KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 5): Based on corporate announcements and news flow today, stocks in focus for Thursday (February 6) may include the following: AirAsia X Bhd, Careplus Group Bhd, Genting (M) Bhd, MISC Bhd and Uzma Bhd.

AirAsia X Bhd has set up a non-executive board committee to review Airbus bribery allegations involving two of its directors, following in the footsteps of its sister company AirAsia Group Bhd which had done so two days ago.

AirAsia X will appoint an independent expert as part of the review, and the committee will exclude Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, both non-executive directors implicated in the scandal over the period 2005-2014.

Airbus allegedly provided US$50 million in sponsorship to a sports team — reportedly the Caterham F1 racing team — owned by two executives of AirAsia as an inducement for the carrier to purchase Airbus planes. Caterham F1 was previously owned by Fernandes and Kamarudin.

Careplus Group Bhd will sell 50% of its loss-making unit Careplus (M) Sdn Bhd (CMSB) to Ansell Services (Asia) Sdn Bhd for RM26.81 million cash as part of a joint venture deal between the two companies.

The two partners agreed to jointly subscribe up to RM21 million worth of new CMSB shares in equal proportions. Careplus also granted Ansell options to buy Careplus’ remaining stake in CMSB, or to sell back its stake in CMSB to Careplus, pending certain criteria.

Genting (M) Bhd’s unit Resorts World Genting continues to operate as normal amid the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, but has cancelled all tour bookings from China for the month of February.

The resort has no recorded case of infected individuals so far and has deployed infrared thermal scanners throughout the premises. It also has two 24-hour medical clinics and six ambulances on standby.

MISC Bhd has won a contract worth US$525.6 million (RM2.16 billion) from Petrobras to own and operate three newbuilding Suezmax DP2 shuttle tankers for operations in Brazilian and international waters.

The new charter is expected to start in 2022, adding to the six specialist DP2 Suezmax size shuttle tankers on time charter to Petrobras for operation in the Brazilian Basin. Four of the shuttle tankers are currently under construction.

Uzma Bhd is buying another 22% stake in Setegap Ventures Petroleum Sdn Bhd for RM52.8 million, which will increase its shareholding in the company to 86%.

In its financial year ended June 30, 2019, Setegap registered a profit after tax of RM21.28 million on revenue of RM142.58 million.