<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 28): The Statistics Department said today Malaysia business confidence lessened for the first quarter of 2019 (1Q2019) after the confidence indicator based on its business tendency survey dropped to -2.2%.</div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>In a statement today, the department said the business tendency statistics for 1Q2019 represents expectations of business performance for the upcoming quarter and six months ahead. The statistics is based on a business tendency survey which is conducted on a quarterly basis.</div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>"Businesses confidence [lessened] in the first quarter of 2019. After showing an increase (of 7.1%) in the fourth quarter of 2018, the confidence indicator dropped to -2.2% in the first quarter of 2019.</div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>"Industry, construction and wholesale &amp; retail trade sectors expect their business situation to decline in the first quarter of 2019 with confidence indicators of -3.6%, -18.9% and -8.2%, respectively. Meanwhile, services sector expects their business situation to improve at a moderate rate with a smaller confidence indicator at +5.9% as compared to +18.8% recorded in the last quarter," the department said.</div>

The Statistics Department said today Malaysia business confidence lessened for the first quarter of 2019 (1Q2019) after the confidence indicator based on its business tendency survey dropped to -2.2%.

Malaysia 1Q2019 business confidence drops — Statistics Department

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A Philippine freight railway project may be built with the support of the US and Japan, an official in charge of it said, as Manila seeks alternative financing deals after dropping funding talks with China.

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KUALA LUMPUR (April 19): Here is a brief recap of some business news and corporate announcements that made the headlines on Friday:

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