The crude palm oil (CPO) futures contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives closed weaker on Monday due to concerns over the rising output of the commodity, coupled with weaker demand.

Palm oil trader David Ng said the expectation of lower demand post-festivity weighed on sentiment despite the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) reporting lower stock levels last month.

CPO futures end lower due to concerns over rising output, weaker demand

Aluminium surged by a record on the London Metal Exchange (LME) as traders responded to new US and UK sanctions that banned deliveries of Russian supplies produced after midnight on Friday.

Metals spike as sanctions on new Russian supplies rattle LME

An unprecedented squeeze in the market for copper ore has fired up bullish investors and helped drive prices to the highest in nearly two years.

The market for semi-processed copper ore, known as concentrates, has never been as tight as now, according to several veteran traders with decades of experience. Across the market, traders and smelters are paying roughly the same price for copper ore as the copper contained in it would fetch once processed — a highly unusual situation that points to a shortage of immediately available supplies.

An eye-watering squeeze in copper ore is firing up the bulls

Crude palm oil futures contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives closed lower, following the weakness of soybean oil futures on Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT).

The CBOT’s soy oil futures fell 0.4% on Friday.

CPO futures end lower, in line with CBOT soybean oil weakness

Copper continued its upwards charge, hitting the highest level since June 2022 as investors bet that curtailed ore supply will struggle to keep up with resurgent global demand.

Copper rally continues with surge to highest in 22 months

Iron ore headed for its best week in two years on speculation that China’s economy may be on the mend, buoying the outlook for demand.

Futures in Singapore — which touched as much as US$111 (RM526.73) a tonne on Friday — are up nearly 13% this week, the best showing since March 2022.

Iron ore powers to best week in two years on China growth outlook

Shanghai aluminium rose on Friday to its highest in nearly two years, as funds pumped money into commodities including metals to hedge against rising inflation.

Shanghai aluminium hits two-year high, set for seventh weekly gain

Global rice prices are expected to stay elevated throughout 2024 amid sustained market tightness due to unfavourable weather and export restrictions from India, BMI said on Friday.

Rice prices may stay elevated in 2024 amid global market tightness, says BMI

Cocoa futures rallied for a fifth day as expected tighter supplies in the coming months push prices to near record levels.

Cocoa prices climb for fifth day as tight supply pain lingers

Ghana is in talks with traders to postpone the delivery of at least 150,000 to 250,000 tons of cocoa until next season due to a lack of beans, in the latest sign of how a supply crunch is roiling the global market.

Ghana seeks to delay cocoa deliveries due to lack of beans

Tin prices in London rose on Wednesday to hit their highest level in more than a year, as stockpiles fell to the lowest in nine months, while short-covering across base metals also lent support.

Benchmark three-month tin on the London Metal Exchange (LME) rose 4.4% to US$32,530 (RM154,420) per metric ton by 0830 GMT. The contract had climbed to US$32,745 earlier in the session, its highest since June 2022.

Tin hits highest since June 2022 on falling stocks, short covering; copper extends gain

Arabica futures were little changed near their highest level since October 2022 as hedge funds exiting the cocoa market are now piling into coffee.
 
Money managers increased their bullish bets to the highest on record in the week ended April 2, according to the latest Commodity Futures Trading Commission data.

Arabica coffee steady near 18-month high as cocoa frenzy spreads

The sharp rise in cocoa bean prices could lead to higher borrowing and leverage for cocoa grinders Guan Chong Bhd and JB Cocoa Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Singapore's JB Foods, according to MARC Ratings.

Cocoa price surge may increase borrowing and leverage for Guan Chong, JB Cocoa — MARC

The government will decide on the mechanism to stabilise sugar supply and pricing in the second quarter of this year (2Q2024), said Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali.

He said one mechanism under consideration is maintaining stockpiles to ensure an uninterrupted sugar supply. For instance, the government may hold one or two months' worth of stock for Sabah, where the monthly demand averages around 4,700 tonnes.

