MONEY MASTER

Key Takeaways Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) is widely expected to keep the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) at 2.75%,  but markets are increasingly looking for signals of a rate hike later this year. Malaysia's stronger-than-expected economic growth, driven partly by the AI boom, is reducing the need for accommodative monetary policy. Stable inflation and fuel subsidies have given BNM room to remain patient , unlike several regional central banks that have already tightened policy. The tone of BNM's policy statement may matter more than the rate decision itself. A stronger economy could eventually outweigh concerns over supporting growth, paving the way for policy normalization. Market Insight When  Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM)  announces its interest rate decision, most investors expect  no change . The bigger question isn't  whether rates stay at 2.75% —it's  what BNM says next. After holding rates steady for a year, the central bank could begin preparing markets f...

Malaysia’s ringgit weakened past 4.03/USD as political uncertainty and global pressures continue to weigh on investor sentiment. What Happened The Malaysian currency fell to  4.0320 against the US dollar , extending recent losses due to: Domestic political risks  (state elections, possible early general election) Stronger US dollar  from higher interest rate expectations Geopolitical tensions  affecting global markets Key Drivers Behind the Weakness 1.  Political Uncertainty Rising Dissolution of state assemblies (Negeri Sembilan & Johor) Talk of  early national elections   Uncertainty = cautious foreign investors 2.  Stronger US Dollar Pressure Expectations of  higher US interest rates Tariff concerns + global tensions  Funds flow back to USD →  emerging currencies weaken 3.  Global Headwinds Not Helping Ongoing  Middle East conflict Risk of  stagflation if oil supply disrupted  External risks continue to pr...

Rakuten  Trade  expects  foreign  investors  to  return  to  Malaysian  equities  as  the  ringgit  strengthens  amid  prolonged  Middle  East  tensions  and  elevated  oil  prices. Foreign  Holdings  Stable  Despite  Outflows According  to  Rakuten,  foreign  shareholding  on  Bursa  Malaysia  has  remained  relatively  steady  despite  earlier  outflows —  suggesting: Long- term  investors  have  largely  held  positions Short- term  traders  drove  recent  selling Key  Point:  Foreign  ownership  hasn’t  meaningfully  collapsed,  indicating  underlying  confidence  in  Malaysian  assets. Year- to- date,  foreign  funds  recorded  net  inflows  of...

Malaysia’s  benchmark  index  edged  up  on  March 12  as  trading  volume  improved,  while  the  ringgit  maintained  its  year- to- date  gains. Market  Snapshot Bursa Malaysia   closed  slightly  higher  on  Thursday. Key  Indices  Performance FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI : 1,711.01 (+0.13%) |  YTD: +1.84% FBM  Mid 70: +0.26% |  YTD: +2.40% FBM  Small  Cap: -0.12% |  YTD: -3.13% FBM  ACE: -0.07% |  YTD: -9.67% Large-  and  mid- cap  stocks  continued  to  show  resilience,  while  small- cap  and  ACE  counters  remained  under  pressure  year- to- date. Key  Point:  The  KLCI  held  above 1,700  with  modest  gains,  but  broader  market  breadth  remained  slightly  nega...

Bursa Malaysia closed higher on March 3, 2026, with the benchmark index recovering amid selective buying in key large-cap counters. Key Market Performance FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI  rose  0.69% to 1,711.95 points , bringing its year-to-date gain to 1.90%. Other indices: FBM Mid 70: +0.25% (YTD +3.30%) FBM Small Cap: +0.38% (YTD -0.66%) FBM ACE: +0.15% (YTD -5.28%) Key Point: Broad-based gains across Bursa indices supported the KLCI’s rebound. Market Breadth & Trading Activity Trading activity moderated compared with the previous session: Total volume: 3.316 billion units (vs 3.882 billion previously) Total value: RM3.675 billion (vs RM3.903 billion previously) Gainers: 563 Losers: 610 Unchanged: 515 Although losers slightly outnumbered gainers, gains in selected heavyweights helped lift the benchmark. Ringgit Performance As of 5:15pm: USD/MYR: 3.9433 (YTD +2.96%) SGD/MYR: 3.0871 (YTD +2.25%) The ringgit remains under pressure year-to-date against major currencies. Top Mover...

