(Jan 17): Goldman Sachs Group Inc’s revenue from its Asia-Pacific wealth unit hit a record last year, as ultra rich clients turned to the bank to navigate volatile markets and political tension, according to a regional executive.

Goldman rakes in record wealth revenue from ultra rich in Asia

Digitalisation continues to gain traction in the financial and wealth management industry, a development that is reflected in the RinggitPlus Malaysian Financial Literacy Survey 2024.

For instance, 29% of respondents say they prefer to purchase an insurance policy/takaful contract onlin...

Survey: RinggitPlus survey shows digitalisation happening at faster pace

In my column last month, I shared my initial views on Trump 2.0 (taxes, tariffs and taller walls) and promised to discuss the so-called Trump trades that investors have been jumping into since the US elections. For easy reference, I will use the acronym TRUMP to describe them. I will also share t...

Pitfalls & Pitch Calls: Positioning for 2025

Volatility reigns even with the end of the pandemic. It is increasingly hard to tell what is going to happen next in the financial markets and, for that matter, the world. Certainly, no one had expected the South Korean president to declare martial law in early December. But he did, and we saw th...

Editor’s Picks: Five books to help investors prepare for 2025

The rule of thumb is to cap alternative investments — anything beyond cash, bonds and equities — at 5%. But what if these non-traditional assets perform so well that you start questioning whether that limit still makes sense?

Cryptocurrencies, or digital assets, did remarkably well in 2...

Comment: Is a 5% allocation to alternative investments enough?

Credit cards these days go beyond just offering consumers access to financial resources. The cashback and rewards are a huge reason why consumers choose certain credit cards over others, based on their lifestyle choices.

In recent years, a new kind of credit card that claims to be more ...

Interlude: How to launch a truly ‘sustainable’ credit card

It is not an exaggeration to say that Luno, the first and largest digital asset exchange (DAX), has played an instrumental role in the development of the local cryptocurrency scene. Over the five years since it was granted a licence by the regulator, the firm has continued to command a market sha...

Luno in the lead

Since its inception in February, Moomoo Securities Malaysia Sdn Bhd has garnered over 500,000 users on its stock trading app. This is partly due to its rapid launch of new products and solutions to level the playing field in the world of investing. It aims to enable the man in the street to parti...

News: Levelling the playing field

pitchIN, the largest equity crowdfunding (ECF) platform, isn’t resting on its laurels. It launched two initial exchange offering (IEO) campaigns this year, opening up new avenues for investors to participate in the growth of blockchain projects and businesses initiated by start-ups and companies....

Private Companies And Cryptocurrencies: pitchIN on a roll

Bursa Malaysia RAM Capital Sdn Bhd (BR Capital), a joint venture between Bursa Malaysia Bhd and RAM Holdings Bhd, allows the man in the street to invest directly in debt paper issued by mid-tier companies with an annual revenue of RM50 million to RM500 million. This initiative opens the door for ...

Peer-To-Peer Financing: New way to access debt market

Muzzaffar Othman is an outlier among the top guns in the asset management industry. He was a technology expert, or “tech guy”, before assuming the role of CEO at Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd (ASNB).

He had parked most of his money in savings and current accounts for decades since he starte...

Digitalisation: Man on a mission

For Kaleon Leong, CEO of the Federation of Investment Managers Malaysia (FIMM), 2024 was about a battle fought and won.

In October 2023, a new tax regime for the fund management industry was announced during the tabling of Budget 2024, spooking industry players.

While the even...

Feature: A voice for the unit trust industry

For some years now, the Malaysian stock market has been a laggard and returns have not been exciting. However, things took a turn for the better in 2024 and most fund managers are reporting higher returns. Still, they remain cautious on the year ahead, as volatility and uncertainty are expected t...

Year In Review: A better-than-expected 2024, but headwinds expected in 2025

The wealth held by the world's billionaires jumped by about 17% over the past year, as significant gains among the super-rich in the United States more than offset a decline in China, Swiss bank UBS said on Thursday.

Global billionaire wealth leaps, fuelled by US gains, UBS says

President-elect Donald Trump has selected junior CFTC Commissioner Caroline Pham as acting chair of the swaps and derivatives regulator, according to people familiar with the matter.
 
