MONEY MASTER

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia snapped its five-day winning streak to close lower on Wednesday, as investors took profit following a cumulative gain of 4.25 per cent over the past five sessions, said an analyst.  At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 14.76 points or 0.83 per cent to 1,756.49 from Tuesday’s close of 1,771.25.  The market bellwether opened 1.46 points lower at 1,769.79, marking the day’s high, and hit a low of 1,750.05 during the mid-afternoon session. Market breadth was negative with losers trouncing gainers 876 to 384, while 525 counters were unchanged, 964 untraded and 94 suspended.  Turnover improved to 3.65 billion units worth RM4.41 billion from Tuesday's 3.58 billion units worth RM4.46 billion.  

Gold prices surged to an all-time high above US$5,200 an ounce , driven by a sharp drop in the US dollar, rising geopolitical tensions, and growing bets on a more dovish Federal Reserve. Quick Summary Gold hits record above US$5,200  on safe-haven demand Trump dismisses dollar weakness , pressuring FX markets Bets on a dovish Fed  support bullion prices Silver outperforms , up over 50% this year What’s Driving the Gold Rally US dollar weakness  after President  Donald Trump  said he was unconcerned about the currency’s decline Flight from sovereign bonds and currencies , including US Treasuries and Japanese government bonds Geopolitical risks  and renewed concerns over  Fed independence Rising expectations of lower interest rates , which benefit non-yielding assets like gold Gold has now  gained about 20% year-to-date , breaking above  US$5,000 for the first time this week , while  silver has surged more than 50%  over the same peri...

Japan’s latest 40-year government bond sale delivered  stronger-than-average demand , offering temporary relief to markets after weeks of sharp volatility in long-term yields. Quick Summary 40-year bond auction beat demand expectations Yields eased after last week’s record spike Election-driven fiscal concerns remain unresolved More volatility likely in bonds and yen markets What Happened The  bid-to-cover ratio  came in at  2.76 , above the previous auction ( 2.585 ) and the  12-month average of 2.53 The  40-year yield fell 3.5 basis points to 3.9%  after the auction Demand eased  immediate fears over Japan’s long-term debt , though uncertainty remains elevated Why This Matters The auction followed a turbulent week in Japanese bond markets, triggered by fiscal and political shocks: Long-dated yields  spiked to record highs  after Prime Minister  Sanae Takaichi  proposed a  two-year removal of food sales tax Forty-year yie...

President  Donald Trump  is facing a familiar problem — he wants  lower interest rates fast , but without  spooking Wall Street or damaging Fed credibility . With  Jerome Powell ’s term ending in May, the lack of clarity around the next Federal Reserve chair is becoming a growing concern for investors. Quick Summary Trump wants aggressive rate cuts without market panic All four candidates involve trade-offs Bond markets are the most vulnerable to surprises Policy uncertainty may drive volatility before the nomination Why Investors Are Watching Closely Trump wants a Fed chair who can: Cut interest rates aggressively Align publicly with his economic views Maintain credibility with markets and global investors The problem: A loyal rate-cutter may unsettle bond markets, while a credible Fed insider may resist political pressure. The Four Shortlisted Names — Each Comes With a Cost Kevin Hassett Most aligned with Trump’s agenda Trusted insider and loyal adviser Raises...

Why This Matters Amazon employees expecting  large-scale layoffs  were rattled after a  premature internal email  hinted at further workforce reductions — reigniting concerns that cost-cutting at the tech giant is not over yet. What Happened Amazon.com Inc  accidentally sent a  layoff-related email and meeting invite  before official communications were ready. The email, titled  “Project Dawn,”  came from  Colleen Aubrey , Amazon’s Senior Vice President. It referenced  “impacted colleagues”  in: United States Canada Costa Rica A follow-up message from HR chief  Beth Galetti  was mentioned —  but was never sent . The scheduled meeting was later  cancelled , adding to confusion and anxiety. Key point:   The email was sent prematurely, but confirmed layoffs are still expected. Employee Reaction The message spread rapidly across  internal forums and Reddit . Employees are actively speculating on: Scale...

Based on Bloomberg reporting , Chinese snack retailer  Busy Ming Group Co  surged as much as  88%  in its Hong Kong trading debut after raising  HK$3.67bn (US$470m) , underscoring renewed risk appetite for  China consumer and growth listings  at the start of 2026. Shares jumped to  HK$445  from an offer price of  HK$236.60 , with retail investors subscribing nearly  1,900 times  — a level that signals more than just deal-specific enthusiasm. Why This IPO Matters for Investors This debut is being read by markets as a  sentiment signal  for Hong Kong equities: January IPO proceeds are on track for the  strongest first-month start on record Activity is being driven by  AI-linked names and scalable consumer brands Retail participation has returned aggressively after years of caution Business Model: Value Consumption at Scale Busy Ming’s appeal lies in its  deflation-resistant, mass-market positioning : Over...

