The United States has adopted increasingly protectionist policies over the past few years, raising tariffs, revising or withdrawing from free-trade agreements, and restricting trade with countries considered strategic threats. While these measures aim to exert pressure on perceived adversaries li...

Making Globalisation Work: America’s Protectionist Policies Are Backfiring

Of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals to be achieved by 2030, eliminating hunger used to be seen as the most feasible. But in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 15 years of progress on improving access to food have been lost. Despite global agricultural producti...

Frontiers Of Growth: Building a Buffer Against Food-Price Shocks

The National Budget is set to be tabled on Friday. Regardless of what will be announced, Malaysian corporates must continue to focus on several areas, apart from wave two of e-invoicing.

Focusing on tax areas that matter most

In recent years, China has emerged as a global front runner in the development of the flying car technology, with prominent players like XPeng Motors and Ehang pushing the boundaries of innovation. These advancements bring the once futuristic concept of flying cars closer to reality, promising to revolutionise transportation and urban living.

Soaring ambition: The future of flying cars

A 50-year-old contractor recently fell victim to a high-return investment scheme, losing RM624,000 in just two months. According to the police, the victim first encountered an advertisement on Facebook on July 26, promising a staggering 410% return on investment.

The Impossible Trinity: A key to identifying fraudulent investments

There is a well-known judicial maxim that “a company has no soul to be damned nor a body to be imprisoned”.

When a corporation can be held criminally responsible

The judicial management scheme, introduced by Malaysia's Companies Act 2016 (CA 2016), represents a significant shift in the nation’s corporate rescue framework. The scheme presents a new way to help financially-distressed companies rehabilitate without going into liquidation. Rooted in Singaporean and UK laws, the scheme is detailed in sections 403 to 430 of CA 2016 and is regulated by the Companies (Corporate Rescue Mechanisms) Rules 2018. The law on judicial management became effective in Malaysia on March 1, 2018.

Judicial management as a corporate rescue tool: A call for balance between secured and unsecured creditors

The Malaysian oil palm industry stands as a cornerstone of our economy, driving rural development, alleviating poverty, generating employment and contributing significantly to government revenues.

Oil palm industry’s future hinges on urgent replanting thrust in Budget 2025

Social enterprises (SEs) are more than just a business model — they are a movement. Globally, their significance is undeniable.

According to the World Economic Forum, SEs generate a staggering US$2 trillion in revenue and are responsible for creating nearly 200 million jobs.

Even more striking is the fact that half of these enterprises are led by women, underscoring the pivotal role SEs play not only in driving economic growth but also in promoting gender equality and empowering communities across the world.

Catalysing an inclusive, resilient and impactful social enterprise movement: Key priorities for Malaysia’s Budget 2025

US Vice President Kamala Harris released a detailed policy book at end-September. The words “national debt”are mentioned only once. At this month’s US presidential debate, the word “debt” was not mentioned once. Neither were the words“revenue,”“spending,” and “budget.”

To be fair, Harri...

The Policy Puzzle: The Debt That Shall Not Be Named

It is now conventional wisdom that global capital flows to the developing world are pro-cyclical, increasing when advanced economies ease monetary policy and retreating when their interest rates rise. A case in point is the growing number of developing countries experiencing liquidity and solvenc...

The Frontiers Of Growth: The World Needs Bigger and Better Financial Firefighters

The outcome of November’s US presidential election will have profound consequences for democracies worldwide and for geopolitical flashpoints like Ukraine, the Middle East, and Taiwan. But the potential economic fallout could be equally far-reaching. In today’s interconnected global economy, with...

Real World Economics: Economics, Empathy, and the US Election

We live in a time where the price of being cheap is too high and being less bad does not create value anymore.

Abating climate change or weaning societies off fossil fuels is a noble mission, which should be pursued albeit pragmatically. However, policy makers, activists and, for that matter, journalists should also not be allowed to turn this mission into a quixotic crusade where we, like lemmings, are expected to jump off a cliff focusing entirely on optics and less so on real outcomes.

The high price of idealism: Why pragmatism must lead the climate fight

In normal circumstances, wars are launched with total stealth to maximise the element of surprise. It is one of the most important dimensions of warfare, whether it is staged by the states or sub-state groups.

