President Joe Biden's decision to hold up delivery of high payload munitions to Israel was taken over a possible Israeli offensive in Rafah that Washington believes could put Palestinian civilians at risk, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Wednesday.

US paused Israel weapons shipment due to Rafah: US defence secretary

Guyana's cabinet has approved a bid for an offshore oil block by a consortium including QatarEnergy, TotalEnergies and Malaysian state oil firm Petronas, a Guyana minister said on Wednesday.

QatarEnergy, TotalEnergies and Petronas negotiating oil production deal, says Guyana official

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested a company director and a law firm owner on suspicion of submitting false information related to foreign currency investments, totalling approximately RM38 million.

Company director, law firm owner detained over RM38 million investment case — MACC

KUALA LUMPUR (May 8): Here is a brief recap of some business news and corporate announcements that made the headlines on Wednesday:

Sentral Real Estate Investment Trust (KL:SENTRAL), or Sentral REIT, posted a 30.29% increase in its net property income in the first quart...

Sentral REIT, Vstecs, Dufu Tech, MNRB, Mega First,  Ivory Properties, Paragon Globe and Sarawak Cable

Moody's Ratings has affirmed CIMB Group Holdings Bhd's (KL:CIMB) Baa1 issuer ratings and maintained its stable outlook, based on the group's improved solvency and stable liquidity as well as Moody's forecast that the group's problem loan ratio will remain stable at around 2.5% over the next 12-18 months.

Moody’s affirms CIMB’s Baa1 issuer ratings, upgrades baseline credit assessment

Ni Hsin Group Bhd’s (KL:NIHSIN) wholly-owned subsidiary, Ni Hsin EV Tech Sdn Bhd (NH EV Tech), on Wednesday launched two high-powered electric motorcycles, TC Max and CPx PRO, featuring MotoGP legend, Jorge Lorenzo.

Ni Hsin unveils two electric motorcycles, featuring MotoGP legend Jorge Lorenzo

The Malaysian government is prepared to engage with its US counterparts on concerns regarding the shipment of sanctioned Iranian oil.

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, who is also the government spokesperson, said that “this matter was discussed briefly in the Cabinet here today”.

Malaysia prepared to engage with US over its concerns on Iranian oil shipments

Annum Bhd (KL:ANNUM), formerly known as Cymao Holdings Bhd, has been categorised a Practice Note 17 (PN17) company as its new external auditor Messrs SBY Partners PLT expressed a disclaimer of opinion on its audited financial statements for the 18 months ended June 30, 2023, after they failed to obtain sufficient evidence to verify the group's assets.

Annum slips into PN17 after auditor says it can't vouch for company's financials

An entrepreneur was fined RM80,000 by the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on Tuesday for using unauthorised communications equipment known as an ‘SMS Blaster’, which caused serious disruption to network and cellular services.

Entrepreneur fined RM80,000 for using unauthorised SMS Blaster

The crude palm oil (CPO) futures contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives snapped two consecutive days of gains to end lower on Wednesday, said a dealer.

Mumbai-based Sunvin Group commodity research head Anilkumar Bagani said the weakness in the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) soybean oil futures during Asian trading hours and the Malaysian Palm Oil Association’s (MPOA) estimates weighed down CPO prices.

CPO futures snaps two-day winning streak to end lower

Shares in Sime Darby Plantation Bhd [KL: SIMEPLT] rose to their highest in two years following its announcement to develop the Tali Ayer estate in Perak into a green industrial park.

Sime Darby Plantation shares surge to two-year high following proposed solar project in Perak

Shell said on Wednesday it has agreed to sell its refinery and petrochemical assets in Singapore, Asia's main oil hub, to a joint venture between Indonesian chemicals firm Chandra Asri and Swiss miner and commodities trader Glencore.

Shell to sell Singapore refinery, petchem assets to Chandra Asri and Glencore

Homegrown information and communications technology (ICT) distributor Vstecs Bhd’s (KL: VSTECS) wholly-owned subsidiary, Vstecs Ku Sdn Bhd, has been picked as Amazon Web Services' (AWS) first distributor in Malaysia.

