Toyota Motor Corp is setting up its first research and development (R&D) centre in India through its local unit, people familiar with the matter said, signalling the market’s growing importance.

Toyota’s new R&D unit signals sharper focus on India, Bloomberg reports

Ola Electric Mobility Ltd is laying off over a thousand employees and contract workers, people familiar with the matter said, as one of India’s top scooter-makers races to pare ballooning losses.

Ola Electric said to cut over 1,000 jobs to stem losses

Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd (ASNB), a wholly owned unit trust company of Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB), has declared a total income distribution payout of RM2.18 billion for the financial year ending March 31, 2025 (FY2025) for two of its fixed-price funds — Amanah Saham Bumiputera 2 (ASB 2) and Amanah Saham Malaysia (ASM).

ASNB declares RM2.18b distribution for FY2025, with 5.50 sen per unit for ASB 2, five sen for ASM

The Ministry of Finance has allocated RM1.9 billion to Prasarana Malaysia Bhd to buy 1,660 new diesel and electric buses in phases over a three-year period.

Govt allocating RM1.9b to Prasarana for 1,660 new diesel, electric buses, says Amir Hamzah

KUALA NERUS (March 27): Terengganu Umno will soon send machinery to assist the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate’s campaign in the Ayer Kuning state by-election next month.

Terengganu Umno to send machinery to assist BN candidate in Ayer Kuning by-election

Malaysia’s producer price index (PPI) for local production increased by 0.3% year-on-year (y-o-y) in February 2025, easing from the 0.8% rise recorded in January, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).

Malaysia's February producer price index up 0.3% — official data

ATSUGI, Japan (March 27): Nissan plans to dramatically cut its car development time to boost its competitiveness, the struggling automaker's incoming CEO Ivan Espinosa said on Wednesday.

Japan's third-largest automaker currently takes about 55 months to develop a completely new veh...

Nissan's new CEO intends to slash its vehicle development time

(March 27): Indonesia is betting on tiny bugs from Africa to help boost its palm oil production, as the broader sector grapples with tightening supply that threatens to keep prices elevated and add to food inflation.

Indonesia to use one million African weevils to spur palm output

(March 27): Junk bonds don’t seem quite so junky anymore. US investors are piling into an asset class that has grown a little safer in recent years, and in recent weeks has drawn investors seeking a safe harbor from market turbulence.

Last year, about 51% of the US high-yield index was ...

Junk bonds win over investors seeking calm from market storm

The Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) anticipates a surge in traffic to 2.77 million vehicles per day on major expressways, during the upcoming Aidilfitri holiday.

Aidilfitri: 2.77 mil vehicles expected on major expressways

Borrowers are piling into bond markets to get deals done ahead of US President Donald Trump’s plans to impose global tariffs on April 2.

Bond markets draw rush of issuers before Trump’s tariffs hit

KUALA LUMPUR (March 27): AMMB Holding Bhd (KL:AMBANK) may pay out higher than expected dividends when the sixth-largest Malaysian bank by assets announces its strong results for the current financial year.

AMMB may pay higher than expected dividend, analysts flag

China has told state-owned firms to hold off on any new collaboration with businesses linked to Li Ka-shing and his family, according to people familiar with the matter, after the Hong Kong billionaire irked Beijing with his plan to sell two Panama ports to a global consortium.

China said to pause new deals with Li Ka-shing, family following plan to sell Panama ports to BlackRock-led consortium

KUALA LUMPUR (March 27): Ekuiti Nasional Bhd, Malaysia’s state-owned private equity firm also known as Ekuinas, said its chief executive officer Datuk Syed Yasir Arafat Syed Abd Kadir will step down on March 31.

Ekuinas announces CEO Syed Yasir Arafat to step down on March 31

Ekuiti Nasional Bhd (Ekuinas), which was formed in 2009, will be put under Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) as part of the government’s plan to consolidate the bumiputera-focused investment institutions.&nbsp;

Ekuinas to be under PNB’s purview, say sources  

US President Donald Trump said he would consider lowering tariff rates imposed on China to secure Beijing’s support for a sale of the US operations of ByteDance Ltd’s social video platform TikTok to an American company.