Based on Bloomberg reporting , China Vanke’s agreement to make  2.9 billion yuan (US$417m)  in partial bond payments is not just a liquidity update — it is a  market signal on state support, recovery values, and contagion risk  in China’s property sector. For investors sensitive to credit stress, this development matters  less for what Vanke paid , and more for  what it implies for defaults, restructurings, and government backstops in 2026 . What Just Happened  China Vanke Co Ltd  won bondholder approval to  delay full repayment by one year In exchange, it will pay: 40% upfront principal  on two missed onshore bonds Plus another partial payment due this week Total cash outlay:  2.9bn yuan This buys Vanke breathing room until its  next major maturity in late April . Why This Matters for Credit Investors The key takeaway is  not default avoidance , but  precedent-setting behavior : A  40% upfront cash payout  ...

Based on a statement by  MSCI Inc.  and reporting by Bloomberg , Indonesian equities suffered a sharp sell-off after the index provider warned it would pause key index changes due to  persistent investability and free-float concerns . The benchmark  Jakarta Composite Index  plunged as much as  7% in early trading , marking one of its steepest single-day declines in recent years and reigniting concerns over Indonesia’s market accessibility for global investors. What Triggered the Sell-Off MSCI announced it will: Immediately halt additions  to its indices involving Indonesian stocks Freeze increases in free-float adjustments , citing: Tightly held ownership structures Investor concerns over coordinated price movements Ongoing “fundamental investability issues” More critically, MSCI said Indonesia will be  reassessed by May  if regulators fail to improve transparency — opening the door to: Lower weightings in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index A po...

Based on minutes released by the  Bank of Japan  and reported by Bloomberg , policymakers are showing  growing unease over how yen weakness is feeding into inflation , a shift that could materially affect currency and asset market dynamics in 2026. While the BOJ framed its December rate hike as consistent with its economic outlook, the tone of the minutes suggests the  yen itself is becoming a policy variable , not just a by-product of rate differentials. What This Means for Markets The key takeaway is not the December hike — which markets had already priced in — but  how sensitive the BOJ is becoming to FX-driven inflation . Several board members explicitly noted that: Yen depreciation should be considered when deciding on future rate hikes FX weakness can influence  both headline and underlying inflation This raises the risk of faster or less predictable policy normalization  if the yen comes under renewed pressure. Yen Volatility Likely to Stay Elev...

Hong Kong’s banking sector is poised for a  meaningful wealth-management windfall in 2026 , with fee income expected to surge well above market expectations, according to Bloomberg Intelligence (BI). Banks such as  HSBC Holdings PLC  and  BOC Hong Kong Holdings Ltd  could see  wealth fees grow by more than 20% this year , driven by stronger fund sales, brokerage activity and bancassurance demand. What’s Driving the Fee Surge Bloomberg Intelligence highlights several tailwinds supporting wealth fee growth: Improving global risk sentiment , underpinned by optimism around artificial intelligence investments Favourable market conditions  across equities, fixed income and precious metals Expectations of further US rate cuts , keeping risk appetite firm These factors are encouraging clients to deploy capital more actively, lifting transactional and advisory income for banks. China Flows & IPO Activity Add Momentum Wealth demand is also being supported by...

Executive Summary Singapore is approaching a  policy inflection point . While the  Monetary Authority of Singapore  (MAS)  is widely expected to  hold policy unchanged  at this week’s review, the balance of risks is  shifting decisively toward a hawkish pivot in 2026 . Stronger-than-expected growth, firming core inflation momentum, and sustained Singapore dollar strength suggest  policy accommodation has largely run its course . However, MAS is unlikely to tighten prematurely, preferring  signalling over action  at this stage. Our base case:  Hold now, hawkish guidance, tighten later . Macro Backdrop: Why the Bias Is Turning Growth Has Outperformed 2025 GDP: +4.8% , far above earlier expectations Q4 2025 growth: +5.7% YoY , led by electronics, pharmaceuticals, and resilient consumption Output gap is  closing faster than anticipated Inflation Momentum Is Rebuilding Core inflation has remained  elevated for three consecutive...