<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden">
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item even">
<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>SINGAPORE (March 10):&nbsp; Australia and New Zealand Banking Group has exited the emerging corporate (SME) business in five Asian countries and cut around 100 jobs, a bank spokesman said.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>It exited from the unit that lends to smaller businesses in Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Taiwan, the Melbourne-based spokesman told Reuters, after sources said ANZ was winding down its SME business in Asia.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Australia's major banks are scrambling to improve shareholder returns and profits amid slowing revenue growth and stricter regulatory capital rules.</p></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>


SINGAPORE (March 10):  Australia and New Zealand Banking Group has exited the emerging corporate (SME) business in five Asian countries and cut aroun...

ANZ exits SME business in five Asian countries, cuts around 100 jobs

GIIB Holdings Bhd (KL:GIIB) said its former chief executive officer, Tai Boon Wee, who faced a forgery charge involving the misrepresentation of the company's financial report, was discharged by the Sessions Court on Friday.

Ex-GIIB CEO Tai Boon Wee cleared of forgery after prosecution drops charge

The Cabinet has proposed to the attorney general to consider declassifying the final report of the special task force on Batu Puteh, said unity government spokesperson Fahmi Fadzil.

Putrajaya planning declassification of Batu Puteh task force report — Fahmi

Germany’s economy will hardly grow in 2025 after shrinking again this year, according to fresh forecasts from Bundesbank.

Gross domestic product (GDP) will fall by 0.2% in 2024, it said on Friday — slashing a June prediction for 0.3% growth.

German economy will hardly grow in 2025, says Bundesbank 

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) will announce a solution to the issue of rising medical insurance premium rates soon, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

Fahmi, also the Unity Government spokesman, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told Friday's Cabinet meeting that the central bank needs a little more time before making an announcement.

BNM to announce solution to rising insurance premiums soon — Fahmi

Datuk Seri Najib Razak has questioned the current government's efforts in its bid to locate fugitive Low Taek Jho (Jho Low).

Najib slams unity govt for failure to bring back Jho Low; alleges conspiracy against him by US DOJ similar to probe into Donald Trump's associates

Civil society organisations (CSO) led by the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) has flagged concerns over impending government involvement in the Malaysian Media Council, as the organisations lauded the establishment of what it described as a “progressive institution” that is expected to preserve freedom of expression and the media in the country.

In a statement, the CSOs highlighted key concerns in the Malaysian Media Council (MMC) Bill, namely the inclusion of two government representatives in the board of directors, and the requirement of seeking approval from the related minister when receiving grants from foreign entities.

Remove govt appointees, ministerial approvals from Media Council Bill, civil society organisations urge

The Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) confirmed that Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, or Papagomo, was arrested at his residence in Putrajaya Friday morning to assist in the investigation into a case of fraudulent fundraising using the name of a company.

Papagomo nabbed in fraud probe

The Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will allocate RM13.7 million to acquire over 2,000 WiFi access points in three institutions of higher learning (IPTs), namely Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) and Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

MCMC allocates RM13.7 mil to acquire WiFi access points in USM, USIM and UNIMAP — Fahmi

Following the latest semi-annual review, 28 new constituents have been included in the FTSE4Good Bursa Malaysia (FTSE4Good) index, with 22 new inclusions to the FTSE4Good Bursa Malaysia Shariah (FTSE4Good Shariah) index.

FTSE4Good sees 28 new additions, including IHH, IJM Corp and Affin Bank

President-elect Donald Trump says renewing tax cuts would turbo-charge investment and boost US economic growth — a pledge that helped propel him to election victory in November.

Trump’s tax cuts may fail to drive much, if any, economic boost 

<p>Shares of Gamuda Bhd (KL:GAMUDA) notched a fresh all-time high on Friday, as analysts projected robust quarters ahead for the construction powerhouse, fuelled by contract wins and a strong project pipeline.</p>


Gamuda shares log new record high while analysts scramble to raise target prices

<p>Macquarie Asset Management Pty Ltd has submitted a bid to buy Axiata Group Bhd’s (KL:AXIATA) telecommunications&nbsp;infrastructure unit, in a transaction that could value it at about US$3.5 billion (RM15.6 billion), according to people with knowledge of the matter.</p>


Macquarie bidding for Axiata's 63%-owned telecom infrastructure unit edotco — Bloomberg

<p>Shares of Bermaz Auto Bhd (KL:BAUTO) slipped on Friday to their lowest in 15 months, after the automotive assembler reported a weaker-than-expected second financial quarter.</p>


