Dollar Steadies Ahead of ECB and BoE Decisions as Markets Turn Risk-Off 
Asian Markets Slip as AI Spending Fears Shake Tech, Wall Street Futures Rebound 
Vietnam’s Trade Surplus With US Jumps as Exports Surge and China Imports Hit Record 
U.S. Stock Futures Edge Higher as Tech Rout Deepens on AI Concerns and Earnings 
Trump Signs Executive Order Threatening 25% Tariffs on Countries Trading With Iran 
Asian Stocks Slip as Tech Rout Deepens, Japan Steadies Ahead of Election 
RBI Holds Repo Rate at 5.25% as India’s Growth Outlook Strengthens After U.S. Trade Deal 
Oil Prices Slip as U.S.–Iran Talks Ease Supply Disruption Fears 
China Extends Gold Buying Streak as Reserves Surge Despite Volatile Prices 
Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
Fed Governor Lisa Cook Warns Inflation Risks Remain as Rates Stay Steady 
Bank of Japan Signals Readiness for Near-Term Rate Hike as Inflation Nears Target 
Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions 
Gold and Silver Prices Rebound After Volatile Week Triggered by Fed Nomination 
Japanese Pharmaceutical Stocks Slide as TrumpRx.gov Launch Sparks Market Concerns 
Oil Prices Slide on US-Iran Talks, Dollar Strength and Profit-Taking Pressure 
South Korean companies were urged by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) to diversify their Southeast Asian exports and investments focus on Malaysia due to possible tariffs to be imposed by the US on Vietnam.
The KITA described Malaysia as a promising export and investment destination as well as a supply source while warning about the possibility of the US imposing tariffs on Vietnamese goods through a foreign exchange investigation.
South Korean companies have been focusing on Vietnam as their gateway to the growing Southeast Asian market.
South Korea coursed 52 percent of its exports and allocated 47 percent of its overseas direct investments to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) through Vietnam.
According to KITA researcher Cho Eui-yun, it would be favorable for South Korean companies to export consumer goods to Malaysia and invest in its service industry.
Malaysia has been enjoying robust economic growth, with its 2021 gross domestic product (GDP) forecast of 7.8 percent being the highest among the 10 ASEAN members. It also ranks 12th in the World Bank global business environment index with a per-capita GDP of around $10,000.
Malaysia's imports of luxury goods grew at 9.1 percent annually between 2010 and 2019, with consumer goods to a total import ratio of over 10 percent. The country's intermediate products imports of electric goods, electronic products, and semiconductors consist of nearly 38 percent of the total.
However, the share of South Korean products dropped to 4.7 percent last year from 8.7 percent in 2010.
