Housing & Lending Pulse: A new survey finds more first-time buyers entering housing, but investor participation stays thin as higher financing costs and softer capital-gain expectations keep many on the sidelines; meanwhile, advisers report banks are more willing to lend and first-home criteria are loosening. Risk-Financing Trend: Captive insurance is getting a boost as firms look for tighter control and resilience, with Labuan’s captive industry pushing it as a strategic tool, not just an alternative for hard-to-place risks. Corporate Investment & Manufacturing: Mondelez is investing RM90m in its Crumb Tower in Shah Alam to boost automation and local ingredient supply, aiming to strengthen resilience and capacity for wider Southeast Asia markets. BRICS Payments & Investment Talks: India’s finance chief urged BRICS partners to link payment systems, expand local-currency trade, and simplify rules as BRICS finance ministers and central banks push faster, cheaper cross-border settlements. China Financial Backstop: China is issuing special treasury bonds to recapitalize major state financial institutions, extending the mechanism to insurers for the first time. Legal/Banking Stress Tests: Brazil’s top court unsealed a major probe into alleged multibillion-dollar fraud tied to failed lender Banco Master, while U.S. class actions continue to target multiple public companies over alleged misstatements. Emerging Market Funding: Kenya is set to access about $400m in World Bank emergency financing for health, climate and economic risks. Dealmaking & Capital Markets: Metro Finance priced a record ABS deal, signaling confidence in its loan book and funding strategy.