MONEY MASTER

CIMB Group Holdings Bhd  has achieved a major sustainability milestone after being upgraded to the  highest MSCI ESG rating of AAA , placing the bank among the world’s top performers in environmental, social and governance standards. The upgrade from AA reflects CIMB’s strong risk management practices, particularly in environmental risk assessment within its credit underwriting. The group also maintained a  high environmental score of 9.2 , underscoring disciplined oversight of climate-related and sustainability risks. Beyond MSCI, CIMB was ranked  No. 1 globally among financial institutions  in the  World Benchmarking Alliance ’s  2025 Financial System Benchmark , and placed  No. 2 worldwide for Inclusive Finance , recognising its role in expanding access to financial services and supporting a just economic transition. Group CEO  Novan Amirudin  said the recognition validates CIMB’s strategy of embedding sustainability directly into dai...

PETRONAS Chemicals Group Bhd sank to its lowest level since April after reporting another quarterly loss, with analysts cautioning that the petrochemical giant faces a longer and more painful downturn ahead. The latest quarter’s core net loss — excluding exceptional items — was the company’s largest since its 2010 listing, prompting consensus forecasts to now price in a full-year loss for PChem. Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) said the sector remains under heavy pressure due to China’s aggressive capacity expansion and sluggish downstream demand, a combination that continues to depress pricing across key product chains. PChem plunged as much as 13% intraday to RM2.83 before closing 10% lower at RM2.92 on Monday, with over 34 million shares traded. The counter has shed nearly 40% year-to-date, cutting its market value to about RM23 billion. Broker sentiment remains overwhelmingly bearish: 12 sells, four holds, and just three buys, Bloomberg data show. HLIB is the most bearish among 21...

A recent  major power outage  across  Klang Valley and Johor  has reignited debate about Malaysia’s energy infrastructure resilience, with analysts at  CGS International  emphasizing that the incident underscores — not undermines — the case for a  new power sector capex cycle . Power Disruption Signals Systemic Stress CGS noted that the blackout, which originated from the  Edra Melaka CCGT  plant and was compounded by an  unplanned outage  at the  1,000MW Tanjung Bin Energy coal plant , exposed vulnerabilities in Malaysia’s power grid. Together, both plants account for  around 13% of Peninsular Malaysia’s total installed generation capacity , highlighting a  tight reserve margin  and growing system stress. With  electricity demand surging  — driven by  foreign direct investments (FDI)  into  electronics, electrical manufacturing , and  data centres  — Malaysia’s grid is increasi...

  Malaysian stocks rose 0.3% in early Tuesday trading , with the  FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI  climbing to  1,620.20 . Genting Malaysia  led the gains, jumping  8.9% , followed by parent  Genting Bhd , which advanced  3.8% , and  Petronas Chemicals Group , up  2.2% . On the downside,  Unisem (M)  fell  2.2% ,  Malakoff  declined  1.9% , and  Hartalega Holdings  eased  1.6% . In currencies, the  US dollar held steady at MYR 4.23 , while the  10-year Malaysian government bond yield  slipped  1.5 basis points to 3.47% .

Genting Bhd – Plans RM6.7 Billion Buyout of Genting Malaysia Genting Bhd (KL:GENTING) has proposed to  privatise and delist Genting Malaysia Bhd (KL:GENM)  through a  RM6.7 billion cash offer  at  RM2.35 per share , representing a 10% premium to its last traded price. The buyout is conditional on increasing Genting’s stake above 50% from its current 49.36%. If successful, it would mark Genting Malaysia’s  exit from Bursa Malaysia after nearly four decades. The move coincides with Genting Malaysia’s bid for a  US$5.5 billion casino licence in New York , with a decision expected by  Dec 1  and licence awards by  Dec 31 . Malakoff Corp – Secures Turbine Supply from Mitsubishi Power Malakoff Corp Bhd (KL:MALAKOF) has signed a  reservation agreement  with  Mitsubishi Power  for  two M701JAC gas turbines  to support its planned  1,400MW gas-fired power plant  in southern Peninsular Malaysia. The agreemen...

