<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>SINGAPORE (May 2): Olam International says its Mouila Lot 3 palm plantation in Gabon has become Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certified.</div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>The 38,363 hectare (ha) palm plantation is managed by Olam Palm Gabon, a joint venture between Olam and the Republic of Gabon, and has a total planted area of 18.272 ha, out of which 18,765 ha of high conservation value (HCV) is being conserved.</div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>The remaining area comprises infrastructure comprises facilities, roads and housing.</div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>Based on the RSPO greenhouse gas (GHG) calculator, the plantation is expected to make a net positive climate impact by fixing<a href="https://www.theedgesingapore.com/olam-announces-third-palm-plantation-achieve-rspo-certification" target="_blank">...(click on link for full story on theedgesingapore.com)</a></div>

Olam International says its Mouila Lot 3 palm plantation in Gabon has become Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certified.

Olam announces third palm plantation to achieve RSPO certification

President-elect Donald Trump, with SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son at his side, announced on Monday a US$100 billion (RM445 billion) investment in the US over the next four years in what would be a boost to the US economy.

Trump, SoftBank CEO announce US$100b US investment

The East Coast Rail Line (ECRL) project has achieved 76.06% progress as of November, Malaysia Rail Link (MRL) Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak said.

The progress was on track to ensure that the project will be completed in December 2026 for the Kota Bharu to Gombak Integrated Terminal and then to Jalan Kastam in December 2027, he added.

ECRL project reaches 76% completion as of November — MRL

MicroStrategy shares rose about 3% on Monday as the software company and bitcoin buyer was set to join the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 index, further brightening the prospects of the stock.

The US$25.7 trillion index that houses the largest non-financial companies will now gain indirect exposure to bitcoin via MicroStrategy, which holds US$44 billion worth of the digital currency on its balance sheet, about 2% of the total supply of the world's largest cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin buyer MicroStrategy's Nasdaq 100 entry to support stock rally

Canada's Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland quit on Monday after clashing with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on issues including how to handle possible US tariffs, dealing another blow to an already unpopular government.

Canada's finance minister quits, in blow to Trudeau's government

Activity at US service providers is expanding at the fastest pace since October 2021, providing momentum for the economy even as the downturn in manufacturing worsens.

US services activity expands by most in more than three years

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

Gamuda, Winstar Capital, MClean, DRB-Hicom, Sapura Industrial, NTPM, Crest, M&G, George Kent, Infomina, Perdana Petroleum, Advancecon

The German parliament accepted Chancellor Olaf Scholz's invitation to withdraw its confidence in him and his government on Monday, clearing the way for the Feb 23 early election necessitated by the collapse of his government.

German parliament votes no-confidence in Chancellor Scholz, paving way for election 

The ringgit has strengthened by 2.8% against the US dollar as of Nov 22, 2024, according to the Ministry of Finance (MOF).

Ringgit strengthened 2.8% against US dollar as of Nov 2024 — MOF

America’s surprisingly robust economy has raised expectations that US interest rates will stay high compared to Europe next year.

The US-euro rate gap that triggered Trump’s Fed bashing is set to widen again

The US Energy Department on Monday said it has finalised a US$9.63 billion (RM42.8 billion) loan to a joint venture of Ford Motor and South Korean battery maker SK On to help finance construction of three new battery manufacturing plants in Tennessee and Kentucky.

US finalises US$9.63b loan for Ford, SK On joint battery venture

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 16): Shares in Supermax Holdings Bhd (KL:SUPERMX) rose to their highest in nearly three years in active trade on&nbsp;Monday morning, amid US’ efforts to boost nitrile-glove production there.

Supermax climbs to three-year high on active trade 

TRX City Sdn Bhd, master developer of the 70-acre Tun Razak Exchange (TRX), is going to build another office tower, which is expected to have a net lettable area (NLA) of 800,000 sq ft. The new building will be on Lot C7-10, which is adjacent to HSBC Malaysia’s headquarters, Menara IQ.

...

TRX City to build another office block, secures PwC as anchor tenant

Malaysian autos firm Proton launched its first electric vehicle on Monday, the latest entry into the local market as the country seeks to boost EV and hybrid EV use and gain a foothold in the global supply chain.

Proton launches its first electric vehicle

DRB-Hicom Bhd (KL:DRBHCOM) said has inked memoranda of understanding (MOU) with two government bodies, namely with Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) and Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii) to promote the enhancement and transformation of Malaysia’s automotive industry in the Automotive Hi-Tech Valley (AHTV) project in Tanjung Malim, Perak.

