Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged to slash household energy bills with a A$2.3 billion (US$1.4 billion or RM6.2 billion) plan to lower the price of home batteries, as his centre-left government focuses on cost-of-living pressures ahead of the May 3 election.

Australian PM unveils US$1.4b plan to reduce power bills

New Zealand is simplifying its so-called “golden visa” programme, including removing an English language requirement, to attract wealthy immigrants and help spark an economic recovery.

New Zealand changes ‘golden visa’ to lure wealthy migrants

(April 23): Tesla Inc’s production of Optimus, a robot that promises to take over household chores, has been disrupted by China’s curbs on rare earth exports, introduced by Beijing earlier this month, in an escalating trade war with Washington.

Tesla’s plan on humanoid robot Optimus disrupted by China rare earth curbs

Malaysia’s headline inflation slowed to 1.4% in March, mainly due to slower price increases for restaurants, personal goods, and water.

Inflation down to 1.4% in March as price increases for restaurants, personal goods, and services slow

MOSCOW (April 23): Major Russian banks have set up a netting payments system dubbed "The China Track" for transactions with China, aiming to reduce their visibility to Western regulators and mitigate the risk of secondary sanctions, banking sources told Reuters.

Russia's trade ...

'China Track' bank netting system shields Russia-China trade from Western eyes

(April 23): Bitcoin continued to climb after US President Donald Trump said he had no intention of firing Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, easing concerns over the central bank’s autonomy.

Bitcoin climbs higher as US seeks to ease trade, Fed tensions

US President Donald Trump said he had no intention of firing Federal Reserve (Fed) chair Jerome Powell despite his frustration with the central bank not moving more quickly to slash interest rates.

Trump now says he has no intention of firing Fed chair Powell

(April 23): Copper gained, pushing higher with other metals, as the US signalled a more conciliatory tone towards China in its trade war.

Copper extends advance on US-China optimism and risk-on tone

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has downgraded its real gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for Malaysia to 4.1% this year, from its January estimate of 4.7%, in line with a broader reduction in regional projections.

IMF cuts real GDP growth forecast for Malaysia to 4.1% in 2025

US President Donald Trump’s tariffs could drive a recession that will make companies reluctant to invest in the world’s largest economy, according to the head of one of Japan’s biggest beverage makers.

Trump tariffs are killing investment appetite, Suntory CEO says

US President Donald Trump said he plans to be “very nice” to China in any trade talks, and that tariffs will drop if the two countries can reach a deal, a sign he may be backing down from his tough stance on Beijing amid market volatility.

Trump floats cutting China tariffs ‘substantially’ in trade deal

The imposition of US duties on solar panels from Southeast Asia will have far-reaching implications for the manufacturing base across the region, according to the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM).

US solar duties threaten Malaysia's role in global clean energy supply chain, says FMM

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told a closed-door investor summit on Tuesday that the tariff stand-off with China cannot be sustained by both sides, and that the world’s two largest economies will have to find ways to de-escalate.

US Treasury Secretary Bessent expects tariff stand-off with China to de-escalate

SYDNEY (April 23): Stock markets were enjoying a much-needed relief rally in Asia on Wednesday, after US President Donald Trump&nbsp;said he had no plans to fire the head of the Federal Reserve, and hinted at lower tariffs for&nbsp;China.

Stocks, dollar rebound in Asia as Trump steps back

(April 23): It’s 8am and already sweltering at the&nbsp;Pomina Flat Steel JSC&nbsp;plant outside Ho Chi Minh City, as&nbsp;the night shift’s last pour of molten metal is shaped, cooled and cut into rods. Down the road, at a Vietnam Steel Corp facility, a&nbsp;long strip is uncoiled into an acid bath and fed through a powerful press, making it thinner but tougher.

In China’s backyard, steel buyer Vietnam is trying to stem a tide of cheap metal

(April 23):&nbsp;Chinese corporate and government borrowers have pushed issuance of dollar and euro bonds to a record proportion of all such note sales in emerging markets (EM) this month, in one sign of resilience to the&nbsp;trade war.

