Malaysia’s two biggest airlines, Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia, said they will continue to communicate closely with their suppliers to manage cost inflation in 2025, amid challenges from supply chain headwinds to inflation, although both are divided on the outlook for the year.

AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines divided on 2025 outlook, to manage cost inflation

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 16): Malaysia’s two biggest airlines, Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia, said they will continue to communicate closely with their suppliers to manage cost inflation in 2025, amid challenges from supply chain headwinds to inflation, although both are divided on the outlook for the y...

Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg has commended Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recognition of Sarawak state-owned Petroleum Sarawak Bhd (Petros) as the state's gas aggregator.

Anwar recognises Petros as Sarawak's gas aggregator, says Abang Jo

YTL Power International Bhd (KL:YTLPOWR), which is in the midst of setting up its own artificial intelligence (AI) data centres using the latest chips by US chip giant Nvidia Corp, does not expect to be impacted by the proposed US rules on advanced chip exports into countries like Malaysia.

YTL Power ‘confident’ not affected by potential US chip export curbs amid Nvidia partnership

Datuk Foong Wei Kuong, managing director and controlling shareholder of JF Technology Bhd (KL:JFTECH), is now a substantial shareholder of Cosmos Technology International Bhd (KL:COSMOS).

JF Tech MD emerges as Cosmos substantial shareholder as MSM pares stake

Malaysia saw a sharp recovery in investor sentiment in 2024, as it emerged stronger off a prolonged period of political headwinds that spelled uncertainty towards business and economic policies.

Top financial news of 2024

The government will not allow increases in electricity tariffs that would burden the majority of the public, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Electricity tariff adjustment won’t burden majority, says PM

The proposed adjustment in Peninsular Malaysia’s base electricity tariff under the Regulatory Period 2025-2027 (RP4) is mainly a “rebasing exercise” to reflect higher fuel costs assumption, said Tenaga Nasional Bhd (KL:TENAGA).

Base electricity tariff adjustment reflects higher fuel costs, won't burden vulnerable groups, says Tenaga

The Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (Petra) has announced that the Green Electricity Tariff (GET) programme will continue into 2025, maintaining current premium rates while introducing discounted long-term subscription packages to boost renewable energy adoption.

Energy ministry: Current green electricity tariff rates retained, cheaper long-term packages introduced

Social media platform TikTok recorded 2,606 requests from the Malaysian government to remove or restrict content on its platform in 1H2024, the highest among all governments in the period, according to its latest report on government removal requests.

Malaysia tops TikTok content, account removal requests in 1H2024 among govts

DOHA/CAIRO/JERUSALEM (Jan 15): Hamas and Israel reached a deal for a ceasefire in Gaza that mediators said would take effect on Sunday, and include a release of hostages held there during 15 months of bloodshed that devastated the Palestinian enclave and inflamed the Middle East.

Israel, Hamas reach ceasefire deal to end 15 months of war in Gaza

WASHINGTON/SINGAPORE (Jan 15): The Biden administration added more than two dozen Chinese entities to a US restricted trade list on Wednesday, including Zhipu AI, a developer of large language models, and Sophgo, a company whose TSMC-made chip was illegally incorporated into a Huawei artificial intelligence (AI) processor.

US blacklists Chinese AI developer and co that ordered TSMC chip found in Huawei processor

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 16): CBH Engineering Holding Bhd (KL:CBHB) rose 18% on Thursday in Bursa Malaysia’s Ace Market trading debut, following robust demand during the engineering services firm’s initial public offering (IPO).

CBH Engineering rises 18% in Ace Market trading debut

SEOUL (Jan 16): South Korea's central bank unexpectedly left its policy interest rate unchanged on Thursday, weighing the impact of its back-to-back cuts last year, while supporting the won which weakened to a 15-year low versus the US dollar in recent weeks.

Bank of Korea unexpectedly holds policy rate amid won slide

MORNING CALL: 16/1/25

Nate Anderson, the short seller who made his name with campaigns targeting billionaires Gautam Adani, Jack Dorsey and Carl Icahn, said he’s disbanding his small but renowned firm, Hindenburg Research.

Short seller Nate Anderson says he’s disbanding Hindenburg

Wall Street breathed a sigh of relief after a surprise slowdown in inflation spurred a stock rally and a plunge in bond yields, reinforcing bets the Federal Reserve is on track to keep cutting rates this year.

Equities erased their losses for 2025, with the S&P 500 up about 2% in its biggest gain since the aftermath of the US election.

Wall Street has best CPI day since at least 2023

Shares in Asia were set to follow Wall Street higher after new data showed core inflation cooling in the US, keeping alive the prospect of Federal Reserve rate cuts this year.

Equity futures for Australia, Japan and Hong Kong all rallied.

Asian stocks primed for gains after US inflation

Malaysia-based Gamuda Bhd (KL:GAMUDA) and its London-based joint venture partner, real estate investor Castleforge, broke ground for 75 London Wall — a £1.2 billion (RM6.59 billion) redevelopment project — in the City of London on Wednesday.

Previously known as Winchester House and the UK headquarters of Deutsche Bank, Gamuda and Castleforge acquired the building in February 2023 in a 75:25 joint venture.

Gamuda, Castleforge break ground for £1.2 bil redevelopment project in London

Malaysia-based Gamuda Bhd (KL:GAMUDA) and its London-based joint venture partner, real estate investor Castleforge, broke ground for 75 London Wall — a £1.2 billion (RM6.59 billion) redevelopment project — in the City of London on Wednesday.

Previously known as Winchester House and the UK headquarters of Deutsche Bank, Gamuda and Castleforge acquired the building in February 2023 in a 75:25 joint venture.

