This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly, on June 20, 2022 - June 26, 2022. - A + A ALL eyes are on RHB Banking Group’s newly minted group managing director (MD) and group CEO Mohd Rashid Mohamad as he steers the fourth-largest banking group by assets forward in a tough operating landscape. “It’s very challenging, especially now in a fast-changing market environment, and as we face potential risks such as geopolitical and inflationary,” acknowledges Rashid in his first exclusive interview as group MD/CEO. Competition has intensified, given new entrants into the market, which are not just new banks but also technology companies that compete for the same pie. Rashid adds that this has partly affected the profitability of the industry, along with many other factors. He notes that banks globally no longer see “high ROEs” as before. For RHB Bank Bhd, its return on equity (ROE) in the past 10 financial years hit a high of 13.4% in FY2012 before … [Read more...] about Cover Story: RHB’s Game Plan in ‘fast-changing’ new normal
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Moscow mall opens for Russian business after big brand exodus
- A + A MOSCOW (June 30): Western fashion brands are conspicuous by their absence at a gleaming new shopping centre on the outskirts of Moscow - and customers say they scarcely miss them. Following Moscow's decision to send thousands of troops into Ukraine at the end of February, international fashion brands from Adidas to Zara have paused operations in Russia, while Nike is one of the handful to commit to a definitive exit from the market. "I am neutral on this, whether we have them or not," shopper Alexandra Moskunova told Reuters at the mall in Khovrino. "I can happily do without them." Another customer, Irina Stakhanova, said: "I only really liked H&M and another one that I can't remember. It's not that I need foreign things, I just need something that fits me and looks good, to lift the mood." There are few overt signs in the Russian capital that the mood needs lifting. Buskers sing and play, restaurant terraces spill onto the pavement and, as … [Read more...] about Moscow mall opens for Russian business after big brand exodus
Global credit conditions more negative amid rising borrowing costs, slower economic growth: Moody’s
In a statement, Moody's said the rupee has depreciated around 4.5 per cent since the start of the year. (Representative image) Moody's Investors Service on Thursday said global credit conditions have turned more negative amid rising borrowing costs, protracted Russia-Ukraine conflict and slower economic growth. It said the surge in energy and food costs spurred by the conflict in Ukraine is weakening the purchasing power of households, raising input costs for companies and dampening investor sentiment. Among sovereign debt issuers, debt sustainability will be especially challenging for many frontier market sovereigns as their borrowing costs climb, while their economies still have not fully recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, it said. "Global credit conditions have turned more negative and will be tighter for the rest of the year amid rising borrowing costs, the prospect of a protracted military conflict between Russia and Ukraine, materially slower growth of the … [Read more...] about Global credit conditions more negative amid rising borrowing costs, slower economic growth: Moody’s
MC Explains | Will RBI let the rupee adjust to new lows?
In May, the employee was paid Rs 1.42 crore (165,398,851 Chilean pesos) instead of his salary of Rs 43,000 (500,000 pesos). (Representative Image) The rupee touched a record low, sliding near 79 to a dollar, on June 29 as foreign investors continued selling local equities and crude oil prices rose. Experts say the sharp fall of the rupee can be attributed to the strength of the greenback and lower forward premiums, among others. Moneycontrol explains the reasons for the rupee’s depreciation. How much did the rupee depreciate? The rupee opened at 78.85 per dollar and slid to 78.95, an all-time high, during intra-day trade on Wednesday. On a weekly basis, the currency has depreciated 1.2 percent. Close Why is the rupee in a free fall? Central banks led by the US Federal Reserve tightening interest rates globally, increases in crude oil and commodity prices, lower forward premiums and weakening forex reserves are some of the reasons experts cite for … [Read more...] about MC Explains | Will RBI let the rupee adjust to new lows?
