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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