Financial News
Thailand Raises Interest Rate for First Time Since 2008 as Risks Subside
[Bloomberg 14-Jul-2010]
Thailand’s central bank raised its benchmark interest rate for the first time in almost two years after deadly political protests ended last
quarter without derailing the economy. The Bank of Thailand increased the one-day bond repurchase rate by a quarter of a percentage point to 1.5
percent after keeping it unchanged in the past nine meetings, it said in Bangkok today.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-14/thailand-raises-interest-rate-for-first-time-since-2008-as-risks-subside.html
Interest rate hikes by M'sia and others a ‘vote of confidence’ in growth
[BUSINESS 12-Jul-2010]
SINGAPORE: Recent moves by Asian central banks to raise interest rates are a strong vote of confidence that the region will weather risks
stemming from the European debt crisis, analysts say.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/7/12/business/6647178&sec=business
Malaysia Raises Interest Rate a Third Time This Year as Growth Accelerates
[Bloomberg 8-Jul-2010]
Bloomberg: Malaysia’s central bank raised interest rates for the third time this year, judging the economy is strong enough to withstand higher
borrowing costs even as threats to the global rebound increase. The ringgit rose.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-08/malaysia-raises-benchmark-interest-rate-for-third-time-as-growth-quickens.html
Economists expect rate hike next week
[BUSINESS 3-Jul-2010]
PETALING JAYA: Although Malaysia’s year-on-year (yoy) export growth of 21.9% to RM52.3bil in May fell below market expectations, economists are
still positive on an interest rate increase next week.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/7/3/business/6599643&sec=business
Expect the unexpected
[BUSINESS 3-July-2010]
Most loans, particularly mortgages, are referenced to the base lending rate (BLR), which in turn is affected by the overnight policy rate (OPR).
The OPR is currently normalising from a historical low level. We can expect further normalisation, which means interest rates may continue to
trend upwards.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/7/3/business/6590314&sec=business
Thailand to Consider Interest Rate Increase as Risks Subside
[BUSINESS 2-July-2010]
Thailand will consider raising its benchmark interest rate, the central bank said, after the nation’s worst political violence in almost two
decades ended without ...
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-07-02/thailand-to-consider-interest-rate-increase-as-risks-subside.html
Insurers keeping close tabs on interest rates
[BUSINESS 21-Jun-2010]
PETALING JAYA: Insurers are keeping close tabs on interest rate movements especially since Bank Negara started to gradually raise rates as part
of its normalisation move.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/6/21/business/6374054&sec=business
Banks start increasing interest rates on car loans
[BUSINESS 2-Jun-2010]
PETALING JAYA: Interest rates on new non-national car loans has increased by an average of 0.25 percentage point effective yesterday while rates
for new national car loans saw a hike of about 0.10 percentage point, a check with several major lenders showed.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/6/2/business/6381651&sec=business
Bank Negara raises interest rates
[BUSINESS 13-May-2010]
KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Negara yesterday raised the overnight policy rate (OPR) by 25 basis points to 2.5% in a move towards further normalisation of
interest rates.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/5/14/business/6260303&sec=business
Update: BNM raises OPR by 25bps to 2.5%
[BUSINESS 13-May-2010]
KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Negara Malaysia decided to raise the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) by 25 basis points to 2.50% at the Monetary Policy Committee
(MPC) meeting on Thursday, May 13. The central bank said the floor and ceiling rates of the corridor for the OPR are correspondingly raised to
2.25% and 2.75% respectively.
http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/business-news/166008-flash-bnm-raises-opr-by-25bps-to-25.html
Economists widely expect interest rate hike in M'sia
[BUSINESS 11-May-2010]
PETALING JAYA: Bank Negara may raise the overnight policy rate (OPR) by 25 basis points (bps) to 2.50% at Thursday’s monetary policy committee
(MPC) meeting, economists said.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/5/11/business/6229512&sec=business
More OPR hikes ahead, says Kenanga Research
[BUSINESS 5-Mar-2010]
Kenanga Investment Bank research believes the central bank's decision to raise the overnight policy rates by 25 bps to 2.25% (from 2%) could be a
prelude to "further increases in the coming 12 months".
http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/business-news/160896-more-opr-hikes-ahead-says-kenanga-research.html
OPR up 25bps to 2.25%
[BUSINESS 5-Mar-2010]
Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) yesterday raised the key interest rate by 25 basis points (bps) to 2.25% after keeping it at 2% for seven consecutive
monetary policy committee (MPC) meetings since April 2009.
http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/component/content/article/160920.html
Bank Negara ups interest rates
[BUSINESS 5-Mar-2010]
PETALING JAYA: Bank Negara raised its overnight policy rate (OPR) by 25 basis points to 2.25% yesterday, signalling the time was ripe to
normalise interest rates with the improvement in economic conditions.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/5/business/5799194&sec=business
Zeti: Any rate hikes to be gradual, SRR change unlikely
[BUSINESS 5-Mar-2010]
FRANKFURT: Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) will raise interest rates in a measured, gradual way in order to keep supporting the economy, governor Tan
Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz said on Monday.
http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/component/content/article/160716.html
EPF declares 5.65% dividend for FY09
[BUSINESS 5-Mar-2010]
The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Board declared dividend of 5.65% for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2009, 1.15% over the 4.50% paid out for
2008.
