<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>(Jan 20): Today, our economist expects Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) to keep its overnight policy rate (OPR) at 1.75%, unchanged since July 2020.&nbsp;</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Although tomorrow’s consumer price index (CPI)/inflation report is likely to show CPI stayed elevated above 3% year-on-year in December 2021 from severe floods and high oil prices, BNM is still wary of downside risks from Covid-19 variant Omicron.&nbsp;</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>The central bank is likely to be patient in 1H22 and normalise monetary policy in 2H22.&nbsp;</p></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>USD/MYR closed at 4.1938, slightly above the mid-point of its 4.14-4.24 range since mid-2021.&nbsp;</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>According to our model, any attempt to lift USD/MYR will meet resistance at its 4.2140 high on Jan 6 in the near sessions.</p></div>


(Jan 20): Today, our economist expects Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) to keep its overnight policy rate (OPR) at 1.75%, unchanged since July 2020. 

Although tomorrow’s consumer price index (CPI)/inflation report is likely to show CPI stayed elevated above 3% year-on-year in December 20...

DBS: BNM to maintain OPR at 1.75% despite elevated inflation

KUALA LUMPUR (April 16): Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's appeal to recuse judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd-Tanore (1MDB-Tanore) trial will be heard in August.

The appellate court has set Aug 20 to hear the matter following a case manag...

Najib's appeal to recuse judge in 1MDB-Tanore trial set for Aug hearing

KTI Landmark Bhd (KTI) has signed an underwriting agreement with M&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

For most of Singapore’s history as an independent nation, there has been a Lee at the helm. That’s now coming to an end.

Singapore charts new path after half-century of Lee family rule

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

Australian police on Tuesday said a knife attack on an Assyrian church bishop and some followers in Sydney was a terrorist act motivated by suspected religious extremism, as the country reeled from a second stabbing incident in three days.

Australia says Assyrian church stabbing was terrorist act

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

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.

Alliance Bank’s 4Q earnings to rise by 37% y-o-y to RM179m, AmInvestment says

China's Baidu said on Tuesday its artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot “Ernie Bot” has garnered more than 200 million users as it seeks to remain China’s most popular ChatGPT-like chatbot amid increasingly fierce competition.

Baidu's AI chatbot 'Ernie Bot' attracts more than 200 million users

Israelis awaited word on how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would respond to Iran's first-ever direct attack as international pressure for restraint grew amid fears of an escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.

Israeli military vows response to Iran attack as calls for restraint mount

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

Indonesian rupiah hits four-year low, prompts cenbank intervention

<p>Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has expressed relief that Cinta Gaza Malaysia chief executive officer (CEO) Muhammad Nadir Al-Nuri Kamaruzaman has been reunited with his family after they were brought out of Gaza.</p>


Anwar relieved Nadir reunited with family, conveys thanks to Al Sisi

<p>Asian stocks fell 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.</p>


Asian shares slide on US rate cut rethink; China GDP beats estimates 

<p>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 <i>Forbes Asia</i>.</p>


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

<p>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.</p>


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

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


Cosmos Technology has confirmed bullish setup, says RHB Retail Research 

<p>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.</p>


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

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


MyEG, Heitech Padu form partnership to collaborate on IT projects

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


Notion VTec aiming to extend upside movement — RHB Retail Research 

<p>The recent attack by Iran on Israel represents a dangerous expansion of the Israel–Hamas war and raises the risk of a sharp escalation of the conflict, according to S&amp;P Global Ratings.</p>


S&P: Medium-term trajectory remains fraught with risk after recent attack by Iran on Israel

<p>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%.</p>


US Fed should not act urgently to cut rates unless required, Daly says

<p>US stocks closed sharply lower on Monday, as an early lift from a strong retail sales report succumbed to a jump in Treasury yields and concerns about rising geopolitical tensions between Iran and Israel.</p>


Stocks close lower as Middle East tensions, Treasury yields weigh

<p>Bursa Malaysia opened lower on Tuesday, taking a cue from the negative developments on Wall Street overnight due to escalating tensions in the Middle East, coupled with persistent inflation in the US as indicated by stronger-than-expected March retail sales.</p>


Bursa tracks weaker Wall Street showing to open lower 

<p>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.</p>


<p>The automotive industry is not exactly the place one would want to be in the next few years.</p>

<p>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...

<p>JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co chief executive officer Jamie Dimon, who announced plans last year to sell one million shares in the lender, sold almost US$33 million (RM157.8 million) of stock on Monday, bringing his total sales to that level.</p>


Jamie Dimon finishes million-share sale announced last year

<p>The ringgit opened lower against the US dollar for the second consecutive day on Tuesday as the greenback strengthened following robust US retail sales data for March, said an analyst.</p>


Ringgit opens lower against dollar on strong US retail sales data 

<p>Mark Zuckerberg won his bid to avoid personal liability in about two dozen lawsuits accusing Meta Platforms Inc and other social media companies of addicting children to their products.</p>


Zuckerberg avoids personal liability in Meta addiction suits

<p>Oil prices rose on Tuesday amid heightened tensions in the Middle East after Israel's military chief said his country would respond to Iran's weekend missile and drone attack amid calls for restraint by allies.</p>


Oil prices rise as Israel weighs response to Iran attack

<p>Just a few months ago, life as a Paramount Global bondholder was pretty good.</p>


Paramount’s high-grade bondholders confront junk-status scenarios

<p>Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, the dominant producer of advanced chips used in artificial intelligence applications, is expected to report a 5% rise in first-quarter profit on Thursday thanks to strong demand.</p>
