Malaysia: Inflation loses steam in January – UOB

Pablo Piovano FXStreet

UOB Group’s Senior Economist Julia Goh and Economist Loke Siew Ting assess the latest inflation figures in Malaysia.

Key Takeaways

“Headline inflation moderated for the second straight month to 2.3% y/y in Jan (from 3.2% in Dec 2021). It matched our estimate but undershot Bloomberg consensus’ 2.5%.”

“The moderation in Jan inflation was purely a result of year-ago high base effects fading in electricity and transport components. This partially cushioned the impact of price gains across most goods and services, particularly food & beverages; furnishing, household equipment & maintenance; recreation services & culture; restaurants & hotels; as well as education.”

“Despite the second month of slower inflation reading last month, risks to inflation are still tilted to the upside. Among key upside risks are global supply chain disruptions, escalating commodity prices, higher wages due to post-pandemic labour shortages and revised national minimum wage, expiry of government’s price control schemes, and potential subsidy rationalization programs. We maintain our 2022 full-year inflation forecast at 3.0% (2021: 2.5%).”

Author

Pablo Piovano

FXStreet

Born and bred in Argentina, Pablo has been carrying on with his passion for FX markets and trading since his first college years.

GBP/USD extends the drop to 1.3360

GBP/USD builds on Monday’s decline and briefly clinches five-day lows near 1.3360 on Tuesday. Cable’s extra pullback follows the better tone in the Greenback as uncertainty in the Middle East prompts investors to adopt a cautious stance. Meanwhile, an apathetic UK labour market report also collaborates with the selling pressure on the British Pound.

EUR/USD stays offered just above 1.1400

EUR/USD keeps the downtrend well in place for yet another day, challenging the 1.1400 contention zone on Tuesday. The continuation of the selling impulse in spot comes amid decent gains in the US Dollar, which continues to find support in the persistent effervescence surrounding the US-Iran crisis.

Middle East crisis intensifies, Gold up

Gold now seems to have embarked on a consolidative phase below the key $4,100 mark per troy ounce in the latter part of Tuesday’s session. Meanwhile, uncertainty surrounding the Middle East conflict and rising expectations for a hawkish Fed policy outlook are expected to limit the precious metal’s bullish momentum in the near term.

XRP rebounds on rising on-chain activity

Ripple (XRP) ticks up and trades around $1.13 at the time of writing on Tuesday. This rebound aligns with a broader recovery in the cryptocurrency market, attributed to reports that mediators between the United States (US) and Iran are seeking a 10-day cessation of strikes to find a way back to the signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The Iranian war has again risen

The Iranian war has again risen to the top of the economics factor list. There is no end in sight. Intelligence experts say the current level of offense/retaliation will not change minds in Tehran, while in Washington, Trump fears all-out war, which would mean boots on the ground.

US Dollar mid-year outlook: Exceptional currency, exceptional risks?

The US Dollar enters the second half of 2026 in a markedly different position from a year ago. The King currency has recovered, reflecting persistent US inflation, changing expectations for Fed policy, geopolitical tensions and renewed demand for defensive assets.