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Free Malaysia Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Anwar's replacement would face same economic headwinds, says veteran newsman
Anwar Ibrahim was the subject of a rally last weekend, calling for his resignation as prime minister. PETALING JAYA : Veteran journalist A Kadir Jasin today warned that any successor to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim would face the same economic challenges of creating a sustainable economy and ensuring the fair distribution of wealth. In a Facebook post reflecting on the Turun Anwar rally last Saturday, Kadir said Anwar's 'handicap' was a perceived lack of foundational knowledge in economics. A Kadir Jasin. 'The current economic hardship faced by the people is largely due to Anwar's over-reliance on technocrats and corporate figures who are disconnected from the general public. 'These elites operate based on profit and loss, taxes and revenue,' he said. He said such individuals did not feel accountable for the people's suffering as they saw it as a 'politician's job'. 'For them, if they manage to build strong economic fundamentals and earn praise from international rating agencies, they consider their job done,' he said. The Turun Anwar rally was organised by PAS Youth, with protesters calling for Anwar to step down as prime minister over the rising cost of living, among others. According to PAS, some 500,000 protesters turned up although Kuala Lumpur police estimated that only 18,000 people took part in the rally. Kadir said a single protest was not enough, and that the opposition must keep up the momentum if it was serious about removing Anwar. 'Especially since Anwar himself has 'challenged' them to do so,' he said, referring to opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin's hint that a vote of no confidence would be tabled. Charles Santiago. Meanwhile, DAP's Charles Santiago said it would be 'disingenuous' to ignore the fact that some of the protest's organisers were 'far from altruistic'. He said many of the loudest calls for Anwar's resignation came from 'disgraced politicians and their operatives', whom he said once drained the public purse and weaponised race and religion but now 'masqueraded as reformists' because they had been shut out of power. 'Their rallying cry isn't justice. It's vengeance dressed in street theatre,' the former Klang MP said in a Facebook post. He urged the people not to mistake opportunism for leadership, adding that protests lose moral authority when they are hijacked by 'those with dirty hands and no vision beyond their personal vendettas'. However, he also warned that the rally should serve as a wake-up call, not only for those in power but also for those aspiring to replace them. He said if the current government could not deliver on its promises of economic justice, inclusivity, and clean governance, it would continue to 'haemorrhage public trust, no matter how corrupt its critics are'. Adding that Malaysians were tired of being asked to choose the lesser evil, he said there was still time for Anwar. 'The remainder of his term must be spent on bold, redistributive policies that protect the most vulnerable and restore faith in the state,' he said.
South China Morning Post
15-07-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Why millions in China are still quitting the national health insurance scheme
More Chinese people dropped out of the voluntary health insurance scheme for urban and rural residents last year, the latest available data shows – piling pressure on the system amid economic challenges and declining public trust. The downward trend in participation – in a scheme designed for farmers and the unemployed – continued in 2024, with 15.8 million fewer people enrolled compared with 2023, according to figures released by the National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) on Monday. China's basic medical insurance, which also includes a separate programme for urban employees, covered 1.326 billion people in total – down 7.27 million from 2023, the NHSA said. The falling participation rate poses a challenge for China's health insurance system, which is already under strain from a rapidly ageing population and a shrinking workforce. Enrolment among urban and rural residents has declined in recent years, driven by rising premiums and stagnating incomes. 'The trend of less interest in participation continues because the economic conditions have not changed – it's a financial burden for a rural family if the breadwinner doesn't see their income increase,' said Professor Xiong Wansheng, an expert on rural development at the East China University of Science and Technology.
