The world economy has proven more resilient than expected despite acute strains from multiple shocks, the head of the International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday, forecasting only a slight slowing of global growth this year and in 2026.
Malaysia’s natural rubber (NR) production declined by 12.8% month-on-month to 31,285 tonnes in August 2025, down from 35,884 tonnes in July, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
New light-vehicle sales in the United States climbed to a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 16.4 million units in September 2025, up 3.5% from a year earlier, as buyers rushed to purchase electric vehicles before the federal EV tax credit expired on September 30. According to the NADA’s September Market Beat report, the strong performance was driven in part by “pull-ahead” demand ahead of the credit deadline.
The World Bank has warned that Malaysia risks losing its US export market share to competing countries with lower tariffs, and that an uphill battle lies ahead for the electrical and electronics (E&E) sector.
The World Trade Organization sharply lowered its 2026 forecast for global merchandise trade volume growth to 0.5% on Tuesday, citing expected delayed impacts from US President Donald Trump's tariffs.
The US is one week away from imposing port fees on certain vessels with links to China, a move expected to cost the top 10 carriers US$3.2 billion next year as US President Donald Trump seeks to address China's growing dominance on the high seas.