Capital markets news | Mon 24 Aug 2026

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Venture capital in Malaysia
The structural governance and long-term financial sustainability of the market are defined by its regulatory bodies and available exit pathways. The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) strictly regulates the ecosystem, ensuring market integrity by registering fund managers under specialised, business-friendly legal frameworks rather than rigid retail fund rules. For investors to realise returns, the ecosystem relies on exit mechanisms consisting of regional corporate mergers and acquisitions (M&A) or public listings, which are facilitated locally on Bursa Malaysia via the high-growth ACE Market or the entrepreneur-focused LEAP Market.

Equity

TXCD plans RM22m cash call under new regularisation plan Edge
Ekovest’s rights issue tests investors’ faith Star
LYC Healthcare targets 28 Aug to issue overdue annual report Edge
ESG reporting opens new opportunities for Malaysia’s IPO market Reserve
MY Value Up must measure up Star
Tale of 2 transactions seeking greater control Star
Hedge fund stars spark race to cut taxes in Hong Kong and Singapore Edge
Vingroup among Vietnam stocks to debut on FTSE’s emerging market index Edge
Chinese flash-memory chipmaker YMTC plans to raise USD4.9b in Shanghai IPO Edge
Chery’s robot affiliate AiMOGA eyes IPO, targets overseas market Reuters
Fast fashion giant Shein valued at up to USD27b in Hong Kong IPO Reuters
Alibaba plans USD10b Hong Kong share placement to fund AI spending Edge Mail Reuters
Evergrande saga highlights short-selling risks, says Andrew Left Edge
Japan earmarks another USD944m for Rapidus in AI chip race Edge
Kakao to spin off chat app-based platform business into KakaoAI, relist in 2027 Edge
Samsung plans USD80b in dividends, buybacks after AI gains Edge Mail
Anthropic eyes USD100b-plus IPO, potentially eclipsing SpaceX Mail
Nvidia invests in data centre developer Cloverleaf Infrastructure Reuters
US equity funds draw inflows despite market pressures Reuters
AI could end Wall Street’s EPS obsession Star
Wall Street just decided that debt’s gotten out of control after years of warnings Yahoo
JPMorgan CEO warns that margin debt is the highest it has ever been Yahoo
The next big oil trade may have nothing to do with oil stocks Yahoo
SEC charges former Bank of America investment banker with insider trading Reuters

Debt

Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang’s AAA programme rating affirmed RAM
MHB’s rating outlook revised to positive MARC
Nungsari: TH’s RM11.5b sukuk not a new bailout Reserve
Singapore’s DayOne seeks USD237m loan for Hong Kong data centre Edge
Evergrande creditors owed USD45b now face more complex path Edge
Ray Dalio says sell bonds, buy gold, bitcoin as US debt crisis looms Edge Telegraph
Yields extend rise following strong US services data Edge
Big Tech’s debt drives credit risk Star
US corporate AI debt surge tests investor limits as fatigue emerges Reuters
How the US government pushed the national debt to USD40t Yahoo
Trump says he did not direct Bessent to intervene in bond market Reuters
Treasury’s recent moves are soft-form financial repression to lower debt costs Yahoo
Bessent has no easy fix for what’s really driving bond yields up Yahoo
Trump is in another unwinnable war – this time with the bond market Yahoo
JP Morgan just poured cold water on Bessent’s bond fix Yahoo
Mohamed El-Erian says 30-year Treasury yield at 5.27% signals structural shift Yahoo
US long bonds risk deeper selloff without clear Warsh guidance Yahoo
US plans USD725m payment towards its large UN debt Reuters
Fitch keeps Poland rating at ‘A-‘, cites fiscal risks in negative outlook NST

Commodities

Iranian oil offers to Chinese buyers fall as US blockade bites, sources say Edge
US to impose ‘toughest sanctions in history’ on Iran Edge
US Treasury Secretary Bessent to hold press conference today Reuters
Iran war could last ‘deep into 2027’ as the Strait of Hormuz isn’t that closed Yahoo
Iraq sets sights on 10m barrels a day as Hormuz disruption bites Mail
Oil set for second weekly rise as unsettled US-Iran war crimps supply NST Star
Oil falls 1% ahead of US announcement to impose further sanctions on Iran Reuters
Goldman says options demand could push gold beyond USD4,900 forecast Edge
Why Bank of America strategist Michael Hartnett says the trade is still long gold Yahoo

