Malaysian banks have limited upside in profitability even as asset quality remains strong, though they are well placed to weather external headwinds, S&P Global Ratings said on Monday.

Malaysian banks have limited earnings upside, return on assets likely flat — S&P

The recent spike in crude palm oil (CPO) prices echoes the commodity boom of 2021/22, as supply constraints from lower palm oil production and robust consumer demand push prices up.

Good time to buy planters even as CPO rally seen losing steam soon — analysts

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

TA Securities has maintained its 'overweight' stance on the technology sector, and said the sentiment of the semiconductor sector in Malaysia will improve gradually, underpinned by an anticipated recovery in global demand and increasing trade diversion opportunities as a result of the 'China Plus One' strategy.

TA Securities keeps 'overweight' on tech sector, top picks Inari, Elsoft and MPI

Investors should go long on Malaysian Government Securities, Standard Chartered (StanChart) said and recommended buying the issue maturing in 2027 on the ringgit’s expected outperformance and prolonged rate pause.

Go long on Malaysian govt bonds, StanChart tips

AmInvestment Bank Bhd has selected Hong Leong Bank Bhd, IOI Properties Group Bhd and Greatech Technology Bhd as its new top stocks to buy.

These three counters replaced its earlier picks namely CIMB Group Holdings Bhd, Mah Sing Group Bhd and Sunway Bhd, after their share prices have reached near or above the research house’s fair values, said AmInvestment Bank Bhd in a note released on April 2.

AmInvest names Hong Leong Bank, IOI Properties and Greatech as new top picks

Maybank Investment Bank (Maybank IB) maintained its 'neutral' rating for the plantation sector, and said the sector had played its part in ensuring food security, job security, and health security not just for the nation, but the world over during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Plantation sector contributed more than RM23b over past four years in various forms, says Maybank IB as it keeps 'neutral' call

RHB Investment Bank (RHB IB) Research has maintained its “overweight” rating on the healthcare facilities and services sector with KPJ Healthcare Bhd as its top pick.

RHB IB stays 'overweight' on healthcare sector; KPJ top pick

Analysts are positive on Axiata Group Bhd, and kept their ‘buy’ calls for the telecommunications group after its earnings beat expectations.

They are also positive on the group's decision to exit the Myanmar market by disposing of its telecommunications tower business there.

Analysts keep 'buy' on Axiata as FY2023 results beat expectations

PublicInvest Research has retained its “overweight” rating for the healthcare sector, and said it remains positive on Malaysia’s healthcare sector in the medium term, supported by the increasing trend of an ageing population, growth in medical tourism, as well as the overall increase in demand for medical services.

PublicInvest remains positive on healthcare sector, KPJ is top pick

CGS-CIMB Securities has upgraded Bursa Malaysia Bhd to “add” at RM7.47, with a higher target price of RM8.50 (from RM6.90), and said the stock market operator is the biggest beneficiary of the increased vibrancy of the equity market.

Bursa biggest proxy for vibrant equity market, says CGS-CIMB

The recent market sell-off among small-cap counters and penny stocks on Bursa Malaysia during the first three weeks of the year should not deter investor confidence in looking for good fundamental stocks, according to RHB Research.

Recent small-cap selling pressure should not deter investor confidence, says RHB Research

Malaysia's automotive industry is expected to be affected by the implementation of the high-value goods tax (HVGT) and higher service tax rates this year, according to Maybank Investment Bank (Maybank IB).

Local auto industry to be affected by high-value goods tax, higher service tax in 2024, says Maybank IB

Analysts are upbeat on the renewable energy (RE) sector following the recent announcements by the Ministry of Energy Transition and Public Utilities (Metpu), highlighting players in engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) as main winners.

Analysts upbeat on RE sector amid firm policies; EPCC players seen as winners

ViTrox Corp Bhd saw its net profit nearly halved for the financial quarter ended March 31, 2024 (1QFY2024), primarily due to unfavourable product mix and higher research and development (R&D) expenditures to support the introduction of new products.

