EVERY January, the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos morphs into a bustling nerve centre, where global leaders tackle the big questions of the global economy. It’s where bold ideas and sharp insights meet the challenges of a complex world.

World Economic Forum (WEF), Davos: What does an improving economy mean?

There has been endless speculation about the chaos that may (or may not) await America and the world following US President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20. No one knows how much of Trump’s stated agenda is “for real,” and how much of it is political posturing for his base, a show...

Unconventional Economic Wisdom: Trump Is on a Collision Course With the US Budget

For all the trepidation about world trade, debt and inflation, it could well be worker shortages that define economic trends this year — on both sides of the Atlantic.

Worker shortages may define the 2025 economy

It is something of a tradition to take stock of the year that has ended and consider what might lie ahead. This is true on a personal level: in my family, we tend to do this around the dinner table. But it is also true more broadly, with the time of year inviting an examination of the intersectio...

The Risk Factor: A Baseline Scenario for the Global Economy in 2025

The takeover offer of Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd or MAHB (KL:AIRPORT) by Gateway Development Alliance (GDA) marks a critical inflection point for Malaysia’s aviation sector and its future in the hyper-competitive Asean region. With GDA securing 84.1% of MAHB shares and extending the offer period to Jan 17, the stage is set for a seismic shift in how Malaysia’s airports are managed. If the consortium achieves the 90% threshold required for delisting, MAHB will transition from the scrutiny of public markets into the hands of private ownership, enabling GDA to execute a bold, long-term restructuring strategy without the burden of quarterly earnings pressures.

Can Gateway Development Alliance help MAHB take flight again?

Meta has announced it will abandon its fact-checking program, starting in the United States. It was aimed at preventing the spread of online lies among more than three billion people who use Meta’s social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and Threads.

Meta is abandoning fact checking — this doesn’t bode well for the fight against misinformation

The world is experiencing shifts and new realities.

Asean as a middle-class society

Donald Trump is threatening to use “economic force” to make Canada the 51st American state. While his comments may be reckless, they are in part due to Canada’s over-reliance on the US market in terms of trade.

The benefits of international trade are undoubtedly positive. It’s well-established that when countries can produce a product or service more cheaply than others, giving them what’s known as a “comparative advantage,” all other nations engaged will gain from that trade.

Canada, the 51st state? Eliminating interprovincial trade barriers could ward off Donald Trump

The existence of the royal addendum in Najib's royal pardon raises significant questions that warrant clarification.

Najib Pardon: There is nothing pending for current Agong to deliberate on

MALAYSIA should stop second-guessing itself.

2025: To be or not to be?

Central banks around the world responded to the inflationary period following COVID-19 by raising interest rates. Now that inflation seems to be largely under control, monetary policymakers must begin preparing for the next crisis by expanding their toolkit.

This is particularly importa...

The Frontiers Of Growth: The Missing Monetary-Policy Tool

The recent Court of Appeal decision in the case of Zuraida Bte Kamaruddin v Saifuddin Nasution bin Ismail stirred interest not just within the legal fraternity but caused public disquiet due to its wide-reaching implications on the political scene and society at large.

Establishing the reasonable price of disloyalty

On Nov 20, the Kuala Terengganu Shariah High Court handed down the sentence of six lashes in public for repeated offences of khalwat (close proximity) against a carpenter named Mohd Affendi Awan.

Shariah whipping in public — does it exceed the Shariah Courts’ jurisdiction?

The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) expresses its deep concern over the decision of the Terengganu Shariah Court in the case of Mohd Affendi Awang, a 42-year-old carpenter, who was sentenced to six lashes in public, after being convicted of repeated khalwat (close proximity) offences under Section 31(a) of the Shariah Criminal Offences (Takzir) (Terengganu) Enactment 2022. This punishment undermines human rights, dignity, and the rule of law. The commission takes note that whipping under shariah laws is different from civil law. Be that as it may, the sentence not only constitutes cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, but also raises serious questions regarding the legality of public whipping under the Federal Constitution and federal law.

