<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 7): AffinHwang Capital Research has maintained its “Hold” rating on Hartalega Holdings Bhd at RM4.65 with a higher target price of RM4.40 (from RM4) and said Hartalega is set to announce 2QFY17 results on Nov 8.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>In a note today, the research projects Hartalega’s core net profit to be sequentially stronger within the range of RM70 million and RM75 million, bolstered by volume sales recovery and margin expansion on higher utilisation rates.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>“US dollar average selling price could trend higher, but mostly to compensate for pricier raw material costs.</p></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>“We expect competition to moderate on disciplined capacity expansion to allow for better demand absorption.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>“Hartalega valuations are lofty due to superior pricing power, but margins are increasingly squeezed on product commoditisation. Maintain Hold,” it said.</p></div>


KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 7): AffinHwang Capital Research has maintained its “Hold” rating on Hartalega Holdings Bhd at RM4.65 with a higher target price of RM4.40 (from RM4) and said Hartalega is set to announce 2QFY17 results on Nov 8.

In a note today, the research projects Hartalega’s core n...

Recovery in sight for Hartalega, says AffinHwang Capital 

Three additional dates have been set for the ongoing 1Malaysia Development Bhd-Tanore (1MDB-Tanore) case, in hopes of wrapping up the prosecution's stage of the trial which began in 2019.

Six years in, additional dates increased to wrap up prosecution's case in 1MDB-Tanore trial

THE expectation that the US Federal Reserve (Fed) will cut interest rates this year in June is increasingly being challenged. Some economists say while their estimates are maintained at three cuts this year, totalling 75 basis points (bps), the risk is now skewed towards later moves and perhaps e...

Cover Story:Rising oil prices add to inflation conundrum

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.

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.

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

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.

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When it comes to Chinese real estate, John Lam is a lone wolf.

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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.

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

Barclays reported a 12% fall in first quarter profit on Thursday, as a squeeze on UK mortgage pricing, lower income from trading and a drought of M&A fees showed the difficulties it will face in delivering its first strategic revamp in a decade.

Barclays 1Q profit falls 12% as mortgage competition, trading slump hit

SINGAPORE/TOKYO (April 25): Oil prices steadied on Thursday after settling lower in the previous day, as signs of retreating fuel demand in the US, the world's biggest oil user, contended with widening conflict risks in the key Middle East producing region.

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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.

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KANGAR (April 25): The remand order for the son of a menteri besar has been extended until Friday (April 26) to facilitate investigations into a case of producing falsified documents to make RM600,000 in claims since 2022.

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<p>KUALA LUMPUR (April 25): The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) members, who are below 55 years old, will have an Account 3, in addition to the existing two accounts for their retirement savings, starting May 11.&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>Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao is facing up to three years in prison if efforts by US prosecutors to secure his sentencing prove successful. More than 160 friends, colleagues and investors are determined for the crypto executive to escape incarceration entirely.</p>


Friends, family, royalty seek mercy for crypto’s richest man

<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>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>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>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>


<p>A disappointing earnings report from Meta Platforms Inc has technology investors on edge with results from some of the stock market’s biggest and most important companies due in the coming days.</p>


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<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>

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<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>


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<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>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>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>


<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>Asian stocks fell on Thursday as disappointing earnings forecasts from Facebook parent Meta Platforms hammered tech shares, while the yen's slump past 155 per dollar for the first time since 1990 raised the spectre of intervention from Tokyo.</p>


Stocks hit by tech slide; yen flails at intervention zone

<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 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>Benchmark S&amp;P 500 closed higher in choppy trading on Wednesday, as investors weighed an uptick in Treasury yields amid positive corporate results particularly from technology giants.</p>


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<p>Visa Inc recently reported impressive fiscal second quarter 2024 results, with net revenue increasing by 10% and payments volume growing by 8%.</p>