DRB-Hicom, Geely ink MOUs with Mida, MARii to spearhead next-gen vehicle production in Tanjung Malim

Gamuda Bhd's (KL:Gamuda) Australian subsidiary DT Infrastructure Pty Ltd has secured a A$625 million (RM1.8 billion) engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) job for the Goulburn River Solar Farm project.

Gamuda's Australian unit bags RM1.8 bil EPC job for Goulburn River Solar Farm

THE Home Ministry is believed to have awarded Datasonic Group Bhd (KL:DSONIC) a new five-year contract for the supply of Malaysian passports. This is the first contract renewal since November 2021, when the original contracts expired.

According to sources privy to the deve­lopment, the ...

Datasonic finally secures new contract for Malaysian passports, say sources

Indonesia’s largest party has officially expelled former president Joko Widodo after he spurned the party’s own candidate in February elections and backed Prabowo Subianto’s successful campaign to become leader of Southeast Asia’s biggest economy.

Indonesia’s largest party expels Jokowi after he backed Prabowo

Ningbo Deye Technology Co, a Chinese inverter producer, plans to invest up to US$150 million (RM667.5 million) in building a solar equipment manufacturing base in Malaysia.

Chinese inverter maker plans US$150m solar base in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 16): The High Court here has ordered former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to pay RM400,000 to DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng by year’s end, and the remaining RM1 million by Jan 27 next year.&nbsp;

High Court orders Muhyiddin to pay RM400k to Guan Eng by year’s end, and balance RM1m by Jan 27

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 16): Pengerang Energy Complex Sdn Bhd (PEC)&nbsp;has negotiated financing terms for US$3.5 billion (RM15.58 billion) in project financing from&nbsp;export credit agencies (ECAs) across North America, western and southern Europe, as well as Asia; and Islamic financing from Islamic Development Bank entities.

Pengerang Energy Complex secures US$3.5b project financing from global export credit agencies

Lotte Chemical Titan Holding Bhd (KL:­LCTITAN) just can’t seem to catch a break.

Last Friday, the loss-making olefin and polyolefin producer announced that it would temporarily shut down one of its plants at the Pasir Gudang Complex in Johor, from Dec 15, to mitigate losses stemming fro...

Frankly Speaking: The hits just keep coming for Lotte Chemical Titan

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 16): Yinson Holdings Bhd (KL:YINSON), whose share price dropped nine sen in the morning session on Monday, is expected to see strong earnings ahead, as it gears up to deliver multiple major floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) units, with new opportunities on the horizon, said analysts.&nbsp;

Yinson poised for strong earnings growth amid major FPSO deliveries, say analysts

Offshore marine service provider Perdana Petroleum Bhd (KL:PERDANA) has secured a charter contract for an anchor handling tug and supply (AHTS) vessel from IPC Malaysia BV.

Perdana Petroleum secures anchor handling tug and supply vessel charter contract

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 16): Proton's first electric vehicle (EV), the e.MAS 7, will be the official car for Malaysia's Asean Chairmanship in 2025, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim unveiled on Monday.

He said Malaysia hopes to set an example in this region in promoting the development ...

e.MAS 7 to be Asean 2025 official car — Anwar

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) is proposing the elimination of the Rule of 78 method for calculating interest on personal financing and expanding the maximum 10-year tenure cap to home financing products, in an effort to promote healthy lending practices.

BNM proposes axing flat-rate personal financing, expanding 10-year tenure to home financing products

Advancecon Holdings Bhd (KL:ADVCON) has bagged a main infrastructure work contract worth RM44.6 million by Sime Darby Property Bhd (KL:SIMEPROP) for the development at Elmina West.

Advancecon clinches RM45 mil infra works job from Sime Darby Property 

The Malaysian Iron and Steel Industry Federation (Misif) has called for the Independent Steel Committee (ISC) to release the findings of its study conducted, including recommendations and proposals, to the public.

Misif urges the release of Independent Steel Committee’s study  

Asian markets wavered on Monday, with the Malaysian ringgit and Indonesian rupiah dipping slightly and stocks trading lower as investors await rate decisions this week from local central banks and the US Federal Reserve.

Indonesian rupiah, Malaysian ringgit extend losses; markets eye rate calls

The Cabinet paper outlining the direction of the Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) system will be presented in January 2025, Deputy Minister of Works Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said.

He said the Works Ministry had issued letters to the highway concession companies involved in the MLFF project, informing them that negotiations would no longer proceed.

Multi-Lane Free Flow direction paper to be presented to Cabinet in Jan 2025 — Ahmad

Imaging company Crest Group Bhd (KL:CREST), which was listed on the ACE Market two months ago, said it is acquiring an industrial property in Puchong, Selangor for RM16.5 million to establish its new headquarters.