KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 19): Nearly three in four business leaders worldwide now prioritise resilience investments, with 74% seeing resilience as a driver of growth, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF). “Together, these forces underscore why supply chain resilience has become a central determinant of national competitiveness and corporate strategy,” said WEF. Kearney partner Per Kristian Hong said supply chain disruption in 2026 will be constant and structural. “For supply leaders, the priority is no longer forecasting disruption, but redesigning operating models to function under permanent uncertainty. That means moving away from efficiency-driven supply chains and towards adaptive networks that can be reconfigured with optionality as conditions change,” he said.

Of the 31 initial public offerings (IPOs), seven were on the Main Market and 24 on the ACE Market (excluding the LEAP Market). Two years on, the 2023 IPO cohort has delivered mixed results in terms of share price performance. As at Dec 31, 2025, 16 were trading below their IPO price, while the remaining 15 had traded higher (see table). Mixed performance on the ACE MarketIf the Main Market told a story of broad underperformance, the ACE Market delivered mixed results. The Thai-based snack food distributor surged 191.3% to 67 sen, from its IPO price of 23 sen.

Heritage as an economic strategyFor too long, cultural preservation in Malaysia has been viewed as a cost centre. When restored and activated, heritage sites have the potential to become high-return assets that strengthen tourism, catalyse urban regeneration and elevate a nation’s and a city’s international brand. The public has far longed for revitalised urban centres, strengthened public spaces and a hub for cultural, economic and social interactions. Heritage sites must be accessible to Malaysians from all walks of life and backgrounds to become living narratives. Restoring iconic buildings gives utterance to the soul of the nation, for the Malaysians of today and tomorrow.

(Jan 19): The dollar faces fresh headwinds as President Donald Trump weighs tariffs on European nations tied to his plan to acquire Greenland, raising uncertainties over US policies, according to analysts. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index fell 0.1% in Asia after Trump threatened a 10% tariff on European allies supporting Denmark’s hold on Greenland. The market will also be looking for the ‘TACO trade’ as Trump could be using the threat of tariffs as a negotiating ploy. Europe will be one of the biggest losers of the growing geopolitical risks under Trump’s presidency in 2026. The market dynamic is that US assets, including the US dollar, are now carrying a much higher political risk premium.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 19): HSBC predicts the US Federal Reserve will maintain interest rates throughout 2026, citing no economic justification for a reduction. This outlook places HSBC at odds with market consensus, which currently forecasts one or two rate cuts in 2026. “HSBC is actually not expecting the Fed to cut interest rates,” Neumann said during an outlook webinar on Monday. The US Fed delivered a 25 basis point cut in its last meeting in December last year, bringing the federal funds rate to 3.5%-3.75%. Powell’s term as Fed chair ends in May, though his term as a governor at the central bank runs until January 2028.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 19): Iconic Penang Sdn Bhd has officially opened the Iconic Marjorie Penang, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel by Marriott International, in a move to capture increased tourist arrivals ahead of the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign. Executive director James Tan Cho Chia said the group aims to support Penang’s tourism sector, which is expected to benefit from the state’s growing prominence as a global destination. “With the grand opening of Iconic Marjorie Penang, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, the Iconic Group is well positioned to capitalise on the influx of tourists into Penang and contribute to the growth of Penang’s tourism industry,” he said. The hotel also features three food and beverage outlets: Tiffin Hall, Loom & Leafs Lounge, and Senses Bar. The launch event was attended by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Penang Tuan Yang Terutama Tun Ramli Ngah Talib, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, as well as federal ministers and senior state government officials.

After the US attacked Venezuela and arrested its president, President Donald Trump proclaimed that the US now runs Venezuela and that the country’s oil resources would be available for American companies to exploit. The current US administration has watered down or abolished many of the reforms brought in after the 2001 market crash and following the 2008 global financial crisis. When the overheated US financial markets will correct is anyone’s guess, but it is only a matter of time. For now, the global economy is poised to do well in the early months of 2026. The global economy also benefited from falling oil prices, which reduced energy costs for consumers and businesses.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 19): The King, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, reminded leaders that while state rights must be upheld, the nation’s interests should always take precedence. Sultan Ibrahim said Malaysia was formed through the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), which united Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak into a single nation. “State rights must always be respected. Sultan Ibrahim also reminded lawmakers that debates, decisions and votes in Parliament go beyond party political positions and will shape the country’s future. Meanwhile, Sultan Ibrahim commended the country’s economic performance under the unity government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 19): WM Senibong Bhd has completed the acquisition of Kews Senibong Sdn Bhd and the landholdings of Senibong Golf Club from Walker Corporation Pty Ltd for RM400 million. According to a statement on Monday, the transaction adds approximately 270 acres of mixed-use development land located in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, to the group’s portfolio. “The Kews land bank is exceptionally valuable, not only for its size and location, but for what it allows us to create,” said Quay. To date, Kews Senibong has posted annual sales growth of between 25% and 30%, driven primarily by local demand. Its first phase, Kew Green 1, launched in December 2024, was fully sold within three months.