  Shares Hit New All-Time Low Bermaz Auto Bhd (KL:BAUTO) slid to a record low on Friday after reporting quarterly earnings that badly missed expectations, triggering a wave of analyst downgrades. The stock fell as much as 9% to 61.5 sen before paring slightly to 62.5 sen at 10am, with nearly 10 million shares traded. Year to date, Bermaz has lost around 60% of its market value, wiping out over RM1 billion in capitalisation. Quarterly Earnings Shock Net profit in the most recent quarter came in at just 5% of consensus full-year forecasts, forcing analysts to sharply revise down estimates. The poor showing prompted two more research houses to cut their recommendations to “sell,” bringing the tally to eight sell calls, six hold, and only two buys. Public Investment Bank noted that Malaysia’s non-national passenger vehicle segment is under pressure from weaker consumer confidence, higher costs due to fuel subsidy rationalisation, and inflationary headwinds. Competitive Pressure from Ch...

Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd (KL:CMSB) climbed to a six-week high after electricity was reconnected to its phosphate plant, ending more than two years of outage and clearing a major operational hurdle. Key Developments Power restoration:  Removes a key overhang, allowing uninterrupted commissioning progress at the phosphate facility. Phosphate division outlook:  Expected to be CMSB’s medium-term earnings driver once the arbitration dispute with Syarikat Sesco Bhd is resolved and commercialisation begins. Earnings contribution:  MBSB Research projects positive contributions from FY2026, with long-term gross profit potential of  RM150 million . Market Reaction Share price:  Rose as much as 8% to RM1.29 (highest since July 28), before closing at RM1.21. Trading volume:  13.8 million shares traded — more than double the 90-day moving average. Market cap:  RM1.32 billion at closing price. Analyst calls:  Both MBSB and Maybank IB maintain  ‘buy’  ra...

  Key Takeaways: CMSB (KL:CMSB)  surged nearly  8% to RM1.29 , its highest level since July 28, after electricity was restored to its phosphate plant. The stock is on track for its  third straight day of gains , with trading volume approaching 6 million shares by 9:30 am. Power reconnection enables completion of testing and commissioning activities at the Samalaju phosphate facility, a key step toward eventual commercialisation. Market Reaction Investors welcomed the development as a potential turning point for CMSB’s long-delayed phosphate operations. The reconnection resolves a critical bottleneck after more than  two years of supply disruption  due to a dispute with Sarawak utility firm Sesco. Investment Implications Positive sentiment driver:  Restoration of power improves visibility for commercial operations and earnings contribution from the phosphate division. Risk factor:  Arbitration proceedings with Sesco remain unresolved, meaning legal...

  Investor Takeaway : Bright spots : GDB, Kerjaya, Southern Cable, and Malayan Flour Mills delivered record or strong results with dividends, reinforcing themes of construction momentum, infrastructure demand, and consumer staples resilience. Headwinds : Retail (AEON), transport/shipping (MISC, PetDag), and legacy media (Media Chinese) face structural challenges. Strategic moves : Gamuda’s dual wins in highways and renewables, plus FGV’s delisting, point to long-term sectoral shifts in Malaysian infrastructure and plantations. Consumer & Retail AEON (KL:AEON)  – Q2FY25 net profit slumped  55.9% YoY to RM12.3m , its weakest in nearly two years. Revenue slipped 2.1% to RM999.7m on weaker retail sales, partly cushioned by property management income. No dividend. Ajinomoto (KL:AJI)  – Q1FY25 net profit rose  27.7% YoY to RM24.2m , supported by higher sales (+5.5%) and lower input costs. No dividend. Pecca (KL:PECCA)  – Q4FY25 net profit fell  7.2% YoY ...

Tenaga Nasional Bhd (KL:TENAGA) has reintroduced its  Merdeka Light Incentive for 2025 , offering commercial customers  special discounted electricity rates  from  Aug 1 to Sept 30 , in conjunction with Malaysia’s National Day celebrations. The programme, first launched in 2000, has drawn  1,027 applications as of Aug 15 , underscoring steady demand from businesses seeking both cost savings and participation in the Merdeka festivities. Last year, TNB received  1,863 applications . Tariff Discounts and Eligibility Under the new  electricity tariff restructuring effective July 1, 2025 , TNB has improved its offer: Low-voltage commercial customers:   28.91 sen/kWh  (≈57% discount) Medium-voltage commercial customers:   13.37 sen/kWh  (≈45% discount) Eligible customers  include skyscrapers, office buildings, shopping complexes, hotels, petrol stations, and other commercial entities. Requirements: Must be under  general tariff ...

