KUALA LUMPUR (March 4): While local banks appear to be off to a decent start this year as loan growth gathered steam in January, leading indicators are showing mixed signs that reflect their cautious outlook.

The banking system loans as at January 2021 grew at a slightly faster rate of 3.8% year-on-year, compared with 3.4% a year ago, according to the latest banking data from Bank Negara Malaysia, driven mainly by the business loan segment, which expanded 1.5% y-o-y as at end January versus 0.5% y-o-y at end December 2020.

Loans with repayment assistance seen posing risks to banks’ asset quality

Shares in MSM Malaysia Holdings Bhd continued to climb higher after the sugar producer revealed an improved financial performance last week, which drew sustained investing momentum.

MSM share price still climbing, almost triples in a week after better FY20 results

KUALA LUMPUR (March 2): Grand-Flo Bhd is planning to buy two properties in Genting Highlands — the land and project development rights of an ongoing mixed development known as Grand Ion Majestic (GIM), and the adjacent serviced apartments and commercial lots of a completed project known as Grand Ion delemen (GID) — for RM422.89 million.

It is buying the properties from Galeri Tropika Sdn Bhd (GTSB), which is majority owned by NCT Building & Civil Engineering Sdn Bhd (NCT BCE), a wholly-owned unit of NCT Venture Corp Sdn Bhd, in which Grand Flo's executive chairman and group managing director Datuk Seri Yap Ngan Choy holds 80% and his brother Datuk Yap Fook Choy holds 20%.

Grand-Flo proposes two property acquisitions after posting higher net profit in FY20

MSM Malaysia Holdings Bhd’s share price continues to be on an upward trend after the sugar refiner announced its quarterly financial results that showed a net profit of RM56.24 million in the fourth quarter ended Dec 31, 2020 (4QFY20).

MSM’s share price climb puts Felda’s offer price for FGV in spotlight

LOWER-than-expected bed occupancy rates (BORs) affected the recovery of KPJ Healthcare Bhd in what it deems as a “washout year” for the healthcare industry despite operating in the most resilient of industries known to withstand tough economic conditions.

The country’s largest listed pr...

KPJ Healthcare sees turning point in 2021 after washout year

theedgemarkets.com has highlighted seven stocks with momentum at Bursa Malaysia’s noon market break today. Three stocks displayed positive momentum, while the rest displayed negative momentum.

GFM, Landmarks, Progressive Impact, Ablegroup, FSBM, Grand-Flo, OCK

Production costs are expected to trend upwards in the coming months as manufacturing activity remains subdued while manufacturers remain cautious over their business outlook for the next six months.

Production costs expected to rise as manufacturers’ activity outlook remain cautious — FMM-MIER survey

Restricted movement measures are still needed even though economic activities have reopened, including international border control, interstate movement as well as restrictions on social and business activities where social distancing is not practicable, said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Restricted movement still needed even though economy has reopened — PM

Earthworks and civil engineering services specialist Advancecon Holdings Bhd said it 30%-owned Advancecon Sarawak Sdn Bhd had bagged its single-largest contract worth RM153.5 million to undertake earthworks in the Samalaju Industrial Park, Bintulu, Sarawak.

Advancecon’s 30%-owned associate bags RM153.5m earthworks project in Bintulu, Sarawak

theedgemarkets.com has highlighted 10 stocks with momentum at Bursa Malaysia’s noon market break today. Two stocks displayed positive momentum, while the rest displayed negative momentum.

Signature International, MTD ACPI, Bumi Armada, Chin Hin, Classic Scenic, Innity Corp, Industronics, MSM, PWF, Silver Ridge

JAKARTA (April 19): The eruption of Mount Ruang in North Sulawesi continued to disrupt airspace on Friday, impacting flight safety and security, according to Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).

Indonesia’s Mount Ruang eruption disrupts airspace, airport closure extended

The gag order imposed by a Magistrate’s Court on Mentega Terbang director and scriptwriter Mohd Khairianwar Jailani stays, prohibiting him from making any statement or comment regarding his ongoing criminal case.

Mentega Terbang director fails to get leave to appeal, gag order stays

Bursa Malaysia ended the week mixed on Friday with buying in selected heavyweights and commodity-related stocks amid the negative sentiment on regional markets, said an analyst.

Bursa ends mixed amid weak regional sentiment

KUALA LUMPUR (April 19): Software company Nova MSC Bhd said on Friday that it has signed term sheets for investments totalling about RM41.4 million into two of its subsidiaries, by Singapore-based family office Jostar Investment VCC.

Nova MSC signs term sheets for RM41.4m investment into its Singaporean units

Automotive electronic parts manufacturer MCE Holdings Bhd has commenced the construction for its MCE Auto Hub, the company’s new manufacturing facility in Serendah, Selangor, with an initial investment of RM50 million for the first phase of the development.

MCE Holdings commences construction for RM50 mil manufacturing facility in Serendah 

Most read this week - Stay up to date with the biggest news and latest trending topics by checking out the top 10 articles of the week.

Most read this week

Shares of IT services firm Infomina Bhd fell on Friday to its lowest in nearly one year as its latest results disappointed investors even as analysts largely remained bullish.

Infomina shares near one-year low as earnings miss expectations

Nissan Motor Co said full-year operating profit came in at ¥530 billion (RM16.43 billion) — 15% lower than it forecast as recently as February as sales fell short of expectations.

Sales were 3.44 million units, less than the 3.55 million forecast given on Feb 8, the automaker said on Friday.

Nissan full-year profit misses as sales fall short of estimates

(April 19): ANZ Group Holdings Ltd is in discussions with Australian pension funds about investing in India’s infrastructure assets and its debt market, according to a senior bank official.