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

MAHB, Southern Score Builders, SC Estate Builder, KJTS, Sunview, Poh Kong, VS Industry, AZRB, Rexit

Malaysia’s two biggest airlines, Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia, said they will continue to communicate closely with their suppliers to manage cost inflation in 2025, amid challenges from supply chain headwinds to inflation, although both are divided on the outlook for the year.

A husband and wife, who own a travel agency, were arrested in Kuala Lumpur at 7pm on Wednesday in connection with allegations of failing to fly out a group of umrah pilgrims on Tuesday.

Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) of the Selangor police contingent headquarters (IPK) also seized several computers, passports and related documents.

Failure to fly out umrah pilgrims: Couple who owns travel agency arrested

Crude palm oil (CPO) futures contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives extended its downtrend on Wednesday on weaker demand from key market destinations, namely India, China and the European Union.

CPO futures extend downtrend on weaker demand

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday met his UK counterpart, Sir Keir Starmer, and discussed about elevating the relations between both countries to strategic partnership covering all spheres.

“The focus and the fundamentals is of course economics, but also defence and education,” he told reporters after meeting Starmer at No 10, Downing Street, on Wednesday.

Malaysia, UK discuss elevating relations to strategic partnership

Shares in Asia were set to follow Wall Street higher after new data showed core inflation cooling in the US, keeping alive the prospect of Federal Reserve rate cuts this year.

Equity futures for Australia, Japan and Hong Kong all rallied.

Four locals, including a woman, have been arrested for their alleged involvement in a syndicate selling non-existent vehicle registration numbers in several states.

Perak acting police chief DCP Zulkafli Sariaat confirmed that the arrests of individuals aged between 27 and 52 were made during separate raids from Jan 10 to 14. The operation followed a report made on Jan 8 by a 22-year-old victim who claimed to have been scammed by the syndicate.

Four arrested for selling fake vehicle registration numbers

JPMorgan Chase's annual profit rose to a record as its dealmakers and traders reaped a windfall from rebounding markets in the fourth quarter (4Q), it reported on Wednesday.

The largest US bank also forecast its net interest income (NII), or the difference between what it earns on loans and pays out on deposits, would rise above analysts' expectations this year, despite repeated warnings that high NII growth was unsustainable.

JPMorgan earns biggest-ever annual profit as investment bankers ride rebound

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is meeting his UK counterpart Sir Keir Starmer here on Wednesday.

Anwar, who arrived here on Tuesday for a five-day working visit to the UK, was received by Starmer at his office at No 10, Downing Street at 1pm (9 pm Malaysian time).

Anwar meets UK prime minister

US consumer prices rose in December by less than forecast after months of faster underlying inflation persuaded the Federal Reserve to signal a pause in interest-rate cuts.

The so-called core consumer price index (CPI) — which excludes food and energy costs — increased 0.2% after rising 0.3% four straight months, Bureau of Labor Statistics figures showed on Wednesday.

US core inflation eases for first time in six months

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 16): CBH Engineering Holding Bhd (KL:CBHB) rose 18% on Thursday in Bursa Malaysia’s Ace Market trading debut, following robust demand during the engineering services firm’s initial public offering (IPO).

Wall Street breathed a sigh of relief after a surprise slowdown in inflation spurred a stock rally and a plunge in bond yields, reinforcing bets the Federal Reserve is on track to keep cutting rates this year.

Equities erased their losses for 2025, with the S&amp;P 500 up about 2% in its biggest gain since the&nbsp;aftermath of the US election.

Nate Anderson, the short seller who made his name with campaigns targeting billionaires Gautam Adani, Jack Dorsey and Carl Icahn, said he’s disbanding his small but renowned firm, Hindenburg Research.&nbsp;

US health officials banned the artificial food colouring Red No 3, which has been linked to cancer and is currently in scores of products from candy to cold medicine. 
&nbsp; 
The dye will no longer be allowed in US food or ingested drugs starting Jan 15, 2027, according to a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) document posted online.&nbsp;

US bans cancer-linked Red Dye No 3 in cereal and other foods

The First Meeting of the Asean+3 Working Committee has agreed to set the Priority Economic Deliverables (PEDs) for Asean 2025, which include increasing access to sustainable and fair climate transition financing, said the Ministry of Finance (MOF).

Asean+3 Working Committee meeting outlines Asean's 2025 main economic priorities

Citigroup beat estimates for fourth-quarter (4Q) profit, fuelled by strength in trading and dealmaking, and announced a US$20 billion (RM90.02 billion) buyback programme as it cut a closely watched return target.

Citigroup 4Q profit beats estimates on trading strength, but cuts return targets after 'critical' year

OPEC forecast on Wednesday world oil demand in 2026 will rise at a similar rate to this year, while reducing its figure for 2024 for a sixth time, following economic weakness in China, the world's biggest importer of oil.

The 2026 forecast is in line with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries' view oil use will rise for the next two decades, in contrast to the West's International Energy Agency that predicts it will peak this decade as the world shifts to cleaner energy.

In first look at 2026, OPEC predicts ongoing oil demand growth

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused Russia of planning to carry out “acts of air terror” against airlines worldwide as he urged European partners to join forces in countering Moscow’s alleged sabotage attempts.

Poland’s Tusk says Russia planned terror acts against airlines

Wells Fargo &amp; Co’s expenses dropped 12% in the fourth quarter (4Q) as chief executive officer Charlie Scharf continues to whittle headcount as part of broader efforts to slash costs and remake the bank. The company’s shares rose.

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