 Market Snapshot Malaysian technology counters surged on Monday, tracking a regional rally as dovish signals from the US Federal Reserve lifted optimism for a September rate cut. Bursa Malaysia Technology Index:  +2%, highest since  Feb 24, 2025 . Malaysian Pacific Industries (MPI):  Jumped as much as  9% to RM27.74 , despite lingering earnings concerns. The move comes as capital inflows into Asia intensified, with investors positioning for potential monetary easing in the US. Drivers of the Rally Fed Pivot Hopes: Fed Chair  Jerome Powell’s  Jackson Hole remarks — that the outlook “may warrant adjusting the policy stance” — reinforced bets for a  25bps September rate cut . Lower rates reduce funding costs for capital-intensive tech firms and support growth-sector valuations. Wall Street Lead: Sentiment was buoyed by strong gains in the  Magnificent Seven  (Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Broadcom, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia) last Friday. AI-relate...

A sharp earnings miss and persistent demand weakness have cast a long shadow over Amway Malaysia Holdings Bhd, with analysts turning increasingly cautious as structural headwinds mount.  Earnings Disappointment Raises Red Flags Amway Malaysia’s latest quarterly report delivered a stark message to the market: profitability remains under pressure. For the first half of FY2025, the company reported net income amounting to less than  28% of full-year consensus estimates , missing expectations and prompting  two out of three analysts  to downgrade the stock to a  sell  rating. This marks a continuation of its earnings slide, with  Q2 FY2025 becoming the 10th consecutive quarter  of year-on-year revenue contraction — a clear sign that the company is still grappling with demand erosion. “Sales will likely stay muted due to weak consumer sentiment, especially for premium direct-selling products,” said BIMB Securities, maintaining its bearish stance. ...

Star Media Group Bhd (KL:STAR) may be heading toward full-year losses, as analysts warn of an impending earnings vacuum following the completion of its flagship property project and continued headwinds in its traditional media segments. Earnings Gap Widening Without Property Boost Star Media’s net profit for 1HFY2025 plunged 98.9% year-on-year to just  RM83,000 , amounting to a mere  1% of full-year consensus estimates . This drastic underperformance has prompted analysts to sharply revise earnings projections. Kenanga Investment Bank now expects  full-year losses , citing a potential earnings vacuum without the launch of new property projects to succeed the completed  Star Business Hub  in Shah Alam. The industrial development had been the group’s main earnings driver in recent years. “An earnings gap looms if no new property projects are launched… the loss of this key profit driver could push the group into the red in upcoming quarters,” Kenanga cautioned. Med...

Despite a sluggish second-quarter earnings season across Bursa Malaysia, CIMB Securities has raised its year-end target and earnings growth forecast for the FBM KLCI, citing stronger-than-expected results from key index constituents. Earnings Drag: 2Q Off to a Weak Start CIMB flagged a  subdued 2Q2025  performance, with nearly  half of its coverage universe missing expectations . Of the 28 companies (32% of its total coverage) reporting results between June 1 and Aug 18: Only  14% beat estimates 46% missed forecasts Beat-to-miss ratio : 0.30 (up from 0.24 in 1Q2025) Weakness was  broad-based  across several sectors: Automotive Gloves Technology Consumer Oil & Gas Telecommunications Banking Major headwinds included  soft ASPs ,  elevated costs ,  start-up losses , and  lower plant utilisation . KLCI Constituents Show Resilience In contrast to the broader market,  KLCI component stocks fared better . Among the eight index members ...

Stock Surge Kelington Group Bhd ( KGB ) shot up nearly  +5% to RM4.39  on Tuesday morning — a  new all-time high  — as  investors cheered news of a potential foothold in Europe . Current price (9:30am) : RM4.34 YTD Gain : ▲24% Market Cap : >RM3B European Breakthrough Kelington received a  letter of intent  from an  existing Malaysian client  for a  semiconductor hook-up project in Dresden, Germany , potentially worth up to  €50 million (RM244M) . Hook-up  refers to the installation of utility and process systems in wafer fabs. RHB Research sees this LOI as a "precursor to a contractual agreement" with work  set to begin immediately . Big Picture: Riding the Chip Boom Kelington is capitalizing on the  EU’s Chips Act , which is driving a boom in semiconductor fabs across Europe.  Major players like  TSMC, Intel , and the  European Semiconductor Manufacturing Consortium  are fueling demand for engi...

