<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>SINGAPORE (Sept 23): Business confidence for the last quarter has dropped to close to a two year-low, as Singapore’s key manufacturing and wholesale trade sectors brace for a downturn.</div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>Business sentiment has dipped to +4.82 percentage points for 4Q19, from +6.91 percentage points for the current quarter, according to data from the Business Optimism Index released recently by the Singapore Commercial Credit Bureau (SCCB).</div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>On a year-on-year basis, business confidence has nearly halved from the +9.19 percentage points in 4Q18.</div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>For the full story, visit <a href="https://www.theedgesingapore.com/capital/singapore-economy/singapore-business-confidence-sinks-2-year-low-4q" target="_blank">www.theedgesingapore.com</a>.</div>

Business confidence for the last quarter has dropped to close to a two year-low, as Singapore’s key manufacturing and wholesale trade sectors brace for a downturn.

Business sentiment has dipped to +4.82 percentage points for 4Q19, from +6.91 percentage points for the current quarter, according to data from the Business Optimism Index released recently by the Singapore Commercial Credit Bureau (SCCB).

Singapore business confidence sinks to 2-year low in 4Q

Here is a brief recap of some business news and corporate announcements that made the headlines on Tuesday.

KomarkCorp, Topmix, PavREIT, Axis REIT, KIP REIT, Cypark, Crest Builders, Capital A, Gadang, Haily, DXN, Inta Bina, Comfort Gloves, AHB

The fatal collision between two Royal Malaysian Navy helicopters that killed 10 personnel abroad could be due to a failure in the critical points of the aircraft structure, aviation expert Assoc Prof Maj Dr Mohd Harridon Mohamed Suffian said.

Critical point failure could’ve led to fatal Lumut chopper crash, says expert

KOTA BHARU (April 23): The man involved in the shooting incident at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang on April 14 will be charged in a Kota Bharu court on Wednesday (April 24), according to the police.

KLIA shooting suspect to be charged in Kota Bharu on Wednesday

Sarawak’s strategic alliances with the UK's leading industry partners in the development of compound semiconductors will drive innovation to increase the capability of microchips to power new technologies and applications, said Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

Sarawak eyeing partnership with UK companies to boost semicon capabilities

Malaysia's education system must be synonymous with the development of the country, said Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir.

Zambry: Education system must be synonymous with country’s development

IPOH (April 23): The post-mortems of 10 victims of the tragedy of two helicopters colliding near the Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM) base in Lumut, currently being carried out at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital here, are expected to be completed by Wednesday (April 24) afternoon.

Helicopter tragedy: Victims’ post-mortems expected to be completed on April 24 afternoon

The M503-3 Maritime Operations Helicopter (HOM) that was involved in a crash Tuesday morning was used for the first time in the flyby for the 90th Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM) Anniversary parade.

Downed HOM chopper used for the first time in flyby, says defence minister 

BENGALURU (April 23): Gold prices extended losses for a second day to hit a more than two-week low on Tuesday, as diminishing fears about an escalation of tensions in the Middle East prompted investors to book profits ahead of key US economic data this week.

Gold drifts lower for second day as Middle East fears subside

Wall Street's main indexes rose on Tuesday as some growth and chip shares gained, while stocks like General Motors and Spotify advanced on upbeat earnings updates ahead of quarterly reports from big technology companies.

Wall Street gains on bright earnings, megacaps' support

Chin Hin Group Bhd’s conditional mandatory takeover offer to acquire the remaining shares it does not own in Signature International Bhd has turned unconditional, after it aggregated more than 50% of the voting shares.

Chin Hin's MGO for Signature International turns unconditional as shareholding surpasses 50%

The Edge covers former Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's 1Malaysia Development Bhd-Tanore (1MDB-Tanore) trial live.

Najib's 1MDB-Tanore trial live reporting (April 23)

Eight contractors face possible Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) fines for alleged bid rigging in 2019, in respect of two tenders of the Public Works Department (JKR) and one tender of the Department of Drainage and Irrigation.

Eight contractors face possible MyCC fines for bid rigging in tenders worth RM473m

Indonesian President Joko Widodo and his son, incoming vice-president Gibran Rakabuming Raka, are no longer members of the country's largest party after they backed rival candidate and election winner Prabowo Subianto, a party official said on Tuesday.

Indonesia's biggest party confirms President Jokowi no longer a member after backing Prabowo

ATX Semiconductor Group, a globally renowned semiconductor provider from China, intends to ramp up investment to US$200 million (RM952 million) for its new manufacturing plant in Melaka over the next five years for its second-phase business expansion.

