Malaysia/Retirement Fund Probe: Malaysia’s finance minister says he’ll explain in parliament a reported RM200m loss tied to KWAP’s eFishery investment, as the anti-corruption agency forms an investigation team and the finance ministry points to alleged fraud and governance gaps. Scam Alert: A Malaysian electrician lost RM150,000 to a fake “Centralize International” syndicate after WhatsApp pitches led to multiple transfers and an account freeze. India Investment Rankings: Chhattisgarh topped the CRISIL–NITI Aayog Investment Friendliness Index on regulatory ease and institutional environment, with nearly ₹8 lakh crore in proposals in 18 months spanning semiconductors, AI data centres, textiles and pharma. Industrial Policy Push (Pakistan): Punjab unveiled a new industrial policy for free industrial zones, offering zero duty on machinery imports and 10-year income tax relief, with incentives aimed at attracting Chinese and local manufacturers. Semiconductor Funding (India): India’s Semicon 2.0 (₹1.27 lakh crore) will use grants plus equity co-investment to back advanced chip design, targeting investments far beyond the old DLI support levels. Energy/Geopolitics: Oil markets face renewed inflation risk as the Strait of Hormuz standoff escalates, lifting Brent sharply and raising hedging concerns for investors. Corporate Dealmaking: SLB completed its Sulzer VIEC acquisition to improve oil-water separation efficiency, while Burckhardt Compression bought Fornovo Gas to expand biogas and CNG compression capabilities. Crypto Flows: Bitcoin ETFs saw record $2.1bn net inflows, reflecting renewed institutional appetite amid rate-cut speculation. Investor Watch (UK/China): China’s Jingye Steel demands the UK fully compensate it after British Steel nationalisation, warning it will protect rights if needed. Capital Markets (Kuwait): Markaz won Euromoney’s “Best Investment Bank in Kuwait,” citing strength across capital markets, IPOs and advisory.