<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>SINGAPORE (Dec 19): Despite concerns about a slowing economy, 2019 has ticked all the right boxes for Singapore as the city-state hit record-highs in terms of investment banking activities, as well as mergers and acquisitions (M&amp;A).</div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>According to data collated by Refinitiv, M&amp;A activity in 2019 surged 57.5% y-o-y to US$116 billion (S$157 billion), making it the strongest annual period recorded by Refinitiv. This was led by Blackstone Group’s US$18.7 billion acquisition of GLP’s US logistics assets, which is the largest deal with Singaporean involvement on record.</div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>Singapore-targeted M&amp;A activity came in at US$45.2 billion in terms of deal value, a near double from the previous year. The state was also noted to be the most targeted nation in Southeast Asia, capturing some 40.6% of the total M&amp;A activity in the sub-region.</div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>For the full story, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theedgesingapore.com/news/singapore-economy/singapore-investment-banking-ma-activities-hit-record-highs-2019-refinitiv" target="_blank">www.theedgesingapore.com</a>.</div>

Despite concerns about a slowing economy, 2019 has ticked all the right boxes for Singapore as the city-state hit record-highs in terms of investment banking activities, as well as mergers and acquisitions (M&A).

Singapore investment banking, M&A activities hit record-highs in 2019: Refinitiv report

Datuk Abdul Rahman Ahmad will return to Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) as its president and group chief executive effective July 1, 2024, the government-linked investment company said.

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Most central banks across Asia are likely to begin cutting interest rates later in the year — if at all, according to economists at Morgan Stanley, as the Federal Reserve delays its own policy easing.

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Gold is set to reach US$3,000 (RM14,381.71) an ounce over the next six to 18 months on increasing investor inflows amid expectations that the Federal Reserve will eventually cut interest rates, Citigroup Inc said, adding to a roll call of Wall Street banks that have raised forecasts.

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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.

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Pharmaceutical company Apex Healthcare Bhd has committed to reinvest 5% of its total manufacturing revenue into the research and development (R&D) of new products moving forward.

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Bursa Malaysia ended the morning session lower on Tuesday, in tandem with the weaker regional performance due to a broad sell-off on Wall Street overnight, said an analyst.

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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 Forbes Asia.

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E-government services providers MyEG Services Bhd and HeiTech Padu Bhd have formed a partnership to collaborate on IT projects in Malaysia.

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Datuk Abdul Rahman Ahmad will return to Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) as its president and group chief executive effective July 1, 2024, the government-linked investment company said.

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.

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CIMB Group Holdings Bhd, Malaysia’s second-biggest banking group by assets, said on Tuesday its chief executive Datuk Abdul Rahman Ahmad will step down on June 30.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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Bursa Malaysia ended the morning session lower on Tuesday, in tandem with the weaker regional performance due to a broad sell-off on Wall Street overnight, said an analyst. &nbsp;

KTI Landmark Bhd (KTI) has signed an underwriting agreement with M&amp;A Securities Sdn Bhd for its listing on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd.

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RHB Retail Research said Notion VTec Bhd is looking to extend upside movement after staging a bullish breakout.

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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%.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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