ANZ Bank in talks with Australian pension funds on India investments

(April 19):Blackstone Inc. collected more fees from big retail funds and credit strategies during the first quarter, compensating for the slower pace of deal exits.

Distributable earnings increased 1% from a year earlier to $1.27 billion, or 98 cents a share, the world’s biggest alterna...

Blackstone credit and retail lines drive narrow profit beat 

Most read this week - Stay up to date with the biggest news and latest trending topics by checking out the top 10 articles of the week. 

Shares of Sapura Energy Bhd will be suspended from trading pending an announcement, the company said on Friday.

Trading in Sapura Energy suspended pending announcement 

Israel launched an attack on Iranian soil on Friday, sources said, in the latest tit-for-tat exchange between the two arch foes, whose decades of shadow war has broken out into the open and threatened to drag the region deeper into conflict.

Israel attacks Iran, Reuters reports, as drones shot down over Isfahan 

Shares of Awanbiru Technology Bhd (Awantec) fell as much as 53% on Friday, prompting Bursa Malaysia to suspend the counter’s intraday short selling (IDSS).&nbsp;

Awantec shares plunge 53%, intraday short selling suspended 

PIE Industrial Bhd, whose share price extended its rally to a new all-time high on Thursday on reports that it has secured a new customer, confirmed the matter and said it is expecting the new customer to contribute an additional RM2.5 billion revenue to the group, of which RM1 billion will be recognised as early as next year.

PIE Industrial confirms bagging new client, expects additional RM2.5 bil revenue

RHB Investment Bank Bhd (RHB IB) on Friday upgraded Public Bank Bhd to “buy” from “neutral”, with a higher target price (TP) of RM4.80 (from RM4.70).

RHB upgrades Public Bank to ‘buy’, raises target price to RM4.80

The oil-rich Malaysian state of Sarawak in Borneo is aiming to transform itself into a centre for clean hydrogen energy, betting that its ability to harness an abundance of hydropower can help it defy challenges that are clouding the fuel’s prospects elsewhere.

 Sarawak aiming to transform itself into a centre for clean hydrogen energy

Malaysia's economy grew by 3.9% in the first quarter of 2024 (1Q2024), as compared to 3.0% in the previous quarter, according to Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) advance gross domestic product (GDP) estimates.

Malaysia's economy grew 3.9% in 1Q2024, advance estimate shows

Apple said on Friday it had removed Meta Platforms' WhatsApp and Threads from its App Store in China after being ordered to do so by the Chinese government, which cited national security concerns.

Apple pulls WhatsApp, Threads from China app store after Beijing order

MKH Oil Palm (East Kalimantan) Bhd’s initial public offering (IPO) has been oversubscribed by 8.43 times, ahead of its listing on the Bursa Malaysia Main Market on April 30.&nbsp;

Main Market-bound MKH Oil Palm’s IPO oversubscribed by 8.43 times

The Malaysian rubber glove industry has demonstrated resilience and adaptability amidst challenging global dynamics, with optimism for a rebound in 2024, with an anticipated surge to approximately 450 billion pieces by 2027 despite a downturn in 2023, according to the Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (Margma).

Margma optimistic of rebound in 2024, expects surge to 450 billion pieces by 2027

The escalating tensions in the Middle East have influenced market sentiment and shifted investors' emphasis to the energy, finance and plantation sectors, which helped boost the FBM KLCI higher by midday on Friday.

KLCI up 0.43% with focus on energy, plantation, financial stocks

Bursa Malaysia Bhd’s core net profit may have risen 34% in the first quarter, from a year earlier, on higher securities and derivatives trading activity when the exchange operator reports its results, Hong Leong Investment Bank said.

Bursa Malaysia 1Q earnings likely up 34% y-o-y, HLIB projects

Malaysia’s exports contracted at a slower than expected pace in March mainly due to lower foreign demand for electronics while shipments to China fell, official data Friday showed.

Malaysia’s March exports down 0.8%, imports surge 12.5%

The planned merger of Axiata Group Bhd, Malaysia’s largest telecommunications company by revenue, with India’s Bharti Airtel Ltd raises concerns as the latter's subsidiary Airtel Lanka is currently a loss-making company, analysts said.

Malaysia’s Axiata merger with Bharti Airtel of India raises earnings concern — analysts

RHB Retail Research said Inari Amertron Bhd is poised to challenge the RM3.27 resistance level once again, which would make this its fourth attempt this year.

Inari poised to challenge RM3.27 resistance, says RHB Retail Research 

The amount of reserves in banking system — a key determinant for the Federal Reserve to continue shrinking its balance sheet — dropped by the most in two years as Americans paid income tax bills out of their bank accounts.

US bank reserve balances see largest drop since 2022 tax season

Kenanga Investment Bank has initiated coverage on soon-to-be listed oil and gas services firm Keyfield International Bhd at RM1.90 — reflecting a 111% premium over its IPO price of 90 sen per share — while giving it an “outperform” rating.

Kenanga sees Main-Market bound Keyfield International cashing in on OSV boom, sets target price at RM1.90

Sime Darby Property Bhd, Malaysia’s biggest developer in terms of landbank, has secured commitment for the remaining 30% of its industrial development fund to close at RM1 billion.

Sime Darby Property gets commitment for balance 30% of RM1b industrial development fund

Melaka State Secretary Datuk Zaidi Johari died of a heart attack this morning. He was 54.

According to a statement from the Melaka Chief Minister’s Office, Zaidi breathed his last at about 8.15am at Hospital Melaka here.

Syahirah Syed Jaafar

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