Morning Brief

Asian markets have been in a flux recently with geopolitical tensions and tariff uncertainty. This was also felt in the bond market with yields rallying in Japan but what are the investment opportunities in this part of Asia? Christy Tan, Investment Strategist, Franklin Templeton Institute tells us her perspective.

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Malaysia’s fiscal deficit narrowed by 17% in the Q1 of 2025, talks that a RON95 subsidy rationalisation may soon be happening and the ringgit strengthening the most in recent years. Yet the road ahead looks far from smooth. Dr Afzanizam Abdul Rashid, Chief Economist at Bank Muamalat, discusses these issues.

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Singapore’s economy shrank 0.6% in the first quarter, prompting recession concerns. Its banks may be showing early signs of strain as DBS, OCBC and UOB reported narrowing net interest margins. Sarah Jane Mahmud, Senior Industry Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence discusses the earnings trajectory of Singapore’s top banks amid current headwinds.

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Kuala Lumpur has seen a flurry of activity over the past few days with the 46th ASEAN Summit and related events taking place. We speak to Shannon Teoh, Malaysian Bureau Chief for the Straits Times for his observations of the high-level gathering and the expected outcomes.

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PKR has chosen its new national leadership line-up, with Nurul Izzah Anwar defeating incumbent Dato’ Seri Rafizi Ramli for the post of deputy president, and a shake-up among elected vice-presidents. What does this mean for the direction of the party moving forward? We get analysis from Ibrahim Suffian of the Merdeka Centre.

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After Sarawak’s recent push for greater autonomy, Penang is ramping up its own efforts to gain more control over its finances and governance by reactivating a committee on state-federal relations. This move highlights growing demands for a fairer share of resources to support the state’s development goals. YB Gooi Hsiao Leung, State Assemblyman for Bukit Tengah shares his insights on this matter.

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Asian currencies, including the ringgit, are riding a wave of strength, buoyed by a sliding US dollar and improved regional sentiment. Christopher Wong, FX Strategist at OCBC, joins us to unpack the drivers behind the rally, from US fiscal concerns to China’s policy stance, and whether this momentum can last.

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President Trump’s $3.8 trillion tax bill narrowly cleared the House, exposing deep Republican divides over cuts to Medicaid and food aid. Despite GOP control, unity is fragile. As the bill heads to the Senate, questions remain over who benefits—and who pays the price. Sharing her insights is Dr Kathryn Robison, Lecturer in American Studies, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney.

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PKR members will vote today for a new central party leadership with key positions including the deputy presidency and vice-presidencies being contested. Dr Azmi Hassan, Senior Fellow at the Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research, shares his perspectives, especially on the hotly contested deputy president post vying incumbent Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli against Nurul Izzah Anwar.

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Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Anwar Ibrahim and Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg appear to have buried the hatchet on the Petros-Petronas dispute, signing a joint declaration this week on the collaborative framework between the two entities. But does this fully resolve the friction between Putrajaya and Kuching on oil and gas rights? We get reactions from Dr. Tricia Yeoh of the University of Nottingham Malaysia.

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