Surface decorative products company Topmix Bhd reported RM2.84 million net profit on the back of RM21.64 million revenue for the fourth quarter ended Dec 31, 2023 (4QFY2023), ahead of its listing on Bursa Malaysia’s ACE Market.

Topmix posts RM2.84 mil net profit in 4Q ahead of ACE Market listing

Pansar Bhd has secured a contract worth RM269.1 million to upgrade the capacity of a water treatment plant in Sibu, Sarawak.

The construction and infrastructure outfit secured the job from Lembaga Air Sibu via an open tender, through its wholly owned Perbena Emas Sdn Bhd.

Pansar bags RM269m job to upgrade water treatment plant in Sarawak

KUALA LUMPUR (April 18): Global video game commerce company Xsolla, Inc has collaborated with Curine Ventures to launch the Xsolla Curine Academy (XCA) in KL Eco City.

Xsolla Curine Academy launched to foster growth in game development industry

Australia brought 23 companies seeking investment in maritime decarbonisation and renewable energy (RE) sectors to Malaysia as part of the Australia-Southeast Asia Business Exchange programme.

Australia brings 23 firms looking to invest in maritime decarbonisation, RE sectors in Malaysia

Bank of Japan (BOJ) board member Asahi Noguchi said on Thursday the pace of future rate hikes would likely be much slower than that of its global peers in recent policy tightening, as the impact of rising domestic wages had yet be fully passed onto prices.

Bank of Japan's Noguchi says future rate hikes likely to be slow

Datuk Farhash Wafa Salvador, former political aide to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, has ceased to be a substantial shareholder of HeiTech Padu Bhd, just one month after acquiring a 15.9% stake via a private vehicle in the company.

Amid controversy over govt contracts, Farhash ceases to be HeiTech Padu substantial shareholder after one month

Malaysia Building Society Bhd (MBSB) has recommended a final dividend of 3.5 sen for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2023 (FY2023).

This would equate to a payout of RM287.78 million, based on the bank’s share base of 8.22 billion shares as at end-December 2023, according to MBSB’s bourse filing on Thursday.

MBSB proposes 3.5 sen dividend for FY2023

Bursa Malaysia continued its upbeat momentum to end higher for the second straight day on Thursday, due to an improvement in sentiment and a resurgence in bargain-hunting following the recent downturn, said an analyst.

Bursa closes higher on improved sentiment, bargain hunting

Japanese companies have agreed to raise pay by 5.20% on average this year, the biggest rise in 33 years, the country's largest union group Rengo said on Thursday, wrapping up its fourth tally of the 2024 labour talks.

Japan said to see biggest pay hikes in 33 years

Malaysia needs to restructure the whole ecosystem of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programmes, so that it can effectively meet the industry’s requirements, said Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) president Tan Sri Soh Thian Lai.

Revamp needed for TVET ecosystem to reduce mismatch, says FMM president

The Malaysian aviation industry may be badly impacted on passenger traffic and spikes in jet fuel prices if a full-blown war results from escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, according to Maybank Investment Bank Research (Maybank IB).

Malaysia's aviation industry at risk amid full-blown crisis in Middle East — Maybank IB

Shares of PIE Industrial Bhd extended its rally to a new all-time high on Thursday, after Kenanga Investment Bank flagged that the electronic services firm has secured a new client that will take up the entirety of its largest facility.

PIE Industrial extends rally to new all-time high as Kenanga flags new client

Several Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia flights between Sabah, Sarawak, and Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) were cancelled on Thursday due to volcanic eruption at Mount Ruang, Indonesia.

Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia cancel flights to Sabah, Sarawak after volcano eruption in Indonesia

Alphabet Inc’s Google has put more than two dozen employees on immediate administrative leave after they were involved in protests against Project Nimbus, a US$1.2 billion (RM5.7 billion) joint contract with Amazon.com Inc to provide the Israeli government with AI and cloud services.

Google fires workers protesting US$1.2b Israeli contract

The race for the “world’s best airport” crown has been a two-horse affair in recent years, with Doha’s Hamad International and Singapore Changi leading the pack.

Singapore loses ‘world’s best airport’ crown to Qatar

The Federal Court on Thursday dismissed an appeal by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) over the Court of Appeal’s decision last year that decided that non-paying members in a residential area (RA) could raise the boom gates at the entrance to the housing area themselves without the security guards' assistance.

Federal Court dismisses MBPJ’s appeal on residents' boom gate operation

Gold prices may correct amid potential delay in the anticipated rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve, Philip Capital warned on Thursday and advised investors to stop buying Malaysia’s sole gold exchange-traded fund (ETF).

Stop buying gold ETF as prices may correct — Philip Capital

Feytech Holdings Berhad (Feytech) has entered into an underwriting agreement with TA Securities Holdings Berhad and AmInvestment Bank Berhad (joint underwriters) for the company’s Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad.

Feytech inks underwriting agreement with TA Securities, AmInvestment en route to Main Market IPO  

Sin-Kung Logistics Bhd has started taking orders from investors for its initial public offering (IPO) that may raise up to RM39.5 million ahead of its listing on Bursa Malaysia’s ACE Market.

Sin-Kung Logistics launches ACE Market IPO to raise RM39.5 mil

Apple Inc chief executive officer Tim Cook will meet Singapore’s leader at the tail end of his most extensive Southeast Asia tour in years, searching for new growth markets and manufacturing locations to offset headwinds in China.

Apple CEO to meet Singapore leader to wrap whirlwind Asia tour

KUALA LUMPUR (April 18): Smart Asia Chemical Bhd has signed an underwriting agreement with Mercury Securities Sdn Bhd for the company’s initial public offering (IPO) on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd.

