Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the article is that Malaysia's economy is expected to remain resilient with a projected GDP growth rate of 4.5% by 2026, driven by strong domestic investment and a solid labor market [1] - The demand driven by artificial intelligence is anticipated to support the country's electrical and electronic product exports, partially offsetting the overall weakness in external demand [1] - Fiscal policy will continue to focus on consolidation through targeted tax reforms and restrained spending, while monetary policy is expected to remain stable amid balanced growth and inflation risks [1] Group 2 - The stable interest rate environment and favorable growth outlook are expected to support the Malaysian currency, the ringgit, with the USD to MYR exchange rate potentially reaching 4.00 by the end of 2026 [1] - Currently, the USD to MYR exchange rate is approximately 4.0910 [1]

Core Points - The National Standards Committee approved 60 new and revised standards during its 32nd council meeting, covering key sectors such as construction, chemicals, energy management, electrical and electronic products, automotive systems, cosmetics, wood products, and textiles [1] - The approved standards include 50 new international ISO and IEC standards, 1 revised Cambodian standard, and 9 amendments, all of which underwent rigorous review by relevant technical committees [1] - The adoption of these standards is crucial for Cambodia's industrial transformation, enhancing the country's commitment to innovation, safety, and sustainable development, thereby improving competitiveness in advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies [1] Industry Impact - The new standards align Cambodia with international best practices, supporting the country's goal of developing a safer, greener, and more competitive industrial economy [1] - The Minister of the National Security Council, Hem Vanndy, emphasized the importance of modern standards in driving Cambodia's industrial transformation and urged council members to raise awareness and understanding of the adopted standards within their respective sectors [1]

Group 1 - The Algerian oil and gas industry, a key pillar of the economy, experienced a year-on-year production decline of 3.3% in the first quarter of 2025 [1] - The production of liquefied natural gas, a critical product for Algeria's oil and gas sector, saw a significant drop of 17.5% in the first quarter of 2025 [1] - The refined oil production, after showing growth in the first and third quarters of 2024, began to decline by 2.2% in the first quarter of 2025 [1] Group 2 - Other industrial sectors also faced challenges, with mining and quarrying production decreasing by 3.7% in the first quarter of 2025 after a growth trend in 2023 and 2024 [1] - The steel, metals, machinery, electrical, and electronics industries experienced a dramatic overall decline of 41.7% in the first quarter of 2025, following a 25.1% increase in the fourth quarter of 2024 [1] - The chemical, food, and textile industries reported declines of 11.3%, 10.2%, and 4.9% respectively [1] Group 3 - Despite the overall industrial production downturn, the building materials sector showed a slight growth of 1.5% [1] - The wood and leather industries experienced significant growth, with increases of 19.6% and 13.1% respectively [1]

Core Insights - The chairman of the Egyptian Heavy Industries Export Council, Sherif El-Sayyad, reported that Egypt's heavy industrial exports reached $3.1 billion in the first half of 2025, marking a 15% increase compared to the same period in 2024, which is the highest six-month export figure on record for the industry [1] Export Performance - In June, the export value increased by 7% year-on-year, reaching $475 million [1] - Significant exports included cables, automotive parts, electrical and electronic products, home appliances, and transportation equipment, with notable growth in exports to European countries [1]

Group 1 - The Bank Negara Malaysia announced a 25 basis points cut in the overnight policy rate (OPR) from 3% to 2.75%, marking the first rate adjustment in two years and the first rate cut in five years [1] - The central bank highlighted that global economic growth continues, supported by consumer spending and some degree of consumer credit, despite uncertainties from global tariffs and geopolitical tensions [1][3] - The Malaysian economy is expected to grow in the second quarter, driven by domestic demand and export growth, with supportive employment and wage growth in domestic-oriented sectors [3] Group 2 - Inflation rates in Malaysia for the first five months of the year averaged 1.4% for overall inflation and 1.9% for core inflation, with expectations for moderate inflation through 2025 [3] - The Malaysian Ringgit's performance will be primarily driven by external factors, with the central bank indicating that while the domestic economic foundation is strong, external uncertainties may impact growth prospects [4] - The Malaysian stock market saw a slight increase of 0.06% on a recent Wednesday, but has declined by 6.89% year-to-date, while the Ringgit has appreciated nearly 5% against the US dollar since the beginning of the year [4]

Group 1 - The Bank of Korea has lowered the benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 2.50% to mitigate the downside risks to economic growth [1] - Due to uncertainties surrounding tariffs, South Korea's exports are expected to continue slowing, significantly impacting economic growth [1] - A media survey predicts that South Korea's exports in May may decline by 4.9% year-on-year, following a 3.7% increase in April [1] Group 2 - A survey by Mono indicates that if the current U.S. tariff policy continues, South Korean exporters expect a nearly 5% decline in exports to the U.S. this year [2] - Among the top 1,000 exporting companies, the electrical and electronics sector anticipates the largest decline of 8.3%, followed by the automotive sector at 7.9% [2] - The Bank of Korea has revised its economic growth forecast for 2025 down to 0.8%, with a projected growth rate of 1.6% for 2026 [2] Group 3 - A Reuters survey indicates that the Bank of Korea is expected to lower the benchmark interest rate to 2.00% by the end of Q4 2025, down from a previous estimate of 2.25% [3] - The Bank of Korea forecasts the inflation rate in South Korea to reach 1.9% in 2025 and 1.8% in 2026, with inflation expected to stabilize around 2% [3] - Future inflation trends will depend on economic conditions, exchange rates, and oil prices, with a need to remain vigilant against rising household debt and increased volatility in the foreign exchange market [3]

Core Viewpoint - South Korean exporters anticipate a 4.9% decline in exports to the United States this year if current tariff policies remain in place [1] Industry Summary - Among the top 1,000 exporting companies, 150 firms expect an average export reduction of 4.9% to the U.S. by 2025 [1] - The electrical and electronics sector is projected to experience the largest decline at 8.3%, followed by the automotive and auto parts industry at 7.9%, petrochemicals and petroleum products at 7.2%, and general machinery at 6.4% [1] - In contrast, the shipbuilding and pharmaceutical sectors expect growth in exports to the U.S., with increases of 10% and 1.6% respectively, despite ongoing tariff concerns [1] Company Sentiment - 81.3% of surveyed companies believe that tariff measures will negatively impact businesses in both countries [1] - Additionally, 14.7% of respondents feel that while the tariffs will adversely affect South Korean companies, they may benefit U.S. firms [1]