MONEY MASTER

Malaysia’s latest investment data underscores a key theme:  resilience amid volatility , with capital flows holding steady even as global markets grapple with geopolitical and macroeconomic pressures. Stable Investment Flows Signal Confidence Approved investments came in at  RM92.8 billion for 1Q2026 , broadly unchanged year-on-year. While headline growth appears modest, the underlying message is more constructive: Investor confidence in Malaysia remains intact despite external headwinds. Foreign investments continued to dominate at  60.5% (RM56.2 billion) , while domestic investments rose  13% , providing a strong internal growth buffer. Job Creation Surge Points to Higher-Quality Investments The standout figure is the sharp rise in employment impact: Projected jobs surged 46.7% to over 50,000 This suggests a shift toward: More labour-intensive and value-added projects Stronger  economic spillover effects Increased focus on  long-term industrial and servic...

Heineken NV  will eliminate  5,000 to 6,000 jobs over the next two years  as the world’s second-largest brewer battles declining beer consumption in key markets. Why the Cuts? Total volumes fell 1.2% in 2025 Weak demand in  US and Europe Consumers cutting alcohol intake for: Health reasons Cost-of-living pressures Heineken, which produces brands such as  Tecate  and  Amstel , said the job reductions are part of a broader  cost-cutting effort . The restructuring reflects structural shifts in drinking habits, not just cyclical weakness. Industry Pressure Mounting Brewers globally are facing: A long-term trend toward  lower alcohol consumption Growth in  non-alcoholic alternatives Inflation squeezing discretionary spending For Heineken, this comes amid a leadership transition. CEO  Dolf van den Brink  recently announced he will step down after six years in the role. Market Takeaway Cost discipline becomes central as volume growth ...

Quick Summary Budget 2026 likely less generous , with fewer household handouts Fiscal surplus expected at 0.3%–1.0% of GDP Focus shifts to long-term growth, innovation and AI Strong 2025 growth gives government room to be prudent Why the Budget May Tighten Singapore is expected to unveil a  more fiscally conservative Budget 2026  on  Feb 12 , as policymakers balance resilient growth with long-term discipline after heavy household support last year. Economists from  Bank of America ,  Maybank  and  DBS  forecast a  budget surplus of 0.3% to 1.0% of GDP , signalling a pullback from 2025’s generous cash transfers. Key shift:  From short-term relief to  future positioning . Household Support Likely Reduced Analysts expect: Lower cash payouts  after “elevated support” in 2025 Early fiscal prudence to  preserve firepower  in case growth weakens later in the parliamentary term This follows Singapore’s rule to  balance t...

  Key takeaways San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly says she supports a  December  rate cut , arguing the labour market is now more fragile than inflation is dangerous. She sees the risk of a  “nonlinear” jump in unemployment  as higher and harder to manage than another inflation flare-up. Daly downplays tariff-driven inflation pressures and stresses the Fed should not delay cuts today just because it  might  need to hike again next year. Her stance aligns with New York Fed President John Williams’ recent comments and  has pushed market odds of a December cut back above 50% . The Fed remains  visibly split : doves worry about job losses; hawks warn inflation is still too high, especially in services. San Francisco Fed President  Mary Daly  has come out clearly in favour of  cutting rates at the Fed’s Dec 9–10 meeting , saying the bigger danger now is a sudden break in the labour market rather than an inflation surprise. Daly ...

US Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman  is planning a major restructuring of the Fed’s  supervision and regulation division , which oversees the nation’s largest banks, according to an internal email obtained by Reuters. 30% Staff Reduction Planned The plan calls for a  30% reduction in staff  within the supervisory unit, achieved through  attrition, retirements, and voluntary separation incentives , the email said. The reorganisation is aimed at streamlining operations and aligning with a  broader government downsizing initiative  under President  Donald Trump’s administration . Part of a Broader Fed Workforce Cut Earlier this year, the Fed said it intends to  shrink its total workforce by around 10%  over the next few years from its current headcount of roughly  24,000 employees . Chair  Jerome Powell  has directed leadership to identify “incremental” ways to improve efficiency and reduce costs acr...

Key Takeaway:   ANZ Group Holdings Ltd  will slash about  3,500 jobs by September 2026  as part of CEO  Nuno Matos’  restructuring drive, aimed at restoring regulatory trust, improving culture, and tightening risk management. Workforce Reduction Job cuts:  ~3,500 employees, equal to  8% of ANZ’s 42,000 staff Contractors:  Around  1,000 consultants and third-party roles  to be reduced Restructuring charge:  Estimated at  A$560 million (US$369 million / RM1.56 billion)  before tax, booked in H2 2025 The first wave of cuts has already started, targeting  middle- and back-office roles  in ANZ’s institutional banking division. CEO’s Strategy Matos, who took over in  May 2025  from Shayne Elliott, is moving quickly to revamp the bank: Cultural reset:  Focus on stopping non-priority work and improving risk management. Leadership changes:  Senior exits include ex-retail chief  Maile Carnegie...

  Key Expectations: Non-farm payrolls : +135,000 (vs +151,000 in February) Unemployment rate : Steady at  4.1% Range of estimates : 50,000 to 185,000 jobs Federal jobs cut : Up to  25,000  in March alone Key Drivers of the Slowdown: Mass federal layoffs  under the  Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) , with Elon Musk’s cost-cutting campaign facing legal and administrative delays. Tariff Shock : President Trump’s sweeping  10% universal tariff  plus targeted duties on 60 nations has raised the effective US tariff rate to a 100-year high. Businesses are pulling back on hiring, delaying capital expenditure, and preparing for margin pressures. Consumer Retrenchment : A wave of  pre-tariff stockpiling in late 2024  has reversed, with spending slowing in Q1 2025. Retail and manufacturing payrolls  expected to face pressure in April data. Economic Risks Rising: GDP : Q1 growth tracking below  0.5% annualized ; recession odds in...