ViTrox 1Q’s net profit nearly halved, extending declining profits to five quarters

BUKIT MERTAJAM (April 25): TTM Technologies Inc, a Nasdaq-listed company, unveiled its inaugural manufacturing facility in Malaysia on Thursday.

TTM Technologies to accelerate Phase 2 investment in Penang plant

Lockheed Martin Corp and RTX Corp, fresh off a surge of orders in response to Russian aggression against Ukraine and the war in Gaza, stand to profit from US$95 billion of mostly new weapons funding as the increasingly drawn out conflicts renew demand for pricey equipment.

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden signed a hard-fought bill into law that provides billions of dollars of new US aid to Ukraine for its war with Russia, including US$61 billion for Ukraine and US$26 billion for Israel.

Ukraine, Israel bill to bolster Lockheed, RTX profits

While March’s headline inflation of 1.8% year-on-year (y-o-y) came in slightly lower than consensus expectations of 2%, economists are maintaining their projection that Malaysia's headline inflation will progressively accelerate towards the end of the year on account of the government's fuel subsidy rationalisation plan, utility tariff hikes, and its recent adjustments of the service tax.

Inflation to pick up soon on fiscal consolidation measures after weaker-than-expected March print — economists

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 Feb 29, 2024 (4QFY2024), as increased revenue was more than offset by higher operating expenses, depreciation and amortisation, as well as finance costs.

Atlan Holdings’ 4Q earnings came in lower despite higher revenue

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.

Spot gold was up 0.4% at US$2,325.89 per ounce by 0940 GMT. US gold futures GCcv1 were steady at US$2,338.30.

Gold gains ground on softer dollar, as eyes turn to US economic data

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

Malaysia is among the leading countries in Southeast Asia regarding the adoption of drone technology, with a higher trend of adoption seen among the younger generation as well as learning institutions that employ drones for research objectives, said DJI Enterprise.

Malaysia leads drone adoption in SE Asia — DJI Enterprise

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.

Oil, chemical industry lobbyists pile in to UN talks to curb plastics

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;

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

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.

Malaysia is said to mull casino resort to revive Forest City

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.

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

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.

Digital Nasional names senior telco and tech leaders as new directors

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.

How Volvo landed a cheap Chinese EV on US shores in a trade war

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.

Ekuinas-backed Al-Ikhsan Sports names former 7-Eleven head as CEO

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.

Axiata, Sinar Mas move closer to US$3.5b telco merger, Bloomberg reports

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’.

Maybank IB is the first from a total of fi...

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

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.

Nga's press secretary Pang picked as unity govt's candidate for Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election

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.

PM denies claims that govt issuing casino licence for Forest City

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.

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

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.

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.

Malaysia’s inflation steady at 1.8% in March

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.

Parasitic worms Anisakis sp found in canned sardines from China — Johor dept

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

Naim Holdings likely to resume its uptrend, says RHB Retail Research 

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.

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.

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

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

NationGate is observing technical breakout, says RHB Retail Research 

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

Azam Baki confirms Dr M among individuals under MACC probe

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.

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

IOI Properties Group broke ground on Thursday for Senna Puteri, its latest township development located in Sepang, Selangor. The developer is looking to launch 386 units of townhouses in its first phase before the end of the second quarter.

Spanning 117 acres in southern Klang Valley, the 12-phase Senna Puteri will be developed over the next 10 years, offering residential, commercial, recreational areas, green spaces, community hall, surau and more. It has a gross development value (GDV) of over RM3 billion.

IOI Properties breaks ground for 117-acre Senna Puteri in Sepang

KUALA LUMPUR (April 25): Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had never instructed 1Malaysia Development Bhd’s (1MDB) management to transfer a total US$1.03 billion to Good Star Ltd, a company linked to the fugitive Low Taek Jho (Jho Low), the court heard on Thursday.

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