Morning Brief

• Indian equities continue to command attention. The Nifty 50 is up more than ten percent year to date, even as global investors grapple with slower growth, trade tensions, and rising focus on currency risk. What lies beneath this resilience, and what does it mean for Indian equities as we look toward 2026. We explore these questions with Pramod Amthe, Head of Institutional Equity Research at InCred Capital.

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Malaysia’s retail industry grew faster than expected in the third quarter of 2025, expanding almost 5% on a y-o-y basis, significantly exceeding the projected growth rate of 2.6%. Could this momentum carry over into 2026? We’ll be getting an outlook for the sector from Michael Liew, Secretary-General, Malaysia Retail Chain Association.

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Tensions along the Thailand-Cambodia border have escalated beyond a familiar bilateral dispute, drawing renewed regional and international attention. Bunn Nagara, Director & Senior Fellow at the Renaissance Strategic Research Institute, examines why the conflict matters now, what is truly at stake for Southeast Asia, and what mediation might look like.

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As the world’s second-largest producer, palm oil remains a cornerstone of Malaysia’s economy and its most important cash crop. 

But despite that importance, prices have struggled to find clear direction in 2025. What then is the outlook for 2026 and which planters have a better earnings profile. Alvin Tai, Analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence tells us.

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Shipping companies in 2025 had to navigate geopolitical disruption, tighter environmental rules and uncertainty over future fuel choices. All of which reshaped trade flows and operating costs. Kenneth Loh, Analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence tells us if the outlook of 2026 will continue to be as challenging.

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Kuala Lumpur is entering a critical phase, with a new Federal Territories Minister, a new Mayor, and a long-term vision like the KL Structure Plan 2040 in place. Cha-ly Koh, founder and CEO of UrbanMetry, talks about whether this moment represents a true reset for KL or whether the city remains locked into past decisions.

This episode of The First Look was brought to you by Emirates. Fly better, fly Emirates

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Shipping companies in 2025 had to navigate geopolitical disruption, tighter environmental rules and uncertainty over future fuel choices. All of which reshaped trade flows and operating costs. Kenneth Loh, Analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence tells us if the outlook of 2026 will continue to be as challenging.

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Now that Sabah's state election is out of the way and the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah government led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor is in charge, the state's claim to a 40% special grant of federal revenue is back in focus. Dr Oh Ei Sun, Principal Adviser at the Pacific Research Centre, share his views on the new administration's priorities going forward.

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Malaysia is about to see a significant shift in how online platforms are regulated. Under the Online Safety Act, global platforms with large Malaysian user bases such as WhatsApp, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube will now fall clearly under Malaysian law. CF Fong, Founder and CEO of LGMS Berhad gives us an update on the Act and the impact it will have.

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Following the recent mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, questions have been asked about how strict are Australia’s gun controls.  Professor Andrew Hemming, Associate Professor in Law at the University of Southern Queensland, walks us through the current regulatory landscape and explains how Australian politicians might act next.

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