Trump says he could cut China tariffs to secure TikTok deal

President Xi Jinping is making China’s presence more felt across the Indo-Pacific region by testing US allies on sensitive issues, as US President&nbsp;Donald Trump’s attention is taken up elsewhere.

Xi tests US allies in Indo-Pacific as Trump looks elsewhere

Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT), the pension fund for the Malaysian Armed Forces, has declared a seven-high dividend of 5.25% for 2024.

LTAT declares seven-year high dividend of 5.25% for 2024

Used cooking oil has become an important commodity as it can be used as a base material for the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which has low carbon emissions.

Used cooking oil now main commodity in production of sustainable aviation fuel

KUALA LUMPUR (March 27): The board of directors of HHRG Bhd (KL:HHRG) has decided against convening an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) requisitioned by its largest shareholder Cfamillie Holdings Sdn Bhd to remove the board of directors of the company, and has filed a legal suit to stop it from being convened.

HHRG rejects largest shareholder’s call for EGM to remove board, files suit to stop meeting

SHAH ALAM (March 27): An AirAsia flight bound for Shenzhen, China, had to make a turnback to Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 2 shortly after takeoff, due to a reported engine fire.

AirAsia flight to China turns back to KLIA Terminal 2 due to engine fire, lands safely

Analysts have trimmed their forecasts for Gamuda Bhd (KL:GAMUDA) after weaker-than-expected earnings for the first half ended Jan 31, 2025 (1HFY2025).

Analysts trim Gamuda earnings forecasts after 1H miss

Asian shares skidded with Wall Street on Thursday, while the dollar hovered near a three-week high, after US&nbsp;President&nbsp;Donald Trump&nbsp;announced new&nbsp;tariffs&nbsp;on all auto imports, ratcheting up a&nbsp;global&nbsp;trade war that risks fuelling inflation.

Stocks skid, dollar nears three-week high as Trump announces auto tariffs

Police are investigating a viral video clip depicting an unregistered organisation allegedly promoting communist ideologies in the country.

Cops probing video, organisation suspected of promoting communist ideology

US President Donald Trump signed an order to implement a 25% tariff on auto imports, expanding a trade war designed to bring more manufacturing jobs to the US and setting the stage for an even broader push on levies next week.

Trump to hit auto imports with 25% tariff in trade fight

KUALA LUMPUR (March 27): Petronas’ first bond issuance in four years is expected to attract strong investor demand, potentially tightening spreads, lowering yields, and reducing its borrowing costs, according to CreditSights, a research arm of Fitch.

Petronas’ first bond issuance in four years likely to spike demand, making it cheaper to raise funds — CreditSights

The Ministry of Finance has&nbsp;allocated RM1.9 billion to Prasarana Malaysia Bhd to buy 1,660 new diesel and electric buses in phases over a three-year period.

Three days of relative peace were broken on Wall Street, with big tech driving major stock benchmarks lower, as concern about a trade war’s impact on the economy and inflation resurfaced to squelch risk appetites.

Stocks fall in late hours amid Trump auto tariffs

Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng Inc&nbsp;is looking to ramp up its global expansion, including investing in manufacturing plants and infrastructure, with a focus on large markets such as Europe.

Xpeng may add EV output in Europe, Latin America in growth push

KUALA LUMPUR (March 27): AMMB Holding Bhd (KL:AMBANK) may pay out higher than expected dividends when the sixth-largest Malaysian bank by assets announces its strong results for the current financial year.

US President Donald Trump said he plans to impose reciprocal levies on every nation as part of his sweeping tariff push next week, but said the rates would be lower than expected.

Trump says reciprocal tariff plan against all nations ‘lenient’

The Atlantic released the transcript of a group chat between top US officials on Signal that inadvertently included its top editor, revealing how Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared details of timing and weapons systems to be used in attacks against militants in Yemen.

Alisha Sachdev