iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF

EWM

Market cap $366M

Malaysia ​is tapping its offshore gas reserves to meet record power demand driven by a searing heatwave and ‌data centres, even as countries across Asia burn more coal to make up for liquefied natural gas (LNG) shortages due to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

The central bank noted uncertainties arising from the ongoing Middle East conflict, saying the economic impact will depend on how the situation develops.

CNBC's Dan Murphy delves into the Middle East's investment flows and provide insights on the global energy hub and the vast amounts of capital originating from the region on Access Middle East (12:00 – 13:00 SIN/HK). Please note this livestream is only available in Europe and India.

A tentative U.S/–Iran ceasefire has reignited risk appetite across emerging markets, driving more than $1.1 billion into U.S.-listed EM ETFs and snapping a four-week streak of heavy outflows, reported Bloomberg.

ASEAN's dividend opportunity is underpinned by diverse and evolving market characteristics. The FTSE ASEAN Index, which captures the large- and mid-cap companies listed in the five ASEAN markets - Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Philippines - has delivered a 10-year average dividend yield of 3.57%. Across multiple market cycles over the past 25 years, a back-test of the FTSE ASEAN ex REITs Target Dividend Index's strategy showed notable resilience during market downturns and lower overall volatility compared with the broader ASEAN market.

The iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF (EWM) remains a solid long-term exposure to Malaysia, but is downgraded to Hold after a strong rally. Malaysia's economy is resilient, with upgraded 2025 growth projections and contained inflation, supporting a positive outlook versus regional peers. EWM trades at a discount to larger emerging markets, offering value, but faces Q4 headwinds and heavy financials exposure.

It has been 225 days since President Trump's Inauguration on January 20th, and the S&P 500 entered today up 8% since the last close before the Inauguration. Speaking of the G7, the US has been the worst market among these seven developed nations since Inauguration Day in January. Along with being the second-best performing country ETF since Inauguration Day, Vietnamhas easily been the best performer since April 8th with a gain of 77.5%.

Malaysia faces a real risk of a middle-income trap due to stagnant wages, brain drain, and over-reliance on depleting oil revenues. Despite attractive valuations and a diversified economy, structural challenges and weak wage growth limit upside for the iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF. Financials dominate EWM's portfolio, offering stability, but sector concentration and a weak ringgit highlight broader economic vulnerabilities.

EWM which focuses on 30 stocks from Malaysia is up by only low single-digits this year, and underperforming emerging markets and global markets quite significantly. We now feel EWM could witness better prospects ahead. Malaysia's macro outlook is stabilizing, with improved GDP growth, supportive government policies, and central bank rate cuts boosting domestic demand.

iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF offers investors exposure to some of the largest firms trading on Malaysia's stock market. Almost 60% of its holdings are established banks and utilities, with zero technology firms, lessening the possibility of significant outperformance. The ETF is hardly cheap based on a price-to-earnings ratio of 15x, particularly by emerging market standards.