Smart Asia Chemical inks underwriting agreement with Mercury Securities en route to ACE Market IPO

President Joe Biden called China “xenophobic” while highlighting the Asian nation’s economic woes, as he sought to make the case for US economic strength during a campaign stop in the swing state of Pennsylvania.

Biden calls China ‘xenophobic’, ramping up 2024 campaign rhetoric

Research analysts covering IGB Real Estate Investment Trust (IGB REIT) remained sanguine on the stock’s prospects after it reported a 4.79% jump in its net property income (NPI) for the first quarter ended March 31, 2024 (1QFY2024) to RM124.24 million, from RM118.55 million a year earlier, thanks largely to higher rental income.

Analysts remain sanguine on IGB REIT’s prospects going forward

Elon Musk said some of the severance packages sent to former Tesla Inc employees as part of its biggest-ever workforce reduction were too low.

Musk apologises for ‘incorrectly low’ Tesla severance packages

KUALA LUMPUR (April 18): Food and supplement company OB Holdings Bhd said on Thursday that it has secured approval from Bursa Malaysia for an initial public offering (IPO) on the bourse’s ACE Market, to raise funds for expansion.

OB Holdings gets approval for ACE Market IPO, targets listing in 4Q

Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) research said Cloudpoint Technology Bhd is well positioned to capitalise the burgeoning demand for cyber security solutions post-passage of the cyber security bill which was passed in Dewan Rakyat on April 3.

HLIB: Cloudpoint well positioned to capitalise burgeoning demand for cyber security solutions

Bursa Malaysia turned mixed at the midday break on Thursday with the key index ending the morning session in positive territory, in tandem with regional markets, said a dealer.&nbsp;

Bursa mixed at midday break, key index up

Datuk Farhash Wafa Salvador, former political aide to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, has ceased to be a substantial shareholder of HeiTech Padu Bhd, just one month after acquiring a 15.9% stake via a private vehicle in the company.

Axiata Group Bhd, Malaysia’s largest telecommunications company by revenue, and India’s Bharti Airtel Ltd signed a definitive agreement on Thursday to combine their Sri Lankan operations.

Malaysia’s Axiata, Bharti Airtel of India to combine Sri Lankan ops

The Malaysian Bar argued in court that its challenge against Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's conditional discharge is not academic as it may determine the fate of the Yayasan Akalbudi graft case.

Malaysian Bar: Legal challenge around Zahid's DNAA is not academic, wants AG to provide justification for dropping charges

Property sector
Maintain neutral. Property transactions in Johor have plummeted 33% quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) in the fourth quarter of 2014 (4Q14), underperforming the country (-7%) and other major cities/states such as Kuala Lumpur (-12%), Selangor (+2%) and Pena...

Property deals in Johor plummet in 4Q14

UMW Holdings Bhd
(April 2, RM10.98)
Maintain hold with lower target price of RM10.10: Weak Toyota vehicle sales (93,000 units for the first two months of financial year 2015 ending December [FY15]), down 30% to 40% from its FY14 monthly average of 86,000 units, is e...

UMW fairly priced, no rerating catalysts

AirAsia Bhd
(Feb 27, RM2.62)
Downgrade to hold with a lower target price (TP) of RM2.65: AirAsia’s financial year ended Dec 31, 2014 (FY14) core net profit of RM407 million (-27% year-on-year) was below ours and consensus estimates. Competition from Malaysia Airline...

AirAsia fortunes depend on competitors acting rationally

Boustead Plantations Bhd
(Feb 26, RM1.47)
Maintain buy call with a lower target price (TP) of RM1.68: The financial year ended Dec 31, 2014 (FY14) results were disappointing due to higher-than-expected cost of production, low fresh fruit bunch (FFB) output and high ...

Boustead’s FY14 FFB output flattish

Aeon Co (M) Bhd
(Feb 25, RM3.20)
Upgrade to hold with an unchanged target price (TP) of RM3.05: Aeon maintains its plan to open two new stores in Klebang in Melaka and Shah Alam this year, followed by another store in Kota Baru in 2016. Other expans...

Aeon plans new stores, but cautious ahead of GST

Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd
(Jan 26, RM5.47)
Maintain buy with a target price of RM5.90: Kossan Rubber Industries is commercialising two new plants by end-January 2015 
(+ four billion pieces [pcs] per annum [p a] capacity or +22% to 22 billion pcs per ...

Stronger earnings growth for Kossan expected

Automotive sector
Maintain neutral: We expect first half 2015 (1H15) total industry volume (TIV) growth to contract 3% to 5% year-on-year (y-o-y) to approximately 320,000 against a high base in 1H14 (+6% y-o-y to 333,000 units) before catching up in 2H15 to meet our 2015 t...

Automotive business said to contract in first half

Telecommunications sector
Maintain overweight: Mobile service revenue is unlikely to have registered growth in 2014, owing to monetisation challenges faced by both Maxis Bhd (organisational restructuring and fixing its prepaid business) and Celcom Axiata Bhd (unstable IT s...

Telcos to outperform this year as investors seek earnings stability

MY Strategy
Maintain “neutral”: The recent floods in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Perak and Johor, which displaced over 200,000 people, is said to be one of the worst to hit the country in decades.
A quick scan revealed that public-listed companies (plcs) under our...

Assessing impact of the floods

Yinson Holdings Bhd
(Dec 24, RM2.70)
Maintain “buy” with a target price (TP) of RM3.03: Yinson is a leading contender for its first floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel award in West Africa. The Ghana government has approved Italian Eni SpA (En...

Maybank IB Research

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