Amazon Web Services picks Vstecs as first distributor in Malaysia

Interim liquidators appointed by the Shah Alam High Court pursuant to a petition by Hitachi Ltd to look into the affairs of its wholly-owned Fusiotech Holdings Sdn Bhd are investigating claims of potential diversion of business by Fusionex Malaysia to third parties.

Fusionex liquidators probing alleged diversion of business to third parties

Malaysia’s largest 100 companies added RM175.33 billion to their market value since the start of the year as optimism for a US Federal Reserve rate cut fuelled a broad rally in sectors ranging from technology to utilities.

Market cap of top 100 Bursa companies up RM175b year to date, more upside expected

KUALA LUMPUR (May 8): Petronas Dagangan Bhd (KL:PETDAG) faces a threat from Saudi Aramco’s possible entry into Malaysia’s fuel retailing market, on top of the impending withdrawal of fuel subsidies, CGS International warned.

Petronas Dagangan faces twin share de-rating threats — CGS

KUALA LUMPUR (May 8): Insurer and reinsurer MNRB Holdings Bhd’s (KL:MNRB) net profit more than doubled year-on-year (y-o-y) in the fourth quarter, thanks to lower insurance expenses and higher investment income, sending its shares surging to an all-time high.

MNRB logs record profits from lower insurance expenses, higher investment income

Offshore drilling firm Velesto Energy Bhd (KL:VELESTO) is expected to report that its net profit may more than tripled in the first quarter (1Q) from a year earlier with all of its rigs utilised, Maybank Investment Bank said.

Velesto may report strong 1Q results with rigs fully occupied — Maybank IB

KUALA LUMPUR (May 8): The global semiconductor industry is expected to rebound this year, driven by demand for generative artificial intelligence (AI), with the industry’s upcycle likely to continue until 2025 or 2026, said Nomura Asset Management.

Global semiconductor industry to recover this year through 2026 on generative AI demand — Nomura

The Malaysian government is prepared to engage with its US counterparts on concerns regarding the shipment of sanctioned Iranian oil.

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, who is also the government spokesperson, said that “this matter was discussed briefly in the Cabinet here today”.

MNRB Holdings Bhd (KL:MNRB) was Bursa Malaysia’s biggest gainer on Wednesday, after the insurer and reinsurer announced record quarterly and annual net profit for the financial year ended March 31, 2024 (FY2024).

MNRB makes biggest single-day jump after record FY2024 earnings

SYDNEY/HONG KONG/SINGAPORE (May 8): Global private equity investors and asset managers are readying for billions of dollars worth of mergers and acquisitions (M&amp;As) and investments linked to data centres in the Asia Pacific, as the artificial intelligence (AI) boom fuels demand for digital infrastructure.

AI boom set to fuel data centre deals in Asia this year

Shares of Bursa Malaysia Bhd (KL:BURSA) extended gains to its highest since March 2021, following news that Malaysian stocks trading in its exchange hit a historical high of RM2 trillion in market capitalisation on Tuesday (May 7).

Bursa Malaysia shares hit fresh three-year high as local equities breach RM2 trillion market cap

The former director and chairman of the board of SRC International Sdn Bhd has slammed Datuk Seri Najib Razak for passing the blame to the board for the misappropriation of RM3.6 billion from the company, saying the accusation was nothing more than an afterthought and without basis.

Former SRC director slams Najib for blaming SRC board for misappropriation of RM3.6b, says his accusation a baseless afterthought

A Singapore Air Force F-16 jet crashed during takeoff at a military airbase, the Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday.

Singapore Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashes after takeoff

Industronics Bhd said it has been appointed as the project management company to develop a hotel and golf course on a 155-acre parcel of land in Langkawi.

Widad’s largest shareholder appoints Industronics to manage Langkawi golf course, hotel development

KUALA LUMPUR (May 8): Go Hub Capital Bhd (KL:GOHUB), a provider of information technology (IT) services catering to the transportation sector, said on Wednesday that it has received approval for its listing on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia.&nbsp;

IT services firm Go Hub Capital gets Bursa Malaysia nod for ACE Market listing

The emergence of digital banks in Malaysia does not significantly impact traditional banks, primarily due to their limited ability to achieve rapid growth within the initial years of operation.

