<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 11): RHB Bank Bhd plans to issue up to RM10 billion in senior sukuk murabahah, which will be in multi currencies including the ringgit.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>The Sukuk Murabahah Programme was lodged with the Securities Commission Malaysia today, RHB said in a filing with Bursa Malaysia.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>The group said the proceeds raised from the sukuk will be used within RHB Bank's group of companies for its working capital and general banking purposes of Islamic business activity.</p></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>It will also be used for the refinancing and redemption of Islamic financing facilities for Islamic business purposes.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Shares in RHB Bank closed seven sen or 1.49% lower at RM4.63 today, valuing the group at RM18.57 billion. Year-to-date, the counter has fallen by 19.9% from RM5.78.</p></div>


RHB Bank Bhd plans to issue up to RM10 billion in senior sukuk murabahah, which will be in multi currencies including the ringgit.

RHB Bank to issue senior sukuk to raise up to RM10b

US consumer spending increased in November, underscoring the economy's enduring strength, which prompted the Federal Reserve this week to project fewer interest rate cuts in 2025 than it had three months ago.

US consumer spending rises in November; monthly inflation subsides 

Canadian shoppers ended their spending spree in November after a four-month streak of strong gains.

An advanced estimate suggests receipts for retailers were unchanged last month, following a 0.6% gain in October, Statistics Canada said on Friday.

Canadian retail sales fall flat after surging for four months

Brazilian markets bounced at the end of the week amid extraordinary central bank moves to curb a selloff in the currency that was spreading across the nation’s markets.
 
The real gained as much as 1.4% on Friday, paring weekly losses, after policymakers said they would step in again with both a spot sale and a credit line auction totalling a combined US$7 billion (RM31.51 billion).

Brazil’s central bank burns US$17 bil in reserves to prop up real

A weekly round-up of tanker and dry bulk market (Dec 20, 2024)

Baltic Exchange shipping updates: Dec 20, 2024

The workers' union representing over 10,000 baristas at Starbucks said its members will strike at stores in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle for five days starting Friday, citing unresolved issues over wages, staffing and schedules.

Starbucks workers' union plans strike in three US cities as bargaining talks break down

Bahvest Resources Bhd (KL:BAHVEST) has proposed to buy mining equipment from China-based Chengdu Mining Maintenance Technology Co Ltd for RM22.82 million, to be used to build a new gold mining processing plant.

Bahvest buys mining equipment from Chinese firm to build new plant

Bursa Malaysia (KL:BURSA) saw a total of 55 initial public offerings (IPOs) this year,  up 72% from the 32 IPOs listed last year.

Bursa wraps up 2024 with 55 IPO listings, highest in nearly two decades

ACE Market-listed Kawan Renergy Bhd (KL:KENERGY) reported an all-time high earnings for its financial year ended Oct 31, 2024 (FY2024) as full year net profit surged 44.5% to an all-time high of RM19.22 million, compared with RM13.3 million in FY2023.

Kawan Renergy posts all-time high earnings in FY2024 

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Friday firmly stated that he did not interfere with the court's decision to acquit and discharge Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor from charges related to money laundering and tax evasion.

Anwar asserts had no hand in Rosmah’s acquittal

EVENING 5: Medical insurance premium hike to be staggered, says BNM

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 20): Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) has concluded that the RM11 per share takeover offer for Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (KL:AIRPORT) from the consortium led by Khazanah Nasional Bhd and the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) is not fair.</p>


MAHB takeover: Adviser recommends acceptance but independent directors disagree

<p>Shares of YTL Corporation Bhd (KL:YTL) and its associate YTL Power International Bhd (KL:YTLPOWR) resumed their rallies to climb to multi-month highs after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) cleared YTL Power's subsidiary of any wrongdoing in the 1BestariNet project investigations.</p>


YTL Power, YTL Corp continue to climb after MACC clearance

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 20): Top Glove Corp Bhd (KL:TOPGLOV) returned to black with a net profit of RM5.47 million for its first quarter ended Nov 30, 2024 (1QFY2025), from a net loss of RM57.71 million in the corresponding quarter a year ago, thanks to higher sales volumes and increased foreign exchange gains.</p>


Top Glove returns to profitability in 1Q on stronger sales

<p>Southeast Asia is fast emerging as an investment hot spot for AI leaders like Nvidia Corp and Microsoft Corp, which are plowing money into cloud services and data centres. But the region’s own young tech companies are failing to capitalise on the boom.</p>


