Capital markets news | Fri 19 Jun 2026
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US-Iran MOU
The US is not obligated to contribute any money to the USD300 billion reconstruction fund. The MOU states the US will work with regional partners to develop a USD300 billion plan, but the actual financing is expected to come from Gulf states and other partners. This creates a massive loophole where the fund could remain largely theoretical if those nations refuse to contribute, which they are reportedly hesitant to do.
Equity
- Sum Technology ends debut with 87.5% gain Edge NST Star
- RT Pastry’s ACE Market IPO oversubscribed by nearly 60 times Edge Star
- SRKK AI unveils IPO prospectus, aims to raise RM25m from ACE Market Edge
- Hartamodal, OSK are SME Corp’s investment partners under Dana Pemangkin Edge
- Kenanga expects mid-cap firms to ramp up share buy-backs in Malaysia Edge
- IPOs are back in Singapore, but are they any good for investors? Edge
- China’s stock gauge nears bear market on weak growth, tech slide Edge
- Analysts upbeat on Chinese A-shares upward cycle Star
- Billions in SpaceX IPO trades rattle ETFs Star
- 2 reasons investors should not short SpaceX stock Yahoo
- SPACs are back, thanks to Wall Street’s mega-IPO frenzy Star
Debt
- Creditor withdraws judicial management application against Maju Holdings Edge
- Malaysian banks can shrug off rising bad debts to pay higher dividends – S&P Edge
- Traders keep faith in Malaysian bonds in face of deficit warning Edge Star
- Aizo’s unit secures RM346.19m Islamic financing facilities for Kampar solar project NST Star
- Kuskop channels RM5b financing, benefiting 185k entrepreneurs NST
- Lenovo plans USD2b convertible bond sale for debt refinancing, buybacks Edge NST
- Blackstone’s AirTrunk seeks USD3b loan for Sydney project Edge
- Default shakes a USD80b corner of Muni Market Star
- The bond market is flashing a clear signal on interest rates Coindesk
- US mortgage rates fall to lowest in month as Mideast tensions ease Edge Yahoo
- Largest Brazil credit manager buys into debt selloff Star
Commodities
- Stranded oil is streaming out of Hormuz as US-Iran deal takes effect Edge
- Saudi-flagged supertankers sail through Hormuz after Iran deal signed Edge
- US ends Hormuz blockade, downplays tolls as negotiations restart Yahoo
- Goldman says Hormuz oil flows may recover to only 70% after war Edge
- Oil falls to lowest since start of Iran war after ceasefire deal signed Edge Star
- OPEC sticks to robust oil demand outlook, sees no peak to 2050 NST
Digital assets
- Bitcoin’s nemesis, the Dollar Index, is on the verge of a major breakout Coindesk
- Bitcoin’s deeply discounted versus AI-stocks, but hawkish Fed risk lingers Cointelegraph
- Bitcoin miners need billions to fund AI ambitions, led by IREN’s USD21b gap Cointelegraph
- Crypto market positioning is ‘defensive and thin’ after Fed Coindesk
- Token proposed that toggles between bank deposits and stablecoins Cointelegraph
- Algorand unveils roadmap to achieve quantum resistance by 2028 Coindesk
- Crypto clear winner of US proposal to scrap decades-old stock rule Edge
- US agencies seek stablecoin customer-ID rules akin to banks Coindesk
- Ireland mulls crypto safeguards in response to financial risks Cointelegraph
- Malta’s financial regulator explores bringing DeFi under MiCA Coindesk Cointelegraph
M&A
- BCM Alliance sells laundry companies for RM20m Star
- Harn Len unit buys Hong Kong serviced apartment block for HKD203.8m Edge
- Sunway -CSC JV tops bids for River Valley Green (Parcel C) GLS site at SGD1,730 psf Edge
- L’Oreal to acquire majority stake in Indian beauty startup Innovist NST
- Chinese regulators clear Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros Discovery merger Edge
- KKR eyes at least USD1b stake in Medicover’s India hospital arm NST
- Aramco seeks billions of dollars, plans to sell assets Star
Malaysia
- PNB nears RM400b asset milestone amid market headwinds NST
- Half of Malaysians yet to invest, PNB sees room to grow NST
- UOB sees affluent clients in Malaysia doubling by 2028 Edge NST Star
- Manulife Malaysia’s AUM hits record RM17.9b amid growth in insurance business Star
- Malaysia to look into expanding settling foreign trade payments in local currencies Edge
- Malaysia jumps eight spots to 15th in 2026 IMD World Competitiveness Ranking Edge Star
- Malaysia’s trade momentum seen holding through 2026 NST
- May trade signals more upside for Malaysia NST
- Johor’s data centres could consume 40% electricity demand by 2035, says WoodMac Edge
- Johor’s economic transformation covers 83 investment projects worth RM167.4b Edge Star
Other markets
- Singapore growth forecast nudged down to 3.5% Star
- Switzerland loses top competitiveness ranking to Singapore Edge
- Indonesia raises rates again to go ‘all out’ supporting rupiah Edge NST Star
- Citi analyst blasted by Indonesia says fiscal risks have peaked Edge
- Tech founder’s downfall in Indonesia shows rising business risks Edge
- Jakarta faces 20m tonnes of coal shortfall Star
- Thailand revives USD30b coast-to-coast corridor to rival Malacca Strait Edge Mail Star
- Philippines sees another rate hike to curb war-driven inflation Edge
- Japan’s central bank to hike rates again by Dec, say most economists Edge
- Japan vows to act ‘any time’ on yen as markets brace for intervention Edge
- HSBC Australia admits to scam failures, to pay USD25m fine Edge NST
- New Zealand’s economy perks up in 1Q, eyes on Iran war impact Star
- Warsh kicks off Fed chief era with sweeping review as rates remain unchanged Edge
- Warsh wants markets to guide the Fed, not the other way around Yahoo
- Goldman’s Kaplan says Fed may need to hike as soon as Sep Edge
- Citigroup pushes back Fed rate-cut timeline amid rising hawkishness Edge
- US weekly jobless claims fall, but remain elevated Edge Yahoo
- California billionaires tax has enough signatures for 2026 ballot Yahoo
- Space startups seek insurance for orbital AI data centres Edge
- Bank of England holds rates in 7-2 vote as oil outlook eases Edge
- Central banks warn inflation fight not over as Middle East tensions linger Mail
- Global green economy tops USD10t Star