The five members of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) voted on Monday to confirm Pham as acting chair, said the people, who asked not to be identified since the appointment hadn’t yet been publicly announced.

Trump picks Caroline Pham to serve as acting CFTC chair

President Vladimir Putin said Russia’s ready for talks with the US on the war in Ukraine as he offered congratulations to incoming President Donald Trump on his inauguration.

“We congratulate the US president-elect on taking office,” Putin said on Monday at a televised meeting of his security council ahead of the inauguration in Washington.

Putin says Russia is open to dialogue on Ukraine with Trump

Malaysia and the European Union (EU) have not set any time frame to conclude their negotiations for the Malaysia-EU Free Trade Agreement (MEUFTA).

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, however, said both parties agreed to accelerate the negotiations.

No time frame set to conclude Malaysia-EU free trade talks — PM

In a significant call to action, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim urged the European Union (EU) to deepen its support for Southeast Asia through increased climate financing, green investments, technical assistance, and capacity-building initiatives. 

Like the EU, Malaysia recognises that the climate crisis is a defining challenge of our time.

Malaysia calls on EU for enhanced support in climate financing, green initiatives

US President Joe Biden granted preemptive pardons to leading government officials that president-elect Donald Trump has threatened to punish, fending off potential retribution by his successor against those he has labelled as political enemies.

Biden pardons Milley, Fauci, Cheney and other Trump targets

Germany met Nato's target to spend 2% of its gross domestic product on defence in 2024, the government said on Monday, though well short of incoming US President Donald Trump's call for as much as 5%.

Under Chancellor Olaf Scholz's centre-left government, Germany has ramped up military spending since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, both to supply weapons to Kyiv and revamp its own armed forces.

Germany says it met Nato 2% defence spending target in 2024, short of Trump's demand

Southeast Asian cell tower firm EdgePoint Infrastructure is looking to expand its portfolio to over 20,000 towers in two to three years from around 15,000 currently, its chief executive told Reuters.

CEO and co-founder Suresh Sidhu said on Monday that the company, which is backed by US-listed DigitalBridge, would expand in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, markets where it already has a presence.

DigitalBridge-backed EdgePoint aiming to add more than 5,000 telco towers

Donald Trump’s tariff threats stand to hurt American economic interests because they would disturb automotive supply chains where the US is strong and drive up consumer prices, said the head of General Motors Co’s Canadian unit.

Trump tariffs would harm major US auto buyer, says GM Canada chief 

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

MAHB, 7-Eleven, Fajarbaru, Datasonic, Scanwolf, UUE, SkyWorld, Mieco, Maxland 

It is a “matter of time” before the privatisation of the country's biggest airport operator, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd or MAHB (KL:AIRPORT), is completed after multiple delays, Khazanah Nasional Bhd managing director Datuk Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir said.

Khazanah MD says MAHB buyout completion a ‘matter of time’

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 20): The US’ restriction on artificial intelligence (AI) chip exports is expected to have a limited impact on Malaysia’s semiconductor companies, which are primarily involved in assembly and testing, according to Nomura Asset Management Malaysia managing director and country head Leslie Yap.

Impact of US chip curbs on Malaysia’s semicon sector minimal, says Nomura’s country head

It is a “matter of time” before the privatisation of the country's biggest airport operator, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd or MAHB (KL:AIRPORT), is completed after multiple delays, Khazanah Nasional Bhd managing director Datuk Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir said.

A vehicle linked to Scanwolf Corp Bhd (KL:SCNWOLF) managing director Eddy Seah Ley Hong has triggered a mandatory takeover offer to acquire all the remaining shares it does not own in the plastic extrusion maker at 54 sen per share.

Scanwolf MD-linked vehicle triggers mandatory takeover offer, intends to maintain listing

The federal government and five others have filed a prohibitory and gag order barring the public from discussing openly&nbsp;the purported addendum seeking to allow former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to serve the remainder of his six years' jail sentence&nbsp;under house arrest.

Govt files application for a gag and prohibitory order on purported addendum for Najib's house arrest

SkyWorld Development Bhd (KL:SKYWLD) has proposed to diversify into manufacturing prefabricated and prefinished modular systems, which it plans to employ in its affordable housing project in Penang. &nbsp;

The new business, which the group says could potentially contribute a quarter of its net profit, will be undertaken via a collaboration with Singapore-based prefabricated and prefinished modular systems maker Teambuild Holdings (S) Pte Ltd, according to the property developer’s bourse filing on Monday.

