Capital markets news | Wed 2 Sep 2026

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Employees Provident Fund (EPF)
EPF’s 2025 performance outpaced 2024, driven by a volatile, equity-led return environment despite softer domestic market conditions. Total investment income rose 6.4% to RM79.2 billion (from RM74.5 billion in 2024), while distributable income climbed 9.5% to RM82.7 billion. Backed by portfolio returns and RM66.5 billion in net contributions, total investment assets expanded 12.8% to RM1.41 trillion. Equities remained the primary driver, generating RM50.7 billion (64% of income), followed by fixed income at RM26.3 billion, real estate and infrastructure at RM1.6 billion, and money-market instruments at RM0.6 billion. Ultimately, EPF declared a 6.15% dividend for both Conventional and Shariah savings—down from 2024’s 6.30%—reflecting a moderated 7.9% return on investment due to global market volatility.

Equity

RedPlanet inks underwriting deal for listing transfer to ACE Market Edge Star
Northern Solar receives SC approval for proposed transfer to Main Market Edge NST Star
United Asiapac Energy’s 11th-hour listing postponement raises eyebrows Edge
MClean Technologies plans private placement to raise up to RM26m Reserve
10 Bursa-listed firms seek new auditors after TGS TW resigns Edge
Bursa Malaysia seeks feedback on plans for a paperless securities market Edge
Local institutions extend buying streak to 5 weeks with RM200.5m inflow Edge NST Star
UltraGreen.ai share-price plunge tests SGX’s push for IPO variety Star
Shein makes lacklustre Hong Kong debut Edge Reserve Mail NST Reuters
India stock auction needs market makers as price swings persist Edge
Investors argue against novel ETF label in letters to US SEC Reuters
SEC proposes transfer agent rule, sets event for round-the-clock US trading Desk Telegraph
Firelight raises USD8m in Gumi Cryptos Capital-led investment round Desk
London Stock Exchange plans to roll out tokenised stocks in push into digital assets Edge

Debt

Malaysia bonds lag peers in Aug on supply, rate-hike concerns Edge Star
Malaysia’s resilience tested as regional risks and higher yields cloud outlook Reserve NST
Agrobank to fully disburse RM200m under oil palm smallholder scheme by Oct NST
Agrobank allocates RM10m financing for over 2,000 TVET graduates NST
RM1b additional micro-financing should come with faster approval: FMM NST Star
Global bond rout deepens as Japan’s yield hits key 3% milestone Edge Star Yahoo Reuters
Saudi Arabia returns to markets with dollar-bond offering Edge
Asian data centre debt binge hitting banks’ limits, Barclays says Edge
Goldman Sachs CEO says America has 2 choices: Grow faster or spend less Yahoo
Treasuries: US yields hit 19-month high after renewed US-Iran fighting Edge Yahoo
Mercado Pago unfazed by Brazil consumer debt as it expands credit card business Reuters
UK mortgage approvals fall to lowest since Jan 2024, Bank of England data shows Edge
Bond sell-off deepens and stocks drop as oil prices stoke inflation fears Edge NST Reuters
Why bond yields are rising and why everyone should care Yahoo Reuters
What’s behind the selloff in world bond markets? Yahoo Reuters

Commodities

Uptick in upstream activity likely in 2027 Star
Asia’s refined fuel imports hit post-war low, can the Middle East help? NST
US strikes Iran in latest tit-for-tat attacks NST
2 oil supertankers hit by projectiles in Hormuz, Marisks says Yahoo
Blockade succeeds where sanctions failed as Iran oil exports stall Reuters
Bessent says Hormuz will be ‘worthless’ as oil bypasses it Edge
Trump says Strait of Hormuz in ‘extremely good shape’ NST
Oil up more than 2% as renewed US-Iran strikes stoke supply fears Edge Star Yahoo Reuters
Iran urges US to comply with interim deal after Trump threatens further strikes Edge
As US-Venezuela oil deal takes shape, here are the key points Edge
White House releases terms of oil deal with North American Blue Energy Partners Edge NST
Trump’s oil deal with Venezuela raises red flags for some major producers Reuters
Venezuela’s assembly backs oil deal announced with US Reuters

