Over the past decade, more than 50% of fresh graduates had been drawing a starting salary of below RM2,000 a month, said the Ministry of Finance (MOF) in the Economic Outlook Report 2025.

Majority of fresh graduates entered job market with insufficient earnings

The Madani economy framework has set targets for compensation of employees (CE) to GDP at 40% by 2025 and 45% by 2033. This was 33.1% in 2023.

Low average wage growth highlights need for meaningful hikes  

The federal government's debt is projected to rise at a slower pace of 6% in 2025 compared with 7.5% in 2024, according to the Ministry of Finance (MOF) in its Fiscal Outlook and Federal Government Revenue Estimates report.

Federal govt debt growth seen slowing to 6% in 2025, still within 64% of GDP — MOF

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 18): The federal government’s committed guarantee, which forms its debt and liabilities exposures, increased to RM231.4 billion as at end-June 2024, against RM227.4 billion in 2023.

Federal govt’s committed guarantees rise to RM231.4b as at end-June 2024, lifting total to RM407.8b

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 18): The federal government plans to rein in its development expenditure in 2025 with more “strategic” spending, putting a cap on the rise in spending over the past decade.

Development expenditure to plateau with ‘strategic’ spending after peaking in 2023

In anticipation of a better economic outlook on both domestic and external fronts, Malaysia's labour market is poised to remain stable in 2025. The unemployment rate is expected to drop further to 3.1%, reaching its lowest point in a decade as the economy gains momentum and structural reforms take effect.

Unemployment rate to hit decade low of 3.1% in 2025

As of the end of August 2024, the number of registered low-skilled foreign workers accounted for 2.5 million persons, nearing the allowable threshold of 15% of total employment, according to the Ministry of Finance in its 2025 Economic Outlook report.

Number of low-skilled foreign workers near allowable threshold at end-August 2024

The federal government expects to hit a fresh record high of RM339.71 billion in 2025, up 5.5% against a revised estimate of RM322.05 billion in 2024, driven by an increase in both direct and indirect tax collection, according to the Ministry of Finance’s (MOF) 2025 Fiscal Outlook and Federal Government Revenue Estimates.

Public revenue seen reaching record RM339.7b in 2025, but only 16.3% of GDP

Malaysia’s current account balance will improve this year as well as in 2025 after hitting a 26-year low in 2023, thanks to exports, tourism activities, and investment, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said.

Malaysia’s current-account surplus will widen further after 26-year low in 2023

The federal government's debt service charges (DSC) are expected to reach RM54.7 billion in 2025, a 7.7% rise from RM50.8 billion projected in 2024, according to the Ministry of Finance's (MOF) Fiscal Outlook and Federal Government Revenue Estimates report.

Debt service charges to rise to RM54.7 bil in 2025, up 7.7% y-o-y

The government will implement the global minimum tax (GMT) on multinational enterprises (MNEs) in as early as January 2025 as part of efforts to strengthen the country's tax base, according to the Ministry of Finance (MOF) in its Fiscal Outlook and Federal Government Revenue Estimates Report.

Global minimum tax on multinational enterprises to start as early as January — MOF

Malaysia's headline inflation may accelerate in 2025 to its fastest in eight years as the Ministry of Finance (MOF) flagged potential price pressures from subsidy rationalisation and external shocks.

Inflation in Malaysia may hit eight-year high in 2025 as MOF flags subsidy rationalisation

Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) will cover an area governed by six local authorities in Iskandar Malaysia and Pengerang, according to the Ministry of Finance.

The sites in southern Johor proposed by the state government would span an area about five times larger than Singapore, the ministry said in the 2025 Economic Outlook report.

Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone to cover Iskandar Malaysia, Pengerang

Malaysia’s economy is projected to expand steadily as household spending picks up while business investments and exports continue to rise, according to the Ministry of Finance (MOF).

Malaysia's economy to expand steadily after 2024 forecast revised up — MOF report 

German automakers should not be afraid of competition from China, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Monday at the opening of Mercedes-Benz's first battery recycling plant, an investment he described as part of Germany's new industrial policy agenda.