Digital assets

Nomura-backed Laser Digital wins Japan’s first crypto approval in 4 years Desk Telegraph
South Korea seeks expanded FIU powers over unregistered crypto firms Telegraph
Capital.com plans UAE spot crypto services after affiliate wins licence Telegraph
Fed study finds crypto investors driven by beliefs, easily swayed by returns Telegraph
Bitcoin nears USD80k amid biggest weekly rally in 3 years Edge
Jordi Visser warns betting against Treasury intervention, favours bitcoin Yahoo
StanChart wavers on USD100k Bitcoin year-end call, says it may be ‘too low’ Telegraph
A new reality for crypto Star
Crypto’s next billion users might be AI agents, and they’re paying with stablecoins Desk
Tokenised stocks risk repeating Wall Street’s 1960s ‘paper crisis,’ Fairmint CEO says Desk
CME CEO spars with CFTC chair about need to regulate prediction market Edge
Crypto advocates join in suing Illinois over digital asset tax Desk
MiCA is coming for DeFi vaults, but regulation will be difficult Telegraph
Crypto goes international in Russia as new law takes effect from 1 Sep Mail

M&A

NexG says govt sought indicative price for Datasonic, values unit at RM7.5b Reserve Star
Govt will not acquire MyKad, passport supplier Datasonic Edge Reserve
NexG welcomes govt decision not to acquire Datasonic Technologies Reserve
Minox plans venture into property development with acquisition of Johor firm Edge
Govt challenges Semantan valuer’s assessment of 1956 Duta Enclave land value Edge
Jardine C&C to sell Cycle & Carriage to Indonesia’s Chandra Asri for SGD265m Edge
Australia’s Steadfast agrees to USD5.5b buyout bid by KKR-backed consortium Reuters
JPMorgan hiring Bank of America’s David Fishman as head of technology M&A Reuters
Paramount and California to hold preliminary talks on Warner Bros deal Edge Reuters
Commerzbank chair calls for review of German takeover rules after UniCredit bid Reuters

Malaysia

2Q2026 GDP grows 6% despite global headwinds Reserve
Econtemplation: A booming economy too concentrated for many to feel Edge
Malaysia’s growth story has a missing piece Star
Total trade up 24.7% to RM2.2t in Jan-Jul 2026 — Matrade Edge NST Star
Consumer sector reality check Star
Johor-Singapore SEZ draws RM126.9b in FDI — Johor CM Edge
Malaysia’s GST dilemma Star
Rebuilding institutional confidence Star
Khee San unit’s bank accounts frozen in AML probe Edge Reserve Star
Who is Xeraya Capital? A look at the venture capital firm being probed Edge
5 investigation papers launched in Tabung Haji probe, 127 individuals quizzed Edge
Authorities detain Tabung Haji ex-CEO after questioning Edge
Muhyiddin’s trial: PMO had no direct involvement in procurement decision Edge
Ex-home minister’s aide asked for RM350k to help company secure PDRM tender Edge
Penang development agency senior exec among 5 nabbed over RM1.96m land deal Edge

Other markets

Singapore: A firmer policy signal, an unchanged investment case Reserve
New Bank Indonesia chief’s shift from high yields to test rupiah, analysts say Edge
Destry stresses growth, vigilance in first BI meet Star
Indonesia welcomes more Chinese investments, business: Prabowo NST
China plans new fiscal support policies amid growth slowdown Edge
China to revise regulations for outbound investment Edge
Roads to prosperity: Is China really a beggar-thy-neighbour power? Edge
A date on the calendar could shape the BOJ’s endgame on interest rates Reuters
Japan’s core inflation accelerates in Jul, bolsters case for rate hike Edge Star Reuters
Japan manufacturing expands as orders rise fastest since 2018, PMI shows NST
South Korea, Japan pledge to maintain close coordination after FX intervention Edge
India’s economic activity stays subdued as manufacturing weakens Edge
World Bank projects Lebanon economy to contract by 6.4% due to war NST
Fed minutes show Sep rate hike still on the table Edge
Warsh to make first Jackson Hole speech as Fed chair Edge
Treasury’s debt buyback risks putting the dollar in a devaluation spiral Yahoo
US service sector fuels acceleration in business activity, S&P Global says Edge Reuters
US hits Canadian goods with 50% tariffs after trade talks fail Reuters
Canada to impose retaliatory tariffs on US steel, electronics, others Edge Mail Reuters
Venezuela adopting US dollar would be biggest currency switch Yahoo
UK posts unexpected budget deficit in Jul as spending rises Edge
Traders are bracing for an increasingly hawkish ECB Reuters
Eurozone business activity up slightly in Aug on manufacturing surge Edge
French business activity unexpectedly weakens on heat wave Edge
The frontiers of growth: The real competitiveness test Edge