Capital markets news | Fri 2 Jan 2026
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2026 surprises > Shadow banking and plumbing: A major shock might originate in NBFIs, i.e. private credit, real‑estate debt funds, or vol sellers, then spill into banks, with FX‑swap markets amplifying USD funding stress and forcing bond selling. Policymakers may normalise targeted flow controls or macro‑prudential gates if early adopters avoid heavy market punishment.
Equity
- 5E Resources gets Bursa nod for listing NST
- Capital A’s AAX share distribution, private placement delayed Edge Mail Star
- CXMT eyes Shanghai listing to fund DRAM expansion Star
- China AI chip firm Biren raises USD717m in Hong Kong IPO Star
- Chinese AI firms drive Hong Kong’s busiest IPO month since 2019 Edge
- Hong Kong stock market logs best year since 2017, Shanghai best in 6 years Edge
- Baidu’s AI chip arm Kunlunxin files confidentially for Hong Kong listing Yahoo
- Oyo Hotels’ parent files confidential IPO in India Star
- Indian stocks face worst Asia underperformance in 3 decades Edge
- London blue‑chip FTSE 100 on track to cap strongest year in 16 Edge
- Sovereign funds push into tech as assets swell to USD15t Edge Star
Debt
- Bank Pembangunan’s AAA ratings affirmed MARC Star
- IJM Corp’s AA3 sukuk rating affirmed RAM
- Malakoff Power’s MARC-1, AA- sukuk ratings affirmed MARC
- Tanjung Bin O&M’s AA- sukuk rating affirmed MARC
- LBS’ AA- sukuk programme rating affirmed MARC
- Tan Chong Motor’s A sukuk rating affirmed MARC
- Malaysia’s loan growth eases in Nov, BNM data show Edge
- Loan growth expected to reach 5.7% in 2026 Star
- Foreigners dump record Indian bonds as weak rupee erodes returns Edge Star
- Cash-strapped Saks skips bond payment Star
- Dec FOMC minutes show Fed is worried short-term funding could seize up Coindesk
Digital assets
- India’s RBI warns CBDCs must replace stablecoins to prevent financial chaos Yahoo
- Turkmenistan legalises crypto mining and exchanges Yahoo
- Trump firm to start new cryptocurrency for shareholders Star Coindesk
- Bitcoin got stuck after slumping 30% from its peak. Here’s why. Coindesk
- Bitcoin’s market got calmer thanks to yield-hungry institutional investors Coindesk
- 2026 will be red for bitcoin, but payment tech will improve Cointelegraph
- AI models’ prediction for bitcoin and altcoin price ranges in 2026 Cointelegraph
- Perp DEXs almost triple volume in 2025 as onchain derivatives mature Cointelegraph
- 2 goals Ethereum must meet to become the world computer Coindesk
- Korbit fined USD1.9m for anti money-laundering, KYC breaches Coindesk
- How crypto laws changed in 2025 and how they’ll change in 2026 Cointelegraph
- Digital ID, CBDCs risk turning US into surveillance state Cointelegraph
M&A
- Sarawak completes acquisition of MASwings Edge NST
- NCT Alliance wins shareholders greenlight for strategic deal NST
- Catcha Digital keeps buying, but can its earnings growth outrun dilution risks? Edge
- Axis REIT acquires industrial property in Senai for RM34.6m Edge Star
- Nickel Industries says Sphere to buy 10% of Indonesian project Edge
- Advanced Biomed sells Hong Kong subsidiary for USD23k Yahoo
- KKR’s bid to take Yomeishu private derailed by top shareholder Edge Star
- HPE-Juniper deal still under fire after DOJ approval Star
- Credicorp to buy Florida’s Bank Helm for USD180m Star
- America’s Test Kitchen acquiring bankrupt recipe site Food52 Star
- Nukkleus completes Tiltan acquisition Yahoo
Malaysia
- BNM official reserve assets at USD124.12b as of end‑Nov 2025 Mail NST Star
- Nov headline inflation at 1.4% NST Star
- BNM reappoints Nor Zahidi Alias to Monetary Policy Committee Edge NST Star
- Bank Negara announces reappointments to MPC, SAC Star
- Stronger outlook for card payments until 2029 Star
- Customs Department targets higher revenue collection for 2026 NST
- Malaysia enters 2026 with solid investment momentum NST
- Key EPF enhancements, policy changes that will take effect from 1 Jan Edge
- Onn Hafiz announces Johor’s historic RM2.67b revenue for 2025 Edge
Other markets
- Singapore’s economy grew by 4.8% in 2025, says PM Edge Star
- Singapore GDP rises 5.7% last quarter on manufacturing surge Edge
- Former GIC and Avanda’s Sung Cheng Chih to be new chairman of SGX RegCo Edge
- China greenlights yuan gains at year-end with measured approach Edge
- China’s factory activity edges up, snapping 8-month slide NST Star
- Xi declares China set to meet 2025 GDP goal as factories rebound Edge Mail Star
- China unveils USD51b in early spending to support economy Edge
- Taiwan’s TSMC starts mass production of 2nm semiconductors Mail NST
- Japanese business lobby chiefs urge government to tackle yen weakness NST Star
- South Korea’s inflation cools even as weak won stokes import costs Edge NST
- AI boom drives South Korea exports to record USD700b in 2025 Mail NST Star
- Pakistan’s growth in Sep quarter slows Star
- Fed minutes show most officials expect additional rate cuts Edge NST Star
- Divisions at the Fed that defined 2025 are expected to carry into 2026 Yahoo
- Gold is pricing in something the Fed won’t say out loud Yahoo
- Dollar set for worst year since 2017 with Fed drama centre stage Edge
- Here’s how the US economy fared under Trump in 2025 Edge Star
- US weekly jobless claims fall to 1-month low Edge
- SNB sharply reduces foreign currency purchases Star
- Bulgaria joining euro is powerful symbol for Europe Edge NST Star Yahoo
- European banks plan to cut 200k jobs as AI takes hold Yahoo
- World’s richest add record USD2.2t in wealth in 2025 Edge