http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/business-news/160854-nstp-shttp://www.theedgemalaysia.com/business-news/160950-epf-delcares-565-dividend-for-fy09.html
Australia raised interest rate to 4% Tuesday
[BUSINESS 2-Mar-2010]
ADELAIDE, Australia: Australia's central bank raised its key interest rate Tuesday, the fourth increase since October, as it continues to reduce
stimulus to an economy that has rapidly recovered from the global recession.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/2/business/20100302142651&sec=business
Get ready: Interest rate hikes bring good and bad
[BUSINESS 2-Mar-2010]
CHICAGO: The rate hikes are coming! The rate hikes are coming! Eventually.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/2/business/20100302125347&sec=business
Stanchart CEO: Malaysia's OPR may rise to 2.75%
[BUSINESS 2-Feb-2010]
KUALA LUMPUR: Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia Bhd has forecast the overnight policy rate (OPR) to gradually increase to 2.75 per cent by
mid-2010, said managing director and chief executive officer Osman Morad.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/2/2/business/20100202151612&sec=business
Zeti: Interest rates need normalisation
[Friday, 29 January 2010 18:33]
KUALA LUMPUR: Some “normalisation” of the interest rates are now in order after they were reduced to “unprecedented” levels following the global
financial crisis, said Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz.
http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/business-news/158786-zeti-interest-rates-need-normalisation.html
BNM hints of earlier-than-expected rate rise
[Wednesday, 27 January 2010 11:06]
KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) yesterday hinted of a sooner-than-expected interest rate hike after keeping the country’s overnight
policy rate (OPR) unchanged at 2% at its first monetary policy committee (MPC) meeting for the year.
http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/component/content/article/158501.html
China's yield hike signals gradual tightening of excess liquidity
[Friday, 08 January 2010 19:12]
SHANGHAI: A surprise increase in the interest rate on a central bank three-month bill sale signals the start of a gradual tightening of excess
liquidity that will eventually lead to higher policy rates, says Reuters.
http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/component/content/article/157117.html
Gradual interest rate rise seen
[BUSINESS 29-Jan-2010]
PETALING JAYA: Benchmark interest rates are set to gradually rise by 25 to 75 basis points before year-end after Bank Negara signalled its
readiness to normalise interest rates in due course as a pre-emptive move to prevent the build-up of financial imbalances, say
economists.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/1/29/business/5571049&sec=business
US regulators tell banks to prep for higher interest rates
[BUSINESS 8-Jan-2010]
WASHINGTON: U.S. financial regulators told banks Thursday to have procedures in place to minimize their risks from loans when rock-bottom
interest rates start to rise.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/1/8/business/20100108080838&sec=business
Interest rates: The only way is up
[BUSINESS 2-Jan-2010]
The time for loose monetary policy may be ending, but it will be a gentle shift.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/1/2/business/5312326&sec=business
ING: It’s time to opt for fixed-rate home loans
[BUSINESS 18-Sep-2009]
PETALING JAYA: It may be time for property investors to consider managing their long-term investment with the stability of fixed-rate home loans,
says ING Insurance Bhd chief investment officer Mark Wang.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/9/18/business/4740102&sec=business
Home loan rate hike inevitable
[BUSINESS 5-Nov-2009]
PETALING JAYA: Financial institutions, in particular banks, have in general agreed to raise mortgage lending yields, which will have an impact of
increasing their net interest margins (NIMs).
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/11/5/business/5046266&sec=business
Australia raises interest rate to 3.25%
[BUSINESS 6-Oct-2009]
SYDNEY: Australia's central bank unexpectedly raised interest rates by a quarter point Tuesday, the first major economy to increase the cost of
borrowing amid signs its recovery from the global slump is gaining momentum.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/10/6/business/20091006132429&sec=business
Australia expected to raise interest rate next week
[BUSINESS 28-Oct-2009]
CANBERRA: Australian interest rates are expected to rise again next week with new figures on Wednesday showing inflation was higher than expected
for the September quarter.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/10/28/business/20091028114631&sec=business
Aussies raise interest rate to 3.5%, say downturn is over
[BUSINESS 3-Nov-2009]
SYDNEY: Australia's central bank raised its key interest rate Tuesday by a quarter percentage point for the second month in a row, declaring the
global downturn over and warning that inflation was set to rise.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/11/3/business/20091103123516&sec=business
Australia raised interest rate to 3.75% Tuesday(update)
[BUSINESS 1-Dec-2009]
SYDNEY: Australia's central bank raised its key interest rate Tuesday by a quarter percentage point for the third month in a row as the country's
economy rebounds from the global downturn.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/12/1/business/20091201120157&sec=business
A double whammy
[BUSINESS 7-Nov-2009]
Angie Ng feels the proposed reimposition of real property gains tax and the possibility of higher mortgage rates may spell the end of the short
“honeymoon” period for property buyers.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/11/7/business/5055511&sec=business
Higher home loan rates imminent
[BUSINESS 4-Nov-2009]
KUALA LUMPUR: Housing loan rates are expected to trend upwards in the not-so-distant future as the banking industry moves towards risk-based
pricing in determining interest rates that are more sustainable for the industry.
http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/component/content/article/152904.html
Mortgage rates start to climb
[BUSINESS 4-Nov-2009]
PETALING JAYA: New home buyers are expected to make higher payments for their loans with some banks increasing their mortgage rates early this
month.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/11/4/business/5034889&sec=business
Report: Mortgages first hit if lending rates rise
[BUSINESS 3-Nov-2009]
PETALING JAYA: Average lending rates are on an uptick with banks possibly positioning themselves for a gradual increase in the rates for their
long-term loans.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/11/3/business/5030022&sec=business
Rate cycle has turned in Asia but hikes to be raised slowly
[BUSINESS 12-Oct-2009]
NEW DELHI: The interest rate cycle has turned in the Asia-Pacific region but increases in benchmark borrowing costs will be gradual in order not
to nip fragile economic recovery in the bud, analysts say.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/10/12/business/4887243&sec=business
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