(Jan 19): Malaysia has sounded out debt arrangers about a dollar bond offering, putting the Asian government on track to join a record global fundraising binge so far in 2026.
The government sent a request for proposals to banks for a potential offering, according to a spokesperson for the nation’s Finance Ministry, in response to emailed questions from Bloomberg News.
“This is to, among others, refinance the dollar bonds maturing this year,” the spokesperson said.
The government is considering a dollar fundraising after spreads on Asian debt in the US currency tightened more broadly to a record low last week, mirroring a bullish run that generated the hottest global credit markets since 2007. Malaysia’s economy expanded by 5.7% in the fourth quarter, faster than expected, which helped full-year growth beat official estimates.
If the government, which has an A- rating from S&P Global Ratings, pushes ahead with an issuance, it would be its first such deal since it raised US$1.3 billion ($1.7 billion) in 2021. Malaysia has a US$1 billion Islamic-finance note maturing in April, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
Malaysian officials are forecasting economic growth to slow to 4% to 4.5% this year on heightened global volatility. In a sign of such risks, President Donald Trump’s threat of new levies on European countries that opposed his plans to acquire Greenland weighed on risk sentiment Monday.
See also: Singapore Exchange proposes bond futures for India, Southeast Asia — Bloomberg
Uploaded by Magessan Varatharaja
