MONEY MASTER

Market  Snapshot The  United  States  has  opened  a  Section 301  investigation  into  Malaysia ,  focusing  on  alleged  excess  production  capacity  in  electronics,  machinery  and  steel  industries . The  probe,  launched  by  the  Office  of  the  United  States  Trade  Representative ( USTR)   on  March 11 ,  is  part  of  a  broader  effort  by  the  Trump  administration  to  address  trade  imbalances  and  potentially  reinstate  tariffs  on  foreign  imports . Malaysia  is  among  16  economies  under  investigation ,  including  China,  Japan,  India,  Singapore,  Vietnam,  Taiwan  and  the  European  Union ,...

Thailand is playing hardball — or perhaps  softball  — in trade talks with the US, offering to cut tariffs on more American goods in hopes of avoiding  crippling 36% duties  on its own exports. What’s on the Table? Finance Minister Pichai Chunahavajira revealed that Thailand may: Slash tariffs to  zero  on  US longan and tilapia Eliminate taxes  on goods already covered under other FTAs Legalize imports of left-hand drive cars  from the US These sweeteners are aimed at convincing Washington to back off the planned tariff hike, set to hit on  August 1 . Without a deal, Thailand’s economic growth could take a  1% hit , officials warn. Why This Matters: The  US is Thailand’s largest export market , taking in  18% of total shipments Thailand ran a  US$46 billion  trade surplus with the US in 2024 Thai exports jumped  15% in the first 5 months of 2025 , thanks to  front-loaded orders  ahead of tariffs T...

Key Takeaway: Malaysia’s exports grew 1.6% in October , driven by electronics and palm oil, but trade growth slowed overall due to weak demand from Asean and China , the country’s largest trading partner. Malaysia's export performance rebounded slightly in October, reaching RM128.12 billion , a 1.6% year-on-year increase , according to the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry (Miti). This follows a 0.6% contraction in September , but growth fell short of economists’ forecasts of 2.5% . Highlights: Electronics (+7.6%) and palm oil exports (+12%) supported growth, while petroleum shipments shrank 31% year-on-year . Exports to China fell 6.5% , but deliveries to the US (+33%) , EU (+7.7%) , and Taiwan (+49%) surged. Gross imports rose 2.6% to RM116.14 billion, driven by intermediate goods. However, imports of capital goods fell 2.7% due to reduced purchases of industrial transport equipment. The trade surplus narrowed 7.6% year-on-year to RM11.98 billion but marked the 5...