Do you know? El NiñoThe World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and other climate agencies forecast a “very strong” El Niño peaking between Nov 2026 and Feb 2027, with Niño 3.4 ocean temperatures already exceeding +2°C. The event is expected to persist into 2027, with impacts lasting beyond the peak warming period. Some forecasters describe it as…
Do you know? El NiñoThe 1997–1998 El Niño was one of the strongest on record, with Niño 3.4 sea-surface temperatures exceeding 2.0°C above average. It caused an estimated 23,000 deaths globally and tens of billions of dollars in economic losses. Severe droughts and wildfires struck Indonesia and the Amazon, while Peru and Ecuador faced catastrophic…
Do you know? El NiñoEl Niño reshapes global weather by moving heat from the tropical Pacific into the atmosphere, lifting average temperatures and shifting rainfall belts. This typically brings heavy rain and floods to South America’s west coast, while Southeast Asia, Australia, and parts of southern Africa face drought, heatwaves, and altered storm tracks. These…
Do you know? El NiñoEl Niño is a naturally occurring climate phenomenon marked by unusually warm ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, representing the warm phase of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle that typically recurs every 2-7 years and lasts around 9-12 months. El Niño, which is Spanish for…
Do you know? Employees Provident Fund (EPF)Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global (GPFG) was roughly 6.2 times larger than EPF in 1H2026, at RM9.61 trillion equivalent value compared to EPF’s RM1.54 trillion. GPFG achieved a 19.7% annualised portfolio return with 72.1% equity allocation and 25.8% debt. In contrast, EPF achieved a 7.5% annualised portfolio return via…
Do you know? Employees Provident Fund (EPF)EPF holds a constructive but guarded outlook, cautioning that the strong equity market opportunities from 1H2026 may not recur in the second half. Foreign equities face valuation risks, geopolitical uncertainties, and potential AI-sector reversals. Meanwhile, domestic equities remain supported by resilient local demand but may yield more moderate gains…
Do you know? Employees Provident Fund (EPF)EPF’s diversified portfolio expanded to RM1.54 trillion by June 2026, structured around 48.1% fixed income, 47.5% equities, 3.8% real estate/infrastructure, and 0.6% money markets. At end-2025, global diversification proved vital as the 38.3% international allocation generated RM39.9 billion, outperforming the 61.7% domestic allocation which made RM39.3 billion. By asset…
Do you know? Employees Provident Fund (EPF)EPF’s 1H2026 investment income surged 48% year-on-year to RM57.5 billion, up from RM38.92 billion in 1H2025. This growth was fuelled by strong global equities—particularly in 2Q, where quarterly income hit RM29.77 billion and equity income jumped 52% to RM20.94 billion (70% of the quarter’s total). Performance was driven by…
Do you know? Employees Provident Fund (EPF)EPF’s total investment income jumped 51% year-on-year to RM27.73 billion in 1Q2026, up from RM18.31 billion in 1Q2025. This rapid acceleration was driven primarily by equities, which generated RM20.34 billion, alongside strong international returns and foreign exchange gains. Fixed income contributed RM6.76 billion (24%), while money markets and real…
Do you know? 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…