This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on October 26, 2026 - November 1, 2026

All eyes will be on the US Federal Reserve as its Federal Open Market Committee announces its monetary policy decision on Oct 27 or 28, accompanied by a press conference by FOMC chair Kevin Warsh.

“Our projection and the market remain for a pause at this meeting although there are eight out of 64 analysts expecting a 25-basis-point hike,” according to a Bloomberg survey (as at Oct 23). At the September press conference, Warsh kept the focus squarely on inflation, stressing that it has been “too high for too long” and that policymakers were “hard-pressed” to characterise financial conditions as restrictive.

“We do not think this is a ‘one-and-done hike’ from the Fed and, as per previous rate hike cycles, the Fed usually does not stop at one. On the other hand, we do not believe this is the start of a long series of hikes. As such, we now expect two additional hikes in December 2026 and the first quarter of 2027, thereafter on hold for the rest of 2027.

“We thus see a back-to-back rate hike as unlikely in the October FOMC, due to its proximity to the midterm elections on Nov 3,” Global Economics & Markets Research economist Alvin Liew said in a report on Aug 23.

Other major economies with monetary policy decisions over the week include the Bank of Canada on Oct 28, the European Central Bank (ECB) on Oct 29 and the Bank of Japan (BoJ) on Oct 30.

Ahead of its policy decision, the ECB will release its bank lending survey on Oct 27 and, post-ECB decision, it will release its survey of professional forecasters on Oct 30.

Major Asia-Pacific central banks with monetary policy decisions this week include the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and the Bank of Thailand on Oct 28.

On the local economic front, the Department of Statistics Malaysia will release data for Employee Wages Statistics (Formal Sector) for the second quarter of 2026 on Oct 27; the Producer Price Index (PPI) for local production for September, Export Import Statistics by State for September and Malaysia External Trade Indices for September on Oct 28; and Labour Productivity by State on Oct 29.

Across the Causeway, Singapore’s key data will be the September industrial production (IP) data on Oct 26 and the 3Q2026 Labour Market Advance Release on Oct 30 “with overall seasonally adjusted unemployment rate likely to remain low at 2% in September (from 1.9% in June)”, said Liew.

Deposits and money supply data for September will be out on Oct 30 while the 19th edition of the Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW 2026) will take place from Oct 26 to 30. Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry Dr Tan See Leng will speak at the event.

Meanwhile, key Asian-Pacific releases include third quarter GDP data from South Korea on Oct 27 and Taiwan on Oct 30. South Korea’s October trade data will be out on Nov 1.

China’s September industrial profits will be released on Oct 27 while official manufacturing and non-manufacturing PMI surveys for October will be due on Oct 31. Australia’s third quarter and September Consumer Price Index (CPI) is set for Oct 29 while third quarter PPI and September private sector credit will be on Oct 30. September trade data from Hong Kong will be published on Oct 28 while Thailand’s will be on Oct 26 and 30, and the Philippines’ on Oct 30. Data for September industrial production from India will be released on Oct 28.

Over in the US, it will be another blockbuster week of corporate earnings reports (Oct 26 to 30) with 1,090 US firms reporting third-quarter earnings, including 168 of the S&P 500 companies. The lineup includes multinational companies, tech giants, oil majors, news agencies, airlines and entertainment companies. Focus will be on three of the Magnificent 7 companies’ reporting in this bumper week (Oct 29 and 30).

The US data calendar will be very busy with a slew of releases including September durable goods orders, US housing data including the Federal Housing Finance Agency housing price for August, S&P Cotality CaseShiller 20-city housing price index for August, September new home sales and US Conference Board consumer confidence for October on Oct 27, followed by September advance trade the next day.

Notably, data for the US 3Q2026 GDP advance estimate, US September headline personal consumption expenditure and US September personal income and initial jobless claims will be on Oct 29 and the US Employment Cost Index for 3Q will be on Oct 30.

Ahead of the Nov 3 US midterm elections, former US president Barack Obama will campaign with Democrat nominees in Detroit on Oct 24 while US President Donald Trump will speak at a rally in Michigan on Oct 25.

Meanwhile, Europe’s key data include 3Q2026 GDP and preliminary October CPI for France, Spain, Germany and Italy and eurozone preliminary 3Q2026 GDP, all of which will be out on Oct 30.

Japan’s key data includes PPI services for September on Oct 27; the Consumer Confidence Index for October on Oct 29; and the unemployment rate for September, September retail sales and September industrial production on Oct 30.

On the corporate front, Bursa Malaysia-listed companies with annual general meetings include Pensonic Holdings Bhd (KL:PENSONI) and Hong Leong Capital Bhd (KL:HLCAP) on Oct 27; Ancom Logistics Bhd (KL:ANCOMLB), Ancom Nylex Bhd (KL:ANCOMNY) and Hong Leong Financial Group Bhd (KL:HLFG) on Oct 29; as well as JAG Capital Bhd (KL:JAGCPTL), HPP Holdings Bhd (KL:HPPHB) and Eurospan Holdings Bhd (KL:EUROSP) on Oct 30.

Over at the courts, the start of the hearing of 1Malaysia Development Bhd vs PetroSaudi, Deutsche Bank and Tarek Obaid will take place at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Oct 26. However, there could be a settlement with Deutsche Bank.

Oct 28 will hear the scheduled appeal by Datuk Seri Najib Razak against former attorney general Tan Sri Tommy Thomas for alleged misfeasance in public office.

Meanwhile, the International Malaysia Law Conference 2026, to be attended by Chief Justice Tun Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh, will take place on Oct 28.

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