Govt to have mechanism to stabilise sugar supply, price in 2Q, says Armizan

China’s airlines flew a record number of people in the first quarter (1Q), amid government efforts to boost the nation’s tourism sector and strong demand for holidays at home.

China air travel hits fresh record in 1Q on Lunar New Year boost

European natural gas prices kept rising on April 16 after top Israeli military officials reasserted that their country has no choice but to respond to Iran’s weekend drone and missile attack.

European gas jumps as Israel vows response to Iran attack

A suspect, who was arrested over Sunday’s shooting incident at Terminal 1 of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), is being remanded for seven days.

KLIA shooting suspect remanded for seven days

Net-zero carbon (NZC) goals are driving the demand for sustainable office buildings in Asia, according to JLL’s report Asia’s Decade of Action: Accelerating the transition to Sustainable Workplaces. The report stated that 87% of occupiers in Asia are targeting 100% green-certified portfolios by 2...

JLL: Net-zero carbon goals drive accelerated demand for sustainable workplaces in Asia

Superdry plc plans to quit the London Stock Exchange (LSE) as the troubled fashion retailer pushes through a radical restructuring to stay afloat.

The British clothing chain, which soared to popularity in the 2000s for its bold lettered tops, said leaving the stock market, raising more funds and implementing a programme to cut some UK store rents and payments owed to local authorities will help it revive the core business.

Superdry to quit LSE in restructuring to turn it around

A heat wave in the Philippines forced power plants to shut down on April 16, placing the country at risk of blackouts and prompting the government to call on people to reduce consumption.

Extreme heat shuts Philippine power plants and risks blackouts

The suspect who opened fire at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 Arrival Hall on early Sunday morning, before being arrested in Kota Bharu on Monday, is believed to be trying to escape to a neighbouring country.

KLIA shooting case suspect attempted to flee country, say police

The Indonesian rupiah tumbled to a four-year low on Tuesday after a weeklong holiday, as persistent strength in the greenback after a hawkish repricing of Federal Reserve rate cut expectations continued to pressure Asian currencies.

Asia FX, stocks weaken as Fed rate cut bets shift; rupiah hits four-year low

German coal mines spew 184 times more methane than what the country reports to the United Nations, according to a new analysis by Ember.

German coal mines emit much more methane than reported, study says

The Indonesian rupiah on Tuesday tumbled to its weakest in four years as the market reopened after the Eid al-Fitr holidays, prompting the central bank to intervene in the market to stem its slide.

Indonesia intervenes to stem rupiah's slide after currency hits four-year low 

The collective wealth of tycoons listed on the 2024 Forbes Malaysia Rich List increased by a modest 2% to US$83.4 billion (RM398.8 billion), according to Forbes Asia.

Wealth of Malaysia’s 50 richest individuals on Forbes list rises 2% — Forbes Asia 

Datuk Abdul Rahman Ahmad will return to Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) as its president and group chief executive effective July 1, 2024, the government-linked investment company said.

CIMB’s Abdul Rahman Ahmad returns to PNB as president, group chief executive

E-government services providers MyEG Services Bhd and HeiTech Padu Bhd have formed a partnership to collaborate on IT projects in Malaysia.

According to separate bourse filings from both companies on Tuesday, MyEG and HeiTech Padu have inked a teaming agreement for the collaboration.&nbsp;

MyEG, HeiTech Padu form partnership to collaborate on IT projects

CIMB Group Holdings Bhd, Malaysia’s second-biggest banking group by assets, said on Tuesday its chief executive Datuk Abdul Rahman Ahmad will step down on June 30.

CIMB says CEO Abdul Rahman Ahmad stepping down on June 30

Alliance Bank Malaysia Bhd’s (ABMB) net profit is expected to jump by 37.3% year-on-year (y-o-y) to RM179 million for the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2024 (4QFY2024), according to AmInvestment Bank Research.