Digital assets

Labuan FSA tightens oversight of digital money broking activities Star
Singapore proposes 100% reserves and a ban on yields for stablecoin issuers Desk Telegraph
Thailand SEC proposes retail access to regulated overseas crypto derivatives Telegraph
Bitcoin ‘kimchi premium’ is back as South Korean market stirs Edge
Asia sees digital asset custody infrastructure deals from Ripple, Coincheck Telegraph
Citi, Goldman, other banks, asset managers in stablecoin venture Desk Telegraph Reuters
Ethena pushes stablecoins into everyday banking Desk Telegraph
London Stock Exchange, Payward to bring biggest UK stocks onchain Desk Telegraph
UK’s crime agency freezes USD13.5m account in crypto crime probe Desk Telegraph

M&A

VSTECS to exit ISATEC for RM48.75m as it eyes core ICT expansion Edge Reserve NST Star
RM24.7m proposal for Bintai Kinden to exit Melaka university concession Edge Reserve Star
Pertama Digital gets extension for D-Ron acquisitions, but faces 15 Sep deadline Reserve
Indian court orders forensic audit into Fortis shareholding, IHH acquisition Edge
China court freezes Nexperia assets worth USD318m in fight over Dutch chipmaker Edge
Singapore’s Keppel DC REIT, Keppel to buy 2 Tokyo data centres for USD1.2b Edge
CoCo Ichibanya shares surge as Japan curry chain weighs sale Mail
Keurig Dr Pepper to sell back Chobani stake, manufacturing site for USD925m Reuters
Struggling GoPro sells majority stake to optical maker Starman for USD285m Reuters
Writers Guild ask court to reject Paramount request for USD1.9b bond NST
Nestle to offload mainstream vitamin brands for USD1b Reuters

Malaysia

Manufacturing PMI moderates in Aug Edge Reserve Mail NST Star
Manufacturing growth may slow amid geopolitical, trade risks Edge Star
MSME policy should focus on coordinated, outcome oriented support – MIER Star
Malaysia-Japan trade up 11.8% to USD23.3b in Jan-Jul 2026 Edge Mail NST Star
Malaysia’s trade advantage faces narrowing window Reserve
US to reveal findings on excess capacity probe within 4 weeks Edge
UBB Amanah and units face showdown with regulators Edge
Tabung Haji probe: MACC detains former minister over Saudi hotel lease agreement Edge
Former Tabung Haji chairman, ex-Treasury sec-gen released after 7-day remand Edge
Action on politicians, Tabung Haji mismanagement a little too late in the day Edge

Other markets

Destry, voted to lead Indonesian central bank, lifts growth forecast Edge Mail Star
Thailand shifts disaster risk to insurers with USD467m plan Edge
Vietnam’s middle-income trap solution Star
Solar surpasses coal as China’s top source of power capacity Edge
Japan, US agree to continue coordination on yen, Katayama says Edge Star
Bessent urges BOJ chief to combat weak yen with ‘decisive’ monetary steps Reuters
Japan faces day of policy reckoning as Bessent calls time on big stimulus Yahoo Reuters
Japan capital spending gathers pace Edge NST
South Korea proposes record USD597b 2027 budget for AI investment Edge NST
RBI’s short dollar book surges to record on diaspora deposits Edge
India’s growth beat suggests economy on cusp of investment boom Edge
Bessent says US likely to announce Iran bank sanctions this week Reuters
Global AI boom fuels Asia factory expansion in Aug Edge Reuters
Western Union probed in Australia over laundering controls Edge
Trump presses Fed to lower interest rates. It may do the opposite Yahoo
Fed’s Barr: If inflation doesn’t moderate, the central bank should raise rates Yahoo Reuters
Congress sends funding bill to avert US shutdown to Trump Yahoo
As US public finances crumble, the private sector is thriving Star
US manufacturing activity slows in Aug, input prices still elevated Edge Reuters
US job openings edge higher in Jul in sign of stable labour demand Edge Yahoo Reuters
US jobs most likely to grow or shrink in the next decade Yahoo
Finance ministers, except China, agreed cheap exports are unsustainable Yahoo Reuters
Some G20 differences remain over imbalances, sovereign debt Reuters
Canadian factory PMI dips in August but shows sector still expanding Reuters
Brazil’s Congress approves tax exemptions to attract data centre investments Reuters
Eurozone inflation jumps to highest in almost 3 years Edge Star
Eurozone factory growth at more than 4-year high in Aug, PMI shows Edge
Before giving AI more authority, decide what it can decide Yahoo