Chinese foreign bond sales mark record share of total in emerging markets

US President Donald Trump said he plans to be “very nice” to China in any trade talks, and that tariffs will drop if the two countries can reach a deal, a sign he may be backing down from his tough stance on Beijing amid market volatility.

(April 23):&nbsp;The dollar advanced against its major peers after US President Donald Trump said he had no intention of firing Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell.

Relief rebound for dollar as Trump cools rhetoric on Powell

KUALA LUMPUR (April 23): Malaysia will likely miss some economic and policy targets held back by fiscal constraints, bureaucratic drag, and global macro headwinds, said BIMB Securities.

Malaysia will miss some targets amid fiscal, bureaucratic drag, macro headwinds — BIMB

(April 23):&nbsp;US equity futures surged and the dollar strengthened after President Donald Trump said he had&nbsp;no intention&nbsp;of firing Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, and as optimism grew that trade tensions may be easing.

US futures, dollar rise on Trump’s Fed backtrack

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has downgraded its real gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for Malaysia to 4.1% this year, from its January estimate of 4.7%, in line with a broader reduction in regional projections.

Ferrotec Holdings Corporation, a Japanese advanced materials and component company, will be investing RM1 billion for the construction of its second manufacturing facility in Kulim, Kedah.

Japan's Ferrotec to invest RM1 bil in second plant in Kedah

This year marks the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations between Malaysia and Singapore. Since the latter separated from the Federation of Malaya on Aug 9, 1965, trade, investment and tourism between the two countries have remained robust.

Six decades of strong ties between Malaysia and Singapore

Several areas in Selangor were affected by flash floods following heavy rainfall since early Wednesday morning.

Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations&nbsp;Ahmad Mukhlis Mukhtar&nbsp;said the affected areas were&nbsp;Sungai Buloh, Petaling Jaya&nbsp;and Subang Jaya.

Flash floods hit several areas in Selangor, no evacuations reported

(April 23): Intel Corp is poised to announce plans this week to cut more than 20% of its staff, aiming to eliminate bureaucracy at the struggling chipmaker, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

Intel to announce plans this week to cut more than 20% of staff — Bloomberg

KUALA LUMPUR (April 23): Bumi Armada Bhd (KL:ARMADA) is expected to report strong earnings in first quarter of 2025 (1QFY2025), but foresees a drop in the following quarters as its floating, production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) Kraken vessel sees a steep cut in its daily charter rates.

Bumi Armada to post strong 1Q earnings, later quarters impacted by FPSO Kraken rate cut — Maybank IB

Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp&nbsp;on Tuesday signed an agreement to establish a wholly owned electric vehicle (EV) plant in Shanghai, in a strategic move to bolster its presence in China, the world's largest automotive market, Xinhua reported.

Toyota signs deal for US$2b EV project in Shanghai

The year 2024 marked the&nbsp;50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and the People’s Republic of China. In 1974, then prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein cemented an official diplomatic relationship during a visit to Peking (now Beijing).

Ushering in another 50 golden years in Malaysia-China relations

The Trump administration is proposing an overhaul of the US State Department that would eliminate more than 100 offices including some working on war crimes and rights advocacy to ensure Washington's premier diplomatic agency is in line with President Donald Trump's "America First" priorities.

Trump administration proposes shake-up of US State Department

SAN FRANCISCO/LOS ANGELES (April 22): Tesla&nbsp;chief executive officer&nbsp;Elon Musk&nbsp;said on Tuesday that he would cut back significantly the time he devotes to the&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;administration from next month, and spend more time running his many companies.

Musk, facing criticism and falling Tesla sales, to cut back DOGE work

The imposition of US duties on solar panels from Southeast Asia&nbsp;will have far-reaching implications for&nbsp;the manufacturing base across the region, according to the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM).

GuocoLand Ltd has signed a joint venture (JV) agreement with a wholly owned subsidiary of Hong Leong Holdings for the development of a land parcel at Tengah Garden Avenue worth an aggregate value of S$51.4 million (RM172.9 million), according to a release on Tuesday.

Ainsley Thomson