KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 27): FTSE Russell will keep Malaysia on a watchlist for exclusion from its World Government Bond Index, signaling that policy makers need to do more to deepen the ringgit debt market.

KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s national debt rose to RM1.09 trillion in 2018 from RM1.08 trillion in 2017, based on accrual accounting, said Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, chairman of the Special Select Committee on the Budget.

THE US dollar rebounded by 0.22% to 96.194 largely due to safe haven flows following escalating US-Iran geopolitical tensions after both Iran President Hassan Rouhani and President Donald Trump have traded insults, with Rouhani suggesting that Trump suffered from a “mental disorder” and Trump once more threatening Iran with “obliteration”.

THE dollar fell 0.54% to 97.117 after the Federal Reserve struck a dovish tone in its June policy statement while keeping its benchmark interest rates unchanged at 2.25%–2.50%. The decision came amid divisions over what is ahead and still leaves open the possibility that policy loosening could happen before the end of the year depending on how conditions unfold.

KUALA LUMPUR: Foreign bond investors are expected to be driven by "flight to safety" dynamics in May given the prevailing global uncertainties.

Following the downward revision of this year’s economic growth forecast by Bank Negara last week, Moody’s Investors Service has cut Malaysia’s GDP growth forecast to 4.4 per cent from 4.7 per cent for this year and to 4.3 per cent from 4.5 per cent for 2020.