Bloomberg
10-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Fiscal Illusions Won't Bring the UK Growth — or Security
The image of Britain's finance minister in tears during a recent parliamentary debate seemed like an all-too-apt metaphor. Just a year after a resounding electoral victory, the Labour government is beset by anxieties. Markets are wobbling. Public services remain under severe strain, as does the military. Economic growth is tepid. Worsening all these challenges is a leadership team that seems chronically indecisive. In a grim sign of the times, polls consistently show Labour trailing Nigel Farage's Reform UK, a populist protest party with no serious governing experience that is now a legitimate contender. The once-dominant Conservative Party has dropped to fourth place. The Labour Party's base, including trade unions, is fracturing. Meanwhile, the challenges are mounting. The National Health Service faces deep capital and funding gaps. Prisons are overcrowded and underfunded. Labour's signature growth policy — a pledge to build 1.5 million new homes — is well off course. Despite some recent recovery in business investment, the UK still lags its Group of Seven peers. A recent strategic review found that the armed forces were in dire need of new funds. Instead of addressing such structural weaknesses, Labour has squandered political capital on token savings. An attempt to means-test winter fuel payments (now largely reversed) clawed back pennies while torching goodwill. A disability reform was justified in principle but poorly designed, sparking a rebellion of dozens of MPs; it eventually had to be gutted in order to pass. Labour argues that these efforts show its commitment to budgetary restraint. Yet its headline fiscal rule — that debt must fall as a share of gross domestic product in the fifth year of every forecast — is little more than an accounting device. The 'fifth year' keeps rolling forward, allowing the chancellor to promise future moderation. A modest £9.9 billion ($13.5 billion) in headroom touted in March has already been eroded by higher gilt yields, slow growth and rising welfare costs. The result is that Labour is neither convincing markets nor building public confidence. Britain continues to borrow at a premium relative to its peers, while the government's fiscal credibility is dissipating. If the UK wants to fund its health service, rearm its military and invest in long-term growth, among other priorities, small-bore policies of this kind won't do. With four years left in its term, Labour must be both bolder and more focused. A bigger bet on housing — paired with a planning overhaul, greenbelt reform and stronger incentives for boosting density — would help. So would better-designed welfare reform, with 1 in 10 working-age adults on disability support, an outlier among advanced countries.
New York Times
09-07-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Britain's Economic Bind: Face Public Disapproval or Investor Wrath
Britain's Labour Party ended a year in power in misery last week, after Prime Minister Keir Starmer made a U-turn on plans to cut welfare spending and Rachel Reeves, the chancellor of the Exchequer, was caught looking teary-eyed in Parliament. The second year is already shaping up to be just as challenging. On Tuesday, the Office for Budget Responsibility, an independent watchdog, said Britain's public finances were in a 'vulnerable position' after a series of major global economic shocks. Those include President Trump's volatile trade policies as well as rising geopolitical conflict, which is increasing pressure on European governments to divert more of their budgets to military spending. Amid this instability, the British government is on a collision course with self-imposed limits on debt and deficits. Mr. Starmer and Ms. Reeves might have to address this by instituting policies that are likely to be unpopular among the public, or face the wrath of investors who are on edge about the government's commitment to fiscal discipline. Although some of the challenges were created by the previous government, like a big tax cut for workers, Labour Party officials have compounded the problem by making ambitious promises to bolster public services, ensure Britain has the fastest-growing economy in the developed world and keep certain taxes steady. 'It's a bad hand played in a mediocre fashion,' said Ben Zaranko, an economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies. 'And it's just a difficult time to be a finance minister.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
3 UK Stocks Estimated To Be Up To 42.2% Below Intrinsic Value
