Malaysia to Hold Off on Growth Upgrade on Mideast Risks

Malaysia’s second finance minister said policymakers will hold off on raising the country’s 2026 growth forecast as uncertainty over the Middle East conflict clouds the country’s economic outlook.

A month ago, Amir Hamzah Azizan had signaled optimism that the government could revise up its official growth projection of 4% to 4.5% when Bank Negara Malaysia next reviews the estimate. But officials are now taking a more cautious stance as geopolitical risks intensify.