<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>LEEDS, England (Dec 29): Erling Haaland continued his incredible season in front of goal with a double to help Manchester City cruise to a 3-1 victory at Leeds United on Wednesday, ensuring the champions closed the gap to Premier League leaders Arsenal to five points.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>The visitors had a hosts of chances in the first half, with Haaland twice denied by fine saves from home goalkeeper Illan Meslier, while England forward Jack Grealish blazed two efforts over from good positions.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>It appeared City would go into the interval frustrated, before Spanish midfielder Rodri finally made one count in first half stoppage time, firing home after another Meslier save.</p></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Back in the city of his birth, where his father was a player for Leeds, Norway international Haaland effectively put the game to bed early in the second half with a simple finish, before taking his league tally to 20 for the season in the 64th minute.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Pascal Struijk gave home supporters faint hope of a comeback as he headed home with 17 minutes left, but it was always going to be a consolation against City in this mood.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>The victory helped second-placed City move back to within five points Arsenal at the top of the standings, while Leeds stay 15th, two points clear of the relegation zone.</p></div>


LEEDS, England (Dec 29): Erling Haaland continued his incredible season in front of goal with a double to help Manchester City cruise to a 3-1 victory at Leeds United on Wednesday, ensuring the champions closed the gap to Premier League leaders Arsenal to five points.

The visitors had a...

Haaland at the double as Man City cruise past Leeds

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

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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

India began voting on Friday in the world's largest election as Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks a historic third term in office on the back of growth, welfare, his personal popularity and Hindu nationalism.

India begins voting in gigantic election, Modi seeking historic third term

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 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

Israel has attacked Iran, three people familiar with the matter said, as Iranian state media reported early on Friday that its forces had destroyed drones, days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike on Israel.

Israel attacks Iran, Reuters reports, as drones spotted over Isfahan 

<p>Israel has attacked Iran, three people familiar with the matter said, as Iranian state media reported early on Friday that its forces had destroyed drones, days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike on Israel.</p>


<p>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;</p>


Awantec shares plunge 53%, intraday short selling suspended 

<p>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.</p>


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

<p>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.</p>


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

<p>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.</p>


Stocks sink, oil jumps after Israeli attack on Iran

<p>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.</p>


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

<p>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).</p>


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

<p>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).</p>


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

<p>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.</p>


<p>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.</p>


US stops UN from recognising a Palestinian state through membership

<p>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.</p>


<p>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.</p>


US bank reserve balances see largest drop since 2022 tax season

<p>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.</p>


<p>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.</p>


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

<p>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.</p>


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

<p>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.</p>


FBI says Chinese hackers preparing to attack US infrastructure

<p>Bursa Malaysia started the morning trading in positive territory, attributed to broad-based buying in response to a regional recovery, with investors seen focusing on counters with high cash reserves.</p>


Bursa opens higher on buying sentiment

<p>RHB Retail Research said Muhibbah Engineering (M) Bhd may be headed for an uptrend after rebounding strongly from a recent pullback and pushing past the 21-day simple moving average line.</p>


Muhibbah Engineering may be headed for uptrend, says RHB Retail Research 

<p>Cocoa futures hit a new high in New York — topping US$11,000 (RM52,624) a metric tonne — as the pace of processing in chocolate factories holds up even in the face of a global supply crunch and record prices.</p>


Cocoa soars above US$11,000 a tonne as processing pace holds up

<p>Rakuten Trade said United U-Li Corporation Bhd may trend higher after breaking out from its two-week bullish flag pattern with a long white candle on Thursday.</p>
