
Linyi Goods at Vietnam Expo Boost Sino-Viet Trade Ties
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Free Malaysia Today
20 minutes ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Corporate Malaysia's Q2 earnings likely to be damp squib
Maybank Investment Bank forecasts a modest 2.5% earnings growth for the FBM KLCI in 2025. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Investors hoping for better second-quarter (Q2) earnings from listed companies will likely be left high and dry as Corporate Malaysia is expected to continue the underperformance of Q1 2025. Maybank Investment Bank (Maybank IB) said the upcoming Q2 results season may be muted, reflecting challenges from external uncertainties, particularly the ongoing US-Malaysia tariff negotiations. 'The Q2 results season may yet be another unexciting one but at least one with fewer earnings downgrades,' it said in a strategy note. The research house forecasts a modest 2.5% earnings growth for the FBM KLCI this year, primarily weighed down by the banking sector. However, it anticipates a stronger rebound in 2026 with a projected growth of 7.7%. It has a base case target of 1,660 points for the FBM KLCI, pegged to 14.4 times 2026 estimated price-to-earnings ratio (PER). 'Our base case assumes further de-escalation in trade tensions and favourable outcome from tariff negotiations,' it added. Some bright spots Despite the softer external environment, Maybank IB said there are 'bright spots' to be found. It noted Malaysia's domestic economic fundamentals appear encouraging, pointing to robust consumer activity, a sustained investment cycle, and signs of resilient private demand as cushioning the impact of weaker exports. The economy grew at 4.5% in Q2, slightly faster than the 4.4% year-on-year growth in Q1 as resilient consumer demand offset weaker exports. This suggests a steady growth momentum and indicates external headwinds due to US tariffs are being mitigated by domestic tailwinds, it noted. Maybank IB said investors should watch out for weakness in the technology sector. Banks are 'unlikely to yield much surprise' even as it watches for lower loan growth. However, it expects some positive momentum for construction, healthcare, property, and more selectively, the oil and gas, and utilities sectors. It said most plantation companies would be weaker quarter-on-quarter due to lower crude palm oil prices, though some could book gains from disposal and forex exchange movements. Consumer and real estate investment trusts are expected to be softer, after a seasonally strong first quarter.


Free Malaysia Today
33 minutes ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Vietnamese stocks near record on reform hopes, trade deal optimism
Foreign investors bought US$411 million of Vietnamese shares on a net basis in July, the second month of inflows this year. (EPA Images pic) HANOI : Vietnam's stock benchmark is closing in on a record high, fueled by optimism over sweeping political reforms and clarity on a trade deal with the US. The government is undertaking its biggest administrative overhaul in decades to shrink bureaucracy as Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh pushes for more than 8% economic growth this year. A trade deal that cut US tariffs on the nation's goods to 20% from 46% in April also clears an overhang for the market. The moves have driven a 19% rally in the Vietnam Ho Chi Minh Stock Index this year, putting the market well ahead of its Southeast Asian peers. More gains could follow if Vietnam secures an upgrade to emerging-market status by FTSE Russell. 'Never before have we seen such strong reforms in Vietnam,' said Tyler Manh Dung Nguyen, chief market strategist at Ho Chi Minh City Securities Corp. 'I would allocate more in Vietnam right at the beginning of these changes,' he said. The government is cutting red tape and unnecessary costs to redirect funds to development projects, part of its aim to achieve high-income status by 2045. Its pro-growth policies are luring investors back to the country, reversing sentiment after global funds withdrew a net US$3.18 billion from local stocks last year. Foreign investors bought US$411 million of Vietnamese shares on a net basis in July, the second month of inflows this year, while selling their holdings in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Conglomerate Vingroup JSC, lender Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade and Hoa Phat Group JSC are among the biggest gainers on the index this year as investors bet on major beneficiaries of the country's strong growth. The economy expanded 7.52% in the six months through June, according to Vietnam's statistics office, supported by a surge in manufacturing as foreign buyers raced to avoid higher tariffs on sales to the US. 'We became more positive since May as valuations started to look compelling given the forecast earnings growth of about 15% and price-earnings multiples of 10 times in 2026,' said Christopher Leow, CEO at Principal Asset Management in Singapore. Investors are expecting a FTSE reclassification of Vietnam's market to take place as soon as September, which the index compiler projects may draw up to US$6 billion in capital inflows. That would give another boost to the benchmark, which is less than 2% away from its all-time high in January 2022. To be clear, Vietnam's growth outlook remains clouded by a potential slowdown in global growth in the second half of the year. Uncertainty over a 40% US tariff on goods deemed to be transshipped through the Southeast Asian nation also weighs on local businesses. Still, the bullish case for Vietnam is hard to ignore. 'What makes Vietnam stand out globally is that it's almost inconceivable it won't become a much bigger economy' and returns on invested capital are much higher than in many other countries, said Johannes Loefstrand, portfolio manager at T Rowe Price who manages a frontier markets fund with its largest allocation in Vietnam.


Free Malaysia Today
an hour ago
- Free Malaysia Today
South Korea's finance minister, trade envoy to hold tariff talks with US counterparts
South Korea's trade minister Yeo Han-koo said he would seek to base the talks around forming a manufacturing partnership with the US. (EPA Images pic) SEOUL : South Korea's new finance minister and the country's top trade envoy will meet their US counterparts in Washington on Friday for talks on US tariffs, finance minister Koo Yun-cheol said today. The country's foreign and industry ministers will also visit the US for trade discussions as early as this week, Koo told reporters after a meeting of economic ministers. Koo took office yesterday. The four officials complete a new cabinet team under President Lee Jae Myung, who was sworn in on June 4 after winning a snap election called after his predecessor's ouster for trying to declare martial law. The political turmoil that ensued delayed South Korea's response to US President Donald Trump's punishing tariff regime imposed on dozens of trade partners, including key industrial powerhouses that are also security allies. 'Koo and trade minister Yeo Han-koo will hold talks with US treasury secretary Scott Bessent and US trade representative Jamieson Greer on Friday at the request of the US officials,' the finance minister said. 'We've had discussions from the perspective of national interest and pragmatism and we'll do our best to prepare a meticulous strategy until we're leaving,' Koo said, declining to say whether Seoul was hoping to push back the Aug 1 deadline before reciprocal tariffs set by Trump are due to come in. Yeo said today that he would seek to base the talks around forming a manufacturing partnership with the US. Yesterday, South Korea's new industry minister Kim Jung-kwan said tariff talks were in a critical phase that could result in a range of possible outcomes and pledged an all-out effort to wrap up negotiations by Aug 1. Trump has vowed to slap tariffs on a range of countries including South Korea to reduce what he called unfair trade imbalances. On Saturday, Japan's top tariff negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, said he planned to visit Washington this week to hold further ministerial-level talks, as Tokyo hopes to clinch a deal by its Aug 1 deadline.