Investment & Market Trends

KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia Berhad (“Bursa Malaysia” or the “Exchange”), wishes to provide the following updates on the outcome of the cases of unauthorised trades on 24 April 2025: Bursa Malaysia and the affected brokers have reached a consensus to manage the unauthorised trades, with the support of counter-party brokers. The key outcome results with the underlying principle that no investor with unauthorised trades shall incur losses arising from the incident. As stated previously, the unauthorised trades were confined to a very limited number of brokers’ client online trading accounts. Subsequently, the affected securities and proceeds from the unauthorised trades, withheld since 27 April 2025 to facilitate the investigation, will be released following post trade actions on 20 May 2025. For the most part, the net effect of this process is the return of the affected securities and proceeds to the impacted investors, restoring their positions prior to the incident. A thorough investigation is currently underway to understand the root cause of the incident. Bursa Malaysia continues to work closely with the industry on the matter. Investor protection and market confidence remain paramount to the capital market.

KUALA LUMPUR: Crewstone International (“Crewstone”), a Malaysia-based private equity firm, is pleased to announce a Co-General Partnership with Solyco Capital (“Solyco”), a U.S.-based private equity group with 6 offices across the US and UK. The investment is designed to open new US and UK investment opportunities to Crewstone’s growing international network and strengthen Crewstone’s position as a preeminent player in the US and UK markets. The investment represents over $165 Million in committed capital, to be initially focused on two core initiatives: 1) Working with the newly formed Solyco UK to create or acquire an FCA-regulated financial services firm and provide access to the growing private investment market in the UK (in progress), and 2) Investment into the US via Solyco’s expanding platform, including a direct investment into Solyco SPV II, which features a curated selection of more than 15 companies across high-growth sectors including Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Biotech, SportTech, HealthTech, Energy, and Logistics, with an estimated valuation of over $1.4 Billion USD1.  This partnership marks a significant milestone in Crewstone’s international expansion, following the launch of its U.S. subsidiary, Crewstone Capital, in New York at the end of 2024. The alliance will not only strengthen Crewstone’s U.S. footprint but also establish a foundational presence in the UK. Solyco US plans to work hand-in-hand with Crewstone US to provide not only an opportunity pipeline but also access to later stage transactions, from investment rounds to IPO. As part of the initial phase, Crewstone will raise over USD 15 million through its network of limited partners via a dedicated fund structure, — the Solyco Capital Opportunistic Fund. The capital will be channeled into a UK-domiciled SPV to facilitate the acquisition or creation of a Regulated UK investment firm, opening the door to direct investment in a range of UK and European companies, and potentially participating in select Government Initiatives such as the venerated EIS program. Participating LPs will have the opportunity to acquire up to 10% equity in the SPV, subject to full subscription. The initiative is designed to create a scalable platform for broader expansion across the European financial services landscape.    In parallel, Crewstone is launching a broader fundraising initiative of up to USD 150 million, beginning with an initial USD 50 million tranche dedicated to Solyco’s Portfolio SPV II. This capital will be strategically deployed across transformational sectors with strong market relevance and long-term value creation. This phase of the partnership aims to position Crewstone and Solyco as leading cross-border private capital partners, unlocking high-impact investment opportunities across developed markets.    “The partnership with Solyco Capital marks a significant milestone in our expansion into the UK while reinforcing our U.S. presence and establishing a growth platform across transformative sectors. Our combined capabilities are set to deliver long-term value to both investors and stakeholders,” said Dato’ Izmir Mujab, CEO of Crewstone International.    “Our partnership with Crewstone is a unique and powerful fit within Solyco’s global expansion strategy. Through this alliance, Crewstone’s LPs will gain access to the distinctive value of our growing portfolio, while our companies will gain access to opportunities for global export,” said John Garcia, Founder and Managing partner of Solyco Capital.  “We were drawn to the strength and reputation of Crewstone’s founders, and equally impressed by their culture of transparency, performance, and fierce dedication to protecting and serving their LPs — values that align seamlessly with our commitment to service, purpose, and impact across the assets, companies, and markets in which we invest. Together, Crewstone and Solyco Capital form a dynamic force of good, delivering a powerful combination of value creation, growth, and intentionally designed – near-and long-term liquidity – across global markets.” 

