{
  "id": 8247427,
  "title": "Benign inflation keeps OPR outlook intact: CIMB Securities",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/benign-inflation-keeps-opr-outlook-intact-cimb-securities",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-18T13:01:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/business/economy/2026/09/1535738/benign-inflation-keeps-opr-outlook-intact-cimb-securities"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's inflation may remain stable despite rising food and electricity costs, according to CIMB Securities. The research firm reported headline inflation at 1.9% year-on-year (YoY) in August, up from 1.8% in July, while core inflation fell to 1.7% from 1.8%, primarily due to favorable base effects in the information and communication sector. However, both headline and core prices increased by 0.3% month-on-month (MoM), suggesting stronger sequential price momentum. Despite this, other indicators, such as the persistence signal, show no signs of rising underlying price pressures. Food-at-home inflation accelerated to 1.4% YoY, with egg prices surging 5.9% and vegetable prices rising 2.8%. Electricity inflation also climbed to 3.6% from 2.2% due to a higher imbalance cost pass-through surcharge in August, but the expanded electricity surcharge exemption for Peninsular Malaysia households consuming up to 800kWh monthly should help curb further pressure between September and December. CIMB Securities anticipates headline inflation to stay around 1.9% to two percent in September, with the broader outlook remaining manageable. The softer core reading and the containment of underlying price pressures support their Bank Negara Malaysia policy outlook, maintaining their expectation that the overnight policy rate will remain at 2.75% at the Monetary Policy Committee meeting in November. On trade, August exports surged 45.5% YoY, primarily due to electrical and electronics and other manufactured goods, though the firm cautioned that the strength remained concentrated, and softer momentum in non-E&E and non-petroleum manufacturing exports, as well as potential US semiconductor tariffs, continue to pose risks to the growth outlook.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s inflation may remain benign despite firmer monthly price increases and rising food and electricity costs, according to CIMB Securities.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}