The ringgit opened easier against the US dollar on Friday as the greenback strengthened further following the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) official hawkish stance.

Ringgit opens lower against dollar on US Fed’s hawkish stance

Foreign investors continued purchasing Japanese stocks in the week to April 12, driven by a weaker yen and robust performance in chip-related stocks.

Foreigners remain buyers of Japanese stocks in week to April 12

The International Monetary Fund said the yen's recent declines, while "quite significant," largely reflect the interest-rate differential between Japan and the US, suggesting that its moves were largely in line with economic fundamentals.

IMF says yen's declines 'significant' but reflect rate differentials

The US dollar's dominant reserve currency status is likely to endure partly because even the most talked about alternative the Chinese yuan falls short as a credible challenger, Morgan Stanley said in a report on Thursday.

Rivalry with China, Russia's war in Ukraine, wrangling in Washington over the US debt ceiling and rising debt levels have put the dollar's status as the world's dominant currency under scrutiny in recent years.

Dollar's dominant reserve currency status to endure, says Morgan Stanley

Indonesia discouraged its state-owned enterprises from making huge dollar purchases, showing the all-hands-on-deck approach that the nation has taken to support the rupiah.

State-run firms with large import requirements or foreign currency-denominated debt must avoid buying large amounts of US dollars while the rupiah is under pressure, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said in a briefing on Thursday.

Indonesia tells state firms to refrain from buying dollars

Indonesia's economy was primed for monetary easing later this year, but an unwelcome plunge in its currency is complicating matters for Bank Indonesia and could force it to grudgingly raise rates as early as next week.

Indonesia's plunging rupiah twists the policy plot

The ringgit extended Wednesday’s gains to open higher against the US dollar on Thursday as the greenback retreated from multi-month highs after a pullback in US Treasury yields, said an analyst.

Ringgit extends gains against US dollar at opening

The ringgit remains resilient despite the strengthening US dollar amid expectations that the US Federal Reserve (Fed) would maintain interest rates higher for longer.

Economist Dr Geoffrey Williams said all currencies are suffering against the greenback globally, and the ringgit is more resilient at present because Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has been effective in managing the market.

Ringgit remains resilient despite strengthening US dollar

KUALA LUMPUR (April 17): The ringgit closed firmer against the US dollar on Wednesday, as it staged a technical rebound after three days of losses, said an analyst.

Ringgit stages technical rebound to snap three-day losing streak against US dollar

The ringgit opened higher against the US dollar on Wednesday although the greenback’s appeal as a safe-haven currency remained firm amid the risk-averse sentiment surrounding the market.

Ringgit opens higher against US dollar 

The ringgit continued its downtrend on Tuesday to end lower against the greenback, due to continued positive sentiment for the US dollar, which was bolstered by strong US retail sales data in March, amid concerns over tension in the Middle East, said an analyst.

Ringgit easier against US dollar at closing

The Indonesian rupiah on Tuesday tumbled to its weakest in four years as the market reopened after the Eid al-Fitr holidays, prompting the central bank to intervene in the market to stem its slide.

Indonesia intervenes to stem rupiah's slide after currency hits four-year low 

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 

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.

Ringgit opens lower against dollar on strong US retail sales data 

KUALA LUMPUR (April 19): 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.

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

West Ham United forward Michail Antonio criticised the refereeing in Thursday's Europa League quarter-final against Bayer Leverkusen and said his side were "playing against 14".

West Ham's Antonio hits out at officials after Europa exit

Saudi Arabia will need a higher oil price than previously thought this year as the Opec+ leader spearheads the group’s production cuts, according to the International Monetary Fund.

Saudi Arabia needs oil price near US$100, IMF says

KUALA LUMPUR (April 19): theedgemarkets.com highlighted five stocks with momentum at Bursa Malaysia's afternoon close today. Four stocks displayed negative momentum while one stock displayed positive momentum

Stocks with negative momentum were:


	Kimlun Corp Bhd - unch...

Kimlun, Mclean, Poh Kong, Tomei, BM Greentech

Vietnam's central bank said on Friday it had continued providing support to Saigon Joint Stock Commercial Bank (SCB), which it put under special supervision in October 2022 after a run on its deposits.

Vietnam continues support for bank engulfed in massive fraud, central bank says

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

The Federal Court of Australia has fined Macquarie Bank A$10 million (RM30.6 million) for its lack of controls to detect and prevent unauthorised fee transactions carried out by third parties on customer accounts, the securities regulator said on Friday.

Australia fines Macquarie Bank US$6.4m for not preventing unlawful third-party transactions

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 

Maintaining Malaysia’s current account surplus and foreign investments over the long term hinges on the country’s ability to upgrade its goods and services production, said Malaysian Rating Corp Bhd (MARC).

Making valuable exports key to sustaining Malaysia’s current account surplus, foreign investments — MARC

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

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 spotted 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

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

Asian shares and bond yields sank on Friday while safe-haven currencies, gold and crude oil jumped after reports Israel attacked Iran in a continuing series of assaults that have increased concerns of a wider Middle East conflict.

Stocks sink, oil jumps after Israeli attack on Iran

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

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

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

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

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

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.

The US on Thursday effectively stopped the United Nations from recognising a Palestinian state by casting a veto in the Security Council to deny the Palestinian Authority full membershipof the world body.

US stops UN from recognising a Palestinian state through membership

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 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

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 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

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.

Melaka State Secretary Zaidi dies of heart attack

Malaysia Airlines has commenced the gradual reinstatement of flights to and from Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan since the evening of April 18, in response to prevailing weather conditions.

Malaysia Airlines begins gradual reinstatement of flights to and from Borneo states

Chinese government-linked hackers have burrowed into US critical infrastructure and are waiting "for just the right moment to deal a devastating blow," FBI director Christopher Wray said on Thursday.

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