Capital markets news | Wed 19 Aug 2026

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Venture capital in Malaysia
General Partners (GPs) are the professional venture capitalists and fund management firms who assume full operational control and make all day-to-day investment decisions for the fund. Firms like Gobi Partners or 500 Global act as GPs, taking on the responsibility of scouting high-growth startups, conducting deep due diligence, negotiating deal terms, and actively guiding portfolio companies toward profitable exits. GPs bear unlimited operational and legal liability for the fund, invest a small percentage of their own money to align incentives, and are compensated through a standard 2% annual management fee alongside a 20% performance bonus on investment profits known as carried interest.

Equity

Butterfield launches ACE Market IPO at 48 sen, raising RM72m Edge Reserve Star
Sarawakian family-run contractor OGC files for ACE Market IPO Edge
Pioneer Heat, EcoSys advance ACE Market IPO plans Reserve
Questions to ask when the state rules the market Edge
Wealth creation, asset ownership crucial for Malaysia’s future prosperity Edge
Primus takes SC to court over investigation into UBB Amanah Edge
Millennials, Gen Z make up majority of new investors at Bursa Malaysia NST
Hedge fund Dymon said to raise USD1b from Abu Dhabi’s ADIC, ramp up hires Edge
Kembangan Capital Partners to raise USD725m anchored by sovereign fund Edge
Alibaba-backed robot maker LimX said to plan up to USD300m Hong Kong IPO Edge
Hedge fund tax break grips Hong Kong as banks fear exodus Edge
Temasek-backed Milky Mist jumps 30% in India debut, hits USD1.5b valuation Edge
NSE said to seek up to USD55b valuation in record India IPO Edge
Glencore’s planned Australian debut draws interest as investors look past coal Reuters
Anthropic prepares supervoting power for founders ahead of IPO Reuters
Scott Galloway says SpaceX is a USD10 to USD30 stock Yahoo
Citadel Securities urges SEC to reconsider proposal to scrap key stock-trading rule Reuters
Chip designer Velaura AI valued at more than USD1b in funding round Reuters
A dropout USD1m from Peter Thiel at 19 is now a billionaire Yahoo

Debt

KIP REIT’s RM175m 2026-Issue 6 Class A MTN assigned preliminary AAA rating RAM
Bank Muamalat’s ratings affirmed MARC
Norway wealth fund cuts Malaysia exposure by a third as bond holdings plunge Edge
AmBank Q1 net profit rises to RM520m as loans grow 7% NST
Boost rolls out digital banking, payments platform for SMEs NST Star
Thai banks’ bad loans edge down in 2Q, lending rises Edge
ByteDance draws over USD30b in orders for jumbo bank loan Edge
SoftBank Group plans USD6.3b bond issue Edge
Bonds, stocks jolted as Middle East tensions shatter market calm Edge NST Star Yahoo
With national debt at USD40t, BofA has warning for bond investors Yahoo Reuters
US 10-year yields climb to highest since 2025 as rout deepens Edge Yahoo
US 30-year yields hit highest level since 2007 as war, oil worries fester Star Yahoo
The bond market is daring the Fed to hike Yahoo
Jeff Gundlach criticises Nvidia’s USD500b AI financing push Yahoo
Anthropic’s pre-IPO credit facility set to exceed USD10b Reuters
Dodgers’ owner Mark Walter to buy USD6.5b in assets from troubled insurer Yahoo Reuters
Petrobras mulls improving Braskem credit terms amid debt talks Edge Star Reuters
European banks provide EUR300m backing to Scottish data centres Edge Star
Euro zone bonds join global selloff, yields hit multi-year highs NST
Bonds play the blues Edge
Global bond markets put governments on notice over fiscal, inflation risks Reuters

Commodities

Indonesia’s planned commodity exchange to cover palm oil, nickel, coal Edge NST
UAE says Iran fired 2 missiles at country as war drags on Yahoo
Saudi Arabia resumes oil loadings, sales from inside Strait of Hormuz Edge
Oil prices at near 3-week high as US-Iran peace hopes fade Edge NST Star Yahoo
How Gulf oil is escaping the Strait of Hormuz Yahoo
Australia to spend AUD3.2b on 1b litre fuel reserve Mail
Trump takes hard line on Iran as Hormuz standoff drags on Yahoo
US-Iran tensions push oil prices higher as diesel margins hit records Yahoo
US to announce steps to help refiners produce more fuel, energy chief Wright says Reuters
US shale majors cut spending despite higher oil prices Yahoo
US oil producers set to ink production deals with Venezuela Yahoo

