As we start earning an income and want to grow our savings, we may become interested in learning more about investing. A place we can learn about investing for free is Invest Fair 2025, one of the largest investment events in Malaysia.
Held from 21 to 22 June 2025 at the Mid Valley Exhibition Centre, Kuala Lumpur, the Invest Fair 2025 was organised by Singapore-based AlphaInvest Holdings in partnership with Bursa Malaysia, CFA Society Malaysia and Federation of Investment Managers Malaysia.
At the event, local and international industry experts shared market trends, insights and investment knowledge with attendees. Attendees were able to engage with the speakers and learned about various investment products and platforms at over 30 exhibitor booths including Affin Hwang Investment Bank, Amanah Saham Nasional, Public Mutual, FSMOne, Macquarie, Moomoo, Rakuten Trade and Webull.
Besides that, we also had various opportunities to win prizes at the event. First, we were able to participate in the event’s lucky draw by registering and completing easy tasks at booths and stood a chance to win a massage chair, smart TV, laptop and electric scooter. In addition, there were also other opportunities to win prizes at talks such as a gold bar and Google and Apple shares.
With more than 70 speakers at the Invest Fair 2025, a lot of insights and knowledge had been shared to us attendees and here are some of the learnings I took away from the event.
Tariff Threat Is Biggest Risk To Economy
The first quarter of 2025 saw the Malaysian economy grew by 4.4% driven by robust household spending amid positive labour market conditions and income-related policy measures including the upward revision of minimum wage and civil servant salary.
According to Loong Chee Wei, Head of Research at Affin Hwang Investment Bank, economy may still grow in the second half of 2025 but the risk of tariff threat remains.
Currently, tariff negotiation between Malaysia and the US is ongoing, with Malaysia looking to reduce US’s proposed tariff of 24% to 10%. The negotiations are progressing well, with Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz having announced two days ago that both sides had intentions to reach a deal before the 90-day pause on tariff implementation ends.
Loong also added that we may want to pay attention to political risks such as the Iran-Israel war, which may have a spillover effect on oil-producing countries and lead to inflation. However, he also added that the government’s structural reforms will help boost the country’s economy. The government plans to implement targeted subsidy rationalisation including for RON 95 petrol to avoid leakages and ensure that assistance reaches those who are in need.
Rising Demand For Safe Haven
The recent surge of gold prices has caught hold of global investors’ attention. Gold prices hit a record high and rose above $3,400 in April 2025 amid trade tensions between US and China.
While the rise of gold prices may seem like news to some, the trend of buying into gold has been increasingly adopted by central banks in recent years. Marissa Salim, a Senior Research Lead at APAC World Gold Council gave an insightful talk on the recent rallying of gold prices and gold investment. She said that it was not the norm for central banks to hold a lot of gold in their reserves in the past but observed that during the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022, central banks had been looking into gold and buying gold more than before.
This move was to hedge against sanction risks. During the Russia-Ukraine war, some banks were sanctioned which led to difficulty in accessing their assets.
Now, the escalating geopolitical tension has spurred demand for safe haven assets. According to World Gold Council data, 95% of central banks believed that gold reserve in other banks will increase and that more than 43% of central banks felt that their own reserve will increase in next 12 months as well. However, it’s important to not get caught up with trends and instead, have a diversified and balanced portfolio to hedge against risks.
Those who are interested in learning more about investing in gold can access information at the World Gold Council’s website for free.
Diversification Doesn’t Always Have To Be Costly
Amid market volatility, investors can hedge against risks and protect their portfolio with safe haven assets like gold. Gold has diversification benefits and is something you can own at a lower cost.
Recently, demand for gold ETFs has supported the rallying of gold prices. There has been a surge in demand for gold due to political tension and also a lack of alternative options in some regions. For example, there has been a slowdown in property prices in China and gold has become a popular safe haven in China.
Other than that, CGS International Securities Malaysia had also recently begun offering fractional share trading on Bursa Malaysia, which allows you to own popular stocks like Maybank and Mr DIY in small pieces with low capital. With traditional investing, you need to buy at least one box of 100 units. Fractional shares allows you to own as small as 0.01 unit at a low capital. This also allows you to diversify your portfolio easily and gain exposure to different sectors.
Minimise Investment Risks With Right Tools
Whether it’s to learn how to kickstart your investment journey or explore what other investment products you can invest in, the Invest Fair can be the place for acquiring such information for all types of investors including DIY investors.
When it comes to DIY investing, we run the risk of being influenced by emotions such as panicking or being overconfident or getting swayed by viral stock tips in fear of missing out. According to Mohd Shaqil Haziq Bin Mohd Zubil, a remisier at UOB Kay Hian, investors need to be systematic and have a portfolio with clear goals and use the right tools to minimise such threats.
For example, UTRADE by UOB Kay Hian is a digital platform that allows investors to invest in global markets online including in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, US, China and recent additions, Australia and London. Users will also be able to access tools such as ChartGenie, which provides live scanning of Bursa markets and allows you to select a watchlist and alert you of them in real time so you can monitor your portfolio easily.
Investors should also perform due diligence and check if a potential investment is a scam. They can do so through several websites such as the Securities Commission Malaysia’s investor alert list, which contains the names of unauthorised entities and individuals.
Read Also: 5 Things For Malaysian Investors To Consider Before Investing In The Singapore Exchange (SGX)
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