<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>KUALA LUMPUR (May 18): Standard Chartered Bank said the ringgit had been the best-performing currency in Asia (excluding Japan) so far in the second quarter after the ringgit appreciated some 2.5% against the US dollar.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>In a note today, Standard Chartered said the ringgit's supportive factors included attractive valuations, improving sentiment and "underweight foreign investor positioning".</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>"Given the scale of portfolio outflows in the past four years, there is significant room to catch up, which should support further MYR gains. While we currently forecast a return to 'fair value' of around 4.10 for USD-MYR only in 1H2018, risks of this happening sooner have clearly increased.</p></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>"While a stronger MYR might be seen as a signal of confidence in the domestic economy, we think the central bank may aim to rebuild its FX reserves more determinedly at some point. Reserve-rebuilding efforts may slow MYR appreciation," Standard Chartered said.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>At 12:14pm today, the ringgit was traded at 4.3260 against the US dollar. Over the last one year, the exchange rate was between 3.9327 and 4.5002.</p></div>


KUALA LUMPUR (May 18): Standard Chartered Bank said the ringgit had been the best-performing currency in Asia (excluding Japan) so far in the second quarter after the ringgit appreciated some 2.5% against the US dollar.

In a note today, Standard Chartered said the ringgit's supportive f...

Ringgit 'the surprise outperformer' — Standard Chartered

Japan's Nippon Steel is seeing support for its proposal to acquire US Steel in the regions of the US where steel mills are located, Nippon Steel's President Tadashi Imai told reporters on Wednesday.

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China refrained from cutting the interest rate and drained the most cash since 2014 with a one-year policy tool, keeping its powder dry ahead of possible escalation in trade tensions with the US next year.

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South Korea's suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol did not respond on Wednesday to a second summons by anti-corruption authorities who, along with prosecutors, are investigating his short-lived martial law decree issued early this month.

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An Embraer passenger plane flying from Azerbaijan to Russia crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan on Wednesday with 62 passengers and five crew on board, Kazakh authorities announced, saying that 32 people had survived.

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The price of a litre of RON95 petrol will remain unchanged at RM2.05, while the retail price of RON97 will increase by three sen from RM3.22 per litre to RM3.25 per litre from Thursday to Jan 1, 2025.

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China stocks closed roughly flat on Wednesday, as gains in energy shares offset losses in small-cap shares, while the Hong Kong market was closed for a public holiday.

China stocks close flat, energy gains offset small-cap losses

Japan's Nikkei share average reversed early losses to end higher on Wednesday, driven by gains in the auto sector although trade was dominated by retail investors, who bought back cheap stocks in muted trade with many global markets closed for the holidays.

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Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has assured that the Madani government will provide full cooperation if efforts to locate Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 yield results.

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Johor Bahru’s property market has been on an upward trend owing to spillover effects from positive initiatives and announcements over the past few quarters, says Olive Tree Property Consultants Sdn Bhd CEO Samuel Tan when presenting The Edge Malaysia | Olive Tree Property Consultants Joh...

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Taiwan has rejected Uber Technologies Inc’s plan to acquire Delivery Hero SE’s Foodpanda local business for US$950 million (RM4.26 billion), the official Central News Agency reported.

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<p>Honda and Nissan expect big benefits from their potential merger to create the world's third-largest auto group but intense competition from China raises questions about whether they can make it work in time.</p>


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<p>The government has initiated an administrative (sunset) review of anti-dumping duties on imports of cold rolled coils of iron, or non-alloy steel, and of width more than 1,300mm, originating or exported from China, South Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.</p>


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<p>China refrained from cutting the interest rate and drained the most cash since 2014 with a one-year policy tool, keeping its powder dry ahead of possible escalation in trade tensions with the US next year.</p>


<p>The King and Queen of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar and Raja Zarith Sofiah, have extended their Christmas greetings to all Malaysians who are celebrating.</p>


King, Queen extend Christmas greetings

<p>Apple has asked to participate in Google's upcoming US antitrust trial over online search, saying it cannot rely on Google to defend revenue-sharing agreements that send the iPhone maker billions of dollars each year for making Google the default search engine on its Safari browser.</p>


Apple seeks to defend Google's billion-dollar payments in search case

<p>Private equity firms KKR and Bain Capital each offered more than US$5 billion (RM22.44 billion) in first-round bids for the non-core assets of Japan's Seven &amp; i Holdings, according to people familiar with the matter.</p>


KKR and Bain each bid more than US$5b for Seven & i assets — Reuters

<p>ON Dec 7, Notre-Dame de Paris, the iconic 12th-century medieval cathedral in the French capital, reopened its doors five years after a devastating fire destroyed its roof and spire. US president-elect Donald Trump, current First Lady Jill Biden, England’s Prince William, Ukraine President Volodym...

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<p>China approved a value-added tax (VAT) law on Wednesday to take effect on Jan 1, 2026, the official <em>Xinhua </em>said, bringing into one document previous regulations that have included exempting items from the tax.</p>


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<p>South Korea's suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol did not respond on Wednesday to a second summons by anti-corruption authorities who, along with prosecutors, are investigating his short-lived martial law decree issued early this month.</p>


<p>Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has assured that the Madani government will provide full cooperation if efforts to locate Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 yield results.</p>


<p>Taiwan has rejected Uber Technologies Inc’s plan to acquire Delivery Hero SE’s Foodpanda local business for US$950 million (RM4.26 billion), the official <em>Central News Agency</em> reported.</p>


<p>Bangladesh authorities are investigating Singaporean billionaire Saiful Alam Masud for alleged financial crimes, including money laundering, the Straits Times reported on Wednesday. He denied wrongdoing.</p>


Bangladesh probes Singaporean tycoon Saiful Alam — report

<p>President Joe Biden signed 50 bills into law on Tuesday that include making the bald eagle the country's official bird and one that stops members of Congress from collecting their pensions if convicted of crimes.</p>


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<p>RADIANT Globaltech Bhd (KL:RGTECH), an ACE Market-­listed technology firm, is in the midst of acquiring an 80% stake in Rymnet Solutions Sdn Bhd for RM52.5 million. This strategic acquisition is aimed at enhancing its existing IT solutions by integrating human resources (HR) management system mod...

Rymnet to drive half of Radiant Globaltech’s future profits

<p>A leading indicator of Japan's service-sector inflation rose to 3.0% in November, accelerating for a second straight month, data showed on Wednesday, backing up the central bank's view that rising wages are prodding more firms to pass on higher costs.</p>


Japan corporate service inflation rises, bolsters BOJ rate-hike odds

<p>An Embraer passenger plane flying from Azerbaijan to Russia crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan on Wednesday with 62 passengers and five crew on board, Kazakh authorities announced, saying that 32 people had survived.</p>


<p>Seafood trade is expected to be on the agenda on Wednesday as Japan's foreign minister visits China, Japan's largest export market for aquatic products until Beijing banned them in protest against Tokyo releasing treated radioactive wastewater into the ocean.</p>


China, Japan foreign ministers meet in Beijing, seafood trade on agenda

<p>Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Kazuo Ueda reiterated his view that the bank needs to carefully watch various risks without signalling the likelihood of an interest rate hike next month.</p>


BOJ’s Ueda avoids giving clear hint on chances of January hike

<p>Japan's Nikkei share average reversed early losses to end higher on Wednesday, driven by gains in the auto sector although trade was dominated by retail investors, who bought back cheap stocks in muted trade with many global markets closed for the holidays.</p>


<p>China stocks closed roughly flat on Wednesday, as gains in energy shares offset losses in small-cap shares, while the Hong Kong market was closed for a public holiday.</p>