Study abroad: Five things to remember before joining a foreign university
The time between getting the admission offer and joining a foreign university provides a unique window to hone new skills, learn about socio-cultural fitments, pick up a language, and master part-time work laws to fit into the new destination well. Pawan Adhikari, founder of international education consultancy start-up, DP Cube Learning, tells Moneycontrol about five key areas students must work on before joining a campus overseas to make their stay at the study destination smooth. 1. Breaking the language barrier : If you are going to an English-speaking country, try to learn the local pronunciations. Watching videos is a good way to get a hang of the way English is spoken there. As an example, even within the UK, spoken English will vary depending on where you are – Ireland, Scotland and Welsh, for example, have very different accents. If you are travelling to a destination where English is the second language, make an effort to familiarise yourself with the native … [Read more...] about Study abroad: Five things to remember before joining a foreign university
The Accessories Startup Hollywood Loves
This Oscars season, jewelry startup Dannijo will likely play a starring role. Spotted on models like Brooklyn Decker and actress Jessica Alba, the brand has become a big name among the celebrity set and trendy fashionistas. Not bad for a company that started from a childhood love for jewelry making. Read on for the story of how the founders went from playing around with wire to building a thriving business. (And check out more stories in our Built From Passion series.) Where the Idea Came From It all started in the mid-1980s when sisters Danielle and Jodie Snyder were growing up in Jacksonville, Florida. The story goes that Danielle and her older sister would sneak into their cardiologist father's "glorified dopp kit" to play with his surgical tools. "He had a lot of clamps, things you can use to hold arteries or veins," Danielle says. They also worked equally well for fashioning homemade jewelry. Over time, the girls taught themselves to do wirework and a passion for … [Read more...] about The Accessories Startup Hollywood Loves
Asian currencies set for half-year losses on rate hikes, inflation woes
- A + A (June 30): All emerging Asian currencies were set for half-yearly losses on Thursday, with the South Korean won set to lose the most, as policy tightening by the US central bank and concerns over global economic outlook spurred selling in Asian assets. The won dropped 8.4% so far this year, while the Philippine peso and Indian rupee were on track to post half-yearly losses of 7.3% and 5.8%, respectively. Emerging markets in the six-month period were battered by capital outflows due to the US Federal Reserve kicking off its tightening cycle, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and inflation from higher commodity prices. Among local drivers, China's insistence on a zero-Covid policy also spurred selling as the country's repeated imposition of restrictions means a slower economic recovery for the region's largest economy. "The broader market ... they need some more convincing because I think at the back of their mind, they've still got this hesitancy due to the … [Read more...] about Asian currencies set for half-year losses on rate hikes, inflation woes
Trump Administration Refuses To Cooperate With ‘Constitutionally Invalid’ Impeachment
Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline : House speaker Nancy Pelosi warned President Donald Trump that he is “not above the law” after the White House refused to cooperate with what the Trump administration says is a “constitutionally illegitimate” impeachment inquiry. In a combative letter , Pat Cipollone, White House counsel to the president, accused House speaker Nancy Pelosi of carrying out the proceedings “in secret” and of abandoning due process rights, by launching the impeachment inquiry without a full house vote. The letter read: “Given that your inquiry lacks any legitimate constitutional foundation, any pretense of fairness, or even the most elementary due process protections, the Executive Branch cannot be expected to participate in it.” Cipollone also labelled impeachment efforts a “naked political strategy” to overturn the results of the 2016 election and influence next year’s poll. In response, Pelosi said … [Read more...] about Trump Administration Refuses To Cooperate With ‘Constitutionally Invalid’ Impeachment
Xi Jinping: China’s dynamic zero-COVID policy works
President Xi Jinping talks on Tuesday with community workers, Party members and volunteers during an inspection tour of Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, and hears about local efforts in the prevention and control of COVID-19 outbreaks. | XINHUA via China Daily/Asia News Network BEIJING — President Xi Jinping has reiterated that the dynamic zero-COVID policy has proved to be “correct “and “effective” in the nation’s response to COVID-19 outbreaks, saying that the “herd immunity “approach would cause unimaginable consequences in such a populous country as China. Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks on Tuesday during an inspection tour of Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province. The city reported the first case of COVID-19 in China. He visited a residential community and a high-tech enterprise in Wuhan, and highlighted the importance of coordinating the COVID response and socioeconomic development, as well as … [Read more...] about Xi Jinping: China’s dynamic zero-COVID policy works
India on cusp of fundamental shifts in direction of fuller capital account convertibility, says RBI Dy Governor
The country is on the cusp of fundamental changes in direction of fuller capital account convertibility, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Deputy Governor T Rabi Sankar said on October 14. Sankar, while addressing the fifth annual day of Foreign Exchange Dealers’ Association of India (FEDAI), said the rate of change in capital account convertibility -- that is the ability or freedom to convert domestic currency for capital account transactions -- is increasing in India. "India has come a long way in achieving increasing levels of convertibility on the capital account. It has broadly achieved the desired outcome for the policy choices it has made, in terms of achieving a stable composition of foreign capital inflow," he said. "At the same time, India is on the cusp of some fundamental shifts in this space with increased market integration in the offing and freer non-resident access to debt on 11 the table," Sankar added. The rate of change in capital convertibility will only … [Read more...] about India on cusp of fundamental shifts in direction of fuller capital account convertibility, says RBI Dy Governor