German carmakers should not be afraid of Chinese competition, says Scholz

US stocks are unlikely to sustain their above-average performance of the past decade as investors turn to other assets including bonds for better returns, Goldman Sachs Group Inc strategists said.

Decade of big S&P 500 gains is over, Goldman strategists say

India and China have reached a deal on patrolling their disputed Himalayan frontier to resolve a four-year military stand-off, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Monday, paving the way to normalise political and business ties.

India, China strike border patrol pact that could ease ties, top official says

Investment firm JAB agreed to acquire Mondelez International Inc’s stake in JDE Peet’s NV for €2.16 billion (RM10.1 billion), increasing its control over the struggling coffee maker as its shares trade near all-time lows.

JAB to buy Mondelez’s stake in JDE Peet’s for €2.16 bil

Qatar is finding it hard to agree new deals to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Japan and South Korea as rising competition from the US and elsewhere with more flexible contract terms challenges Doha's decades-old dominance of the market.

Qatar LNG sales to key Asian markets confronted by US, UAE rivalry

A government backbencher has called on Putrajaya to open the government bond market to retail investors to boost market activity and provide safer investment options for Malaysians.

Govt should open bond market to retail investors, backbencher says

Boeing is expected to book more than US$1 billion (RM4.3 billion) in wage-related expenses from its proposed labour contract, analysts said, although its shares rose 4% on Monday on hopes of an end to a crippling strike.

Boeing's new proposal may lead to US$1b in wage-related costs over four years

Oposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin has called on the government to postpone the implementation of the RM1,700 minimum wage for certain sectors to protect small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

PN's Hamzah calls for postponement of RM1,700 minimum wage for some sectors to safeguard SMEs

Dagang NeXchange Bhd (KL:DNEX) said it has appointed Faizal Sham Abu Mansor as its group chief executive officer effective Nov 1, succeeding executive chairman Tan Sri Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir Jamalullail in leading the company's management team.

DNeX appoints Faizal Sham Abu Mansor as group CEO

Alpha IVF Group Bhd (KL:ALPHA) reported a 2.7% quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) increase in its first quarter net profit to RM14.38 million from RM14 million, as lower administrative expenses more than offset impact from decline in revenue.

Alpha IVF 1Q profit up marginally q-o-q on lower administrative expenses

Shares of Malaysian construction companies slipped on Monday, as the government refrained from announcing new mega infrastructure projects in Budget 2025.

Construction stocks slip as govt shies away from new megaprojects

AFTER decades of organic growth in Malaysia, Public Bank Bhd (KL:PBBANK) pulled a surprise last week by announcing its first big merger and acquisition (M&amp;A) since acquiring Hock Hua Bank Bhd in early 2001.

In a packed press conference last Thursday (Oct 10), managing director and C...

Teh family’s restricted offering of Public Bank shares seen as move to deter mergers 

Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) has sent requests seeking bankers’ proposals for a potential dollar bond offering, according to people familiar with the matter, in what would be the Malaysian oil firm’s first such sale in over three years.&nbsp;

Petronas asked banks for dollar bond proposals — Bloomberg

It came as a surprise to many when Diona Teh Li Shian announced that her family would reduce its stake in Public Bank Bhd (KL:PBB) to 10% over the next five years. While the timing of the announcement was unexpected, it was a strategic move.

It effectively answered the question as to ho...

Alternative Views: A 10% stake in a bank can mean all or nothing

NATIONAL oil company Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) is close to awarding RM8 billion to RM10 billion worth of contracts as part of its maintenance, construction and modification (MCM) initiatives, sources familiar with the matter tell The Edge.

It is understood that a number of compa...

Petronas to dish out up to RM10b worth of jobs

Mega Fortris Bhd, partly backed by Singapore’s Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC), has launched an initial public offering (IPO) to raise more than RM198 million on the Main Market.

OCBC-backed Mega Fortris IPO opens for subscription, may raise over RM198m

Compulsory coverage for non-Malaysian workers under the Employees&nbsp;Provident Fund&nbsp;(EPF) is in line with the fund's efforts to ensure that all workers have access to social protection, according to chief executive officer&nbsp;Ahmad Zulqarnain Onn.

