Morning Brief

Recently hotels in Malaysia asserted that they would need to raise room rates by up to 15% as a result of the revised tax structure. We ask Nigel Wong, President, The Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA) if this price increase is warranted whilst getting an outlook on the tourism sector.

Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More Chinese nationals are travelling abroad, but spending per tourist is on the decline. Catherine Lim, Senior Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, explains where Chinese consumers are directing their spending and which sectors and companies stand to benefit from this shift in consumption trends.

Image Credit: Shutterstock.com   

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tesla maintains a positive long-term outlook despite recent credit cuts under the Big Beautiful Bill. While the company — along with the broader tech sector — faces headwinds including tariffs, weaker tech spending, and a slowdown in U.S. AI investments, sentiment remains optimistic. Dan Ives, Managing Director at Wedbush Securities, continues to back top tech names and describes the coming six months as a potential “golden age” for software stocks.

Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nine PKR Members of Parliament, including former Cabinet members, Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, are calling for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into alleged political interference and delays in judicial appointments. One of the other 9 MPs, Wong Chen, who represents Subang, joins us to warn us of this crisis of confidence in Malaysia’s judiciary and the urgent actions needed to be taken.

Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Robinhood launches tokenised equities tied to private firms like OpenAI and SpaceX, questions are mounting over the risks of unregulated digital assets. Varun Mittal, founder of Fintech Nation explains the issues as well as where he thinks bitcoin may be heading.

Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Major reforms are underway to elevate the Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) to degree-equivalent status and guarantee apprentices a minimum wage of RM1,700 as Malaysia rethinks the role of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). Shazrul Ariff Suhaimi of Khazanah Research Institute explains the implications.

Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On a year to date basis, the USD has depreciated against major currencies by almost 10%, the sharpest drop since 1973. We ask Peter Chia, Senior FX Strategist, UOB as if that trend will continue and also where Asian currencies are heading.

Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By the end of July, there will be three vacancies in Malaysia's top three judicial positions: the Chief Justice of the Federal Court, the President of the Court of Appeal, and the Chief Judge of Malaya, raising concerns about judicial independence and the need for timely appointments. Lim Wei Jiat, a constitutional lawyer, shares his perspectives on this issue.

Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the July 9th deadline fast approaching before the 90-day pause on Liberation Day reciprocal tariffs ends, only the UK and Vietnam appear to have struck a semblance of a trade deal with the US. Lavanya Venkateswaran, Senior ASEAN Economist at OCBC, analyses the situation and what this might mean for Vietnam and other countries in the 10-nation bloc.

Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Indonesia’s budget deficit is set to hit Rp662 trillion rupiah, around $40 billion US dollars or 2.8% of GDP, pushing close to its 3% legal cap. Can the government keep spending under control while rolling out social programmes such as free meals and low-cost housing? We’ll get perspective from Daniel Moss, Opinion Columnist at Bloomberg.

Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.