Strategic realism in the Israeli-Iranian war

Global fabless semiconductor companies and foundries rely on their production and assembly facilities in East Asia and Southeast Asia to manufacture 73% of their chips and semiconductor equipment. East Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea, China and Taiwan have developed a mature chip ecosy...

Condivergence: Chip packaging’s place in Malaysia’s semiconductor strategy

(Oct 23): Donald Trump has rejoined the Bloomberg Billionaires Index for the first time since Aug. 6 as his media startup’s stock surges alongside his odds in political betting markets.

The former president’s fortune rose to $6.5 billion Tuesday, ranking him 481st on the l...

Trump enters world’s 500 richest list for first time in 11 weeks

Investors counting on corporate results to give China’s stock rally a fresh leg up may have to look beyond the current quarter for clues, given an ailing economy and constraints on stimulus efforts.

While forward earnings per share projections for members of China’s benchmark CSI 300 Index have seen an upward revision of about 1.5% since a September trough, they remain close to a six-year low, Bloomberg-compiled data show. The gauge has pared some gains from a 35% surge since the September low as traders await further fiscal measures.

China’s historic stock jump unlikely to find support in earnings

Analysts have raised their earnings forecasts and target prices (TPs) after Gamuda Bhd (KL:GAMUDA) grew its order book to RM28.7 billion after securing a NT$32 billion (RM4.3 billion) contract for the Xizhi Donghu Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) project in Taiwan.

Analysts raise forecasts after Gamuda boosts order book to RM28.7b with Taiwan MRT job

US billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk warned of the risk of the United States going bankrupt if government spending is not cut, reported Sputnik, reported by Bernama-Sputnik.

Musk warns of risks of US going bankrupt — report

Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAB) has expressed its commitment to focusing on improving training and recruitment to address the increasing demand and complexity of modern aircraft.

The Ministry of Finance (MoF) said that MAB has also strengthened its competitive salary offerings to attract new workers and retain existing employees while also implementing a recruitment process directly from the market.

MAB focuses on enhancing training, hiring workers to address demand, modern aircraft

Bankrupt Tupperware Brands agreed on Tuesday to sell its business to a group of lenders for US$23.5 million (RM101.99 million) in cash and over US$63 million in debt relief, cancelling its plans for an open-market auction of its assets.

Tupperware cancels auction, agrees to lender takeover

Three companies had met all the requirements to participate in the online bidding on June 16, 2024 for a pilot project to supply renewable energy (RE) across borders to Singapore via Energy Exchange Malaysia (ENEGEM).

The Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA) said that two Singaporean companies were successful in their bid to secure 100 megawatts (MW) of green electricity, with cross-border supply agreements currently being finalised.

Three companies qualify for online bid to supply renewable energy

South Africa sees Russia as a valued ally, President Cyril Ramaphosa said at a bilateral meeting with Russia's Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, on the eve of the BRICS summit of emerging economies that will take place in the Russian city of Kazan.

South Africa sees Russia as a valued ally, Ramaphosa tells Putin

The last time US government bonds sold off this much as the Federal Reserve started cutting interest rates, Alan Greenspan was orchestrating a rare soft landing.

Treasuries plunge like it’s 1995 as traders see soft landing

Stocks struggled in late hours after downbeat news from some key American companies, with traders also mulling prospects for a slower pace of Federal Reserve rate cuts.

A US$600 billion exchange-traded fund tracking the S&amp;P 500 (SPY) wavered after the close of regular trading.

Stocks struggle in late hours as McDonald’s slumps

Gold prices jumped to record high and the dollar was on the rise again on Wednesday, keeping the pressure on the yen and the euro, while stocks in Asia stuttered as investors were reluctant to place major bets ahead of a hotly contested US election.

Stocks stumble, dollar and gold rise as traders weigh US rates, election

In April, sovereign fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd announced RM1 billion in ‘national fund-of-funds’ initiatives at the KL20 Summit to support local venture capital funds and attract international managers. With the increased interest from both domestic and foreign investors in Malaysia’s start-up ecosystem, a crucial question arises: Are there enough investment- or IPO-ready private companies in the country?

