Live Updates > Live Update Details
2026-09-18 09:50:10
[CIMB: Malaysian Consumer Spending Shifts Towards Necessities in Second Half, Affordability a Key Theme] (1) CIMB Securities analyst Walter Aw Lik Hsin stated in a report that Malaysian consumer spending in the second half of the year is likely to remain biased towards necessities and value-for-money goods. (2) He indicated that spending should be supported by inelastic demand, government assistance such as cash handouts, and a potential minimum wage increase. (3) He believes that non-essential spending is likely to remain subdued; any recovery will be concentrated in semi-essential and lower-priced categories as consumers continue to downgrade their spending. (4) Aw believes that defensive, mass-market companies are likely to benefit from necessities spending and the trend of downgrading consumption, with affordability being a key theme in the second half of the year. (5) CIMB maintains a neutral rating on the Malaysian consumer sector and lists QL Resources, Empire Premium Food, Life Water, and Nestlé (Malaysia) as its top picks.
