EU antitrust regulators are checking to see if an Apple proposal would comply with their order to let Spotify and other music streaming services inform users of payment options outside its App Store, the European Commission said on Monday.

The iPhone maker risks antitrust charges and fresh fines if its proposal announced last Friday fails to satisfy the EU competition enforcer, which issued its order together with a 1.84 billion euro (US$2 billion) fine last month

EU regulators assess Apple's plan for complying with music streaming order

Microsoft will sell its chat and video app Teams separately from its Office product globally, the US tech giant said on Monday, six months after it unbundled the two products in Europe in a bid to avert a possible European Union (EU) antitrust fine.

Microsoft to separate Teams and Office globally amid antitrust scrutiny

Big Tech is facing its biggest challenge in decades as antitrust regulators on both sides of the Atlantic crack down on alleged anti-competitive practices that could result in break-up orders to Apple and Alphabet's Google, a first for the industry.

Google, Apple breakups on the agenda as global regulators target tech

Chinese-founded fast-fashion company Shein is set to face stricter European Union (EU) online content rules after reporting a huge number of users, joining a group of companies that includes Meta Platforms, Alphabet's Google, Elon Musk's X and TikTok.

Shein to face tough EU online content rules as users in region soar

From overhauling online platforms to backroom engineering, Google, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta and TikTok owner ByteDance have scrambled over the last six months to comply with landmark European Union (EU) tech rules that come into force on Thursday.

As Big Tech scrambles to meet EU rules, investigations seen as likely

Alphabet's Google was hit with a €2.1-billion (US$2.3 billion or RM10.85 billion) lawsuit by 32 media groups including Axel Springer and Schibsted on Wednesday, alleging that they had suffered losses due to the company's practices in digital advertising.

Google hit with US$2.3b lawsuit by Axel Springer, other media groups

Microsoft's deal with French tech startup Mistral AI has provoked outcry in the European Union, with lawmakers demanding an investigation into what they see as a concentration of power by the tech giant.

Microsoft's deal with Mistral AI faces EU scrutiny

BRUSSELS (Feb 16): Europe’s privacy enforcers should oppose Meta Platforms’ no-ads subscription service launched in Europe last November because it requires users to pay a fee to ensure their privacy, a model likely to be copied by other companies, a group of 28 organisations said on Friday.

EU privacy watchdogs urged to oppose Meta’s paid ad-free service

BRUSSELS (Feb 10): EU member states and MEPs struck a preliminary deal on Saturday to ease the bloc's stringent fiscal rules, giving governments more time to reduce debt, as well as incentives to boost public investments in climate, industrial policy and security.

EU agrees on looser fiscal rules to cut debt, boost investments

Alphabet's Google Cloud has accused Microsoft of anti-competitive cloud computing practices and criticised imminent deals with European cloud vendors, saying these do not solve broader concerns about its licensing terms.

Google says Microsoft's cloud practices anti-competitive, critical of deals with rivals

MIDF Research expects crude palm oil (CPO) prices to moderate in the second quarter of 2024 (2Q2024), yet predicts a month-on-month (m-o-m) increase of 4.6% to RM4,410.5 per tonne in April due to mild El Niño events.

MIDF sees CPO price moderation in 2Q

A tumbling yen is spurring traders to game plan how much further Japan’s beleaguered currency can fall even with the specter of intervention looming.

Yen traders brace for 160 level as BOJ hints of intervention 

Britain’s unemployment rate rose unexpectedly to the highest in six months as the number of jobs in the economy shrank, an indication that the once red-hot labour market.

UK unemployment jumps to six-month high after economy cools

Apple Inc CEO Tim Cook said on Tuesday in Hanoi the US tech giant wanted to boost its investment in Vietnam, state media reported.

Apple wants to spend more on suppliers in Vietnam

Grant Bowers, a senior vice-president and portfolio manager at Franklin Equity Group, is excited about the healthcare and industrial sectors.

US healthcare stocks look attractive, says Franklin’s Bowers

Tesla's global job cuts are hitting China, the automaker's biggest market after the US, affecting staff in teams including sales, two sources briefed on the matter said.