Public whipping in Terengganu: A violation of human rights and rule of law

A fugitive banker accused of orchestrating a US$1 billion (RM4.45 billion) fraud in Moldova appears to be helping Russian lenders and businesses to continue conducting foreign trade amid payment problems caused by sanctions.

Fugitive banker may be helping Russian firms beat US sanctions

Shares of SoftBank Group Corp jumped 12% on Wednesday, after the company announced it is teaming up with OpenAI, Oracle Corp and Abu Dhabi-backed MGX on a US$500 billion (RM2.22 trillion) project to build data centres and infrastructure in the US for the ChatGPT creator.

SoftBank shares soar as founder's AI vision coalesces

Google is making a fresh investment of more than US$1 billion (RM4.5 billion) into AI startup Anthropic, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.

Google to invest fresh US$1b in OpenAI rival Anthropic — report

Billionaire Li Ka-shing’s port business in Panama said it is committed to operating in the country, after local authorities launched an audit of the company, amid concerns raised by US President Donald Trump.

Li Ka-shing’s port firm ‘committed’ to Panama amid Trump threats

Datuk Seri Najib Razak said he did not interfere with the attorney general’s (AG) prosecutorial discretion while he was prime minister.

Najib claims he was mindful not to interfere in AG's prosecutions 

Stocks in India look set for further declines as foreign investors resumed selling shares, amid persistent worries over company earnings growth and sluggish consumption.

Indian stock exodus balloons to US$5b on downbeat profits

THIS time last year, I wrote about how I saw the US stock market performing in 2024, after its spectacular 26.3% total return in 2023. Given the strong earnings growth in the US, robust capital expenditure around artificial intelligence (AI) and anticipated interest rate cuts, my view was that th...

How Asian investors should look at US stocks in 2025

Analysts are positive on Sunway Real Estate Investment Trust’s (KL:SUNREIT) acquisition of AEON Mall Seri Manjung in Perak, prompting revisions of their earnings forecasts.

Analysts raise Sunway REIT earnings forecasts after AEON Mall acquisition in Perak

Malaysia's currency hit a six-week high and stocks advanced for a fourth straight session on Wednesday ahead of a central bank policy decision, while a gauge of emerging Asian equities reversed course weighed by China on US tariff plans.

Ringgit hits six-week high ahead of BNM decision

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said that competition between the US and China will grow, although the risk of a “full decoupling” is unlikely at this stage.

Singapore PM expects US-China rivalry to rise as Trump returns

Sunway Bhd (KL:SUNWAY) has started the ball rolling for the initial public offer (IPO) of its healthcare unit, sources told The Edge.

Maybank Investment Bank Bhd and AmInvestment Bank Bhd are said to be the front-runners as principal advisers for the IPO of Sunway Healthcare Group, the sources said.

Sunway shortlists bankers for healthcare unit's IPO 

MIDF Research said&nbsp;the recent selldown of data centre-linked construction stocks&nbsp;may have been overdone as it sees the US’ AI chip export restrictions having minimal impact on data centre operations here.

In a note, MIDF Research said this prompted&nbsp;its upgrade on&nbsp;Sunway Construction Group Berhad (KL:SUNCON) to a “buy”, from “neutral”.

MIDF says selldown on data centre-related stocks overdone, upgrades SunCon

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 22): Malaysia’s property market is now showing signs of improvement that will lift Malaysian banking stocks under pressure from uncertainties over data-centre outlook, according to CIMB Securities.

CIMB Securities: Malaysian property market now showing signs of improvement that will lift banking stocks

(Jan 22): US&nbsp;President Donald&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;on Tuesday announced&nbsp;a&nbsp;private&nbsp;sector&nbsp;investment&nbsp;of up to US$500&nbsp;billion (RM2.23 trillion) to fund&nbsp;infrastructure&nbsp;for artificial intelligence (AI),&nbsp;aiming to outpace rival nations in the business-critical technology.