SkyWorld eyes diversfiying into prefabricated manufacturing business

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

The Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) expects crude palm oil (CPO) prices to trade between RM4,250 and RM4,550 per tonne in the first quarter of 2025 (1Q2025), underpinned by low inventory, stable demand, and constrained supply of other edible oils.&nbsp;

CPO prices seen at RM4,250-RM4,550 a tonne in 1Q on supply-demand tightness, says MPOC

Gateway Development Alliance Sdn Bhd (GDA), the consortium of three entities offering to take Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd or MAHB (KL:AIRPORT) private at RM11 per share, revised one of the conditions for the offer on Monday.

It dropped the acceptance level to 85%, from the 90% stated in the offer document that was issued on Dec 6, 2024.

What GDA's revision in terms means to MAHB’s privatisation

<div class="ceonothumb mx-auto pb-5">
<div>
<div class="iframe-w100-wrapper"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="500" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BzpxW1w-Nsk?si=EJn8MQBYV-CAV27h&amp;rel=0&amp;autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="840"></iframe></div>
</div>

E...

EVENING 5: Five things you need to know today

The Invest Malaysia 2025 series in London, held on Jan 15, showcased the country’s standing as an attractive hub for global investments, according to CIMB Group Holdings Bhd (KL:CIMB) group chief executive officer Novan Amirudin.

Invest Malaysia London 2025 reinforces global investors’ confidence, says CIMB CEO 

Investors prepared to welcome&nbsp;Donald&nbsp;Trump's&nbsp;second inauguration, anticipating benefits from his pro-business agenda, while remaining wary of his protectionist trade policies, particularly&nbsp;his stance on tariffs.

Markets optimistic as Trump returns to White House

Timber firm Maxland Bhd (KL:MAXLAND) has inked a formal deal to collaborate with data processing services provider GDC Data Sdn Bhd to jointly venture into data centre development in Kulim, Kedah.

Maxland inks deal with GDC Data for data centre development collaboration

Datasonic Group Bhd (KL:DSONIC) has received one-year extensions for its contracts to supply Malaysian passports and polycarbonate biodata pages to the Immigration Department of Malaysia.

Datasonic secures one-year extensions for passport supply and biodata page contracts

Mieco Chipboard Bhd (KL:MIECO) is disposing of two pieces of industrial land in Kuantan, Pahang, for RM40 million to transportation company G-Force Sdn Bhd, in a bid to reduce fixed overhead costs and improve production efficiency. The disposal will result in an estimated net loss of RM2.45 million.

Mieco to sell two pieces of industrial land in Kuantan at RM2.45m loss

Underground utilities engineering solutions provider UUE Holdings Bhd (KL:UUE), via its wholly-owned subsidiary Kum Fatt Engineering Sdn Bhd, has secured two contract renewals worth a total of RM27.5 million from Sutera Utama Sdn Bhd.

UUE secures RM27.5m in contract renewals, boosting total 2025 contract wins to RM64m

Sarawak premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has suggested that Malay associations in the state create a trust fund to manage Malay-owned properties here.

Abang Jo: Set up trust fund to purchase, manage Malay-owned properties within Sarawak

Timber harvester and product maker WTK Holdings Bhd (KL:WTK) said a fire broke out at its unit’s tape manufacturing factory in Perai, Penang, on Jan 17.&nbsp;

Timber outfit WTK reports fire in Penang tape factory, financial impact ‘not expected to be substantial’

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability will investigate allegations by a family who claimed they suffered RM500,000 in losses after unknown parties sold their inherited land, said Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

Govt to probe allegations of illegal inherited land sale, says Nik Nazmi

Chin Teck Plantations Bhd (KL:CHINTEK) posted a 56.66% year-on-year rise in first-quarter net profit, lifted by higher prices and share of results of associates and joint ventures (JVs).

Chin Teck Plantations' 1Q profit up 57% on higher prices, share of JV results

Hong Kong property firm New World Development Co said that it hasn’t been in or started any talks on an overall debt restructuring, as distress deepens across more builders in Greater China.

Wealth

‌
‌

Wealth

‌‌

‌
‌