder and CEO Datuk Thomas Yong points out that if Trump’s...

Dividend play favoured in uncertain times as Trump returns to power

HSBC Holdings plc has asked hundreds of managers to reapply for jobs in the firm’s newly formed corporate and institutional banking division as chief executive officer Georges Elhedery continues his hunt for ways to make the bank run more efficiently.

HSBC managers are competing to keep their jobs in CEO’s revamp, Bloomberg reports

LAST Monday, Datasonic Group Bhd (KL:DSONIC) announced that it had bought 51% equity interest in Innov8tif Holdings Sdn Bhd for RM40 million in cash from Revenue Group Bhd (KL:REVENUE).

Innov8tif Holdings and its subsidiaries Innov8tif Solutions Sdn Bhd, Xendity Sdn Bhd and Innov8tif So...

The tale of Innov8tif and five public-listed companies

Johor Plantations Group Bhd (KL:JPG) said on Monday that it has appointed Johor Corporation (JCorp) affiliated company JL Projects Sdn Bhd as the project manager consortium (PMC) for the construction of its integrated sustainable palm oil complex (ISPOC) for RM30.99 million.

Johor Plantations appoints JCorp unit to oversee construction of integrated refinery in Kota Tinggi

Here is a brief recap of some corporate announcements that made the news on Monday.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has directed social media platforms to remove audio and video content alleging corruption involving state assemblymen related to a mineral project procurement in Sabah.

MCMC orders social media platforms to remove videos linking Sabah reps to graft 

Here’s a quick look at some of the stories that made headlines today.

EVENING 5: Five things you need to know today

SINGAPORE (Nov 18): United Overseas Bank (UOB) announced its collaboration with Disney Cruise Line.&nbsp;

BNM Annual Report

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