Malaysia’s Leading Index Rises 1.3 Pct In June

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s Leading Index (LI) rose 1.3 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) to 114.8 points in June 2026 from 113.3 points a year earlier, indicating that the country’s near-term economic prospects remain positive.

Ringgit Opens Higher Against US Dollar, Other Major Currencies

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 (Bernama) -- The ringgit opened higher against the US dollar and a basket of major currencies on Monday, supported by Malaysia’s strong economic data, an analyst said.

Rubber Market Expected To Trade Higher Next Week

By Abdul Hamid A Rahman

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 22 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian rubber market is expected to trade higher next week, supported by stronger demand and concerns over potential supply constraints.

Maybank, SMF Partner To Accelerate Manufacturers' Growth Through JS-SEZ, ASEAN

JOHOR BAHRU, Aug 21 (Bernama) -- Maybank and the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to expand access to the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) and support its development as a mutually beneficial proposition for both countries and the broader ASEAN region.

KL Rubber Market Ends Mixed

By Abdul Hamid A Rahman

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 (Bernama) -- The Kuala Lumpur rubber market ended mixed on Friday, supported by an uptrend in regional rubber futures markets, said a dealer.

Labuan Waterfront To Unlock Potential, Drive Island’s Future Growth

LABUAN, Aug 20 (Bernama) -- Labuan Corporation is seeking the proposed Labuan waterfront development to be included as a key agenda under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) to unlock the duty-free island’s untapped potential.

Segamat Inland Port Targets More Than 6,000 TEUs Until Year-End

By Kamarul Halim M Kamal

SEGAMAT, Aug 20 (Bernama) -- Segamat Inland Port (SIP) aims to handle over 6,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers by the end of this year, following the resumption of its operations in late June.

Malaysia GDP Can Grow Above 5 Pct In 2026, Expectation Not Overly Optimistic - Economist

By Harizah Hanim Mohamed

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 (Bernama) -- Expectations for Malaysia’s economy to grow by more than five per cent in 2026 are not overly optimistic, given its strong first-half performance, resilient global trade and rising foreign direct investment (FDI), particularly in data centres, semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI).

Ringgit Extends Gains To Close Higher Vs Major, Regional Currencies

By Zufazlin Baharuddin

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18 (Bernama) -- The ringgit extended its gains to close higher against major and regional currencies on Tuesday, as declining expectations of a US Federal Reserve interest rate hike in September weighed on the greenback.

Indonesia’s External Debt Rises 4.4 Pct To US$453.4 Bln In Q2 2026 - BI

JAKARTA, Aug 18 (Bernama) -- Indonesia’s external debt rose 4.4 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) to US$453.4 billion (US$1=RM4.05) in the second quarter of 2026, driven by higher public external debt amid a slower contraction in private-sector debt.

Malaysia Must Capture More Domestic Value From Global Trade Reconfiguration - McKinsey

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18 (Bernama) -- Malaysia needs to capture more domestic value from the ongoing reconfiguration of global trade and technological change, with the country’s next phase of growth dependent on stronger local capabilities, globally competitive companies and the ability to move up the value chain. 

Budget 2027 Seen Offering More Incentives To SMEs -- Economist

By K. Naveen Prabu

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18 (Bernama) -- Budget 2027 is expected to offer more incentives to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) amid rising costs, supply chain disruptions and geopolitical uncertainties, said Affin Bank Bhd chief economist Alan Tan.