Fighting food inflation

Call for government to rethink strategies

Asean News Headlines at 9pm on Monday (May 23, 2022)

Here's a look at the news highlights from Asean countries in the Star-AseanPlus section for Monday (May 23, 2022)

Bank Negara international reserves down to US$111.4bil

KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Negara’s international reserves amounted to US$111.4bil as at May 13, down from US$112.5bil as at April 29.

Insight - Is country’s surprise interest rate hike the right move?

Those who have been struggling in the past two years would probably feel it is too fast to contend with higher rates.

The week ahead - Inflationary pressure, Singapore CPI, GDP, Monetary policy decisions

INFLATION data for April 2022, which will be the key focus this week, is expected to remain at around 2%.

Recovery theme sustains short-term interest in M-REITs

WHILE higher interest rates are a disadvantage to real estate investment trusts (REITs), investors appear to have shrugged off the implication of the recent hike in the overnight policy rate (OPR) on the sector for the time being.

BNPL – A debt bondage?

WITH the emergence of technology and changing customer behaviour, a new form of payment option, driven mainly by startups, is taking shape not only in Malaysia but globally.

Ringgit ends higher versus US dollar

KUALA LUMPUR: The ringgit traded more favourably against the US dollar on the last day of the week, ending on a firmer note amid improved sentiment following China’s move to cut a key interest rate to boost its economy, analysts said.

IMF expects Malaysia’s economy to expand

More OPR hikes expected

KUALA LUMPUR: Affin Bank Bhd is expecting more hikes in the overnight policy rate (OPR) this year until the market goes back to normalcy and inflationary issues rectified.