Are Malaysian private companies investment-ready?

Chinese President Xi Jinping told Russia's Vladimir Putin that the international situation was gripped by chaos but that Beijing's strategic partnership with Moscow was a force for stability amid the most significant changes seen in a century.

Xi tells Putin the world is in chaos but friendship with Russia will endure

HSBC Holdings plc’s new chief executive officer just unveiled the biggest overhaul of the company in at least a decade, but it was missing some key details for employees and investors.

HSBC revamp by new CEO Elhedery stumps staffers, investors alike

&nbsp;Top financial regulators around the globe are voicing concern about private credit valuations, whether lenders are hiding troubled loans, and the deep entanglement between private markets and insurance money.&nbsp;

“Valuation risks are where we see a core issue,” Andrew Dean, the co-chief of the Division of Enforcement Asset Management at the US Securities and Exchange Commission, said.

Top regulators call out valuation risks in private credit

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said the US election is creating “high uncertainty” for markets and policymakers, given the sharply divergent trade priorities of the candidates.

US election creates ‘high uncertainty’ for fragile markets, IMF says

A total of 7,400 companies have adopted the e-invoice system, with 58 million e-invoices issued as of Oct 14, according to the Ministry of Finance (MOF).

This reflects the positive reception among companies in complying with the implementation of e-invoicing, the ministry said.

7,400 companies using e-invoice system, 58 mil e-invoices issued as at Oct 14 — MOF

Japan’s 40-year government bond yield climbed to its highest level in 16 years amid growing speculation that the nation’s central bank will push ahead with interest rate increases in coming months.

Japan’s 40-year yield rises to highest since 2008 on BOJ outlook

Three companies had met all the requirements to participate in the online bidding on June 16, 2024 for a pilot project to supply renewable energy (RE) across borders to Singapore via Energy Exchange Malaysia (ENEGEM).

The Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA) said that two Singaporean companies were successful in their bid to secure 100 megawatts (MW) of green electricity, with cross-border supply agreements currently being finalised.

Tokyo Metro Co’s stock soared 36% in its trading debut on Wednesday after the initial public offering (IPO) drew strong demand from investors.

Tokyo Metro shares soar 36% on trading debut after strong IPO

Arm Holdings plc is cancelling a licence that allowed longtime partner Qualcomm Inc to use Arm intellectual property to design chips, escalating a legal dispute over vital smartphone technology.

Arm to cancel Qualcomm chip design licence in escalation of feud

The institutional reform agenda, the construction of a new nuclear reactor and the misappropriation of subsidised diesel in the country will be among the matters discussed in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday.

Institutional reform agenda among highlights of Parliament on Wednesday

One person died and dozens fell ill from E coli infections linked to McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburgers in 10 states, led by Colorado, where 26 people were sickened, the US Centers for Disease Control said on Tuesday.

E coli outbreak tied to McDonald's Quarter Pounder kills one, sickens dozens in US

The chief executive officer (CEO) of GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH) and his wife are among 22 individuals who will be charged in the Selayang Sessions Court on Wednesday.

According to Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain, all of them will be charged under Section 130V (1) of the Penal Code for being members of an organised crime group.

Top GISBH leader, wife among 22 individuals to be charged on Wednesday

Bankrupt Tupperware Brands agreed on Tuesday to sell its business to a group of lenders for US$23.5 million (RM101.99 million) in cash and over US$63 million in debt relief, cancelling its plans for an open-market auction of its assets.

The last time US government bonds sold off this much as the Federal Reserve started cutting interest rates, Alan Greenspan was orchestrating a rare soft landing.

Donald Trump touted his pledge to provide tax breaks for purchasing cars, highlighting that the benefit would only apply to vehicles made in the US as he rallied voters in a crucial swing state with just two weeks until Election Day.

Trump excludes Asian, European cars from vehicle tax-break plan

Bank of America Corp chief executive officer Brian Moynihan has urged Federal Reserve (Fed) policymakers to be measured in the magnitude of interest rate reductions.

Bank of America CEO urges Fed to not go too hard on rates

US billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk warned of the risk of the United States going bankrupt if government spending is not cut, reported Sputnik, reported by Bernama-Sputnik.

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