<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>This article first appeared in <em>The Edge Financial Daily</em>, on November 13, 2015.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>BANGKOK: Thailand’s telecoms regulator extended an auction of two 4G licences on Wednesday after fierce competition from four operators, which had drawn nearly 60 billion baht (RM7.4 billion) after 15 hours of bidding.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Advanced Info Service Pcl (AIS), True Corp , Total Access Communication and Jasmine International vied to win the licences for bandwidth on the 1800MHz frequency.</p></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>After 15 hours of bidding, 28.65 billion baht had been bid on the first licence and 30.24 billion baht on the second, more than doubling the estimated value of the bandwidth, according to data from the regulator.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>This compared with a base price of 15.91 billion baht per licence.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Shares in Thai telecom firms fell on concerns that the licences may be overpriced.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) initially planned to close the auction at 9pm local time (1400 GMT), but decided to give a half-hour hour break before resuming bidding until they have winners, NBTC vice chairman Settapong Malisuwan told a news conference.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Analysts had expected AIS, Thailand’s largest mobile operator, and third-ranked True Corp to win the licences. — <em>Reuters</em></p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>&nbsp;</p></div>


This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on November 13, 2015.

BANGKOK: Thailand’s telecoms regulator extended an auction of two 4G licences on Wednesday after fierce competition from four operators, which had drawn nearly 60 billion baht (RM7.4 billion) after 1...

Thailand’s 4G auction attracts US$1.7b, bidding continues

KUALA LUMPUR (April 25): Atlan Holdings Bhd’s net profit fell over 42% to RM5.07 million or two sen per share, from RM8.75 million or 3.45 sen per share in the fourth quarter ended Dec 31, 2023 (4QFY2023), as increased revenue was more than offset by higher operating expenses, depreciation and amortisation, as well as finance costs.

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Gold prices rose on Thursday, buoyed by a weaker dollar, while investor attention turned to US economic data for clues on the Federal Reserve's interest rate trajectory.

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Senior Chinese military officials held separate meetings with US and Russian naval counterparts during a Western Pacific naval symposium in Qingdao this week, a Chinese defence ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.

Spokesperson Wu Qian told a media briefing in Beijing that China's naval commander Admiral Hu Zhongming and political commissar Yuan Huazhi had a "deep exchange of views" with US Pacific Fleet chief Admiral Stephen Koehler and Russia's naval commander Admiral Alexander Moiseyev.

Chinese military officials met US and Russian naval officials this week

KUALA LUMPUR (April 25): HeiTech Padu Bhd targets stronger earnings growth after returning to profitability for the financial year ending Dec 31, 2023 (FY2023), amid greater competition.

HeiTech Padu targets stronger earnings growth after returning to black in 2023

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OTTAWA (April 25): Nearly 200 fossil fuel and chemical industry lobbyists plan to join this week's United Nations (UN) negotiations on the first global treaty to curb plastic pollution — a 37% jump from the previous gathering in November, an analysis released on Thursday showed.

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A disappointing earnings report from Meta Platforms Inc has technology investors on edge ahead of results from some of the stock market’s biggest and most important companies in the coming days.

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The US plans to award Micron Technology Inc US$6.1 billion (RM29.14 billion) in grants and as much as US$7.5 billion in loans to help the memory-chip maker build new American factories, rounding out a slew of major federal awards for advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

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The Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) has called on the European Union to delay the implementation of deforestation rules by at least a year for small businesses, its secretary general said on Thursday.

Palm oil producers urges EU to delay deforestation rules for small businesses

World stocks snapped a three-day winning streak on Thursday as disappointing forecasts from Facebook and Instagram parent Meta hammered tech, while the yen's drop through 155 per dollar for the first time since 1990 kept FX traders on intervention alert.

