<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 24): For the week ending on Christmas, global searches for the term "NFT", which refers to non-fungible tokens, have surpassed "crypto".</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Citing Google Trends on Thursday (Dec 23), cryptocurrency news portal Cointelegraph said the sharp increase in search traffic for NFTs offered a clear indication that digital collectibles had entered mainstream consciousness, with transactions on OpenSea, the most popular decentralised platform for NFT auctions and drops, surpassing US$10 billion (about RM41.99 billion).</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>The portal predicted that NFT sales could eclipse US$17.7 billion by the end of 2021.</p></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>The portal said the huge increase in demand for NFTs is evident across nearly all aspects of society.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>It said that firstly, consumer brands such as Nike and Adidas are making their own entry into the realm of metaverse NFTs.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Then, personalities such as Snoop Dogg, Grimes, Steve Aoki, Mila Kunis and Melania Trump are promoting their own NFT collections to the public.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Thirdly, NFT games such as <em>Axie Infinity</em> and <em>Sorare</em> have made it possible for players to learn about cryptocurrencies and NFTs&nbsp;as well as earn a small amount of money as a side hustle while playing video games.</p></div>


For the week ending on Christmas, global searches for the term "NFT", which refers to non-fungible tokens, have surpassed "crypto".

Non-fungible token sales could eclipse US$17.7b by end-2021 — data

Wall Street's main indexes were largely flat in early trading on Friday as investors took a breather from the week's rally driven by growing expectations of US interest-rate cuts this year.

Wall Street muted with weekly gains in sight on rate-cut hopes

Economists have maintained their 2024 economic growth forecast for Malaysia at between 3.5% and 4.7% after Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) announced first quarter gross domestic product (GDP) growth accelerated faster than expected.

Economists keep 2024 GDP forecast after better-than-expected 1Q data

Police will seek a remand order at the Magistrates Court for seven individuals who were detained on Friday morning in connection with the Ulu Tiram police station attack said Johor police chief M Kumar.

Ulu Tiram police station attack: Seven individuals to be remanded on Saturday

A line of dangerous storms and flooding rains rolled over the US Gulf Coast, killing at least four people and leaving more than 800,000 customers in Texas — about 6% of the total — without power while grounding hundreds of flights.

Texas storms leave 800,000 without power while flights grounded

EVENING 5: Five things you need to know today

In today’s edition of Evening 5: 00:00 Malaysia’s 1Q GDP beats estimates, grows 4.2% 02:12 Mokhzani Mahathir to step down as Maxis chairman04:00 MFM more than triples net profit in 1Q 05:23 PPB to invest RM327 mil in film segment over five years 06:41 Pawn shop operator Pappajack sees Main Market transfer

EVENING 5: Malaysia’s 1Q GDP beats estimates, grows 4.2%

Ho Hup Construction Company Bhd (KL:HOHUP) said its 52%-owned unit Golden Wave Sdn Bhd (GWSB) has applied with the High Court to be placed under judicial management.

Ho Hup's property development unit applies for judicial management 

NationGate Holdings Bhd (KL:NATGATE) has secured approval from the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) for its transfer to the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia.

In a filing to the bourse on Friday, NationGate said the approval was granted under an "accelerated transfer process".

NationGate secures SC nod for transfer to Main Market

The Human Resource Development Corp (HRD Corp) will sponsor 1,000 lorry drivers to obtain a Class E licence and goods driver's licence (GDL).

HRD Corp to sponsor 1,000 truckers to get E licence — Loke

Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh hopes investigations into the recent attacks on three footballers can be completed as soon as possible.

KBS hopes probe into attacks on footballers can be completed swiftly

<p>Tan Sri Mokhzani Mahathir will step down as the non-executive chairman of Maxis Bhd (KL:MAXIS), effective from June 30, after 15 years sitting on the board of the company.</p>


Mokhzani Mahathir to step down as Maxis chairman after 15 years on board

Most read this week - Stay up to date with the biggest news and latest trending topics by checking out the top 10 articles of the week. 

