Malaysia’s Macro Position Is Stronger To Weather Shock Compared To Pandemic Era, Says World Bank's Apurva

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s stronger ringgit is helping to ease the impact of rising global import prices, although the country’s import cover has declined, compared with pre-COVID 19 pandemic levels, said the World Bank's lead economist for Malaysia, Dr Apurva Sanghi.

ECB To Announce Interest Rate Decision Amid Iran Conflict, Oil Price Surge

FRANKFURT, March 19 (Bernama-dpa) -- The European Central Bank (ECB) is set to announce its latest decision on interest rates on Wednesday against the backdrop of surging oil prices due to the conflict in West Asia, reported German Press Agency (dpa).

GWI: Middle East Desalination Holds Despite Conflict

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- Global Water Intelligence (GWI) DesalData, a global desalination and water reuse market intelligence platform, projected that the Middle East's desalination project pipeline will remain largely intact despite the ongoing regional conflict involving Iran.

Ringgit Up Against Major Currencies, Softens Vs Greenback At Open

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- The ringgit opened higher against major currencies but eased against the US dollar this morning as cautious global sentiment continued to weigh on emerging market currencies.

Oil May Rise On Conflict, Fall To US$80-US$90 If War Ends By Mid-April

By Rosemarie Khoo Mohd Sani

KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 (Bernama) -- Crude oil prices can go even higher than current levels of US$100-US$103 per barrel if the war in West Asia continues affecting passageway in the Strait of Hormuz and supply tightness becomes more acute, Kpler senior crude oil analyst Muyu Xu said today.

Maybank Research Trims Singapore 2026 GDP Growth Forecast To 3.4 Pct

SINGAPORE, March 18 (Bernama) -- Maybank Research Pte Ltd (MRPL) has revised Singapore's gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast to 3.4 per cent in 2026, down from its earlier projection of 3.6 per cent, amid ongoing West Asia conflicts. 

Ringgit Firms Against US Dollar, May See Further Gains

By Nurunnasihah Ahmad Rashid

KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 (Bernama) -- The ringgit traded firmer against the US dollar this morning amid cautious investor positioning ahead of the United States (US) Federal Reserve’s (Fed) policy decision and improving risk appetite.

Kuala Lumpur Rubber Market Stays Mixed, Tracking Regional Futures

KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 (Bernama) -- The Kuala Lumpur rubber market extended its mixed performance for the third consecutive trading day on Tuesday, tracking regional rubber futures, a trader said.

Manufacturing Sector Stabilised In 2H 2025, Improvement Expected In 1H 2026 - FMM

KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s manufacturing sector stabilised in the second half of 2025 (2H 2025) following earlier weakness, with gradual improvement expected in the first half of 2026 (1H 2026), according to the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturing (FMM).

Funds May Favour Commodity Exporters Like Malaysia Amid West Asia Uncertainties - Economist

By Nurunnasihah Ahmad Rashid

KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 (Bernama) -- Heightened geopolitical uncertainty surrounding developments in the Strait of Hormuz could influence global capital flows, with commodity-exporting economies such as Malaysia potentially better positioned amid rising energy prices.

ASEAN’s Future Remains Positive Amid Geopolitical Tensions In West Asia - Cheah

PETALING JAYA, March 16 (Bernama) -- The outlook for ASEAN remains optimistic despite geopolitical headwinds from the conflict in West Asia involving Iran and the United States, said Sunway Group founder and chairman Jeffrey Cheah.

Oil Prices Climb Again With Brent Crude Hitting US$106 A Barrel Amid US-Iran Escalation

ISTANBUL, March 16 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- Oil prices rose again, with Brent crude hitting US$106 a barrel early Monday before retreating slightly to over US$104 as an escalation in West Asia tensions persists, Anadolu Ajansi reported.