Morning Brief
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Morning Brief
Opinion and analysis of today’s international and local news that matter to Malaysians. Everything you need to know to start and plan your work.
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US–China: The Truce Before the Next Trade War?
Yesterday, Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump met on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in South Korea for their long awaited trade talks - and part...
Bright Spots Still Shine in Asian Market
Markets were disappointed with the anticipated Federal Reserve Rate cut of 25 bps with declines across Asia and the US. This despite the conclusion of...
How Long Can the US Government Stay Closed?
The US government shutdown has entered its 29th day, paralysing federal agencies, delaying pay for hundreds of thousands of workers, and threatening k...
The Do and Don'ts of A PN17 Company
Bursa Malaysia has filed legal action to stop MAA Group from holding an EGM on KNM Group which is a PN17 company. We ask Dr Ismet Yusoff, CEO of Mino...
Japan, South Korea, and the Price of Partnership with the US
As US President Donald Trump wraps up his three-nation tour of Asia, he got nearly $900 billion in investment pledges from Japan and South Korea, in e...
Pete Hegseth Returns To Asia : What Does It Signal?
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is back in Asia for the second time since May, visiting Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, and South Korea in a bid to reinfo...
Accelerating the Pace of Development for Malaysia's Semicon Players
Malaysia's semiconductors were excluded from the recent deal with the US and currently enjoys a tariff holiday. However how long will this exmption re...
Malaysia-US Digital Deal : Opening Doors or Losing Control?
Malaysia’s new digital trade agreement with the United States promises closer cooperation in technology and innovation, but comes with the removal of...
US - China Trade Relations Show Signs of Thawing?
Over the weekend, the US and China reached a preliminary consensus on easing some of the trade restrictions each had imposed on the other ahead of Pre...
RCEP and US Trade Deal - Fair for Malaysia?
Yesterday, leaders of countries in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) gathered in Kuala Lumpur for the first summit since the wor...
Bersatu Close to Imploding?
Bersatu’s leadership turmoil shows no signs of easing, as Indera Mahkota MP Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah and six other division leaders, publicly urged Ta...
Chinese Consumers Not Back with a Vengence
China’s National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays saw a strong rebound in travel and dining,
hinting at a long-awaited recovery in consumer...
US-Malaysia Trade Deal: Too Soon To Gauge Impact
A number of trade deals have been signed over the weekend between the US and Malaysia, Thailand, and Cambodia. China has also indicated willingness to...
Thailand & Cambodia: A Lasting Peace Accord?
Was the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord truly a landmark peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, as claimed by U. President Trump, or merely a symbol...
Flood Protection for Home Buyers Long Overdue
Flood risk has been made a key factor in approving all new housing developments in Malaysia as of last week. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah...
Trump Dominates ASEAN Summit
The spotlight was on Kuala Lumpur this week as world and regional leaders, including US President Donald Trump, gathered for the 47th ASEAN Summit. Wh...
Will Deeper Russian Oil Sanctions Move the Needle?
The United States has imposed new sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, Russia’s two biggest oil companies, to cut off funding for Moscow’s war in Ukraine....
How Malaysia is Driving ASEAN’s Economic Future Forward
The 47th ASEAN Summit will take place shortly in Kuala Lumpur, against a backdrop of global economic uncertainty and shifting trade dynamics. We inter...
US Regional Bank Not Under Stress
US markets were roiled a week ago amid growing investor concerns of credit risks affecting US regional banks following the failure of car loan compan...
Are GLCs and GLICs Living Up to Their Mandate?
GLCs and GLICs play an outsized role in the Malaysian economy - but is there more chaff than wheat in the crowded ecosystem? And how can we hold these...
China Tech Undaunted by US Tariffs
As U.S. tariffs take effect, how are China’s tech giants holding up, and can their growth keep pace with or even surpass their American rivals? For in...
Sanae Takaichi and Japan’s Fragile New Era
Sanae Takaichi has made history as Japan’s first female prime minister, a landmark moment in a political landscape long dominated by men. Michael Cuce...
Global Race for Rare Earths Reshaping Supply Chains
As China tightens export controls on rare earths, the global supply chain is being reshaped, with the US turning to allies like Australia to secure ne...
Will Malaysia's ASEAN Chairmanship End on a High Note?
Kuala Lumpur is set to host the 47th ASEAN Summit and related meetings in a few days, the pinnacle of Malaysia’s chairmanship of the bloc. The event i...
Sabah, Finally Getting its Dues
Last Friday, the Kota Kinabalu High Court ruled in favor of Sabah, declaring that the federal government acted unlawfully by withholding 40% of the s...
Vietnam Makes Leap from Frontier to Emerging Markets
FTSE Russell has announced that Vietnam will be upgrading from frontier to Emerging markets in September 2026 after a final review in March. This up...
Are We Tackling the Root Causes of Youth Crimes?
Last Friday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that the government is considering several measures, including a ban on smartphones for stud...
Can KLIA Reclaim Former Glory?
The KLIA aerotrain continues to make headlines for the wrong reasons having suffered nearly two dozen disruptions in just 3 months since it resumed se...
Changing Global Dynamics Affecting Soybeans and CPO
Alvin Tai, Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, remains positive on the palm oil sector for the rest of the year, despite weaker soybean prices after Ch...
Policy Crackdown on Overloaded Haulage
The government is looking to introduce legislation that would hold senders and recipients of goods accountable for overloaded lorries, closing a looph...
Budget 2026 : Perikatan Nasional’s Perspective & Alternative
Perikatan Nasional has tabled its own response to Budget 2026 under the theme “Fixing the Structure, Revitalising the Economy, and Easing the People’s...
Big Education Budget But To What Ends?
Similar to previous years, the education sector is the biggest beneficiary under Budget 2026 with a headline allocation of RM66 billion. But are funds...
More Transparency on Defense Spending Needed
The Ministry of Defence was allocated RM21.7 billion ringgit, a 3% increase from last year. How far will this funding go in enhancing Malaysia’s defen...
Trump’s High-Stakes Trade Gamble Unlikely to Pay Off
The U.S. and China have been trading blows this week over cooking oil, soybeans and renewed tariff threats, a confrontation that could have serious re...
School Safety Under Scrutiny
A string of headlines highlighting bullying, physical violence, and even murder in schools has shaken public confidence in the safety of our education...
Is Bersatu Imploding?
Bersatu ranks have been shaken by the expulsion of key leaders, including Tasek Gelugor MP Datuk Saiful Wan Jan and four division chiefs, as well as t...
China's EV Market at Inflexion Point
China’s EV companies are seeing slowdowns in their sales domestically, even though their numbers are positive overseas. What’s causing this downturn i...
Budget 2026: More Misses Than Hits
Business writer Pankaj C. Kumar says the lack of substantive tax reforms and the continued rise in debt service charges are among the key issues Budge...
Budget 2026: Healthcare Initiatives a Positive Step for the Sector
The government’s 40% increase in doctors’ and dentists’ on-call allowances under Budget 2026 is long overdue, says Dr. Khor Swee Kheng, CEO of Angsana...
Breakthrough in Gaza, but Palestine in Limbo
Two years after the events on October 7th, the remaining Israeli captives have been released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and detainees under...