Malaysia Money Matters Daily News Digest 16th Apr 2025

In today’s episode of Malaysia Money Matters, we break down a high-volume news cycle across Malaysia’s corporate space—IPOs, asset sales, wind-ups, and green pivots—while also tackling the growing global risks of trade tensions, supply chain disruption, and slowing economic forecasts. Plus, we unpack the major China–Malaysia cooperation spree and what it could mean for future growth.🇲🇾 Malaysian Company & Market News🔹 ASM Automation Prepares for ACE Market IPOPlans to issue 128M new shares and 53M offer-for-sale shares. Funds to boost capacity, R&D, and market expansion into Southeast Asia, India, China, and Africa.🔹 Affin Bank Maintains 2025 TargetsAims for 6% ROE and 12% loan growth, despite downgrading Malaysia’s 2025 GDP forecast to 4.3%. Exposure to vulnerable sectors is minimal, with focus on residential lending.🔹 Aurelius Tech Boosts Shareholder ValueTwo-for-one bonus issue plus free warrants could raise RM463.8M. Strong EMS demand and global client base position them well amid supply chain shifts.🔹 Bank Rakyat Eyes Growth Amid HeadwindsDiversifying into utilities, logistics, and tax-related financing. FY2024 pre-tax profit up 3.15% to RM1.82B; steady 17% dividend payout maintained.🔹 Capital Asia Trust Delivers Solid Q1Net property income up 9.6%; strong retail rental growth and 92% occupancy. DPU rises 7.6% to 1.28 sen—positive signs for REIT investors.🔹 Golden Land Exits Indonesian Plantation OpsRM151.5M sale expected to net RM26M gain. Proceeds to reduce debt and support property development. Strategy shift toward real estate.🔹 Hextar Tech Offloads Johor WarehouseRM16M disposal nets RM5M. Funds earmarked for fintech app Money X—another move into tech by a former industrial player.🔹 Hibiscus Petroleum Secures Brunei FinancingUnit obtains RM400M in Islamic financing to fund expansion in Brunei’s MLJ gas field. Reinforces regional growth strategy.🔹 Next Graham Faces Winding-Up PetitionMaybank Islamic claims RM1.77M due from a corporate guarantee. Company plans to contest—situation remains uncertain.🔹 Nextgreen IOI Pulp JV Plans RM900M PlantPartners with China’s Xiamen C&D for large-scale pulp project in Pahang. 100% offtake secured, RM450M annual revenue expected from 2027.🔹 OCK Group Invests RM350M in SolarAcquires stake in Kedah solar plant with 21-year PPA. Expands renewable energy footprint via Solarpack Suria JV.🔹 Super Energy Wins Nearly RM100M in ContractsSecures vessel charters in Malaysia and Thailand. Offshore assets now have near-full utilization and strong safety performance.🔹 UOA Development Taps Green FinancingPartners with Alliance Bank to offer preferential green loans for Duo Tower project in Bangsar South—first of its kind for commercial offices.🔹 F&N Imports Record Dairy Herd from Chile2,500 high-performance Holsteins arrive for its Negeri Sembilan dairy farm. Largest cattle import in Malaysia’s history; major push into fresh milk.🌍Global Trends & Their Impact on MalaysiaChina Posts Strong Q1 Growth… For NowGDP up 5.4% YoY—but analysts expect a sharp slowdown as US tariffs threaten exports. Risks from property sector and weak job market linger.BOJ Sounds Alarm on US TariffsGovernor Ueda warns Trump’s tariff moves could derail global growth. Signals cautious monetary stance amid trade uncertainty.AI & Tech Hit Hard by US Export ControlsNvidia flags a potential US$5.5B revenue hit; ASML lowers outlook. Trade barriers are biting deeply into the global semiconductor market.UN Projects Global Growth Slowing to 2.3%UNCTAD warns of recessionary pressures in 2025 driven by geoeconomic tensions and policy uncertainty. Investment sentiment weakening worldwide.WTO Slashes Trade ForecastsGlobal merchandise trade expected to shrink 2% in 2025. North America hardest hit; rising tariffs could worsen the outlook further.Malaysia–China Sign 31 MOUsPM Anwar and President Xi oversee deals across tech, security, media, infrastructure, tourism, and more. Highlights deeper bilateral engagement.Regional Energy & Trade Talks ContinuePM Anwar discusses US tariff fallout with Japan’s PM. ASEAN nations explore cooperation on hydrogen and power grid connectivity.US Launches Minerals Tariff ProbeNew investigation targets rare earths and uranium—part of broader national security strategy. Tariffs could expand beyond current reciprocal duties.Key Takeaways & Investor Insights✅ China–Malaysia Ties Deepen – 31 MOUs signal long-term opportunity in tech, trade, and infrastructure. Watch joint labs and BeiDou integration.✅ Green Finance & Energy in Focus – From UOA’s office project to OCK’s solar plant, sustainability-linked deals are gaining momentum.✅ Global Trade Headwinds Strengthen – Forecast downgrades from UN, WTO, and central banks suggest caution is warranted.✅ Tariffs Are Getting Personal – Chipmakers, AI leaders, and minerals now in the crosshairs—policy uncertainty remains a dominant risk factor.🎧 Listen Now for a deep dive into Malaysia’s financial gems and global trends shaping 2025!🔗 Subscribe & Share the Malaysia Money Matters podcast on Substack, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.Malaysia Money Matters is a one-person passion project. Subscribe for free or support me as a paid subscriber—it means the world to me! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mmoneymatters.substack.com