Tesla global job cuts hit China sales team — Reuters

Vietnam's parliament has asked the government to investigate gold trading firms for possible market manipulation amid soaring domestic prices, state media reported on Tuesday.

Vietnam to probe gold traders for possible manipulation as prices soar

The Ministry of Transport (MOT) has not been informed of any corporate deal involving Malaysia's biggest port operator MMC Port Holdings Sdn Bhd, said its Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.

MOT unaware of potential MMC Port stake sale to foreign investors, says Loke

Microsoft Corp will invest US$1.5 billion (RM7.19 billion) in the United Arab Emirates’ top artificial intelligence firm, G42, bolstering the Abu Dhabi-based company’s commitment to scale back its presence in China.

Microsoft invests US$1.5b in UAE’s G42, will get board seat

Analysts are positive on Malaysia’s pilot green power exports to Singapore using existing infrastructure in both countries, following establishment of the platform enabling cross-border trading of green electricity, the Energy Exchange Malaysia (Enegem).

Analysts positive on pilot green power exports to Singapore; name Tenaga, YTLP as top picks

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.

Wealth of Malaysia’s 50 richest individuals on Forbes list rises 2% — Forbes Asia 

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.

CIMB’s Abdul Rahman Ahmad returns to PNB as president, group chief executive

E-government services providers MyEG Services Bhd and HeiTech Padu Bhd have formed a partnership to collaborate on IT projects in Malaysia.

According to separate bourse filings from both companies on Tuesday, MyEG and HeiTech Padu have inked a teaming agreement for the collaboration.&nbsp;

MyEG, HeiTech Padu form partnership to collaborate on IT projects

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.

CIMB says CEO Abdul Rahman Ahmad stepping down on June 30

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.

AmInvestment sees Alliance Bank’s 4Q earnings jump by 37% y-o-y

Asian stocks sank 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.

Asian shares slide on US rate cut rethink, Middle East worries

The automotive industry is not exactly the place one would want to be in the next few years.

Competition among manufacturers of internal combustion engine vehicles, battery electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid cars has been ongoing for more than a decade now. Last year, some certainty fin...

Alternative Views: Automotive industry feels heat from intensifying EV price war

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.

What observers are saying as Singapore’s Lee paves way for next PM Wong

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.

Iran able to 'handle situation' and spare Middle East more tension, China's foreign minister says

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.

Carlo Rino files draft prospectus for listing transfer to ACE Market

The Ministry of Transport clarified on Tuesday that the higher contract value of RM190.01 million awarded to HeiTech Padu Bhd for Road Transport Department (JPJ) services was only due to a longer extended contract duration.

Loke: Higher contract value awarded to HeiTech Padu due to longer extended duration

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;

Bursa ends morning session lower along with regional peers

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.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Sabah-based integrated property developer said the initial public offering (IPO) comprises a public issue of 160 million new shares and an offer for sale of 45 million existing shares, representing 20% and 5.6% of the enlarged share capital of KTI respectively.

KTI Landmark inks underwriting deal with M&A Securities en route to ACE Market listing

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

Cosmos Technology has confirmed bullish setup, says RHB Retail Research 

Former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has requested for a bench of five Court of Appeal (COA) judges to hear his review against the court’s own decision to reinstate abuse of power charges involving RM232.5 million against him.

Muhyiddin seeks five-judge bench to hear criminal charges review

Analysts are positive on Malaysia’s pilot green power exports to Singapore using existing infrastructure in both countries, following establishment of the platform enabling cross-border trading of green electricity, the Energy Exchange Malaysia (Enegem).

RHB Retail Research said Notion VTec Bhd is looking to extend upside movement after staging a bullish breakout.

Notion VTec aiming to extend upside movement — RHB Retail Research 

Shares of EP Manufacturing Bhd (EPMB) climbed on Tuesday and may be set for its best day in ten months after the auto parts maker signed a 10-year vehicle assembly deal with a Chinese carmaker.

EP Manufacturing shares chart best day in ten months after assembly deal

The Ministry of Transport (MOT) has not been informed of any corporate deal involving Malaysia's biggest port operator MMC Port Holdings Sdn Bhd, said its Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.

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%.

Foo Yun Chee

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