ATX Semiconductor to boost investment in Melaka to RM952m

Moomoo Malaysia, an online trading platform, garnered 100,000 clients within six weeks of its launch, making it one of the most downloaded financial mobile applications in Malaysia.&nbsp;

Moomoo Malaysia surpassed 100,000 clients within six weeks of its debut in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR (April 23): Malaysia has emerged as the most significant country within Asean for businesses to venture into, as shown by the UOB Business Outlook Study 2024 (SMEs &amp; Large Enterprises).

Malaysia emerges as prime destination for Asean biz expansion — UOB study

Swatch Group (M) Sdn Bhd&nbsp;said the seizure of its 172 rainbow-themed watches had caused much grief to its international reputation, as the renowned Swiss watch maker had always been dutiful citizens of any state where the watches were sold.

Swatch says advocating compassion for LGBTQ is not a crime, seizure illegal

KUALA LUMPUR (April 23): Former Sapura Energy Bhd chief executive officer Tan Sri Shahril Shamsudin has settled his defamation lawsuit against Economics Minister Rafizi Ramli out of court.

Ex-Sapura Energy CEO Shahril settles defamation suit against Rafizi

While Sapura Energy Bhd has resolved one key condition of its reset plan, analysts did not change their recommendations on the group, as there is still an arduous journey ahead for the group to address its balance sheet position.

Sapura Energy not out of the woods yet as large debts still in its way

Cypark Resources Bhd said on Tuesday that its 100MW Large Scale Solar 3 (LSS3) hybrid solar plant project in Merchang, Terengganu, will transition to full commercial operations by next month.

In a statement, the group said the plant consists of 83MWac (megawatt, alternating current) ground-mounted solar photovoltaics and 32MWac floating solar photovoltaics.

Cypark's LSS3 solar plant in Terengganu set for commercial operations next month

<h3>MyEG Services Bhd</h3>

Target price: RM1.15 ADD

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Brokers Digest: Local Equities: MyEG Services Bhd, Mah Sing Group Bhd, Tan Chong Motor Holdings Bhd, Gamuda Bhd 

CONSTRUCTION firm GDB Holdings Bhd — which has been embroiled in disputes with KSK Group in the last two years over the development of the 8 Conlay project in Kuala Lumpur — appears to be back on investors’ radar, judging by the recent upward trend in its share price.

According to marke...

GDB Holdings a front runner for several jobs

Bursa Malaysia continued its upbeat momentum to end higher for the fifth consecutive day on Tuesday, thanks to buying from local and foreign institutions, said an analyst.&nbsp;

Bursa ends higher on buying support from local and foreign institutions

PETALING JAYA (April 23): Tropicana Corp Bhd is partnering with Maybank Islamic Bhd to provide a home financing solution called Maybank Islamic’s HouzKEY.&nbsp;

Tropicana partners Maybank Islamic to offer HouzKEY home financing solution

Capital A Bhd’s unit AirAsia Consulting Sdn Bhd is still in the pre-qualification stage for the acquisition of national carrier SriLankan Airlines.&nbsp;

However, AirAsia Consulting has yet to submit any price bid since due diligence has not been carried out, its chief executive officer Subashini Silvadas told The Edge on Tuesday.

Capital A’s unit in RFQ process for SriLankan Airlines, no price bid yet

Apple's smartphone shipments in China tumbled 19% in the first quarter of the year, the worst performance since 2020, as its dominance in the high-end segment came under pressure from Huawei's new product launches, market data showed.

Apple's 1Q smartphone shipments in China tumble 19%, data shows

Construction and engineering contractor Crest Builder Holdings Bhd said it had secured a condominium project valued at RM486 million in Mont Kiara. &nbsp;

The project, awarded by Kiaramas Development Sdn Bhd, involves the construction of three blocks of condominiums with car park podiums in Jalan Desa Kiara.&nbsp;The contract period is 42 months from May 2, according to Crest Builder in a filing with Bursa Malaysia on Tuesday.

Crest Builder bags RM486m condominium project in Mont Kiara

Chinese universities and research institutes recently obtained high-end Nvidia artificial intelligence (AI) chips through resellers, despite the US widening a ban last year on the sale of such technology to China.

China acquired recently banned Nvidia chips in Super Micro, Dell servers, tenders show

High crude oil prices&nbsp;caused by&nbsp;tension in the Middle East&nbsp;will help to boost Malaysia's oil and gas exports. However, escalated fuel&nbsp;prices will dampen the country’s economic growth, according to the Socio-Economic Research Centre (SERC).

SERC: Escalated oil price boon and bane for Malaysia

GLOBETRONICS Technology Bhd, an established outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) player, is planning to move up the value chain by diversifying into advanced packaging to ride the wave of rising demand for such services.

It also expects advanced packaging to be its future r...