Capital Markets News

Do you know? EPF 1Q2026 performanceEPF’s first-quarter investment income jumped 51% year-on-year to RM27.73 billion, even as global markets were mixed in Q1 2026: the S&P 500 fell 4.33%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 3.19%, the Nasdaq 100 fell 5.82%, MSCI Europe ex-UK declined 2.3%, Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose about 10.5%, South Korea’s KOSPI…

Do you know? Repo and reverse repoIf there is too much cash in the system and overnight rates are drifting too low, the central bank can do a repo against government securities to temporarily pull cash out from the banks. In contrast, if banks are short of reserves and overnight rates are drifting too high,…

Do you know? Repo and reverse repoRepo and reverse repo are implementation tools, not the main policy signal itself. They help the central bank keep the overnight rate within its target range by fine-tuning liquidity conditions in the money market. In practice, repo supports tighter conditions by absorbing excess cash, while reverse repo supports easier…

Do you know? Repo and reverse repoIn a reverse repo, the central bank buys securities and gives cash to the banks, with an agreement that the banks will buy the securities back later at a slightly higher price. Economically, this is a collateralised loan, and it injects reserves into the banking system while the transaction…

Do you know? Repo and reverse repoIn a repo, the central bank sells securities today and receives cash from the banks, with the agreement that the central bank will repurchase the securities later. For the central bank, this takes cash out of the system temporarily and drains reserves, thereby helping overnight rates rise or preventing…

Do you know? Repo and reverse repoMonetary policy is how a central bank influences interest rates, money supply, inflation, employment and overall economic stability, helping to smooth business cycles and keep prices stable while supporting growth. When a central bank increases the money supply, borrowing usually becomes cheaper and interest rates tend to fall, which…

Do you know? US-Iran MOUTwo factors will drive the MOU into lasting peace. Firstly, both sides suffer from economic pressure. Iran desperately needs economic relief after years of sanctions and war devastation, while the US faces enormous military costs and energy market volatility. Secondly, Iran’s agreement to not develop nuclear weapons is in line with…

Do you know? US-Iran MOUThe US lifted its naval blockade of Iranian ports as an immediate effect of the MOU. One of the first actions taken under the agreement was the US removing its naval blockade that had been restricting Iranian ports. This allowed Iranian shipping to resume normal operations and is a tangible concession…

Do you know? US-Iran MOUThe MOU is an interim agreement with a built-in threat of returning to bombing. Trump explicitly stated that if the 60-day negotiation period doesn’t produce a final deal, the US will “go back to bombing,” making this a temporary ceasefire framework rather than a permanent peace treaty. Major issues including Iran’s…

Do you know? US-Iran MOUFrozen Iranian assets become usable by any beneficiary Iran’s Central Bank designates. The US must make frozen Iranian assets fully usable for payment to any ultimate beneficiary designated by Iran’s Central Bank, which is extraordinarily broad language. Iran could redirect these funds to individuals, companies, or entities the US previously blocked,…