Trump announces private-sector US$500 bil investment in AI infrastructure

Founders of FashionValet Sdn Bhd Datin Vivy Yusof and her husband Datuk Fadzarudin Shah Anuar have been charged with the misappropriation of RM8 million from Khazanah Nasional Bhd and Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB), belonging to the company.

FashionValet founders claim trial to alternative charges of fund misappropriation

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday vowed to hit the European Union with tariffs and said his administration was discussing a 10% punitive duty on Chinese imports because fentanyl is being sent from China to the US via Mexico and Canada.

Trump stirs tariff pot with fresh threats on EU, Feb 1 China deadline

President Donald Trump said he would be open to billionaire supporter Elon Musk or Oracle Corp chairman Larry Ellison purchasing social video app TikTok as part of a joint venture with the US government.

Trump says he’s open to Elon Musk or Larry Ellison purchasing TikTok

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 22): TechStore Bhd, which provides hardware and software to businesses, has fixed its initial public offering (IPO) price at 20 sen per share ahead of its listing on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia.

Enterprise hardware and software firm TechStore sets IPO price at 20 sen

Global stocks gained on Wednesday as a flurry of new policies from US President Donald Trump combined with robust corporate earnings to bolster investor optimism, while tariff uncertainty kept the dollar near two-week lows.

Stocks bask in Trump glow, tariff uncertainty weighs on dollar

DAVOS, Switzerland (Jan 21): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said digitalisation is a "missing component" in all of Malaysia's previous free trade agreements (FTAs).

PM: Malaysia seeks to upgrade its free trade agreements to cover digitalisation

Over the past two years, the Biden administration struck a careful balance on artificial intelligence. The White House took steps to ensure the US stayed ahead of China in developing the technology while also trying to address some of AI’s many potential risks.

Trump pushes to make US an AI superpower, with fewer guardrails 

Indonesia's antitrust agency on Tuesday ordered Google to pay fines about 202 billion rupiah (US$12.4 million or RM55.3 million) for unfair business practices related to its payment system services for Google Play Store, its software distribution platform.

Indonesia fines Google US$12.4m for unfair business practices

Lawmakers in some of Asia’s key digital-assets markets are warming to the industry as Donald Trump’s pro-crypto agenda in the US ripples through the region.

Crypto fears ease in Asia as officials aim to keep up with Trump

Malaysia's currency hit a six-week high and stocks advanced for a fourth straight session on Wednesday ahead of a central bank policy decision, while a gauge of emerging Asian equities reversed course weighed by China on US tariff plans.

Inflation in Malaysia eased slightly and was marginally slower than expected in December as prices of non-food items and services rose at a more moderate pace, official data released on Wednesday showed.

Malaysia’s inflation in December slows as non-food price pressure eases, official data shows

President Donald Trump faces a host of headwinds that could thwart his ability to generate a boom for the US economy, according to Harvard University professor Ken Rogoff.

Trump’s plan to trigger boom risks coming undone, Rogoff warns

Analysts are positive on Sunway Real Estate Investment Trust’s (KL:SUNREIT) acquisition of AEON Mall Seri Manjung in Perak, prompting revisions of their earnings forecasts.

Microsoft on Tuesday said it has changed some key terms of a deal with OpenAI after the ChatGPT creator announced a joint venture with Oracle and Japan's SoftBank Group to build up to US$500 billion (RM2.2 trillion) of new AI data centres in the United States.

Microsoft relaxes data centre grip on OpenAI amid US$500b joint venture

DAVOS, Switzerland (Jan 21):&nbsp; Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that Malaysia&nbsp;is not in “pressing need” to adopt nuclear power, as the country still sees much potential in solar power and the Asean Power Grid (APG).

WEF 2025: Malaysia not in 'pressing need' to adopt nuclear power, says Anwar

DAVOS, Switzerland (Jan 21): The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the country’s healthcare system will not only boost efficiency but also help reduce cost wastage, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said on Tuesday.

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