Capital markets news | Thu 21 May 2026
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Johor‑Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS -SEZ)
Johor offers lower corporate‑scale electricity tariffs (about 60% cheaper for businesses than Singapore) plus much cheaper rents (roughly 75% lower for offices). At the same time, companies can still tap Singapore’s well‑developed capital markets and financial infrastructure, so the SEZ is effectively a tax‑efficient, Singapore‑adjacent operating base for MNCs looking to re‑position supply chains.
Equity
- SkyeChip opens near 4 times IPO price on Main Market debut Edge NST Star
- Computer infrastructure firm Pentech opens IPO application at 20 sen per share Edge Star
- Sum Technology launches ACE Market IPO to raise nearly RM33m Edge
- Cover Story: TNG Digital may be first fintech unicorn on Bursa when listed Edge
- Bursa Malaysia to close on 27 May, 1-2 Jun for public holidays Edge Star
- Singapore tops Indonesia as biggest Southeast Asia stock market Edge Star
- Singapore: The death of 60/40 has been greatly exaggerated: Capital Group Edge
- Authorities move to calm investors as Jakarta stock market plunges Star
- Foreign firms eye Hong Kong listings as IPO rebound broadens Edge Star
- SpaceX files IPO prospectus, offering a peek into its finances Yahoo
- SpaceX wants a RM7t IPO valuation – Wall Street has questions Mail
- Goldman Sachs to lead SpaceX’s mega-IPO bank line-up Edge NST
- Rockets, robots and rage-posts: Mapping Elon Musk’s sprawling empire Mail
- OpenAI aiming for speedy IPO, source says, as market awaits SpaceX filing Yahoo
- Tech: Countdown to Anthropic’s trillion dollar IPO in Oct Edge
- Investment bank Lincoln International raises USD421m in US IPO NST
- Securitize remains in the red even as record quarter fuels public listing plans Coindesk
- Nvidia’s cash machine is now funding both sides of the AI trade Yahoo
Debt
- Alliance Islamic’s RM300m Islamic commercial papers programme rating withdrawn RAM
- CIMB Group and domestic subsidiaries ratings affirmed RAM
- TNB’s P1, AAA issue ratings affirmed RAM
- AEON Credit raises RM550m from RM5b sukuk programme Edge Star
- Mega First’s oleochemical JV applies for judicial management Edge
- Explainer: Borrowers to gain bigger, fairer savings as Rule of 78 scrapped NST
- High rates cool Vietnam bank bond issuance Star
- Japan’s longer bonds gain after auction brings short-term relief Edge
- Pimco favours Japan’s 30-year bonds, says yield curve ‘too steep’ Edge
- India to conduct USD5b dollar-rupee swap as FX pain persists Edge
- Global banks fill void in Australian AT1 market Star
- Warsh’s arrival leaves long bonds without a safety net Edge
- Bond market just handed US taxpayers USD2t in bad news Yahoo
- US mortgage rates rise to 6.56%, MBA says Yahoo
- Investors see no let-up in bond market strain Star
- The bond market is flashing a warning sign for the global economy Yahoo
- Bitcoin-backed loans belong in the cost-of-capital conversation Coindesk
Commodities
- MAG expects jet fuel prices at USD120-USD130 over next year Edge Mail NST Star
- Indonesia to bring commodity exports under centralised control, president says Edge
- Tankers exit Strait of Hormuz with 6m barrels of crude oil Edge
- World underestimating Iran war impact on LNG, says Woodside Edge
- Oil prices fall below USD100 on report Iran deal could be close Yahoo
- America’s emergency oil reserve saw its largest weekly drain in history Yahoo
- US oil and gas auction for New Mexico leases draws record USD4b in bids Yahoo
Digital assets
- SC tightens digital asset rules, targets unregistered exchanges Edge NST Star
- Singapore revokes Bsquared crypto permit over ‘serious breaches’ Edge
- Bitcoin rebounds as US Senate advances resolution to stop Iran war extension Yahoo
- These bitcoin metrics suggest Feb’s USD60k selloff may have marked the bottom Coindesk