Most read this week

<p>Malaysia’s economic growth accelerated faster than expected in the first three months of 2024, thanks to higher household spending, stronger investment activities, improvement in labour market conditions, and higher exports and tourist arrivals.</p>


Malaysia's 1Q GDP beats consensus estimates, grows 4.2% y-o-y

<p>The male suspect who was shot dead in the attack at the Ulu Tiram Police Station here earlier on Friday is believed to be a member of Jemaah Islamiyah.</p>


Suspect in Ulu Tiram police station attack believed to be member of Jemaah Islamiyah, says IGP

<p>Two policemen were killed and another was injured in an attack on the Ulu Tiram Police Station early on Friday morning.</p>

<p>State police chief Commissioner M Kumar confirmed the incident, stating that it occurred at 2.45am and involved a masked intruder armed with pistols and a machete.</p>


Two policemen killed in attack at Ulu Tiram police station

<p>BWYS Group Bhd has signed an agreement with M&amp;A Securities Sdn Bhd to underwrite the sheet metal products manufacturer and scaffoldings supplier's upcoming initial public offering (IPO) on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia.</p>


BWYS Group signs underwriting agreement with M&A Securities for ACE Market IPO

<p>PPB Group Bhd (KL:PPB) is planning to invest RM327 million in its film exhibition and distribution segment, which houses Golden Screen Cinemas, over the next five years.</p>


PPB Group to invest RM327 mil in film segment over next five years

<p>(May 17):&nbsp;Suriname’s discovered oil resources now total more than 2.4 billion barrels of crude and liquids, and the nation has more than 12.5 trillion cubic feet of gas, according to Wood Mackenzie.</p>


Petronas-discovered Suriname oil resources seen totalling 2.4 billion barrels

<p>theedgemalaysia.com highlighted three stocks with positive momentum and eight stocks with negative momentum at Bursa Malaysia's afternoon close on Friday. &nbsp;</p>


Datasonic, Fiamma, Wong Engineering, Oppstar, Southern Acid, DKSH, BIG Industries, SKP, Infraharta, Beshom, KYM

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (May 17): Sarawak Cable Bhd (KL:SCABLE) said that the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the company and Serendib Capital Ltd (Serendib) had been validly terminated.</p>


Sarawak Cable says has found alternative white knight to Serendib

<p>Kawan Renergy Bhd’s (KL:KENERGY) said investors have snapped up the 27.5 million shares it made available to the public for its initial public offering (IPO) at 30 sen per share.</p>


Kawan Renergy's 27.5 mil IPO shares for public oversubscribed by 95 times 

<p>Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stressed that claims that 25% of the remaining shares in Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd or MAHB (KL:AIRPORT) would be owned by a pro-Zionist company are baseless.</p>


Anwar: Opposition's claims that pro-Israel company will own MAHB shares only to incite hatred

<p>Wireless carrier Maxis Bhd (KL:MAXIS) said on Friday its net profit rose 10% year-on-year (y-o-y) in the first quarter, thanks to higher service revenue and cost control, sending its shares to their highest in nearly three months.&nbsp;</p>


Maxis posts 10% rise in 1Q net profit on higher service revenue, declares four sen dividend

<p>Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wants firm action to be taken against anyone attempting to create chaos in Malaysia to the extent of causing deaths.</p>


Firm action will be taken against anyone who resorts to violence, says Anwar

<p>ITMAX System Bhd (KL:ITMAX) said on Friday that it has secured a RM105.3 million variation order (VO) from Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) for an extension of its contract to provide closed-circuit television (CCTV) and video messaging signages (VMS) integrated transport information system (ITIS) services.</p>


ITMAX secures RM105.3 mil variation order from DBKL 

<p>The Ministry of Transport (MOT) fully supports Khazanah Nasional Bhd and the Employee Provident Fund’s (EPF) move to privatise Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (KL:AIRPORT), or MAHB, as it will enable the implementation of strategic decisions more expeditiously, according to its minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.</p>


MOT supports MAHB privatisation, to enable expeditious strategic decisions — Loke

<p>Malayan Flour Mills Bhd (KL:MFLOUR) said its net profit has more than tripled for the first quarter from a year earlier, thanks to higher margins in its flour and grain segment from lower wheat prices.</p>


Malayan Flour Mills more than triples net profit in 1Q, to invest further

<p>Ping An Asset Management, HSBC Holdings PLC's largest shareholder, will continue to hold its investment in the Asia-focused lender, a source close to the Chinese fund manager said on Friday, after reports it was considering selling more shares.</p>


Top HSBC shareholder Ping An to retain investment in bank amid sale talk — Reuters

<p>Selangor opposition leader Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali said on Friday that there was no denial from Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu (Mat Sabu) or businessman Deepak Jaikishan regarding their trip to India, or Deepak’s involvement in procuring a direct negotiation contract with the government for his brother’s company, namely J&amp;E Advance Tech Sdn Bhd, to import eggs into Malaysia.</p>


Azmin: Mat Sabu and Deepak did not deny my comments on their trip to India

<p>Action by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and the government to promote consistent inflows into the foreign exchange (forex) market has eased the pressure on the ringgit against the US dollar, the central bank’s governor Datuk Shaik Abdul Rasheed Abdul&nbsp;Ghaffour said.&nbsp;</p>