Mandatory EPF coverage for non-M'sians can lead to greater fairness in labour market — CEO

The freeze on foreign worker employment quota applications will continue until a date to be announced later.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said this is because the total number of foreign workers in the country (as of Sept 15)&nbsp;is nearing the stipulated ceiling.

Freeze on foreign worker employment quota to continue — home minister

Last week, Aizo Group Bhd (KL:AIZO) announced that it had inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with privately held NetRunner Sdn Bhd to jointly establish a Tier-4 data centre hub in Sarawak to meet the increasing demand for secure and reliable data storage and processing facilities. The MoU is valid for two years from the date of signing, with the possibility of extensions if deemed necessary.

Frankly Speaking: Aizo’s data centre hub MoU raises questions

The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) has updated its Investor Alert List to include 19 potential clone entities and eight unauthorised entities as of last Friday.

In a post on X on Monday, the SC urged investors to be cautious of potential clone entities that may be impersonating legitimate firms.

SC adds 19 potential clone entities to Investor Alert List

Malaysia’s economy may have expanded faster than expected in the third quarter, thanks to growth in the services, manufacturing and construction sectors, official flash estimates showed.

Gross domestic product (GDP) likely rose 5.3% in the July-Sept quarter from a year earlier, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia’s advance estimates released on Monday. That compares with the median 5.1% rise predicted in a Bloomberg survey. In the second quarter, the economy grew 5.9%.

Malaysia's economy likely grew faster than expected in 3Q, DOSM advance estimates show

The appointment of Datin Nooryana Najwa Najib, daughter of jailed former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, as a director of the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) needs some explaining.

Frankly Speaking: Has Nooryana done anything to deserve Matrade appointment?

A hearing in a lawsuit against BHP over Brazil's worst environmental disaster, the 2015 collapse of the Mariana dam, will begin at London's High Court on Monday, with claimants seeking up to £36 billion (US$47 billion or RM202 billion) in damages.

BHP faces US$47b UK lawsuit over Brazilian dam collapse

Malaysia’s record spending plan is set to drive further foreign interest in its assets as the government continues to build on its fiscal reforms, even if the immediate impact on equities is muted.&nbsp;

Budget 2025 poised to draw foreign interest — analysts

The rise of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) has led to job loss for 293,639 workers in Malaysia since 2020, data from the Ministry of Human Resources (Kesuma) showed.

Nearly 300,000 jobs lost due to automation and AI since 2020, says deputy minister

The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti) will help&nbsp;Perusahaan&nbsp;Otomobil Kedua&nbsp;Sdn Bhd&nbsp;(Perodua) produce Malaysia's first electric vehicle (EV)&nbsp;priced&nbsp;under&nbsp;RM100,000.&nbsp;

Miti to help Perodua produce Malaysia's first EV under RM100k by end-2025, says Zafrul

A loud boom followed by tremors rocked parts of Ipoh late Monday morning, sending shockwaves through the community.

Startled residents immediately took to social media, speculating on the source of the boom and vibrations, which occurred at 11.06am, and police said investigations are now underway.

Loud bang, tremors rock parts of Ipoh, police investigating

The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti) said on Monday it aims to announce the details of the new investment incentive framework as early as the first quarter of 2025 (1Q2025).

Miti aims to announce new investment incentive framework as early as 1Q2025

Robo-advisory platform MYTHEO has announced a partnership with VKA Wealth Planners, a licensed financial planning firm, to launch a new product for investors.

The MYTHEO Target Return Portfolio, curated exclusively for VKA clients, is designed to balance potential returns with effective risk management over the long term. It aims to generate returns by blending growth, income and inflation hedging assets, said Edward Ooi, VKA’s chief investment advisory officer.

Robo-advisor teams up with financial planning firm for targeted solution

Imprisoned former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said that he would never act against the interest of the country or companies under his purview, as he is beholden to his oath of office.

Economic Report 2024/2025

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Economic Report 2024/2025

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