In the wake of recent global economic challenges, particularly the faltering trade data from China, the UK market has seen its blue-chip FTSE 100 index close lower as companies closely tied to China's fortunes face increased pressure. Amidst this backdrop, identifying undervalued stocks becomes crucial for investors seeking opportunities in a volatile environment where intrinsic value may not be fully reflected in current market prices. Name Current Price Fair Value (Est) Discount (Est) Topps Tiles (LSE:TPT) £0.38 £0.7 45.5% TBC Bank Group (LSE:TBCG) £47.45 £93.06 49% Moonpig Group (LSE:MOON) £2.11 £4.00 47.3% Marlowe (AIM:MRL) £4.40 £8.35 47.3% LSL Property Services (LSE:LSL) £3.22 £5.96 45.9% Informa (LSE:INF) £8.11 £15.09 46.3% Gooch & Housego (AIM:GHH) £6.15 £11.22 45.2% Burberry Group (LSE:BRBY) £12.56 £23.89 47.4% Benchmark Holdings (AIM:BMK) £0.246 £0.45 44.9% AstraZeneca (LSE:AZN) £102.18 £188.70 45.9% Click here to see the full list of 58 stocks from our Undervalued UK Stocks Based On Cash Flows screener. Let's take a closer look at a couple of our picks from the screened companies. Overview: Barratt Redrow plc operates in the housebuilding industry within the United Kingdom and has a market capitalization of approximately £5.99 billion. Operations: The company generates revenue primarily from its housebuilding segment, amounting to £4.60 billion. Estimated Discount To Fair Value: 42.2% Barratt Redrow is trading at £4.21, significantly below its estimated fair value of £7.27, indicating it may be undervalued based on discounted cash flows. However, profit margins have declined from 5% to 2.6%, and the dividend yield of 4.11% is not well covered by earnings or free cash flows. Despite these challenges, earnings are forecast to grow significantly at 32.9% annually over the next three years, outpacing UK market growth expectations. Our comprehensive growth report raises the possibility that Barratt Redrow is poised for substantial financial growth. Dive into the specifics of Barratt Redrow here with our thorough financial health report. Overview: Coats Group plc is a global company involved in manufacturing threads, structural components for apparel and footwear, and performance materials, with a market cap of £1.27 billion. Operations: The company's revenue segments consist of $769.80 million from apparel, $403.50 million from footwear, and $327.60 million from performance materials. Estimated Discount To Fair Value: 30.1% Coats Group is trading at £0.80, below its estimated fair value of £1.14, highlighting potential undervaluation based on cash flows. Despite revenue growth projections trailing the UK market, earnings are expected to grow significantly at 21.2% annually, surpassing market expectations. However, debt coverage by operating cash flow remains a concern and large one-off items affect financial results. Recent board changes include Wu Gang's appointment as Non-Executive Director, potentially enhancing strategic direction with his extensive investment banking experience. According our earnings growth report, there's an indication that Coats Group might be ready to expand. Click here to discover the nuances of Coats Group with our detailed financial health report. Overview: Kainos Group plc provides digital technology services across the UK, Ireland, North America, Central Europe, and internationally with a market cap of approximately £886.20 million. Operations: Kainos Group's revenue is primarily derived from Digital Services (£197.17 million), Workday Products (£71.35 million), and Workday Services (£98.72 million). Estimated Discount To Fair Value: 15.9% Kainos Group, currently priced at £7.29, trades below its estimated fair value of £8.67 by 15.9%, suggesting undervaluation based on cash flows. Although earnings growth is forecasted at 16.9% annually, outpacing the UK market's 14.5%, revenue growth remains modest at 7.1%. Recent financials show a decline in net income to £35.56 million from £48.72 million year-on-year, while a recent share buyback program worth £30 million indicates confidence in long-term value creation despite current challenges. Our earnings growth report unveils the potential for significant increases in Kainos Group's future results. Click here and access our complete balance sheet health report to understand the dynamics of Kainos Group. Click this link to deep-dive into the 58 companies within our Undervalued UK Stocks Based On Cash Flows screener. Hold shares in these firms? Setup your portfolio in Simply Wall St to seamlessly track your investments and receive personalized updates on your portfolio's performance. Join a community of smart investors by using Simply Wall St. It's free and delivers expert-level analysis on worldwide markets. Explore high-performing small cap companies that haven't yet garnered significant analyst attention. Diversify your portfolio with solid dividend payers offering reliable income streams to weather potential market turbulence. Fuel your portfolio with companies showing strong growth potential, backed by optimistic outlooks both from analysts and management. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include LSE:BTRW LSE:COA and LSE:KNOS. This article was originally published by Simply Wall St. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. 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