Klang Valley Property Market Shows Signs Of Recovery: HLIB
According to HLIB, the sector continues to demonstrate resilience despite early-2025 headwinds stemming from the US tariffs and AI chip export restrictions. In the Klang Valley, high-end residential demand is showing early signs of recovery, with premium projects such as TA Global's Clouthaus and E&O's Conlay Signature Suites recording encouraging sales.
This improving sentiment, especially among investment-focused buyers, is expected to support better margins for developers, while the proposed Urban Renewal Act may unlock redevelopment potential in mature, high-value areas.
In Johor, the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) and enhanced connectivity to Singapore are driving robust property demand. Developers, including Sunway, Mah Sing and UEM Sunris,e have lined up major launches, although HLIB cautions that the surge in investor-driven projects near the RTS Link corridor may lead to oversupply and eventual price correction if not matched by genuine end-user demand.
In Penang, a stronger Ringgit and ongoing trade uncertainties are seen as potential drags on the high-end market, particularly for developers like E&O, due to weaker tech-sector income. Negeri Sembilan, while facing intensified competition from Selangor and internal players, could benefit from the longer-term upside of MVV 2.0, which is being positioned as a cost-competitive industrial hub that could eventually lift residential demand.
Outside the 2024 data centre boom, HLIB sees cooling demand in that segment as land acquisition has tapered and regulatory approvals have become more stringent, with feasibility further pressured by rising costs and regulatory concerns.
However, industrial property demand beyond the data centre segment remains firm, supported by steady foreign direct investment, government backing and increasing attention to secondary growth hubs like Johor and Negeri Sembilan.
The retail and hospitality segments are expected to weather the new 8% SST on leases, with most of the burden shared across tenants and consumers.
The recent OPR cut and salary adjustments for civil servants are anticipated to boost consumer spending, helping retailers absorb the impact. Tourism strength continues to underpin the hospitality segment, with IOIPG well-positioned to benefit from its expanded hotel offerings and enhanced connectivity at IOI Resort City.
HLIB noted that despite external headwinds, the KLPRP Index has staged a rebound, and the research house believes the broader industrial market remains on solid footing. With rising incomes and supportive policies, Malaysia's pivot toward a high-value economy supports the research house's Overweight stance, with IOIPG, OSK, Sunway and Sime Darby Property named as its top sector picks. Related
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Taiwan plans AI projects to boost economy by US$510bil
Taiwan's Premier Cho Jung-tai said Taiwan aims to leverage its information and communications technology sector to become a 'smart technology island'. (EPA Images pic) TAIPEI : Taiwan plans to launch its 'Ten Major AI Infrastructure Projects' initiative, aimed at generating more than T$15 trillion (US$510 billion) in economic value by 2040 as it strives to become a global leader in artificial intelligence (AI). Premier Cho Jung-tai said in a Facebook post late yesterday that Taiwan aims to leverage its information and communications technology (ICT) sector and world-leading semiconductor manufacturing capabilities to become a global AI influencer and a 'smart technology island'. Under the initiative, Taiwan has identified three core technologies as strategic priorities: silicon photonics, quantum technology and AI robotics. Silicon photonics is a technology that Taiwan's TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker, and many other firms in the industry are actively developing. The government aims to position Taiwan as a global leader in silicon photonics by aligning the sector with future AI development needs. Taiwan also hopes to become a key hub for AI robotics by tapping its hardware and ICT supply chains. Industry groups, including one led by Foxconn chairman Young Liu, have backed the move with the formation of the Taiwan AI Robotics Industry Grand Alliance yesterday to support the local development of AI robotics and related ecosystems. Taiwan also plans to establish a quantum technology industry chain. The 10 projects also include the development of sovereign AI – ability to build and control domestic AI technologies – and computing infrastructure, efforts to balance AI development across different regions of the island, and the introduction of AI across a wide range of industries. The government also calls for expanding investment in AI innovation, with more than T$100 billion (US$3.08 billion) in venture capital funding, as it seeks to become a global hub for AI talent and investment. The initiative targets the creation of 500,000 jobs and the establishment of three international-level research laboratories.
