Today’s episode breaks down a market that’s deeply divided — with domestic growth powering ahead while global risks continue to pull certain sectors backward.

From bank earnings and manufacturing highs to AI chip wars and rare earth supply shocks, here’s what’s shaping your financial future.

Corporate Highlights: Booms, Blips & Big Bets

🏦 Alliance Bank Posts Best Quarter in 3 Years

* Strong profit driven by higher income and lower provisions

* Signals growing credit market confidence

🏍️ Hong Leong Industries Hits Record Profit

* Driven by motorcycle demand surge

* Declares increased dividend — shareholder-friendly move

🔌 Southern Cable Group Profit Nearly Doubles

* Riding the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR)

* Well-positioned in the electrification cycle

⚙️ Greatech Technology Hit by Global Uncertainty

* Q3 profit -17%

* US-China tariff friction delays client capex — reminder of geopolitical vulnerability

🚧 WCT Holdings Profit Drops 94%

* Headline looks grim, but it’s due to last year’s one-off gain

* New RM365M highway contract ensures future cash flow

📲 Catcha Digital in Growth-Only Mode

* CEO: No dividends ahead

* Capital focused entirely on acquisitions

⚖️ Maju Holdings Denied Judicial Management

* Faces a winding-up petition next month — serious liquidity concerns

Policy, Reform & National Projects

🌞 Johor Unveils US$6 Billion Renewable Energy Corridor

* Partnering with World Bank + Ditrolic Energy

* 2,000 sq km of hybrid solar & battery facilities

* 125,000 jobs, energy exports to Singapore via ASEAN Power Grid

* Signals a new clean energy era for southern Malaysia

🧑‍⚖️ Governance Moves

* Anti-Bullying Bill tabled Dec 1 — includes online harassment

* Constitutional amendment expected 2026 to separate AG & Public Prosecutor

* Dec 22 ruling could allow Najib Razak house arrest — legal precedent at stake

📦 Parcel Price Floor in the Works

* J&T + SPX Xpress dominate 74% of market

* Ministry mulls minimum pricing rules to protect smaller courier services

Global Developments with Local Impacts

💽 AI Chip War: Meta Eyes Google TPUs

* Billions in potential spending shift from Nvidia → Google

* Would upend current AI chip supply chain dominance

🧾 1MDB Update: US$2.8B Judgment Against Eric Tan

* Malaysian asset recovery efforts score another legal win

⚡ Lynas Supply Chain Disruption

* Australian plant outages to delay rare earth output in Malaysia

* Highlights fragile global resource interdependence

✈️ China–Japan Travel Tensions Escalate

* China orders airlines to cut Japan flights until March 2026

* Huge hit to Japan’s tourism revenue — geopolitical pressure by other means

📞 Trump’s Trade Truce Balancing Act

* Personal diplomacy with Xi Jinping & Japan PM Takaichi

* Markets watching every move as AI, tariffs, and chips remain flashpoints

🎧 Listen Now for a deep dive into Malaysia’s financial gems and global trends shaping 2025!

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