<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 23): Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and the Bank of Thailand, respectively, today signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with Bank Indonesia on a framework of cooperation to promote the settlement of bilateral trade and direct investment in their local currencies.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>BNM and the Bank of Thailand had entered into a similar arrangement earlier this year.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>In a joint statement today, the three central banks said the framework will pave the way for wider usage of local currencies in the Asean Economic Community and spur further development of the regional foreign exchange and money markets, in support of wider economic and financial integration.</p></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>"The enabling environment will benefit businesses by reducing transaction costs and enhancing efficiency of trade and investment settlements.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>"Amid the current volatile global financial market conditions, this will offer businesses more options in choosing currencies for trade settlement," they added.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>&nbsp;</p></div>


KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 23): Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and the Bank of Thailand, respectively, today signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with Bank Indonesia on a framework of cooperation to promote the settlement of bilateral trade and direct investment in their local currencies.

BNM an...

Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand to promote use of local currencies in settlement of trade, investment

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Relatively constrained volatility across assets provided a foundat...

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(Jan 1): China’s services activity expanded at the fastest pace in nine months while the manufacturing sector grew for a third straight month, signaling improving domestic demand after Beijing’s stimulus blitz.

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China’s services activity jumps as stimulus lifts local demand

Mazda Motor Corp is wrapping up a banner year in an overall sluggish auto market, and its US sales chief expects that momentum to extend into 2025 — even without a fully electric vehicle (EV) in its line-up.

Mazda poised for record-breaking year powered mostly by gas

KPJ Healthcare Bhd (KL:KPJ) has appointed Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr Lokman Saim to a newly created role of chief medical director effective immediately, as part of the healthcare group’s strategic focus on strengthening its clinical leadership and enhancing its clinical governance.

KPJ appoints its university vice-chancellor Lokman Saim to newly created chief medical director role

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Cocoa finished 2024 as the top-performing major commodity, its massive annual gain driven by supply fears and market volatility.

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<p>Andrew Khoo Boo Yeow, the son to whom Tan Sri Khoo Kay Peng passed the baton six years ago, has been in the thick of action to unlock the MUI group’s asset value over the past two years.</p>


MUI group continues to unlock asset value

<p>A lawyer is challenging the federal government's smoking ban in private working offices that was gazetted on Sept 30, 2023 and goes into effect on Jan 1, saying it is unconstitutional as smoking is not a criminal offence.</p>


<p>New Year’s Eve 2025 celebrations lit up the nation on Tuesday night, as Malaysians came together to enjoy a mix of recreational and spiritual activities with their families. The festivities also carried a sense of reverence, coinciding with the arrival of the sacred month of Rejab.</p>


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<p>Malaysia’s economy is widely expected to expand within the official forecast of 4.5%-5.5% in 2025, but a number of external factors may derail the print.</p>


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<p>After a prolonged lull in the latter half of the 2010s, Malaysia has experienced a resurgence in foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows from project owners since 2021. This revival has attracted renewed interest from financial asset investors, as evidenced by the rerating of the benchmark KLCI and the strengthening of the ringgit this year.</p>


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<p>Global&nbsp;stocks&nbsp;declined on&nbsp;Tuesday&nbsp;as&nbsp;elevated US&nbsp;Treasury yields&nbsp;again contributed&nbsp;to a lacklustre close in an otherwise strong year for equities.</p>

<p>On Wall Street,&nbsp;early modest gains&nbsp;evaporated&nbsp;as the tech sector dropped 1.04%.</p>


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<p>KPJ Healthcare Bhd (KL:KPJ)&nbsp;has appointed Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr Lokman Saim to a newly created role of chief medical director effective immediately, as part of the healthcare group’s strategic focus on strengthening its clinical leadership and enhancing its clinical governance.</p>


<p>Thousands of Bangladeshis rallied at a "March for Unity" in the capital Dhaka on Tuesday to mark the student-led uprising five months ago that led to the ouster of longstanding prime minister Sheikh Hasina and remember the more than 1,000 killed in the violence.</p>


Thousands march in Bangladesh to mark student-led uprising that ousted PM Hasina

<p>Treasuries are poised to eke out only a minuscule return in 2024, disappointing bond traders who once anticipated a banner year as the Federal Reserve (Fed) started pulling interest rates down from a more than two-decade high.</p>


<p>Wars in Europe and the Middle East. Global political upheaval. Angst over a potential US recession. These and other pitfalls stalked markets in 2024, but in the end investors who embraced risk reaped the rewards.</p>


<p>Russian gas flows to Europe via Ukraine appear set to stop as time runs out for a last-minute solution before a key transit deal expires, raising the stakes for the continent’s energy security as it draws heavily on reserves.</p>


<p>Mazda Motor Corp&nbsp;is wrapping up a banner year in an overall sluggish auto market, and its US sales chief expects that momentum to extend into 2025 — even without a fully electric vehicle (EV) in its line-up.</p>


<p>Citigroup Inc and Bank of America Corp said they’re leaving a global climate-banking group, becoming the latest Wall Street lenders to exit the coalition in the past month.</p>


Citigroup says it’s leaving global climate-banking alliance

<p>Cocoa finished 2024 as the top-performing major commodity, its massive annual gain driven by supply fears and market volatility.</p>

<p>On track for a 172% gain over the past 12 months, cocoa’s tear has been driven by a series of poor harvests in Ivory Coast and Ghana, where the majority of the crop is grown. Dwindling global stockpiles are putting pressure on both buyers and chocolate makers.</p>


<p>French President Emmanuel Macron admitted that his decision to dissolve Parliament last summer had backfired, leading to more division and political turmoil, while he called for greater unity to meet the nation’s challenges.</p>


France's Macron says dissolving Parliament sowed division, urges unity

<p>(Jan 1):&nbsp;China’s services activity expanded at the fastest pace in nine months while the manufacturing sector grew for a third straight month, signaling improving domestic demand after Beijing’s stimulus blitz.</p>

<p>The official non-manufacturing purchasing managers’ index rose to 52.2 ...