BURSA Malaysia-listed companies have realised how important it is to be cash rich when faced with an unexpected and severe situation like the Covid-19 pandemic. This is especially given the tough economic conditions the business community has had to weather in the past year, with lockdowns enforced in Malaysia and its major trading partners to contain the spread of the virus, bringing activities practically to a standstill. Many companies built up their cash positions in 2020 in anticipation of the severe economic downturn due to Covid-19, notes private investor and former investment banker Ian Yoong. “Larger listed companies issued bonds and other fixed-income securities. It is a natural response to be conservative in the face of an impending severe economic downturn,” he says.