Bursa Malaysia closed higher on March 3, 2026, with the benchmark index recovering amid selective buying in key large-cap counters. Key Market Performance FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI  rose  0.69% to 1,711.95 points , bringing its year-to-date gain to 1.90%. Other indices: FBM Mid 70: +0.25% (YTD +3.30%) FBM Small Cap: +0.38% (YTD -0.66%) FBM ACE: +0.15% (YTD -5.28%) Key Point: Broad-based gains across Bursa indices supported the KLCI’s rebound. Market Breadth & Trading Activity Trading activity moderated compared with the previous session: Total volume: 3.316 billion units (vs 3.882 billion previously) Total value: RM3.675 billion (vs RM3.903 billion previously) Gainers: 563 Losers: 610 Unchanged: 515 Although losers slightly outnumbered gainers, gains in selected heavyweights helped lift the benchmark. Ringgit Performance As of 5:15pm: USD/MYR: 3.9433 (YTD +2.96%) SGD/MYR: 3.0871 (YTD +2.25%) The ringgit remains under pressure year-to-date against major currencies. 🔟 Top Mo...

Market Snapshot (Feb 26, 2026) FBM KLCI:  1,740.94 ( -0.39% ) FBM Mid 70:  -0.40% FBM Small Cap:  -0.90% FBM ACE:  -0.78% Total gainers:  367 Total losers:  746 Total trading value:  RM4.07 billion Market breadth was negative , with losers more than double gainers. Key Index Performance Despite the daily dip, the FBM KLCI remains up  3.62% year-to-date , while: FBM Mid 70:  +5.33% YTD FBM Small Cap:  +0.59% YTD FBM ACE:  -2.22% YTD Top Movers (FBM KLCI) Gainers Sunway Bhd  +1.88% AMMB Holdings Bhd  +1.68% Gamuda Bhd  +1.67% PETRONAS Dagangan Bhd  +1.46% Decliners Malayan Banking Bhd  -2.91% Telekom Malaysia Bhd  -3.74% MR D.I.Y. Group (M) Bhd  -4.35% YTL Corp Bhd  -2.04% Most Active Stocks Malayan Banking Bhd  – 68.6 million shares traded Aquawalk Group – 75.9 million shares Public Bank – 57.4 million shares Top Gainers by Value Sunway Construction Group Bhd  +RM0.35 PETRONAS Daganga...

Quick Summary Wall Street slid  on AI recession fears and fresh Trump tariffs Bursa Malaysia climbed , extending its post-CNY rebound Ringgit surged to strongest level in 8 years vs USD Government says  stronger currency won’t derail exports Wall Street Recap: AI & Tariff Shock US markets fell sharply as investors reacted to: A  Citrini Research warning  that AI could push US unemployment to 10% by 2028 President  Donald Trump  raising global tariffs from  10% to 15% Growing geopolitical tension with Iran Index Performance: Nasdaq:  -1.13% S&P 500:  -1.04% Dow Jones:  -1.66% Major decliners included: IBM  (-13.1%) American Express  (-7.2%) Visa  (-4.5%) JPMorgan Chase  (-4.2%) Salesforce  (-3.8%) Meanwhile, safe-haven metals surged: Silver futures:  +7.6% Gold futures:  +3.4% Bursa Malaysia: Ringgit Steals the Show The  FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI  rose  0.29% to 1,757.98 , extending...

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM)  has onboarded  three new projects  under its Digital Asset Innovation Hub (DAIH) to test  ringgit stablecoins and tokenised deposits , marking a major step in Malaysia’s digital payments evolution. What’s Being Tested? Three initiatives have been selected: 1️⃣  Ringgit Stablecoins for B2B Settlement Led by  Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia In partnership with  Capital A 2️⃣  Tokenised Deposits for Payments By  Malayan Banking 3️⃣  Tokenised Deposits for Payments By  CIMB Group Holdings Focus areas: Domestic and cross-border wholesale payments Tokenised asset settlements Why This Matters BNM said the controlled testing environment will help assess: Monetary stability risks Financial system implications Regulatory framework enhancements Importantly, BNM plans to provide  greater clarity on the use of ringgit stablecoins and tokenised deposits by end-2026. This could be a precursor to wholesale CBDC int...

Summary UBS expects the  ringgit to strengthen towards 3.80 against the US dollar by December , potentially reaching its strongest level in more than a decade. The outlook is supported by  strong capital inflows, AI-driven investments, a resilient trade surplus, and narrowing US–Malaysia interest rate differentials . Key Points Ringgit target: 3.80 per US dollar by December , last seen in 2015 Best-performing major Asian currency in early 2026 , up over  3% YTD More than 10% gain in 2025 , extending its recovery trend What’s Driving the Ringgit Higher Sustained foreign inflows  from multi-year investments into  data centres and the digital economy Global tech and AI demand  expected to remain strong into 2026, supporting Malaysia’s  trade surplus Narrowing interest rate gap  as the  US is expected to cut rates , while  Bank Negara Malaysia is likely to stay on hold This environment encourages  USD-to-ringgit conversions by corporate...