MANILA (Nov 5): Philippine annual inflation accelerated to its highest level since 2023 in October, driven by higher transport and utility costs, strengthening the case for more policy tightening after the central bank's larger-than-expected rate hike last month.

Philippine inflation hits more than three-year high of 7.8% in October

For more than three decades, organisations have pursued competitive advantage by investing in technology. They digitised operations, modernised infrastructure, migrated to the cloud, automated workflows, and more recently, embraced artificial intelligence.

The AI Economy Demands a New Discipline: Enterprise Capability Architecture

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 5): Shares of Capital A Bhd (KL:CAPITALA) and AirAsia Group Bhd (KL:AAGB) rose in early trade on Thursday, amid easing crude oil prices.

Capital A, AirAsia shares climb as crude oil prices ease further

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 5): Malaysia's minimum wage policy cannot be viewed in isolation but should be seen as complementing the targeted assistance, subsidy rationalisation and affordable healthcare measures to ensure workers' income gains translate into improved household well-being, said Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan.

Amir Hamzah: Minimum wage, targeted assistance part of broader economic balancing act

(Nov 5): Malaysia’s central bank is expected to keep interest rates unchanged at its final policy meeting of the year on Thursday while signaling scope for a hike early in 2027 as economic growth remains strong.

Malaysia set to hold rates on strong growth, signal hike in 2027

TOKYO (Nov 5): Bank of Japan (BOJ) policymakers saw the need to keep raising interest rates, with one signalling the chance of faster-paced increases, minutes of the central bank's September meeting showed on Thursday.

BOJ debated need for more rate hikes, scope for faster move, September minutes show

BENGALURU (Nov 5): Asia-focused insurer Prudential reported a marginal increase in third-quarter new business profit on Thursday, as repricing actions in Hong Kong lifted margins and helped offset a slowdown in its mainland China business.

Insurer Prudential posts slight rise in third-quarter new business profit

SINGAPORE (Nov 5): DBS Group Holdings has reported net profit of S$2.8 billion for its 3QFY2026, down 5% year-on-year, on the back of a 1% dip in its total income to S$5.845 billion. Compared to the preceding 2QFY2026, net profit was down 9%.

DBS 3QFY2026 net profit down 5% y-o-y on 'unfavourable' equity trading conditions

AS Malaysia continues accelerating towards Industry 4.0 with investments into smart logistics and connected infrastructure, businesses are deploying more IoT devices than before. Adoption momentum is also building, with 78% of enterprises surveyed by Beecham Research either already using eSIMs for IoT or planning to do so. This is in addition to recent trial rollouts from Malaysian telcos, such as CelcomDigi's industrial 5G-enabled intelligent warehouse and U Mobile's 5G-IoT logistics, demonstrating how connected technologies are becoming increasingly integral to business operations.

Commentary: Why eSIM is becoming critical for Malaysia’s next phase of IoT growth

BRUSSELS (Nov 4): The European Union will invest €525 million ($590 million) in chip startups ​to help them scale up faster, EU ‌tech chief Henna Virkkunen said on Wednesday, part of a push to help Europe catch up with the ​United States and China.

The European Commission and ​EU countr...

Europe to invest €525 mil in chip startups to catch up with US and China

Here is a brief recap of some business news and corporate announcements that made the headlines on Wednesday

Sunway Construction, Paramount Corporation, Country Heights, Sapura Industrial, Binastra Corporation, Public Bank, Ancom Nylex, Velesto Energy, Waja Konsortium, Ni Hsin, IOI Corporation, Ho Hup Construction, Kee Ming 

US stocks rose on Wednesday as investors bet a divided Washington after the Democrats' midterm sweep could limit sharp policy shifts, though data centre stocks were under pressure as concerns over tighter artificial intelligence (AI) regulation weighed.

Wall Street rallies after Democrats win Congress; data centre stocks slide

Asian stocks were poised to follow Wall Street higher after a Democratic sweep in the US midterm elections sent oil plunging on hopes the monthslong conflict with Iran may end sooner.

Asian stocks to rise as oil slides after US vote

Ancom Nylex Bhd (KL:ANCOMNY) has called off its proposed RM77.04 million disposal of up to a 50% stake in Maxlive Sdn Bhd to Thailand's Topnext International Company Ltd after both parties failed to agree on certain terms of the deal.

