Today’s episode cuts through the noise of big profit figures, record-breaking IPOs, and geopolitical signals to ask: what’s real, what’s sustainable, and what does it all mean for your portfolio as we head into 2026?
Market & Corporate Headlines
📊 Bursa Malaysia Ends 2025 with 60 IPOs — A 20-Year High
* RM5.5 billion raised, reinforcing Malaysia’s Asean market leadership
* But the final IPO — Wasco Greenergy — fell 12% on debut, highlighting growing investor selectiveness
* CEO cited regulatory clarity in Indonesia, a market that contributes nearly 50% of Wasco’s revenue, as a key constraint
🛢️ Vantris Energy (formerly Sapura) Posts RM4.27B “Profit”
* But it’s not operational: RM4.47B gain came from debt forgiveness, not business growth
* Core operations still in loss
* New ownership by Maybank, CIMB, RHB shifts the story toward balance sheet repair, not full recovery — yet
🥛 Farm Fresh Co-Founder Cashes Out RM132.5M Stake
* Sold following a record-high share price
* Signals confidence in value — or a strategic profit-taking move
* Loi Tuan Ee remains largest shareholder
🏗️ Landmark Ruling in K Residence Case
* KL High Court: developers can’t offset maintenance fees with property or services
* RM72.8M ruling clarifies expectations for cash settlement, setting a strong legal precedent for future disputes
🚄 Gemas–JB Double Track Rail Line Officially Launched
* Cuts travel time from 7 hours to just over 4
* Strategic win for southern corridor mobility and regional economic productivity
🌱 Jogmec–ECER Rare Earths Collaboration
* Japan’s Jogmec to support Malaysia in verifying rare earth resources
* Boosts upstream technical capacity in a globally strategic sector
Policy & Legal Signals
🧾 FATF Upgrades Malaysia — But Raises Concerns
* Financial Action Task Force praises anti-money laundering framework
* BUT: Only 52 convictions from 2,600+ cases
* Enforcement bodies now under pressure to deliver real effectiveness, not just compliance optics
🌐 Clarification on US–Malaysia Trade Deal
* No challenge to Bumiputera rights in trade pact
* Govt reiterates strategy of active neutrality: Malaysia remains open to both US and China without sacrificing core policies
Global Market Moves
🏦 US Fed Cuts Rates by 25bps, Signals Long Pause
* Only one more cut expected through all of 2026
* Disappoints markets that had priced in a faster easing cycle
* Adds uncertainty to rate-sensitive assets and global capital flows
💻 Tech Selloff Led by Oracle’s AI Warning
* Oracle shares slumped 13% after forecasting lower earnings and surging AI infrastructure costs
* Raises big investor questions:How long can Big Tech burn billions on AI before results justify the spend?
🎧 Listen Now for a deep dive into Malaysia’s financial gems and global trends shaping 2025!
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