Malaysia Money Matters Daily News Digest 19th Nov 2025
Description
From record-breaking overseas contracts and surging palm oil profits to major infrastructure incentives and a fresh fuel subsidy clarification — today’s stories reveal a clear double play: aggressive expansion abroad, and fiscal cushioning at home.
Corporate & Market Developments
🏗️ Gamuda Wins RM8B More in Australia
* Secured RM7.32B Sydney Metro West Stations contract
* Added RM718M wind farm civil works
* Outstanding order book now at a record RM46B — a new high
* Strategy: hedge domestic volatility by anchoring growth offshore
🖥️ Sunway Construction Lands RM570M Johor Data Center Deal
* Client: US-based tech multinational
* Year-to-date wins: RM4.6B, pushing order book to RM6.1B
* Reinforces Johor’s status as a rising tech infrastructure hub
🌴 United Malacca Hits Record Quarterly Profit
* Net profit up 79% to RM55.4M
* Driven by 15% rise in fresh fruit bunch (FFB) output andprice hikes:
* Crude palm oil: +6%
* Palm kernel: +35%
* Declared 7 sen interim dividend
⚙️ Muhibbah Engineering Secures RM850M Petronas Job
* Minor EPC works on offshore wellhead platforms (Terengganu)
* Long-term play: earnings contribution expected through Q1 2029
Policy, Governance & National Impact
🛣️ Toll Hikes Frozen for 2026 — But at a Cost
* Affects 10 major highways
* Federal govt to compensate RM591.6M to maintain toll rates
* Watchlist: Bina Puri, Taliworks Corp, Ekovest
⛽ No Shift from Budi95 to EV Rebates
* Govt reaffirms Budi95’s role as targeted fuel subsidy, not an EV incentive
* Covers groups like 106,000+ e-hailing drivers
* Rebuttal to suggestions of redirecting toward electrification
💵 Ringgit Forecast: 4.00 by End-2026
* ANZ Research sees strength driven by:
* Stable BNM rate policy
* Resilient local economic fundamentals
* Reinforces RM stability amid global currency pressures
Global & Geopolitical Trends
🔌 Google Challenges Nvidia with TorchTPU
* New chips to work with Meta-backed PyTorch
* Designed to reduce reliance on Nvidia’s CUDA ecosystem
* Strategic move to lower switching costs for developers
* Could shift AI chip dynamics across global markets
💾 Micron’s Strong Forecast Signals Chip Surge
* Q4 revenue guidance: up to US$19.1B
* Driven by booming AI infrastructure demand
* Suggests robust pricing power returning to memory chip players
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