Malaysia widens fiscal deficit target in budget, promises stimulus if needed

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's government on Friday unveiled a smaller budget than expected for next year but flagged a wider budget deficit than earlier estimated, and said it would step in with stimulus measures should global demand worsen.

Southeast Asia's third-largest economy bucked a global cooling trend and grew faster than expected in the first half of 2019, but analysts say the US-China trade dispute and expanding protectionist policies around the world will eventually drag on the export-reliant country.