AmInvestment sees Alliance Bank’s 4Q earnings jump by 37% y-o-y

Asian stocks sank and the dollar climbed to more than five-month highs on Tuesday as stronger-than-expected US retail sales for March further reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve is unlikely to be in a rush to cut interest rates this year.

Asian shares slide on US rate cut rethink, Middle East worries

The automotive industry is not exactly the place one would want to be in the next few years.

Competition among manufacturers of internal combustion engine vehicles, battery electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid cars has been ongoing for more than a decade now. Last year, some certainty fin...

Alternative Views: Automotive industry feels heat from intensifying EV price war

The Ministry of Transport clarified on Tuesday that the higher contract value of RM190.01 million awarded to HeiTech Padu Bhd for Road Transport Department (JPJ) services was only due to a longer extended contract duration.

Loke: Higher contract value awarded to HeiTech Padu due to longer extended duration

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is stepping down on May 15 after two decades in office. Lee, 72, will hand the reins over to his deputy Lawrence Wong, 51, in a widely-telegraphed transition.

What observers are saying as Singapore’s Lee paves way for next PM Wong

China said it believed Iran could "handle the situation well and spare the region further turmoil" while safeguarding its sovereignty and dignity, referring to an attack on Iran's embassy in Syria and its retaliatory strike over the weekend.

Iran able to 'handle situation' and spare Middle East more tension, China's foreign minister says

Carlo Rino Group Bhd has filed for an initial public offering (IPO) that would raise more funds for the apparel company as part of its listing transfer to the ACE Market from the LEAP Market.

Carlo Rino files draft prospectus for listing transfer to ACE Market

Bursa Malaysia ended the morning session lower on Tuesday, in tandem with the weaker regional performance due to a broad sell-off on Wall Street overnight, said an analyst. &nbsp;

Bursa ends morning session lower along with regional peers

KTI Landmark Bhd (KTI) has signed an underwriting agreement with M&amp;A Securities Sdn Bhd for its listing on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Sabah-based integrated property developer said the initial public offering (IPO) comprises a public issue of 160 million new shares and an offer for sale of 45 million existing shares, representing 20% and 5.6% of the enlarged share capital of KTI respectively.

KTI Landmark inks underwriting deal with M&A Securities en route to ACE Market listing

Analysts are positive on Malaysia’s pilot green power exports to Singapore using existing infrastructure in both countries, following establishment of the platform enabling cross-border trading of green electricity, the Energy Exchange Malaysia (Enegem).

Analysts positive on pilot green power exports to Singapore; name Tenaga, YTLP as top picks

RHB Retail Research said Cosmos Technology International Bhd has confirmed a bullish setup after breaking past a key resistance on strong volume.

Cosmos Technology has confirmed bullish setup, says RHB Retail Research 

Former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has requested for a bench of five Court of Appeal (COA) judges to hear his review against the court’s own decision to reinstate abuse of power charges involving RM232.5 million against him.

Muhyiddin seeks five-judge bench to hear criminal charges review

The Ministry of Transport (MOT) has not been informed of any corporate deal involving Malaysia's biggest port operator MMC Port Holdings Sdn Bhd, said its Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.

MOT unaware of potential MMC Port stake sale to foreign investors, says Loke

RHB Retail Research said Notion VTec Bhd is looking to extend upside movement after staging a bullish breakout.

Notion VTec aiming to extend upside movement — RHB Retail Research 

Shares of EP Manufacturing Bhd (EPMB) climbed on Tuesday and may be set for its best day in ten months after the auto parts maker signed a 10-year vehicle assembly deal with a Chinese carmaker.

EP Manufacturing shares chart best day in 10 months after assembly deal

There is "no urgency" to cut US interest rates, Mary Daly, the president of the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank, said on Monday, with the economy and labour market strong, and inflation still above the Fed's target of 2%.

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