Malaysia Money Matters Daily News Digest 18th Nov 2025

In today’s episode, we dive into a week defined by booming retail, capital outflows, and a major political shift on Sabah’s revenue claim. From EPF’s profit-taking signals to 99 Speed Mart’s record quarter, the key question now is:what happens when liquidity starts leaving the system?Malaysian Corporate & Market Developments🛒 99 Speed Mart Profit Surges 50% in Q3Net profit hits RM160.7M, revenue climbs 19% to RM3.04B. Expansion into Fuzhou (China) and Kelantan caps a stellar strategy execution.💰 EPF Investment Income Up 27% to RM25.4BStrong quarter, but CEO signals caution: equity valuations are “elevated” and EPF will accelerate profit-taking in Q4. Liquidity watch begins.🏦 Public Bank Profit Slips 3.65% in Q3RM1.84B net profit dented by OPR cuts. Even bond gains couldn’t offset the pressure on net interest margins.📉 CelcomDigi Net Profit Falls 22%Q3 earnings drop to RM341M as post-merger integration costs and provisions bite. Dividend maintained, but bottom line hit hard.🏛️ Chubb Malaysia Readies IPOInsurer listing on main market — a compliance move to meet BNM’s foreign ownership rules. Regulatory mandate driving market activity.Projects, Policy & Political Developments🚈 LRT3 Delayed (Again) to Late 2025Safety testing cited for latest setback. Klang Valley commuters face continued delays on critical infrastructure.🚗 Multi-Lane Free Flow Enforcement Legislation ComingGov’t plans legal amendments in 2026 to support toll payment enforcement for MLFF system. Key for smart mobility rollout.🧾 Sabah’s 40% Revenue Claim Enters Implementation PhaseFederal gov’t sets up committee, won’t appeal court ruling. A landmark move on MA63, setting up potential fiscal restructuring with Sabah.Global & Geopolitical Outlook🌏 China-Japan Tensions Escalate Over TaiwanChina threatens economic retaliation — including cutting tourism — in response to Taiwan-linked disputes. Regional risk on the rise.⚠️ Bangladesh PM Sentenced to DeathShocking sentence for Sheikh Hasina just months ahead of elections. Major instability warning for South Asia investors.💼 Alphabet Gets Buffett BoostBerkshire Hathaway discloses nearly US$5B stake in Google’s parent. Rare tech bet from Buffett sends strong market signal amid AI cost concerns.🎧 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 PodcastsMalaysia 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