Malay Mail
9 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Alibaba launches open-source AI coder, says it rivals GPT-4 in programming power
BEIJING, July 23 — Alibaba Group announced today the launch of Qwen3-Coder, an open-source artificial intelligence model for software development that the Chinese e-commerce giant described as its most advanced coding tool to date. The launch comes amid intensifying competition among Chinese technology companies in the global AI development race, with firms on both sides of the Pacific releasing increasingly sophisticated models. Qwen3-Coder is designed for software development tasks such as code generation and managing complex coding workflows, Alibaba said in a statement. The company positioned the model as particularly strong in 'agentic AI coding tasks' — automated processes where AI systems can work independently on programming challenges. According to performance data released by Alibaba, Qwen3-Coder outperformed domestic competitors, including models from DeepSeek and Moonshot AI's K2 in key coding capabilities. The company also claimed its model matched the performance of leading US models, including Anthropic's Claude and OpenAI's GPT-4 in certain areas. — Reuters
BusinessToday
10 hours ago
- BusinessToday
US$130 Billion 5G-AI Economic Opportunity For ASEAN
ASEAN stands at the precipice of a transformative digital era, with the convergence of 5G and Artificial Intelligence (AI) poised to unlock a staggering US$130 billion economic opportunity for the Asia Pacific region by 2030. However, a new comprehensive research report by the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP) warns that coordinated policy frameworks are urgently needed to harness this potential and prevent deepening digital divides across the diverse bloc. Released today, the report, 'Leveraging 5G to Accelerate AI-Driven Transformation in ASEAN: Imperatives, Policy Insights, and Recommendations,' serves as a blueprint for policymakers to accelerate the region's digital leadership. Professor Vu Minh Khuong, Practice Professor at the LKYSPP, National University of Singapore, underscored the urgency at the report launch. 'The convergence of 5G and AI represents the infrastructure of innovation, powering smart manufacturing, precision agriculture, and autonomous mobility. But ASEAN cannot afford to wait. The window for establishing regional leadership in intelligent connectivity is rapidly closing.' The study highlights significant disparities in 5G adoption across ASEAN, ranging from a robust 48.3% penetration in Singapore to less than 1% in several member states. Without unified action, these disparities threaten to hinder regional competitiveness as other global regions accelerate their digital transformation. Drawing from extensive interviews and surveys with over 400 professionals across eight ASEAN countries, the LKYSPP report identifies ten critical imperatives to fast-track 5G-AI transformation. A core recommendation is the establishment of coordinated digital leadership to overcome existing fragmentation that is slowing regional progress. The report urges ASEAN governments to view 5G not merely as a telecom upgrade, but as a strategic enabler for AI, while simultaneously addressing widening skills gaps impeding enterprise adoption. To secure ASEAN's digital future, the research recommends five strategic priorities: Establishing national 5G-AI development strategies with clear 2025-2030 roadmaps. Creating empowered coordination agencies within ASEAN member countries. Deploying forward-looking spectrum policies that promote accessibility and innovation. Fostering vibrant AI-driven ecosystems through robust public-private collaboration. Implementing robust monitoring frameworks to track progress and enable course corrections. The LKYSPP study emphasizes that prioritizing enterprise adoption is key to realizing 5G's economic impact. It points to existing regional successes demonstrating transformative potential, such as Singapore's 5G-powered smart ports achieving 50% latency reduction, Thailand's deployment of AI-enhanced disaster management systems, and Malaysia's wholesale network model reaching 82% population coverage. These examples, the report notes, illustrate the power of effectively implemented coordinated strategies. Furthermore, the report highlights the critical role of private 5G networks for Industry 4.0 transformation and positions Fixed Wireless Access as a compelling solution to bridge connectivity gaps in underserved areas. Current 5G deployments are also framed as crucial infrastructure for 6G evolution, expected by 2030, making today's policy decisions pivotal for future competitiveness. Looking ahead, the study envisions an ASEAN where enterprises scale globally through intelligent manufacturing, farmers optimize yields with AI-driven analytics, and students in remote areas access immersive education platforms, all powered by 5G and AI. Realizing this ambitious vision, according to the LKYSPP, demands bold and coordinated action, strategic planning, and sustained commitment to digital transformation. The comprehensive 148-page report and its executive summary are now available for public download, serving as both a strategic guide for policymakers and a resounding call to action for regional institutions to seize the 5G-AI moment and shape a digitally empowered future for ASEAN's 700 million citizens. Related