Bermaz Auto shares fall to 15-month low after weaker-than-expected 2Q

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 13): Datuk Seri Najib Razak said on Friday that there has been no official denial from the Saudi palace or the embassy regarding his claim that the US$681 million (RM2.08 billion) he received in his personal accounts in 2013 were actually donations from the Saudi royal family, which supports his claim that the donations were genuine.</p>


No denial from Saudi palace supports my belief that the funds I received were legitimate donations, says Najib

<p>Denmark seeks to forge closer ties with Southeast Asian nations in a bid to become less dependent on China, Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said.</p>


Denmark moves to reduce reliance on China by boosting ties with Malaysia

<p>Shares of JF Technology Bhd (KL:JFTECH) surged as much as 13% to hit an intraday high of 79.5 sen in the morning trading session on Friday. The stock was one of the most actively traded on Bursa Malaysia.</p>


JF Technology shares surge as much as 13% in early trade, holding up strongly on US prospects

<p>Xiaomi Corp&nbsp;is rapidly closing in on a new all-time-high share price, having cracked the crowded market for electric vehicles (EVs) in a repeat of its earlier success with smartphones.</p>


Xiaomi’s 103% rally puts EV dark horse on brink of stock record

<p>Broadcom forecast quarterly revenue above Wall Street estimates on Thursday and predicted booming demand for its custom artificial intelligence chips in the next few years.</p>


Broadcom forecasts 1Q revenue above estimates on strong AI chip demand

<p>Intel Corp chief financial officer Dave Zinsner said that a formal separation of the company’s factory and product-development divisions is an open question that will be decided by the chipmaker’s next leader.&nbsp;</p>


Intel says it’s an open question whether to break up company

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 13): Malaysia Airlines and Uzbekistan Airways said on Friday that they have reinstated their codesharing agreement in a partnership that would boost connectivity across Southeast Asia and Central Asia.</p>


Malaysia Airlines, Uzbekistan Airways reinstate codesharing agreement

<p>Datuk Seri Najib Razak has questioned the current government's efforts in its bid to locate fugitive Low Taek Jho (Jho Low).</p>


<p>Lotte Chemical Titan Holdings Bhd (KL:LCTITAN) has announced the temporary shutdown of one of its plants at the Pasir Gudang Complex in Johor, effective Dec 15, to mitigate losses stemming from a prolonged downturn in the petrochemical industry.</p>


Lotte Chemical Titan shuts down operations temporarily in Pasir Gudang to cut losses

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 13): A group of government backbenchers has called on Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) to limit any increase in insurance premiums to less than 10%, ahead of the interim measures that will be announced next week.</p>

<p>In a joint statement on Friday, the lawmakers justified the pr...

Lawmakers urge BNM to cap insurance premium increases at 10%

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 13): Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd&nbsp;chairman&nbsp;Datuk Dr Abdul Rahim Hashim&nbsp;will resign from his post, effective Jan 1, 2025.&nbsp;</p>


Petronas Chemicals group chairman Abdul Rahim Hashim to resign

<p>CIMB Bank Bhd will provide a comprehensive suite of solutions and services to fast-track the expansion of the clients of Shanghai Pudong Development Bank Co Ltd (SPDB) into Asean, following the execution of a letter of intent with the bank.</p>


CIMB to support expansion of Shanghai Pudong Development Bank's clients into Asean

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 13): Yinson Holdings Bhd’s (KL:YINSON) net profit fell 19.4% to RM200 million in the third quarter ended Oct 31, 2024 (3QFY2025), from RM248 million a year ago, as it recorded lower revenue and higher administrative expenses, as well as finance costs.</p>


Yinson’s 3Q net profit falls 19% as revenue drops while finance costs climb

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 13): The first transmission of green electricity with a capacity of 50 megawatts (MW) from Malaysia to Singapore began on Friday, according to the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (Petra).</p>


Transmission of green electricity from Malaysia to Singapore begins today

<p>Canada is examining the use of export taxes on major commodities it exports to the US — including uranium, oil and potash — if incoming US President Donald Trump carries out his threat to impose broad tariffs.</p>


Canada could retaliate with export taxes on uranium, oil if Trump starts trade war — Bloomberg

<p>US&nbsp;President-elect Donald Trump's transition team is exploring ways to significantly reduce, merge, or even eliminate the top bank regulators in Washington, <em>The</em> <em>Wall Street Journal</em>&nbsp;(<em>WSJ</em>) reported on Thursday citing people familiar with the matter.</p>


Trump advisers seek to shrink or eliminate bank regulators, WSJ reports

<p>China's foreign ministry on Friday urged US politicians to exercise more "common sense" after a US senator called for a probe into imports of Chinese garlic, citing concerns about food safety and labour practices in the country.</p>