Stock markets  experienced another wild day, marked by  new tariff threats  and reversals from  President Donald Trump . While the day ended with a  red market board , investor sentiment remains uncertain amid the constant tariff drama between the  U.S. and Canada . Key Points : Tariff Threats : Trump sent an  all-caps social media post  threatening to  increase steel tariffs  on  Canada , but quickly reversed his stance after  Ontario  announced it would  suspend  its  25% surcharge  on electricity exports to the U.S. Back-and-Forth : The  U.S.  has several  pending tariff threats  against Canada, and Canada has said it will keep its  trade retaliation  in place until the U.S. removes its own tariffs and agrees to  free trade . Canadian Dollar Volatility : The  Canadian dollar  reached a  weekly low  due to the tariff uncertainty but bounced back. ...

Key Takeaway: AMD is cutting approximately 1,000 jobs as part of a strategy to shift resources towards AI and data center markets , areas where it faces tough competition from Nvidia. Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) announced it will reduce its global workforce by about 4% , primarily affecting sales and marketing roles tied to consumer and gaming PCs. The move reflects AMD's strategic pivot towards high-growth sectors like AI processors and corporate data centers . This workforce reduction is part of AMD’s broader push into AI-driven technology , where it aims to challenge Nvidia’s market dominance. Despite the layoffs, the company is continuing to hire selectively in areas aligned with its growth priorities. AMD joins other tech giants like Cisco and Intel , both of which have recently announced significant layoffs as they restructure to focus on emerging tech markets.

Key Takeaway: President-elect Donald Trump has chosen loyalists with limited qualifications for top positions, signaling a potential shift in US governance and international role under his leadership. In a surprising move, President-elect Donald Trump has tapped several loyalists with minimal experience for key cabinet roles, creating shockwaves among allies and raising questions about the future direction of US policy. Among Trump’s choices, Matt Gaetz has been nominated for US attorney general, despite having no Justice Department experience and a past DOJ investigation that cleared him of charges in 2023. His loyalty to Trump appears to be the primary factor in his selection. Tulsi Gabbard was named as the new director of national intelligence, despite limited intelligence experience. Her public stances, including support for Putin's actions in Ukraine, have raised concerns about her role overseeing 18 spy agencies. Trump also nominated Pete Hegseth as secretary of def...

New applications for US unemployment aid unexpectedly fell last week, but the number of continuing claims — people receiving benefits after an initial week — hit its highest level in nearly three years, signaling that those who lose jobs are finding it harder to secure new employment. The Labor Department reported on Thursday that initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped by 15,000 to a seasonally adjusted 227,000 for the week ending Oct 19, below economists' forecast of 242,000. Unadjusted claims declined by 22,634 , with notable decreases in states like Georgia, New York, and Texas . The report attributed the recent decline in new claims partly to Hurricane Helene , which had temporarily driven claims higher earlier in the month. However, the full impact of Hurricane Milton on the labor market is yet to be reflected in the data. Despite these distortions, economists believe the labor market is softening , though not collapsing. Carl Weinberg , chief economist...

The two-week strike at Boeing has significant implications for its suppliers, with companies like Pathfinder Manufacturing forced to furlough employees as the labor stoppage continues. Pathfinder's CEO, Dave Trader , reported that 14 out of 54 employees have been furloughed, and he expressed concerns about needing to send more workers home if the strike persists. Pathfinder operates a recruitment initiative aimed at attracting new talent to the aerospace industry, training students alongside skilled workers near Boeing's Everett jet factory, the largest manufacturing facility globally. The strike has also affected high school students participating in training programs, compounding challenges in an industry already struggling to find skilled labor. Impact on Employment and Supply Chain Boeing's labor disruption began on September 13, when about 30,000 machinists stopped working, halting production of the 737 MAX and older 767 and 777 models. As a result, the supply cha...

On Wednesday, at least three banks—Mizuho Financial Group Inc, BNP Paribas SA, and Nomura Holdings Inc—obtained crucial US payroll data ahead of the broader market due to an unexpected delay in the official release by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The incident has raised concerns about the fairness and integrity of market-sensitive data dissemination. Key Takeaways: Advance Access to Data : The BLS failed to release its revisions to monthly payroll figures at the scheduled time of 10 a.m. New York time. Mizuho, BNP Paribas, and Nomura proactively contacted the BLS directly and obtained the data, which showed a significant downward revision of 818,000 jobs for the 12 months through March 2024. This revision is the largest markdown since 2009 and supports speculation that the Federal Reserve may start cutting interest rates next month. Market Reactions : Upon the eventual public release of the data around 10:30 a.m., the S&P 500 initially surged before later paring gains, whi...

  The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the US employment cost index (ECI) increased by 0.9% in the second quarter of 2024, a figure that came in below the expected 1% rise. This data supports the trend of gradually easing inflationary pressures, as labour costs—a key metric closely watched by the Federal Reserve—show signs of cooling. Key Takeaways: Employment Cost Index (ECI) Data : The ECI, which measures wages and benefits, rose 0.9% in the April-to-June period. This increase follows a significant rise at the beginning of 2024 and was below the median economist forecast of a 1% rise. Labour Market Trends : The data corroborates other indicators showing the US labour market is moving towards its pre-pandemic trend. There is evidence of cooling wage growth, a slower pace of hiring, and rising unemployment. Federal Reserve Insights : Fed Chair Jerome Powell recently noted that the job market is no longer a primary inflationary force. Powell is likely to reiterate this view ...