<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>Market Close: KLCI falls 0.5% in line with region</div>

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Market Close: KLCI falls 0.5% in line with region

Malaysia’s current tallest building, the Merdeka 118 tower, has been awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification in the LEED v2009 Core and Shell rating system, marking it as the first megatall building in the country to achieve it, according to a press statement on Thursday.

Merdeka 118 first megatall building in Malaysia to get LEED Platinum certification

(April 18): Thailand will sign a permanent bilateral visa waiver agreement with Kazakhstan next week, as the Southeast Asian country looks to lift foreign tourist arrivals back to pre-Covid levels.

Thailand, Kazakhstan agree on visa waiver pact to boost tourism

Emergency workers tried to clear waterclogged roads and people assessed the damage to homes and businesses on Thursday after a rare and epic rainstorm swamped the United Arab Emirates.

Dubai International Airport, a major travel hub, struggled to clear a backlog of flights and many roads were still flooded in the aftermath of Tuesday's deluge.

Flooded UAE counts cost of epic rainstorm, Dubai airport still facing disruptions

The High Court here on Thursday quashed the conviction and six-month jail sentence of a technician who pleaded guilty to posting offensive content on Facebook related to the sale of socks bearing the word 'Allah'.

'Allah' socks: Technician's conviction over offensive FB posting quashed

Engineering services provider AWC Bhd has bagged two contracts worth a total of RM19.39 million for plumbing works at Hospital Kapar in Selangor and a data centre in Cyberjaya.

In a statement on Thursday, AWC said the Hospital Kapar job was awarded to its wholly-owned subsidiary Qudotech Sdn Bhd by the project's main contractor, IJM Corp Bhd's unit IJM Construction Sdn Bhd

AWC secures plumbing jobs at Hospital Kapar and Cyberjaya data centre

Digital payment and financial technology provider Ant International is going to establish what it calls a new digital business centre in Malaysia, creating more than 500 job opportunities in the first year, with more hirings in the next four years until 2028.

Ant International to set up new business centre in Malaysia, creating over 500 jobs

Surface decorative products company Topmix Bhd reported RM2.84 million net profit on the back of RM21.64 million revenue for the fourth quarter ended Dec 31, 2023 (4QFY2023), ahead of its listing on Bursa Malaysia’s ACE Market.

Topmix posts RM2.84 mil net profit in 4Q ahead of ACE Market listing

Pansar Bhd has secured a contract worth RM269.1 million to upgrade the capacity of a water treatment plant in Sibu, Sarawak.

The construction and infrastructure outfit secured the job from Lembaga Air Sibu via an open tender, through its wholly owned Perbena Emas Sdn Bhd.

Pansar bags RM269m job to upgrade water treatment plant in Sarawak

KUALA LUMPUR (April 18): Global video game commerce company Xsolla, Inc has collaborated with Curine Ventures to launch the Xsolla Curine Academy (XCA) in KL Eco City.

Xsolla Curine Academy launched to foster growth in game development industry

Australia brought 23 companies seeking investment in maritime decarbonisation and renewable energy (RE) sectors to Malaysia as part of the Australia-Southeast Asia Business Exchange programme.

Australia brings 23 firms looking to invest in maritime decarbonisation, RE sectors in Malaysia

The Malaysian aviation industry may be badly impacted on passenger traffic and spikes in jet fuel prices if a full-blown war results from escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, according to Maybank Investment Bank Research (Maybank IB).

Malaysia's aviation industry at risk amid full-blown crisis in Middle East — Maybank IB

Shares of PIE Industrial Bhd extended its rally to a new all-time high on Thursday, after Kenanga Investment Bank flagged that the electronic services firm has secured a new client that will take up the entirety of its largest facility.

PIE Industrial extends rally to new all-time high as Kenanga flags new client

Several Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia flights between Sabah, Sarawak, and Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) were cancelled on Thursday due to volcanic eruption at Mount Ruang, Indonesia.

Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia cancel flights to Sabah, Sarawak after volcano eruption in Indonesia

Alphabet Inc’s Google has put more than two dozen employees on immediate administrative leave after they were involved in protests against Project Nimbus, a US$1.2 billion (RM5.7 billion) joint contract with Amazon.com Inc to provide the Israeli government with AI and cloud services.

