This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on June 16, 2025 - June 22, 2025
A slew of economic data and monetary policy decisions is due this week. Local economic data to be released include external trade statistics by state for 2024 on Monday, domestic tourism survey for the first quarter of 2025 (1Q2025) and Economic Census (employees, salaries and wages) for 2023 on Thursday, and May trade on Friday.
The US Federal Reserve will hold its June Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by a decision on Thursday.
UOB Global Economics & Markets Research continues to hold its view of three cuts of 25 basis points (bps) each in 2025, in the September, October and December FOMC meetings respectively, its economist Alvin Liew said in a June 13 report.
In Asia, there will be a monetary policy decision by Bank Indonesia (BI) on Wednesday and the central banks of the Philippines (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) and Taiwan (Central Bank of the Republic of China) on Thursday. According to a recent Bloomberg poll, five of eight analysts surveyed expect no change to BI’s 5.5% policy rate. However, the remaining three expect a cut of 25bps to 5.25%. A separate Bloomberg poll for the Philippine central bank showed that all six analysts foresee a cut to the overnight reverse repurchase rate by 25bps to 5.25% from 5.5% currently.
Over at the developed economies, monetary policy decisions are expected from the Bank of Japan (BoJ) on Tuesday, the Swedish Riksbank on Wednesday and the Swiss National Bank, Norges Bank and Bank of England on Thursday.
“There is unanimous consensus among 56 analysts in the Bloomberg poll (as at June 13) as well as us that the BoJ will continue its pause in the June monetary policy meeting,” said Liew.
Meanwhile, key economic data to be released in Asia-Pacific for the month of May on Monday include China’s industrial production, retail sales and surveyed jobless rate.
This will be followed by China’s June one-year and five-year loan prime rate (LPR) fixings on Friday. Other key data from the country to be watched include the May money supply, new renminbi loans year to date and aggregate financing YTD, which are also likely to be released on the same day.
Taiwan’s May export orders and Hong Kong’s May Consumer Price Index will be announced on Friday. New Zealand’s gross domestic product for the first quarter of 2025 and Australia’s May employment report will also be released on Friday.
In Singapore, May non-oil domestic exports will be made known on Tuesday, while the latest round of Certificate of Entitlement auction will be held the following day.
“[Note also that] attention will be on the Middle East developments and impact on crude oil prices, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last Friday said the operation (to remove the nuclear threat posed by Iran) will ‘continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat’,” Liew said.
Over in the US, data releases will include the Empire manufacturing for June on Monday, May advance retail sales, May industrial production and import price index on Tuesday, initial jobless claims on Wednesday and leading index for May on Friday.
On the corporate front, Bursa Malaysia-listed companies that will hold their annual general meeting include Sin-Kung Logistics Bhd (KL:SINKUNG) on Monday; HE Group Bhd (KL:HEGROUP), DC Healthcare Holdings Bhd (KL:DCHCARE) and Johor Plantations Group Bhd (KL:JPG) on Tuesday; Far East Holdings Bhd (KL:FAREAST) and AirAsia X Bhd (KL:AAX) on Wednesday; UEM Edgenta Bhd (KL:EDGENTA) and Hextar Retail Bhd (KL:HEXRTL) on Thursday; and Harrisons Holdings (M) Bhd (KL:HARISON) on Friday.
At the courts, Wednesday will see the Federal Court assessing the damages to be paid by Public Bank Bhd (KL:PBBANK) to the National Feedlot Corporation over a breach of confidentiality in the latter’s account 13 years ago. On the same day, there will be a hearing of former Perak executive councillor Paul Yong Choo Kiong’s final appeal over his rape conviction.
On Thursday, the Federal Court is expected to deliver its judgment on the challenge by SIS Forum (Malaysia) and its co-founder against a fatwa issued by the Selangor Islamic council and government labelling the women’s rights group “deviant”.
Save by subscribing to us for your print and/or digital copy.
P/S: The Edge is also available on Apple's App Store and Android's Google Play.