Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know by now that the Fed recently cut rates.
The Federal Funds Rate currently sits between 4.75% and 5%, with the dot plot projections indicating another 50 bps cut by the end of 2024.
When rates rise, many people park their cash in high-yield savings accounts or treasury bonds, which offer higher yields with minimal risk. But as rates fall, cash tends to flow into stocks and other “risk-on” assets in search of higher returns. ...

In the flood-prone areas of Klang Valley in Malaysia, house prices are mostly concentrated below 0.5 million Ringgit, exacerbating the risk of social inequality in Malaysia amid frequent major floods in recent years.
Kenanga Investment Bank’s latest report, citing analysis from data company UrbanMetry, points out that house prices in flood-prone areas are lower, leading low-income house buyers in Malaysia to often choose less safe houses due to pricing reasons.
Meanwhile, most houses in non-flood-prone areas are priced between 0.5 million and 0.8 million Ringgit, providing relatively lighter impact on the middle and above income groups compared to flood-affected areas.
The impact of climate change on Malaysia is becoming increasingly severe, with frequent floods in recent years severely affecting the livelihoods and economy of Malaysia; a report released by the World Bank and the National Bank in March of this year further indicates that by 2030, floods could lead to Malaysia losing 4.1% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
In addition to the low-income class, the report also points out that local small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as East Malaysia's Sabah and Sarawak, are more severely affected by climate change.
Compared to large companies focusing on climate issues, local small and medium-sized enterprises are particularly vulnerable to flooding, exacerbating social inequality, which will be another potential harm.
At the same time, the expected increase in rainfall, especially in Sabah and Sarawak, will be greater than that in the West Malaysia, affecting crop production.
With the continuous rise in sea levels, flood-prone areas may further expand, posing significant impacts on industries such as finance, industrial development, construction, and logistics.
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As rates fall, income-producing assets such as REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) and high-dividend stocks become more attractive. These assets tend to benefit from lower financing costs and investor demand for yield. Hence, I started to build my dividend portfolio focusing on Singapore banks and REITs in August 2024 with the expectation of impending interest rate cuts. I particularly like Singapore REITs (S-REITs) as some of these quality REITS have demonstrated attracti...

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