KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 4 — Malaysia is well-positioned to retain its top spot in Asean for initial public offering (IPO) listings and fundraising in 2026, said CGS International Securities Malaysia Sdn Bhd (CGS Malaysia).

It said momentum is strong, with seven more listings in the pipeline for 2025, bringing the year’s total to 59.

CGS Malaysia chief executive officer-designate Khairi Shahrin Arief Baki said interest in Malaysia will remain high, as the Securities Commission Malaysia’s recent consultation paper proposing major updates to listing requirements for the Main and ACE Markets in 2026 will draw significant attention.

He said the local and regional capital markets will be watching closely to see whether these changes will further strengthen Malaysia’s position as a destination for IPOs.

“CGS Malaysia maintains a constructive view on the Malaysian market into 2026, on the back of calming external headwinds and growing domestic tailwinds. 

“We are confident in Malaysia’s potential as a safe haven against ongoing global uncertainties (US-China) and bubbling tensions (China-Japan) driven by major powers, through Malaysia’s strategic location, supportive policy direction in high-growth-high-value sectors and strong domestic focus,” he said in a statement today.

CGS Malaysia’s findings were reported through its annual Navigator Report 2026, where the company offers a preview of what 2026 may hold post Malaysia’s Chairmanship of Asean, the expectations for Budget 2026 and its priorities, as well as the rollout of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP). The report also focuses on key themes and factors that will impact markets next year.

Meanwhile, Khairi Shahrin Arief said Malaysia’s investment growth in 2025 is anchored in the country’s strong fundamentals, which are political and policy stability, fiscal discipline, and sound governance. 

“2025 has set a strong foundation for us to build further on the strong investor confidence, bolstered by regulatory efficiency and a diverse and healthy listing pipeline coming from various sectors, including consumer goods, healthcare, logistics and technology, to capture and convert the interest into tangible deals.

“CGS Malaysia remains committed to supporting these strengths through our capital-market leadership, especially in driving more collaborations with our Asean and China networks and, at the same time, contributing to sustainability thought leadership,” he said.

On the other hand, CGS Malaysia said with 2026 earmarked for the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign, the country is targeting tourist arrivals of 31 million and tourist receipts of RM147.1 million.

“This translates to a two-year compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19 per cent and 20 per cent, respectively, compared to the 2024 baseline,” it said.

CGS Malaysia also stated that stocks in industries related to the tourism landscape, such as aviation, consumer retail, healthcare and real estate investment trusts (REITs) with prime malls and hotels, should garner investor interest.

“In addition, recently listed Aquawalk Group offers a good proxy to the VM2026 play,” it added. — Bernama