S&amp;P Global Ratings senior analyst, financial institution ratings, South and Southeast Asia (SSEA), Sue Ong said that the five digital banking licences issued by the Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) in 2022 do not seem to be a game changer for now.

Digital banks will not affect traditional banks in Malaysia — S&P Global Ratings

theedgemalaysia.com highlighted three stocks with positive momentum and nine stocks with negative momentum at Bursa Malaysia's afternoon close on Wednesday.

Apex Health, Bursa, GDB, Fiamma, Lagenda, Lay Hong, MYMBN, MYEG, Panda, Scientex, Tasco, Tiong Nam

Cryptocurrency exchange FTX has amassed billions of dollars more than it needs to cover what customers lost in its November 2022 collapse, setting them up to receive full recoveries, plus interest, a rare outcome in US bankruptcy proceedings.

FTX has billions more than needed to pay bankruptcy victims

Analysts remain optimistic about Heineken Malaysia Bhd's performance for the remainder of the financial year ending Dec 31, 2023 (FY2023), with target prices (TPs) ranging from RM28.60 to RM33.80, despite a decline in the group's net profit for the first quarter ended March 31, 2023 (1QFY2023).

Analysts remain positive on Heineken’s FY2023 performance, with target prices of RM28.60 to RM33.80

M&A Securities Sdn Bhd is one step closer to be a public listed company, as SYF Resources Bhd has signed an underwriting agreement with Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd to underwrite the open portion of its rights issue to raise RM62.58 million.

Reverse takeover of M&A Securities nears completion as SYF inks underwriting deal with Malacca Securities

Global energy reliability concerns are triggering a surge in oil and gas investments — but this uptick is only temporary, and service companies should capitalise now before the focus returns to the energy transition.

Oil and gas spending rockets on security concerns, Rystad says

Sarawak is on track to meet its green initiatives with the handover of the Long San Solar Hybrid Station by Shanghai Electric to Sarawak Energy Bhd.

In a statement on Thursday (May 11), Sarawak Energy said the completion of the project reaffirms the state's commitment to advancing sustainable energy solutions, even in remote areas.

Sarawak on track to meet green initiatives with completion of Long San Solar Hybrid Station

Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor is seeking to have all her charges in her money laundering and tax evasion trial involving RM7.1 million dropped.

Rosmah seeks to have all charges in money laundering, tax evasion trial dropped

Asia-Pacific (APAC) economies’ continued strength will be conducive to the stability of bank credit profiles in the region, according to Fitch Ratings.

In a report on Thursday (May 11), the rating agency said in its “outlooks for banks’ issue default ratings” that operating environments and sector prospects in the region are mainly stable or neutral, suggesting that it expects changes to be limited.

Asia-Pacific economies' continued strength conducive to stability of bank credit profiles, says Fitch Ratings

The scaling down of the Penang South Islands (PSI) reclamation project is not expected to impact Gamuda Bhd’s earnings, according to Public Investment Bank (PIB) Research.

Scale down of PSI has no earnings impact on Gamuda, says Public Investment Bank

Changing demographics and declining labour force participation mean rebuilding a workforce is slower and more costly than in the past, according to Gartner Inc.

In a statement on Wednesday (May 10), the consulting firm said chief financial officers (CFOs) tend to underestimate the organisational drag created by large-scale workforce reductions, and therefore can inadvertently reduce shareholder returns when taking actions to protect them.

Layoffs may ultimately harm shareholder returns, Gartner says

Tech investors in the US have seemingly backed away from China ahead of President Joe Biden signing an executive order to limit investment in sectors such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence and quantum computing in China.

Political headwinds a drag on US investment in China tech scene — data

A federal grand jury has indicted Mo Shuyi, a citizen of China, for fraud by wire and conspiracy to commit offence to defraud the US.

In a statement last week, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said a joint investigation between CBP San Juan Field Operations and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Juan Global Trade Investigations Group (GTIG) revealed an illegal transshipment of merchandise from China through Malaysia imported into the US.

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