MONEY MASTER

While global markets wobble under inflation and tariff threats,  Malaysia's stock scene is heating up  with a surprising shift in investor behavior! Top Takeaways (Week Ended July 18):   Foreign Funds: RM153.7M into GAMUDA  — top construction pick amid infrastructure optimism SUNWAY  and  WPRTS  also saw strong inflows Major foreign outflows from  CIMB (-RM165.4M)  and  RHBBANK (-RM92.7M) Local Institutions: CIMB  and  PBBANK  are top buys despite foreign selling Flows suggest a  divergence in market views  between locals and foreigners Retail Investors: MAYBANK (RM95.8M)  leads the charge as top retail favorite Retail crowd also backing  CIMB  and  ZETRIX  (AI play 📈) What It Means: Foreigners are betting on construction  as a safe haven from trade volatility Retail investors love stable banks —possibly hunting for dividends or safety Tech stocks continue to bleed foreign money, bu...

Despite finishing the week slightly in the red, the  S&P 500  may be primed for further upside — all thanks to the impending  earnings season . This Week in Markets: S&P 500:  -0.33%, closing at 6259.75 — still just off all-time highs Nasdaq Composite:  +0.22%, powered by NVIDIA’s record  $4 trillion market cap Dow Jones Industrial Average:  -0.63% These declines are modest, especially considering the  escalating trade tensions  — with  tariff threats  of up to 50% on Brazil and 35% on Canada — and continued political pressure on  Fed Chair Jerome Powell . Remarkably, the S&P 500 remains  up 26%  from its April low and  +6.4% YTD . Valuation Watch: The index now trades at  22.4x forward 12-month earnings  — its  highest multiple in 3 years . But rather than being a red flag, history shows these levels tend to precede gains, not losses. In the past five years, whenever the S&P traded...

Luxury still turns heads—but investors haven’t been impressed lately. While brands like Hermès and Prada remain culturally iconic, their  stocks have taken a hit  since the post-pandemic boom faded. The reason? Overpricing, weak Chinese demand, and new  tariff threats . Recent Performance (2-Year Declines) LVMH : -40% Kering (Gucci owner) : -50% Prada : -10% Luxury companies raised prices during the COVID boom to stay exclusive, but inflation and changing consumer habits left aspirational shoppers behind. What’s Changing Now? High-income consumers are thriving  thanks to strong markets and tax cuts. Europeans feel more confident , and  Chinese shoppers  are cautiously spending again. Luxury stock  valuations are near 15-year lows , making them more attractive. Bargain Valuations Prada : 14x 2026 earnings LVMH : <20x Moncler, Richemont, Kering : ~20x UBS says that when luxury trades this low, it  outperforms 76% of the time (1–3 months)  an...

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. ...