Profit Trails Consensus; Analysts Turn Cautious Fraser & Neave Holdings Bhd (KL:F&N) shares dropped nearly 3% to RM27.90, a two-month low, after its third-quarter net profit came in at only  68% of consensus full-year estimates , prompting analysts to temper expectations. The miss has ended the stock’s streak of unanimous ‘buy’ calls, with  CIMB Securities downgrading to ‘hold’  citing muted earnings prospects and stretched valuations after a six-month rally. Key Factors Driving Sentiment Earnings Miss:  Weaker international sales dragged results below forecasts. Valuation Concerns:  Recent price gains have priced in its defensive business model. Guidance:  Analysts expect a “flattish” 4Q on softer exports despite stronger Malaysian margins. Stock Performance Price:  Fell 72 sen to RM27.90, lowest since June 11. Year-to-Date:  Up ~15% since February, outperforming the broader market amid tariff headwinds. Analyst Views Split Five of six re...

Foreign investors showed renewed interest in Malaysia’s transport sector last week, pumping  RM162 million into Westports Holdings (WPRTS) , even as overall foreign money continued to leave the market. Local retail investors, meanwhile, leaned heavily towards  Sunway Construction (SUNCON) , adding  RM55.8 million  to the stock. Key Flows Foreign Net Inflow:  RM162m into WPRTS; RM94.7m into Tenaga; RM75.3m into Gamuda. Foreign Exits:  RM46.4m out of Zetrix; RM44.8m out of KPJ Healthcare; RM40.9m out of Public Bank. Retail Favorites:  RM55.8m into SUNCON; RM44.9m into Maybank. Institutional Buys:  RM48m into KPJ Healthcare; RM39.3m into Alliance Bank (ABMB). Market Context Foreign Outflow:  RM89.9m overall last week (smaller than the RM206.1m the week before). Local Retail:  Third consecutive week of net buying at RM105.4m. Institutions:  Net sellers at -RM15.5m. Sector Moves:  Foreigners piled into  Transport & Logistic...

Here are the highlights from Friday’s corporate news flow: Globetronics Defends RM45m Mpire Buy Globetronics Technology (KL:GTRONIC) justified its  RM45.05 million acquisition  of loss-making Mpire Global (KL:MPIRE), calling it a strategic diversification move. The deal gives Globetronics a foothold in fleet management and logistics-enabled services as part of its long-term transformation plan. Ecobuilt Secures RM35m Shah Alam Project Ecobuilt Holdings (KL:ECOHLDS) won a  RM34.65 million contract  to build a 25-storey serviced apartment block with 264 units in Shah Alam. Construction starts July 2025 and is slated for completion by May 2027. CTOS Digital 2Q Profit Down 17% Credit information provider CTOS Digital (KL:CTOS) reported a  net profit of RM21.16 million , down from RM25.5 million a year ago, citing higher depreciation and operational costs. EPS slipped to 0.9 sen. Salcon Deputy Chairman Buys Into Eduspec Tan Sri Tee Tiam Lee, executive deputy chairman...

Wall Street Summary The U.S. stock market soared again with: S&P 500 : 6,280.46 ( +0.27% ) –  8th record close of 2025 Nasdaq Composite : 20,630.66 ( +0.09% ) –  6th record since June Dow Jones : 44,650.64 ( +0.43% ) Key drivers : Delta Air Lines ’ bullish forecast boosted airline stocks. Nvidia  climbed 0.75%, closing at a  record $4 trillion valuation . Jobless claims beat estimates at 227,000 (vs 235,000 expected), signaling continued economic strength. Despite ongoing U.S. tariff threats, investors remain bullish, betting they’ll be  negotiated down , unlike the panic-triggered selloff seen earlier this year. Bursa Malaysia Highlights FBM KLCI : 1,536.52 ( +0.48% ) Top Gainer :  Gamuda  RM5.10 ( +2.62% ) Top Loser :  IOI Corp  RM3.85 ( -1.28% ) USD/MYR : 4.2520 ( +0.07% ) KLCI rebounded strongly, breaking a  3-day losing streak , lifted by  bargain hunting in blue-chip stocks . Market breadth was positive with increased trad...