StarMetro found that from Dec 31 until Jan 10, all waste collected in Kuala Lumpur was sent straight to the landfill. Community activist Yee Poh Ping described the situation as a “rubbish crisis.”He said residents complained that the stench of uncollected rubbish made them feel unwell. A senior Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKl) officer said the local authority had also received numerous complaints on this matter. “Collections in Kuala Lumpur were pushed into late evenings and nights, when operations are more challenging. Following the termination of Umpan Jaya’s contract, operations were handed over to Alam Flora Environmental Solutions, which ran the facility until June 2023.

The US dietary guidelines introduced this month feature an upside-down pyramid prioritising protein, dairy and healthy fats along with vegetables and fruits. It also recommends the intake of refined carbohydrates such as white bread, ready-to-eat or packaged breakfast options, flour tortillas and crackers. However, he said one must consider that dietary guidelines were developed based on specific cultural, food system and lifestyle contexts. Reiterating that international dietary models could offer useful scientific insights, he advised Malaysians to continue relying on the Malaysian Dietary Guidelines and suku-suku separuh concept. Dietitian Ng Kar Foo upheld the Malaysian Dietary Guidelines, saying it was developed primarily using Malaysian data and not outdated.

KUALA LUMPUR: CIMB Research has revised its gross domestic product (GDP) forecast for this year upward to 4.4% from 4.1 % previously, supported by continued growth momentum in the services and construction sectors but balanced by moderation in manufacturing. The research house said in a note that the advanced estimate for the fourth quarter growth last year (4Q25) surprised again, showing a year-on-year (y-o-y) increase of 5.7%, leading to overall growth of 4.9% for the full year. “We expect the strong momentum in the services sector to be carried into this year on the back of the second round of a salary hike for civil servants, the February disbursement of Sumbangan Asas Rahmah aid, as well as the Visit Malaysia Year. “This will likely be tempered by a slowdown in the manufacturing sector as demand for exports, particularly in non-electric and electronics categories, weakens, leading to average GDP growth of 4.4% this year,” it said.

KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia X Bhd has completed the acquisition of AirAsia Bhd (AAB) and AirAsia Aviation Group Ltd from Capital A Bhd , marking the final step in the consolidation of the group’s aviation businesses. “The transaction was settled via the allotment and issuance of 2,307,692,307 new ordinary shares in AirAsia X to Capital A and its entitled shareholders, together with AirAsia X’s assumption of RM3.8bil previously owed by Capital A to AAB,” the group said in a statement.

Just as investors seek dividends in an uncertain market, plantation companies are turning their attention inward, focusing on boosting fresh fruit bunch (FFB) yields, analysts said. On the forecast for CPO prices, Kenanga Research said it expects it to average RM4,000 per tonne this year, down from RM4,308 last year. With average CPO prices ending firmer last year, he expects plantation companies to reinvest in mechanisation and replanting programmes to boost estate efficiency and maximise long-term planted acreage. “With exports still soft and inventories elevated, we see limited upside for CPO prices in the near term, which supports a more tactical, profit-taking stance for the sector,” the analyst said. According to Kenanga Research, plantation sector valuations have largely normalised and are now in line with the broader market after a late-year rally.

IPOH: A Taiwanese woman was found drowned after she went snorkelling at Pantai Teluk Nipah near Pulau Pangkor on Sunday (Jan 18). Manjung district police chief ACP Hasbullah Abd Rahman said the victim, 72, was found by a tour guide at about 12.30pm. "The victim was believed to be snorkelling at Pulau Giam with other members of her family,” he said. A post-mortem will be conducted at Seri Manjung Hospital on Monday (Jan 19), and the case has been classified as a sudden death report.