Google fires workers protesting US$1.2b Israeli contract

The Federal Court on Thursday dismissed an appeal by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) over the Court of Appeal’s decision last year that decided that non-paying members in a residential area (RA) could raise the boom gates at the entrance to the housing area themselves without the security guards' assistance.

Federal Court dismisses MBPJ’s appeal on residents' boom gate operation

The race for the “world’s best airport” crown has been a two-horse affair in recent years, with Doha’s Hamad International and Singapore Changi leading the pack.

Singapore loses ‘world’s best airport’ crown to Qatar

Gold prices may correct amid potential delay in the anticipated rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve, Philip Capital warned on Thursday and advised investors to stop buying Malaysia’s sole gold exchange-traded fund (ETF).

Stop buying gold ETF as prices may correct — Philip Capital

Feytech Holdings Berhad (Feytech) has entered into an underwriting agreement with TA Securities Holdings Berhad and AmInvestment Bank Berhad (joint underwriters) for the company’s Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad.

Feytech inks underwriting agreement with TA Securities, AmInvestment en route to Main Market IPO  

Sin-Kung Logistics Bhd has started taking orders from investors for its initial public offering (IPO) that may raise up to RM39.5 million ahead of its listing on Bursa Malaysia’s ACE Market.

Sin-Kung Logistics launches ACE Market IPO to raise RM39.5 mil

Apple Inc chief executive officer Tim Cook will meet Singapore’s leader at the tail end of his most extensive Southeast Asia tour in years, searching for new growth markets and manufacturing locations to offset headwinds in China.

Apple CEO to meet Singapore leader to wrap whirlwind Asia tour

KUALA LUMPUR (April 18): Smart Asia Chemical Bhd has signed an underwriting agreement with Mercury Securities Sdn Bhd for the company’s initial public offering (IPO) on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd.

Smart Asia Chemical inks underwriting agreement with Mercury Securities en route to ACE Market IPO

President Joe Biden called China “xenophobic” while highlighting the Asian nation’s economic woes, as he sought to make the case for US economic strength during a campaign stop in the swing state of Pennsylvania.

Biden calls China ‘xenophobic’, ramping up 2024 campaign rhetoric

Datuk Farhash Wafa Salvador, former political aide to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, has ceased to be a substantial shareholder of HeiTech Padu Bhd, just one month after acquiring a 15.9% stake via a private vehicle in the company.

Amid controversy over govt contracts, Farhash ceases to be HeiTech Padu substantial shareholder after one month

Elon Musk said some of the severance packages sent to former Tesla Inc employees as part of its biggest-ever workforce reduction were too low.

Musk apologises for ‘incorrectly low’ Tesla severance packages

Research analysts covering IGB Real Estate Investment Trust (IGB REIT) remained sanguine on the stock’s prospects after it reported a 4.79% jump in its net property income (NPI) for the first quarter ended March 31, 2024 (1QFY2024) to RM124.24 million, from RM118.55 million a year earlier, thanks largely to higher rental income.

Analysts remain sanguine on IGB REIT’s prospects going forward

KUALA LUMPUR (April 18): Food and supplement company OB Holdings Bhd said on Thursday that it has secured approval from Bursa Malaysia for an initial public offering (IPO) on the bourse’s ACE Market, to raise funds for expansion.

OB Holdings gets approval for ACE Market IPO, targets listing in 4Q

Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) research said Cloudpoint Technology Bhd is well positioned to capitalise the burgeoning demand for cyber security solutions post-passage of the cyber security bill which was passed in Dewan Rakyat on April 3.

HLIB: Cloudpoint well positioned to capitalise burgeoning demand for cyber security solutions

Bursa Malaysia turned mixed at the midday break on Thursday with the key index ending the morning session in positive territory, in tandem with regional markets, said a dealer.&nbsp;

Bursa mixed at midday break, key index up

Axiata Group Bhd, Malaysia’s largest telecommunications company by revenue, and India’s Bharti Airtel Ltd signed a definitive agreement on Thursday to combine their Sri Lankan operations.

Malaysia’s Axiata, Bharti Airtel of India to combine Sri Lankan ops

The Malaysian Bar argued in court that its challenge against Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's conditional discharge is not academic as it may determine the fate of the Yayasan Akalbudi graft case.