KUALA LUMPUR: Shares of Inari Amertron Bhd surged to their highest level in nearly three months in early trading on Tuesday, buoyed by optimism surrounding a continued global semiconductor recovery and the potential easing of US export controls on advanced chips — developments expected to benefit Malaysia’s tech sector. By 9:30am, the counter had soared 33 sen or 17% to RM2.27, lifting the group’s market capitalisation to approximately RM8.6 billion. Trading volume exceeded 22.2 million shares, more than double its average daily volume, making it the most actively traded stock on Bursa Malaysia in the morning session. Investor sentiment was supported by recent data from the Semiconductor Industry Association, which reported that global semiconductor sales reached US$55.9 billion (RM242.4 billion) in March 2025 — representing an 18.8% year-on-year increase and a 1.8% rise month-on-month. This marks the 17th consecutive month of annual growth for the sector. Additionally, industry body SEMI noted that global semiconductor materials revenue rose 3.8% year-on-year to US$67.5 billion in 2024, fuelled by strong demand for advanced materials driven by high-performance computing and AI-related applications. TA Securities reiterated its ‘overweight’ stance on the semiconductor sector in a research note issued Tuesday, citing positive tailwinds from both macroeconomic factors and policy developments. However, it cautioned that risks remain, particularly with regard to potential geopolitical and regulatory uncertainties stemming from US policy shifts. The research house views favourably reports that the Trump administration is considering revisions to the Biden-era restrictions on the export of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chips. “Overall, we view this development positively, as it could provide Malaysia with greater access to advanced technologies, particularly in strategic industries such as data centres,” the note stated. “The potential relaxation of export controls may also stimulate foreign direct investment and collaborative opportunities, further enhancing Malaysia’s position in the global semiconductor supply chain.” TA Securities also welcomed the recent announcement by the Malaysian government outlining the eligibility criteria for local companies to participate in the advanced chip design initiative, in collaboration with UK-based Arm Holdings plc. “This development marks an important step forward in enabling Malaysian firms to move up the value chain within the global semiconductor ecosystem,” it added. Inari Amertron remains among TA Securities’ top picks in the sector, with a target price of RM3.10. Other ‘buy’ calls include Unisem (M) Bhd (TP: RM2.35), Malaysian Pacific Industries Bhd (TP: RM29.30), and Elsoft Research Bhd (TP: 52 sen). -The Edge Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur: Foreign investors continued to demonstrate confidence in Malaysian equities, extending their net buying streak on Bursa Malaysia for a third consecutive week. Net inflows totalled RM422.6 million for the week ended 9 May, according to MIDF Amanah Investment Bank Bhd’s latest Fund Flow Report. While the inflow marked a slowdown from the RM853.3 million recorded the previous week, foreign investors remained net buyers on three out of five trading days. The largest net inflow occurred on Wednesday at RM364.8 million, followed by Friday with RM135.1 million. Net outflows were recorded on Monday and Thursday, at RM92.4 million and RM42.4 million, respectively. Sector-wise, utilities led with the highest foreign net inflow at RM253.3 million, followed by telecommunications and media (RM53.3 million), and financial services (RM51.1 million). In contrast, the energy and technology sectors experienced net outflows of RM57.5 million and RM56 million, respectively. Meanwhile, local institutional investors sustained their net selling trend for the third consecutive week, posting outflows of RM397.8 million. Local retail investors also continued to pare down holdings, although the pace of outflows moderated to RM24.8 million, compared to RM161.2 million in the preceding week. Market participation rose across all investor segments. Average daily trading volumes increased 8.6% for local institutions, 2.9% for retail investors, and 6.1% for foreign investors, signalling growing interest and momentum across Bursa Malaysia. -Bernama