This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on August 11, 2025 - August 17, 2025

There will be a slew of data releases on the local economic front with Malaysia’s second quarter 2025 (2Q2025) gross domestic product (GDP) as well as the 2Q2025 current account balance taking centre stage on Aug 15.

According to preliminary findings by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) released on July 18, Malaysia’s economy is estimated to grow 4.5% in the second quarter of 2025, slightly higher than the 4.4% recorded in the first quarter. The preliminary estimate signals that Malaysia’s economic growth momentum remained steady in April and May, with expectations of stronger performance in June.

For the first half of 2025, the economy is projected to expand moderately by 4.4%, staying close to the government’s official target range of 4.5 to 5.5% for the full year, chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said in a statement.

There will also be numerous data releases including principal statistics of Malaysia’s labour force for 2Q2025 and labour force statistics for June 2025 on Aug 11; employment statistics for 2Q2025 on Aug 14; and the international investment position for 2Q2025, quarterly Balance of Payments for 2Q2025, Pocket Stats Malaysia for 2Q2025 and Pocket Stats for states for 2Q2025 on Aug 15.

Singapore will announce its final print of 2Q2025 GDP on Aug 12 while Taiwan and Hong Kong will also be releasing their final 2Q2025 GDP data on Aug 15. Japan’s preliminary 2Q2025 GDP announcement will be on the same day and the UK’s substantive data docket with a dual focus on its preliminary 2Q GDP and June employment will be out on Aug 14.

Having celebrated its 60th National Day on Aug 9, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will make a speech on Aug 17 (Sunday), where markets are expected to pay attention to any possible new policy initiatives.

Trade developments that will be of interest are the Aug 12 expiry date for the 90-day trade tariff pause between the US and China.

Separately, attention will also be on Indian PM Modi’s speech on the nation’s 79th Independence Day (Aug 15) at a time of heightened trade tensions with the US.

Other key Asian data includes China’s July Consumer Price Index (CPI) and July Producer Price Index (PPI) on Aug 9.

“China’s July M2 money supply will most likely be on Aug 13,” says UOB Global Economics & Markets Research economist Alvin Liew in an Aug 8 report.

The rest of China’s July data, including new and used home prices, industrial production, retail sales, surveyed unemployment rate and property investments for the year to date, will be made known on Aug 15.

India’s key economic data will be its July CPI on Aug 12 and July trade data to be released on Aug 13 and 14.

Meanwhile, the two monetary policy meetings taking place in Asia-Pacific are the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) on Aug 12 and the Bank of Thailand (BoT) on Aug 13.

According to Bloomberg’s survey as at Aug 8, all 21 economists polled, including UOB’s economist Lee Sue Ann, expect the RBA to cut its policy cash rate target by 25 basis points (bps) to 3.6%. Of the 12 economists polled for BoT, seven expect the Thai central bank to cut its policy rate by 25bps to 1.5% but there are five (including UOB’s economist Sathit Talaengsatya) who expect the BoT to stay on pause in the meeting.

Over in the US, attention will be on President Donald Trump’s planned direct talks with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.

“The talks are unlikely to deliver a lasting ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine but instead just delay any sanctions decisions (including targeting the shadow fleet and potential support for the new oil price cap) until after the planned negotiations conclude,” Liew says, quoting political consultant Eurasia.

Nearly 1,600 US companies will be reporting their earnings during the week of Aug 11 to 15, but the number of S&P 500 companies reporting is markedly reduced, to just five (from 125 companies last week).

There is no monetary policy decision among the G7 central banks during the week but the Norges Bank (Norway) will announce its August monetary policy decision on Aug 14.

The US’ data docket will be packed with releases such as July CPI and core CPI as well as NFIB small business optimism Survey for July on Aug 12; July PPI on Aug 14; July advance retail sales and control group as well as Empire manufacturing survey for August; and July industrial production and capacity utilisation data on Aug 15. Initial jobless claims, July import price, July export price index and preliminary University of Michigan consumer confidence survey for August will also be released on Aug 15.

On the corporate front, Bursa Malaysia-listed companies holding annual general meetings include AmFirst REITS (KL:AMFIRST) and Master Tec Group Bhd (KL:MTEC) on Aug 11 and DXN Holdings Bhd (KL:DXN) on Aug 13.

Exsim Hospitality Bhd (KL:EXSIMHB) and Sedania Innovator Bhd (KL:SEDANIA) will hold their extraordinary general meetings on Aug 15.

In the courts, the High Court hearing of the petition to wind up Sapura Holdings Sdn Bhd that was brought by its director Datuk Shahriman Shamsuddin in a bid for fair asset distribution with his brother Tan Sri Shahril Shamsuddin will continue on Aug 11.

The Federal Court has fixed Aug 13 to deliver its decision on Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar’s appeal concerning the addendum order allegedly issued by the former Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, purportedly allowing former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to serve his sentence under house arrest rather than in prison.

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