Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the US still values its ties with Malaysia and also wants to continue working with other South-east Asian countries, after meeting US Secretary of State Marco Rubio here today.

KUALA LUMPUR] Bank Negara Malaysia’s earlier-than-expected rate cut, the first since 2020, is sending a sign that policymakers are bracing for a tougher second half of 2025 as trade tensions with the United States and weakening global demand cast a shadow over the country’s economic outlook.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim warned Wednesday that global trade is being weaponized as Southeast Asia’s foreign ministers held annual talks ahead of the looming threat of US trade tariffs. Concerns about US tariffs have jolted the Association of Southeast Asian Nations,

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday urged Southeast Asian countries to "act with purpose" and enhance trade among each other in the face of global uncertainty, as regional foreign ministers met amid renewed jitters over U.

For all the bluster and optimism from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government over its efforts to negotiate a reduction on the proposed US tariffs, Malaysia was among several countries that instead saw its rate increase. On July 8, it was announced that the rate would go up one percentage point to 25 per cent.

Bank Negara Malaysia cut the overnight policy rate by 25 basis points to 2.75% on Wednesday, the first easing since July 2020.

Tariff concerns will likely weigh on Malaysia’s currency, stocks and economy in the near term, according to analysts, after the country’s central bank cut its benchmark interest rate for the first time in five years.

The Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (MARGMA) has urged the government to promptly enter sectoral tariff negotiations with the United States (US) following Washington's decision to raise import duties on rubber gloves to 25 per cent from Aug 1,