KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 — Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has maintained its overnight policy rate (OPR) at 2.75 per cent today, for the seventh consecutive period.
It said that at the current OPR level, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) considers the monetary policy stance appropriate and consistent with the outlook for continued price stability and sustainable economic growth.
“The MPC will remain vigilant to ongoing developments and assess the balance of risks surrounding the outlook for domestic inflation and growth,” BNM said in a statement.
The central bank added that the latest indicators point to broadly resilient global growth, supported by strong tech expansion and improving supply conditions and commodity prices.
For Malaysia, the latest developments point towards resilient growth in the second quarter, driven by sustained domestic demand and stronger-than-expected export performance.
Ongoing uncertainties surrounding the West Asia conflict could affect the outlook for domestic inflation and growth, but Malaysia’s strong fundamentals will continue to underpin the economy’s resilience against external shocks.
It said that employment, wage growth, and policy measures will remain supportive of household spending.
“Investment activity will be driven by the progress of multi-year projects in both the private and public sectors, implementation of new, smaller-scale public projects, continued high realisation of approved investments, as well as the ongoing implementation of national master plans.
“The external sector will be further lifted by improved global prospects and robust demand for electrical and electronics (E&E),” BNM said.
Additional support will come from the rebound in non-E&E exports and sustained tourist spending.
“Therefore, the growth projection for 2026 is expected to be firmly within the forecast range of four to five per cent. This growth outlook remains subject to downside risks from a prolonged conflict in West Asia and lower commodity production.
“Upside potential to growth could arise from a better global growth outlook following de-escalation of the conflict, stronger demand for E&E goods and higher tourism activity,” it said.
Headline and core inflation in the first five months of the year averaged 1.7 per cent and 2.1 per cent, respectively, broadly within expectations, amid some initial pass-through of higher global cost pressures.
Developments surrounding the West Asia conflict remain fluid, with elevated global commodity prices expected to exert upward pressure on inflation.
“Nevertheless, the impact on both headline and core inflation in 2026 is expected to remain contained, reflecting domestic policy measures and stable demand conditions, which will mitigate the pass-through of external cost pressures to domestic prices.
“Downside risks to global growth remain, stemming from continued uncertainties surrounding the conflict, tighter global financial conditions and concerns over valuations in financial markets,” said BNM.
Upside potential includes faster-than-expected recovery in supply chain conditions, stronger tech spending, and pro-growth policy measures in key economies.
Following today’s decision, the MPC is scheduled to hold two remaining meetings this year to review the OPR, which has been maintained at 2.75 per cent since July 9, 2025.