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<p>KUALA LUMPUR (April 25): Members of the the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) who are below 55 years old will have an Account 3 starting from May 11, from which they can make withdrawals at any time for any purpose —&nbsp;subject to a minimum withdrawal amount of RM50. This is on top of the two existing accounts they currently have for retirement savings.&nbsp;</p>


EPF members under age 55 will have Account 3 starting May 11

<p>Malaysia is in early discussions with tycoons on opening a casino in Forest City, people familiar with the matter said, in a bid to revive the beleaguered US$100 billion (RM478.35 billion) property project that counts the country’s monarch as one of its shareholders.</p>


Malaysia is said to mull casino resort to revive Forest City

<p>Shares of YTL Corp Bhd rallied to a new all-time high on Thursday after Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) flagged more upside even after a 42% year-to-date surge.</p>


YTL Corp rallies to new all-time high after HLIB flags more upside

<p>Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB), the state-owned company in charge of the 5G network infrastructure rollout, on Thursday named five new board members, comprising senior leaders from the telecom and technology industries.</p>


Digital Nasional names senior telco and tech leaders as new directors

<p>A made-in-China electric vehicle (EV) will hit US dealers this summer offering power and efficiency similar to the Tesla Model Y, the world's best-selling EV, but for about US$8,000 (RM38,228) less.</p>


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<p>Sports retailer Al-Ikhsan Sports Sdn Bhd, in which state-owned private equity firm Ekuiti Nasional Bhd (Ekuinas) owns a 35% stake, has appointed Datuk Hishammudin Hasan as its new chief executive officer effective April 17.</p>


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<p>Wireless carrier Axiata Group Bhd and conglomerate PT Sinar Mas Group are moving forward with plans to merge their telecommunications operations in Indonesia, people familiar with the matter said.</p>


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<p>KUALA LUMPUR (April 25): Mega First Corp Bhd shares have likely peaked following a recent rally to new all-time highs, and investors should stop buying the stock now, Maybank Investment Bank (Maybank IB) said and downgraded the stock to ‘hold’.</p>

<p>Maybank IB is the first from a total of fi...

Mega First shares likely peaked; Maybank IB the first to downgrade stock

<p>Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming’s press secretary Pang Sock Tao was announced as the unity government’s candidate for the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election on May 11.</p>


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<p>Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday denied claims that the government will issue a licence for the operation of a casino in Forest City, Johor.</p>


PM denies claims that govt issuing casino licence for Forest City

<p>Malaysia’s consumer inflation came in lower than expected in March from a year earlier as prices of healthcare and food rose at a slower pace, official data on Thursday showed.</p>

<p>The Consumer Price Index — Malaysia’s main gauge of inflation — rose 1.8% year-on-year, according to the Department of Statistics. The headline figure was a tad lower than the median 2% rise predicted in a Bloomberg survey of economists, and unchanged versus February’s 1.8% gain.</p>


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<p>KUALA LUMPUR (April 25): Agricore CS Holdings Bhd, a food ingredients supplier, has obtained approval from Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd to list on its ACE Market.</p>


Agricore CS Holdings gets Bursa Malaysia nod to list on ACE Market

<p>JOHOR BAHRU (April 25): The Johor branch of the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department (Maqis) found parasitic worms Anisakis sp in samples of sardine cans from China that were brought in through the Sultan Iskandar Building (BSI) here, earlier this month.</p>


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<p>RHB Retail Research said Naim Holdings Bhd is likely to resume its uptrend after the recent consolidation above the 97.5 sen breakout level.</p>


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<p>The Court of Appeal has allowed a bid by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to have a bench of five judges to hear his review application to restore his acquittal by the High Court of four of his abuse of power charges last year.</p>

<p>His lawyer Chetan Jethwani said that Court of Appeal deputy registrar Muhammad Noor Firdaus Rosli informed the parties of the matter on Thursday morning during case management.</p>


Appellate court grants Muhyiddin five-member bench for review of charges

<p>RHB Retail Research said NationGate Holdings Bhd is observing a technical breakout after climbing above the RM1.70 immediate resistance on surging trading volume.</p>


NationGate is observing technical breakout, says RHB Retail Research 

<p>Singapore's Keppel said on Thursday its first-quarter net profit excluding the effects of legacy offshore and marine assets was higher, boosted by strong performance in the global asset manager's infrastructure and connectivity segments.</p>


Singapore's Keppel profit rises on strong infra, connectivity performance

<p>The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has confirmed that former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is among individuals under investigation by the commission.</p>


Azam Baki confirms Dr M among individuals under MACC probe

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (April 25): Malaysia requires an annual allocation of at least RM10 billion for the next three years, which is crucial to boost water infrastructure amid below-cost tariffs and high wastage, the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) said on Thursday.</p>


Malaysia needs RM10 bil for next three years to upgrade water infrastructure — SPAN

<p>SHANGHAI (April 25): US&nbsp;Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday called on China to provide a level playing field for American businesses, as he began a visit aimed at resolving a raft of contentious issues that could jeopardise the newly repaired relationship.</p>