Ancom Nylex scraps RM77m stake sale to Thai chemical distributor

Ho Hup Construction Company Bhd (KL:HOHUP) has secured another six-month extension from Bursa Malaysia to submit its regularisation plan, pushing the deadline to April 16, 2027.

Ho Hup gets another six months to submit regularisation plan, deadline now April 2027

The drubbing for Donald Trump's Republicans in US midterm elections could embolden some trade partners to push back against his combative policies, although they may need to tread lightly to avoid provoking him in his final two years in power.

Trump's midterm drubbing could give trade partners room to resist

The Chiong family has strengthened its representation on the board of oil palm plantation owner and miller Kretam Holdings Bhd (KL:KRETAM), following a series of board appointments and committee changes.

Kretam sees board changes as Chiong family strengthens presence

(Nov 4): Qualcomm&nbsp;has signed a multi-year agreement with SpaceX&nbsp;to supply radio equipment, baseband units and software for Starlink Mobile's planned nationwide terrestrial 5G ​network, as the Elon Musk-led space company seeks to challenge ‌established US wireless carriers.

The...

Qualcomm signs major 5G infrastructure deal with SpaceX for Starlink Mobile network

AS Malaysia continues accelerating towards Industry 4.0 with investments into smart logistics and connected infrastructure, businesses are deploying more IoT devices than before. Adoption momentum is also building, with 78% of enterprises surveyed by Beecham Research either already using eSIMs for IoT or planning to do so. This is in addition to recent trial rollouts from Malaysian telcos, such as CelcomDigi's industrial 5G-enabled intelligent warehouse and U Mobile's 5G-IoT logistics, demonstrating how connected technologies are becoming increasingly integral to business operations.

Here's a heads up on what to look out for today.

YOUR DAY AHEAD: Nov 5, 2026 

(Nov 5):&nbsp;The US government borrowed a record US$839 billion in a single week via its sales of Treasury bills and notes — both to repay holders of maturing debt and to raise the additional capital needed to finance the federal deficit.

Auctions of bills, floating-rate notes and Trea...

US Treasury borrows record US$839 bil in single week

(Nov 5) :&nbsp;The oil industry is bracing for Democrats to use their newfound political muscle to push for a deal with President Donald Trump and impose a windfall tax on surging crude prices.

Oil sector girds for possible windfall tax after Democrats win

The Transport Ministry is actively working to resolve train service congestion and overcome technical challenges faced by rail operators, says Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.

Transport Ministry working to resolve train congestion, technical issues, says Loke

(Nov 4):&nbsp;As Republicans suffered a landslide defeat and Texas elected its first Democratic governor in more than three decades, one of the biggest losers of the US midterms was not on the ballot: billionaire Elon Musk.

The world's richest man spent nearly half a billion ​dollars to...

Elon Musk's business empire braces for Democratic wave as Texas flips blue

(Nov 5):&nbsp;Malaysia’s central bank is expected to keep interest rates unchanged at its final policy meeting of the year on Thursday while signaling scope for a hike early in 2027 as economic growth remains strong.

HP Inc on Wednesday named former GSK chief and Microsoft board member Emma Walmsley as CEO to steer the PC maker through a memory-chip crunch that has driven up prices and triggered a steep industry downturn.

HP names former GSK chief Emma Walmsley as CEO

(Nov 5):&nbsp;Apple Inc. is reducing employee budgets for artificial intelligence usage as part of a cost-cutting effort, even as the company seeks to put AI at the center of its operations.

Last month, Apple quietly lowered the daily spending cap for some engineers using AI models to $...

Apple cuts internal AI usage budgets in move to reduce spending

A Democratic sweep of Congress that highlighted opposition of the Iran war extended this week’s plunge in oil prices, helping drive stocks and bonds to big post-election gains.

Stocks, bonds climb after US election as oil sinks

CVS Health said on Wednesday it will split in two, separating its retail pharmacies from the Aetna insurance business and pharmacy-benefit operations in a major unwinding of the US$117 billion (RM475.6 billion) healthcare conglomerate it spent years building.

CVS to break up US$117b business, separating pharmacies from insurance; shares fall

The US trade deficit narrowed slightly in September even as robust domestic demand boosted imports to a record high.

A Ananthalakshmi & Liz Lee

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

A Ananthalakshmi & Liz Lee

‌‌

‌‌

‌‌

‌‌

‌‌

‌‌

‌‌

‌‌

‌‌

‌‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌

‌
‌