Southeast Asia has US$60b AI boom, but its own startups are missing out

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 20): Crude palm oil (CPO) prices are expected to climb to a higher average of RM4,600 per tonne in 2025, from the projected average of RM4,200 per tonne this year, due to supply-side challenges, including weather disruptions and slow replanting progress.</p>


Palm oil prices set to rise further in 2025 amid supply concerns, says MARC Ratings

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 20): Malaysia’s inflation rate dipped to 1.8% in November this year, compared to 1.9% in October, marking the first decline since August 2021, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) on Friday.&nbsp;</p>


Inflation eases to 1.8% in November from 1.9% in October, driven by lower tech and clothing costs

<p>Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has announced a series of interim measures to address the burden of rising medical insurance premiums on policyholders. These measures include spreading out premium increases over at least&nbsp;three years, effective until the end of 2026, and pausing certain premium adjustments for individuals aged 60 and above.</p>


Medical insurance premium hike to be staggered and kept below 10% yearly, says BNM

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 20): Mechanical and electrical (M&amp;E) engineering services provider CBH Engineering Holding Bhd (KL:CBH) has begun taking orders from its investors for its initial public offering (IPO) on Friday, to raise up to RM83.44 million on the ACE Market.</p>


ACE-bound CBH Engineering starts taking orders for RM83m IPO

<p>There will be no increase in electricity tariff for all users in Peninsular Malaysia from Jan 1 to June 30, 2025, the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation announced on Friday.&nbsp;</p>


Electricity tariff unchanged in 1H2025, but new tariff structure from 2H onwards — energy ministry

<p>Top Glove Corp Bhd (KL:TOPGLOV) expects further sales recovery and projects its glove sales volume in FY2025 to grow 60% to 43 billion pieces, on industry stock replenishment and increase in sales flow from the US as a result of the 50% tariff on China-made gloves set to start on Jan 1, 2025.</p>


Top Glove flags 'start of comeback' as sales volume seen growing 60% in FY2025

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 20): Analysts cut Aeon Credit Service (M) Bhd’s (KL:AEONCR) earnings projections due to elevated credit costs.</p>


Analysts cut Aeon Credit’s earnings, TPs, on higher credit costs

<p>Kedah-based Imperio Group has signed an agreement with Accor Group to open an ibis Styles hotel at its upcoming The Tenz integrated development in Alor Setar, Kedah. The hotel will be the first international hotel in the city.</p>


Imperio Group partners Accor Group to open first international hotel in Alor Setar

<p>theedgemalaysia.com highlighted one stock with positive momentum and two stocks with negative momentum at Bursa Malaysia's afternoon close on Friday.</p>


Stocks with momentum on Dec 20, 2024: YTL Power, Ranhill and Bertam Alliance

<p>Bank Negara Malaysia announced that the government, together with insurers, takaful operators (ITOs) and private hospitals, will contribute a total of RM60 million to speed up health reforms in the country.</p>


BNM announces RM60 mil boost for healthcare reforms, including rollout of new payment model for private hospitals

<p>Malaysia has agreed to resume the search for the wreckage of missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, its transport minister said on Friday, more than 10 years after it disappeared in one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries.</p>


Malaysia agrees to resume search for wreckage of missing Flight MH370

<p>CBH Engineering Holding Bhd (KL:CBHB), which is set to be listed on the ACE Market on Jan 16, is gearing up to expand its portfolio, with a focus on high-scale projects, particularly data centres.</p>


ACE Market-bound CBH Engineering eyes larger projects, data centre jobs

<p>Singapore-based V Medical Aesthetics Group is exploring an initial public offering in Malaysia that could value the company at as much as RM6 billion, according to people with knowledge of the matter.</p>


Singapore’s V Medical Aesthetics is said to mull IPO in Malaysia — Bloomberg

<p>China’s aggressive drive to replace brand-name foreign drugs with dirt-cheap homegrown generics has already taken a toll on global pharmaceutical companies’ local business. Now they’re almost nowhere to be found on the latest list of companies winning contracts to sell commonly used drugs to Chinese hospitals.</p>


Chinese aspirin costing under a cent shuts out foreign firms

<p>Catcha Digital Bhd (KL:CATCHA), formerly known as Rev Asia Bhd, is acquiring a 60% stake in Drive 2 Digital Sdn Bhd (D2D) for RM16.2 million, cash, marking its entry into the automotive digital media sector, with a focus on Chinese and Malay language automotive content.</p>


Catcha Digital expands into automotive digital media by investing in Drive 2 Digital 

<p>A Bitcoin slide from a record high earlier this week extended to more than 10%, as reduced scope for looser US monetary policy dampened speculative zeal.</p>
