KUALA LUMPUR (March 24): Describing Malaysia’s biodiesel mandate as “almost a disgrace”, leading palm oil analyst Dorab Mistry said the government is not “doing anything” to promote biodiesel. 

“I am afraid that (Malaysia’s) implementation of biodiesel is almost a disgrace. There are individual areas where Malaysia has done brilliantly, and I am a great admirer of Malaysia.

Malaysia’s biodiesel mandate ‘almost a disgrace’, says leading palm oil analyst

Palm oil analysts project crude palm oil (CPO) prices to contract this year, saying a recovery in supply combined with the performances of other vegetable oils will bear weight on the commodity.

Oil World editor and CEO Thomas Mielke expects prices to start declining in the second quarter of 2021, but said the decline will be moderate as long as stocks are low.

Palm oil prices expected to contract this year, say analysts

KUALA LUMPUR (March 23): On the first day of Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Palm and Lauric Oils Price Outlook Conference & Exhibition (POC 2021), palm oil industry experts have forecast crude palm oil (CPO) prices to range between RM3,320 to RM4,112.50 a tonne in 2021.

During the virtual conference, UIE Plc Director and Board Member Harald Sauthoff said he expects the third-month palm oil futures contract on Bursa Malaysia to average at RM3,320 a tonne and trade between RM3,000 to RM4,000 a tonne in 2021.

POC 2021 day 1: CPO prices to range between RM3,320 to RM4,113 in 2021

There was a spike in the trading volume of crude palm oil (CPO) futures contracts on Bursa Malaysia last year.

365 million tonnes of CPO traded on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives in 2020

Bursa Malaysia Bhd expects about 30 new listings this year, compared with 19 last year, said its CEO Datuk Muhamad Umar Swift.

He added, however, that the projection may be affected by the impact of the movement control order (MCO 2.0) on corporate results.

Bursa expects new listings in 2021 to rise to 30

Bursa Malaysia Bhd is aiming to bring public listed companies on the environmental, social and corporate governance journey.

Only 75 listed companies compliant with Bursa's ESG measures

Four banks took a nosedive at the final 30 minutes before the closing bell and dragged the FBM KLCI down sharply by nearly 45 points. The four banks that came under pressure were Malayan Banking Bhd, Public Bank Bhd, CIMB Group Holdings Bhd and Hong Leong Bank Bhd.

Public Bank falls most in 12 years as banking stocks hit by MSCI review

The Malaysian palm oil industry needs to focus on increasing its yields in order to remain competitive.

In a panel discussion on palm oil during the second round of Invest Malaysia 2020 virtual conference, Malaysian Palm Oil Association (MPOA) chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Nageeb Abdul Wahab said the industry’s yields have been stagnating.

Malaysian palm oil industry has to focus on increasing yields, says MPOA CEO

320 facilitation fund projects worth RM14.23 billion have been approved to date by the government so far, according to the Prime Minister’s Department's minister in charge of the economy, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.

320 facilitation fund projects worth RM14.23b approved by govt so far, says Mustapa

KUALA LUMPUR (May 18): Two listed steel companies, CSC Steel Holdings Bhd and Southern Steel Bhd, managed to post improved financial results in the January-March quarter, although the period included the first two weeks of the Movement Control Order (MCO).

CSC Steel, Southern Steel post improved quarterly results but remain in the red

City Motors Group has topped off of its Alfa Bangsar development with a tree-planting ceremony at its grounds, which is located at the intersection of Jalan Maarof and Jalan Tandok in Bangsar.

City Motors Group tops off mixed development Alfa Bangsar

Unilever's first-quarter sales grew by a better than expected 4.4%, it said on Thursday, as one of the world's biggest consumer goods companies won back shoppers who had traded down to cheaper products.

Unilever beats quarterly sales growth forecasts

SEPANG (April 25): A manager of a tour agency company pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here on Thursday to charges of attempting to murder his wife and causing injury to the woman’s bodyguard.

KLIA shooting: Company manager charged with attempted murder of wife

CGS International has cut its earnings estimate for Inari Amerton Bhd as recent data flagged weakened smartphone demand, according to its research note on Thursday.

CGS International cuts Inari-Amerton earnings forecast on weak smartphone demand

PARIS (April 25): BNP Paribas (BNPP) reported a fall in first-quarter profit and revenue on Thursday but beat analyst forecasts, as lower expenses and a strong performance in its corporate banking business offset flat or falling revenues elsewhere.

BNP Paribas profit tops estimates on lower costs and global banking

KUALA LUMPUR (April 25): theedgemalaysia.com highlighted nine stocks with momentum at Bursa Malaysia’s afternoon close on Thursday (April 25). One stock showed positive momentum, while eight stocks showed negative momentum.

The stock with positive momentum was:

  &nb...

RGT, Notion, BMGreen, Plytec, AlAqar, Sasbadi, QL, Sign, CGB

BEIJING (April 25): Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker XPeng on Thursday said its software and artificial intelligence training upgrades will enter a "super fast cycle" from May, and that it hopes the use of its platform will expand to other Asian countries and Europe.

XPeng CEO says its software, AI upgrades to enter 'super fast cycle'

Xiaomi Corp has secured 75,723 orders for its SU7 electric vehicles since last month’s launch, paving the way for the Chinese electronics giant to challenge automakers from Tesla Inc to BYD Co Ltd in the world’s largest car market.

Xiaomi says SU7 EV orders reach 75,723 since March launch

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.

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.

Malaysia’s inflation steady at 1.8% year-on-year in March

BENGALURU (April 25): The Philippine peso and South Korean won led losses on Thursday among subdued Asian emerging currencies, while stock markets in the region were pulled lower by a weak tech sector, after Facebook parent Meta Platforms disappointed with its forecasts.

Asian stocks slide on US tech earnings worries; currencies fall

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;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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): 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

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.

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.

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 

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 

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

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 slide; yen flails at intervention zone

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

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

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

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.

Arjuna Chandran Shankar & Wong Ee Lin

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Arjuna Chandran Shankar & Wong Ee Lin

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