<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>SINGAPORE (Sept 14): With Singapore’s economy contracting by a historic 13.2% in 2Q2020 ended June, it is no surprise that the labour market has been under the weather.</div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>Total employment excluding foreign domestic workers (FDWs) plunged by 103,500 in June, making this the metric’s sharpest decline on record. The data was revealed in the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) Labour Market Report released on September 14.</div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>The greatest falls in employment were seen across sectors such as food and beverage services (-22,900), construction (-13,600), retail trade (-8,000), arts, entertainment and recreation (-7,600), and administrative and support services (-7,600), which were among the hardest hit by the circuit breaker measures <a href="https://www.theedgesingapore.com/news/labour-market/singapores-total-employment-falls-all-time-low-2q2020-retrenchments-double" target="_blank">... (click on link for full story on theedgesingapore.com).</a></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

With Singapore’s economy contracting by a historic 13.2% in 2Q2020 ended June, it is no surprise that the labour market has been under the weather.

Singapore's total employment fell to all-time low in 2Q; retrenchments doubled

Taiwan’s incoming president warned his government faces a grim international environment as he finalised his cabinet line-up by appointing key defence and foreign-affairs officials.

Taiwan’s incoming president warns of ‘severe’ challenges for new security team

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.

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.

Appellate court grants Muhyiddin five-member bench for review of charges

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.

YTL Corp rallies to new all-time high after HLIB flags more upside

KUALA LUMPUR (April 25): Malaysia requires an annual allocation of at least RM10 billion for the next three years, which is crucial to boost water infrastructure amid below-cost tariffs and high wastage, the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) said on Thursday.

Malaysia needs RM10 bil for next three years to upgrade water infrastructure — SPAN

Vietnamese billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong said on Thursday he planned to invest US$1 billion (RM4.78 billion) more from his own fortune into Nasdaq-listed electric vehicle (EV) maker VinFast, and was considering listings for other companies he controls.

VinFast chief plans to invest US$1b more from his fortune in EV maker

PUTRAJAYA ( April 25): Malaysia’s inflation stayed at 1.8% in March 2024 from a month ago, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).

Malaysia’s inflation stays at 1.8% in March 2024

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.

Malaysia is said to mull casino resort to revive Forest City

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.

EPF members under age 55 will have Account 3 starting May 11

(April 25): Goldman Sachs Group Inc plans to hire “steadily” in Asia to cater to the growing number of family offices and super-rich in the region, The Straits Times reported on Thursday.

Goldman plans to add headcount in Asia to woo super wealthy — The Straits Times

SK Hynix Inc said it expects a full recovery in the memory market, led by surging artificial intelligence (AI)-related demand, and lifted its capital spending plans.

AI memory boom propels SK Hynix's fastest sales growth since 2010

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;

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.

Digital Nasional names senior telco and tech leaders as new directors

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.

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.

How Volvo landed a cheap Chinese EV on US shores in a trade war

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.

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

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.

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.

Meta’s miss sparks fear in tech world with big earnings looming

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.

Nga's press secretary Pang picked as unity govt's candidate for Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election

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’.

Maybank IB is the first from a total of fi...

Mega First shares likely peaked; Maybank IB the first to downgrade stock

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.

Axiata, Sinar Mas move closer to US$3.5b telco merger, Bloomberg reports

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.

Singapore's Keppel profit rises on strong infra, connectivity performance

RHB Retail Research said Naim Holdings Bhd is likely to resume its uptrend after the recent consolidation above the 97.5 sen breakout level.

Naim Holdings likely to resume its uptrend, says RHB Retail Research 

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.

S&P 500 ends higher as markets weigh rising yields, upbeat corporate results

RHB Retail Research said NationGate Holdings Bhd is observing a technical breakout after climbing above the RM1.70 immediate resistance on surging trading volume.

NationGate is observing technical breakout, says RHB Retail Research 

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.

Stocks hit by tech slump; yen flails at intervention zone

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.

Agricore CS Holdings gets Bursa Malaysia nod to list on ACE Market

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

Visa's strong earnings may be a troubling sign for US economy — report

Synergy House Bhd may trend higher after breaking out from its one-week bullish rectangular pattern two sessions ago, to a new all-time high.

Synergy House may trend higher, says Rakuten Trade

(April 24): Some of the world's largest solar equipment makers asked President Joe Biden's administration on Wednesday to impose tariffs on panels and cells from four Asian countries, to protect billions of dollars in investments in US manufacturing.

US solar panel makers seek import tariffs to protect new domestic factories

PUTRAJAYA ( April 25): Malaysia’s inflation stayed at 1.8% in March 2024 from a month ago, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).