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Economy

Malaysia's Current Account Surplus To Remain Firm At 2.1 Pct Of GDP In 2026 - Kenanga IB

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- Kenanga Investment Bank Bhd (Kenanga IB) expects Malaysia’s 2026 current account to remain firmly in surplus, maintaining a forecast at 2.1 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), compared with 1.6 per cent in 2025.

AM Best Withdraws Zhibao Re Credit Ratings Amid Investor Transition

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- Global credit rating agency, AM Best has withdrawn the credit ratings of Malaysia’s Zhibao Labuan Reinsurance Company Limited (Zhibao Re), as the company has chosen not to participate in AM Best’s interactive rating process for the time being, in light of an investor transition.

RM158.4 Mln Net Inflows From Transportation, Telecommunications, Energy Sectors - MBSB IB

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- Transportation and logistics, telecommunication and media as well as energy sectors have attracted a combined net inflow of RM158.4 million into Bursa Malaysia last week, according to MBSB Investment Bank Bhd (MBSB IB).

IDFC FIRST Bank Receives Inaugural Investment-Grade Ratings From S&P

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- IDFC FIRST Bank, one of India's fast-growing private banks, has received its inaugural international investment-grade issuer credit ratings from S&P Global Ratings, with a ‘BBB-’ long-term rating and ‘A-3’ short-term rating, both with a stable outlook.

Mamas Targets To Expand Sauce, Soy Sauce Exports To Cambodia Next Year

By Nur Faradilla Mohamad

JOHOR BAHRU, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- Mamas M&M (M) Sdn Bhd, which offers a variety of sauces including chilli, tomato, oyster and black pepper sauces, as well as vinegar and soy sauce, aims to penetrate the Cambodian market by mid-next year, further expanding its export market.

Penang Eyes Becoming Leading ASEAN Semiconductor Design Hub By 2040

GEORGE TOWN, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- Penang plans to shift from its current dominance in assembly and testing activities towards high-value upstream activities such as chip design, system architecture and prototype development, in a bid to become a leading semiconductor design hub in ASEAN by 2040.

IHH Healthcare Aims To Nearly Double Hospital Beds In India To 10,000 By 2031

By Fatin Umairah Abdul Hamid

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 (Bernama) --  Private healthcare provider IHH Healthcare Bhd. plans to nearly double its operational hospital beds in India to about 10,000 by 2031 from around 6,100 currently, with an estimated investment of about US$250,000 (US$1=RM4.08) per bed.

Is Malaysia Really Ready For Battery EV Transition?

By Niam Seet Wei

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- A year ago, during my Wolfson Press Fellowship at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, I was grappling with a question I was not entirely sure I wanted to answer.

TH Needs To Focus On Sustainable Returns, Prioritise Savings Of Pilgrims - Economist

By Nurunnasihah Ahmad Rashid

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) needs to focus on reasonable and sustainable investment returns commensurate with the level of risk that can be accepted, with the protection of the savings of prospective pilgrims remaining a priority, according to an economist.

Digital Ministry Studying Incentives To Promote AI Use In 2027 Budget - Gobind

PETALING JAYA, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- The government will focus on efforts to expand the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, including exploring systems that can promote the wider use of AI tools, when tabling the 2027 Budget this October.

Institutional Maturity, Policy Consistency Pillars Of Economic Resilience

By Mohd Fharkhan Abdul Ghapar dan Nor Azeera Adam

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- The ability of national institutions to continue functioning professionally and the consistency of policies have become key strengths for Malaysia in maintaining economic resilience and investor confidence, despite the dynamic domestic political environment.

Advice To Tabung Haji Part Of BNM’s Financial Stability Mandate

By Karina Imran & Danni Haizal Danial Donald

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) emphasised that the advice it provided to the Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) was part of its financial stability mandate under the Central Bank of Malaysia Act 2009.