- Key Bitcoin price metric used by bulls falls to 6-week low Cointelegraph
- Bitcoin sees fresh US sell-off as markets await Nvidia biggest earnings event Cointelegraph
- Coinbase expands branded stablecoin business with Flipcash USDF Cointelegraph
- Federal Reserve proposes limited master accounts long pursued by crypto firms Coindesk
- When crypto becomes an economic weapon Star
- EU opens MiCA consultation to review if crypto framework is still fit for purpose Coindesk
- AI and crypto are reshaping the global economy faster than most think Coindesk
M&A
- Batu Kawan buys 47.7% of MKH from Chen family; launches MGO at RM2 Edge Star
- Japan’s TDK to buy Malaysia-based battery start-up for USD241.1m Edge
- Ekuinas takes control of homegrown footwear brand XES Shoes Edge NST Star
- Meta Bright buys 70% of TTOP Industrial & Engineering for RM9.29m Edge Star
- Sealink seeks 60-day extension to consider Carimin’s 41 sen privatisation offer Edge
- Matrix Concepts sells MVV City industrial land to Golog Edge
- London’s GHO, Singapore’s CBC to merge into USD21b healthcare investor Edge
- OCBC said to outbid banks on HSBC Indonesia deal by wide margin Edge
- China’s outbound M&A spree has staying power Edge
- Japan’s Nikkon said to weigh going private with US funds to bid Edge
- Crypto custody firm Copper is looking to sell the company for USD500m Coindesk
- Tether buys SoftBank’s stake in bitcoin company Twenty One Capital Cointelegraph
Malaysia
- Interest rates likely to remain unchanged Star
- Consumer spending holds firm in 1Q amid Middle East conflict Edge
- Foreigners using locals as company proxies to evade tax — Inland Revenue Board Edge
- Apr exports up 36.9% to record high on strong E&E demand Edge NST Star
- Economists lift export forecasts after bumper Apr print Edge
- MBSB Investment revises 2026 export growth forecast to 8.8% NST
- Malaysia records strongest trust levels yet, employers most trusted institution NST
- US charges three former Telekom Malaysia staff for fraud Edge
- TM says ex-staff charged by US DOJ sacked earlier this year Edge
- TM cooperates with US DOJ on former TM USA employees NST Star
- Probe linked to Sunway-IJM takeover bid still on, says new MACC chief Abd Halim Edge
- MACC chief says seeking to quiz individuals in Taiwan, UK in RM1.1b Arm probe Edge
Other markets
- Cross-border anti-scam operation uncovers 138k cases, USD752m losses Edge
- OpenAI commits over SGD300m to help Singapore build applied AI base Edge
- Singapore urges financial firms to use AI to create better jobs NST
- Bank Indonesia surprises markets with half-point rate hike Edge NST Star
- Rupiah off record low after Bank Indonesia’s outsized rate hike Edge
- Indonesia’s Prabowo unveils ambitious growth and fiscal deficit targets Edge Star
- China cuts spending the most in 6 months in blow to economy Edge
- China says working with US to cut tit-for-tat tariffs on at least USD30b of goods Mail NST
- Iran threatens to retaliate beyond Middle East if US attacks Yahoo
- Fed meeting minutes: Officials to hold rates, consider hikes if inflation remains high Yahoo
- Fed minutes show more policymakers open to a rate hike Yahoo
- Fed’s Paulson calls for patience on policy Star
- What sagging bond prices are telling us about the US economy Yahoo
- High oil prices could tip the economy into a recession by Jul Yahoo
- Morgan Stanley sees a ‘trifecta’ driving inflation higher; Bessent sees disinflation Yahoo
- Bessent says high bond yields, energy prices are ‘transient,’ will ease as Iran war ends Yahoo
- UK inflation drops in Apr before expected energy jump Edge
- Don’t fight AI, HSBC CEO tells staff as banks begin job cuts Edge
- HSBC CEO says AI will destroy and create new jobs Edge Star
- EU strikes provisional agreement to finalise US trade deal Edge Mail NST
- UN cuts global growth forecast to 2.5%, blames Middle East crisis NST
- CEOs are getting ruthless about worker performance Yahoo