<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p><span style="font-style: italics;">This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on May 23, 2018</span></p></div><div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) international reserves were marginally down 0.09% to US$109.4 billion as at May 15, from US$109.5 billion as at April 30.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>In a statement yesterday, the central bank said the reserves position is sufficient to finance 7.6 months of retained imports and is 1.1 times the short-term external debt.</p></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Foreign currency, the biggest portion, slipped to US$102.8 billion from US$102.9 billion as at April 30. The International Monetary Fund reserves position stayed at US$800 million.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Special drawing rights and gold were maintained at US$1.2 billion and US$1.6 billion respectively. Other reserve assets also remained unchanged at US$3 billion.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>The bank’s total assets stood at RM450.34 billion as at May 15, while currency in circulation was at RM112.12 billion.</p></div>


KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) international reserves were marginally down 0.09% to US$109.4 billion as at May 15, from US$109.5 billion as at April 30.

In a statement yesterday, the central bank said the reserves position is sufficient to finance 7.6 months of retained impo...

BNM int’l reserves down 0.09% to US$109.4b as at May 15

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

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.

Meta’s miss sparks fears in tech with more earnings ahead

<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>


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

<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>


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

<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>


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

<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>


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

<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>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>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>


Malaysia’s inflation steady at 1.8% in March

<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>


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

<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>


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

<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>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>


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

<p>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.</p>