Digital assets

China adds 8 banks to digital yuan network as operator count hits 30 CT
HashKey taps Hong Kong’s first regulated stablecoin to settle insurance, trade CD
Toyota Finance opens tokenised bonds to retail investors via mobile payment app CT
South Korea’s Jeonbuk Bank taps Ripple for cross-border payments CT
South Korea joins more than 30 jurisdictions restricting Polymarket access CD CT
Kalshi files for stock index perpetuals in challenge to traditional exchanges Reuters
Robinhood CEO urges US to clear path for tokenised stocks as overseas advance CD
Neuberger, Securitize partner on multi-chain tokenised fixed-income fund launch CT
Visa looks for new stablecoin settlement partner after BVNK sale to Mastercard CD
Crypto’s easy-money era is ending in a wave of failures CD
Financial Accounting Standards Board proposes stablecoins as ‘cash equivalent’ CD
US SEC proposes first major crypto rule in surprise announcement CD CT Yahoo
Alleged USD165m crypto Ponzi mastermind faces US charges after Fiji deportation CT
Kraken launches US-listed stock trading for EEA customers CT

M&A

Leader Cable exits liquidation after investor-backed restructuring Edge
Korean parent to dispose of Malaysia-listed Lotte Chemical Titan Edge
Kossan to acquire 2 cleanroom businesses for RM48.4m Edge Reserve Star
Puncak Niaga to sell 2 plots of land for RM237m to pare debt Edge Reserve Star
Anytime Fitness Asia’s owner weighing USD400m sale Edge
Japan’s Metaplanet launching US bitcoin treasury company through USD135m deal CD CT
KKR makes USD9b takeover bid for energy distributor UGI Reuters
Goldman Sachs to buy LCN Capital Partners in up to USD410m deal Reuters
JBS seeks full control of Pilgrim’s Pride Reuters
Theater trade group Cinema United calls on Paramount and California AG to settle Reuters
US transport regulator resumes review of Union Pacific’s proposed Norfolk merger Reuters
Frasers lifts stake in German fashion house Hugo Boss to 48% Edge

Malaysia

EPF tiered dividends may not be progressive: Ong Kian Ming NST
PNB’s new chief to stay the course Edge
The push for better capital discipline Edge
Digital economy on track to account for 30% of GDP by 2030 Edge Star
10 focus areas in upcoming Budget 2027 — MOF Edge
Budget 2027 seen offering more incentives to SMEs Star
Online job listings fall 11.4% in 2Q NST
Minimum wage review timely Star
Govt studying ways to improve SST, including GST elements Edge Reserve Star
Tax wish list for a more competitive Malaysia Star
COA bins IRB’s appeal for additional tax assessment following RPGT clearance Edge
US Tier 2 illegal transshipment risk classification threatens higher compliance costs NST
West River wins 2 small hydropower projects in Perak Edge Reserve NST Star
Court hears Khazanah transferred about RM20m to FashionValet in 2018 Edge
PMO directed all Jana Wibawa contractor nominations, says MOF official Edge
MACC to haul 3 top corporate execs to court tomorrow Edge
Tabung Haji probe not restricted to RCI scope Edge
Risk flagged after RCI finds Tabung Haji used RM4b in management estimates Mail
Chances of Tabung Haji recovering full Al-Rawda arbitration award balance low NST
Najib signed pre-prepared 1MDB minutes drafted by Jho Low Edge
Ex-1MDB CEO denies treating Jho Low like PM Edge
Hydroshoppe corruption trial set for 2027 with 29 prosecution witnesses Edge

Other markets

Thailand deficit highlights risk of oil dependence Star
Renewable power pipeline expands rapidly Star
Xi’s No. 2 urges more support for economy after big growth slump Edge
Rate hikes may be a blunt tool, but they’re all the Fed has to cool inflation Edge
Korea denies report on discussing chips as first US investment Edge
US industrial production climbs for second straight month Edge
Maybe the economy isn’t so K-shaped anymore Yahoo
Carney and Trump speak again as tariff deadline looms Reuters
US-Canada trade talks are bogged down by auto sector tariffs Edge Star Yahoo
UK payrolls fall, vacancies at five-year low in weak job market Edge
Norway’s sovereign wealth fund CEO issues dire warning after record profit Yahoo