Thailand’s richest man may have picked a bad day for his newly forged flagship company, Gulf Development Pcl, to begin trading.

Thailand’s richest man picks bad day to debut flagship firm

A condominium glut in Bangkok is set to worsen after a deadly earthquake in neighbouring Myanmar damaged thousands of skyscrapers in the Thai capital, spooking prospective buyers.

Bangkok’s condo oversupply problem may worsen over quake fears

Thai authorities sought to calm investor nerves as the stock exchange prepared to resume trading after a massive earthquake last Friday caused widespread damage to buildings and killed about 18 people.

Thailand reassures investors as markets reopen after quake

Just four months ago, Delta Electronics (Thailand) Pcl’s shares were outpacing global peers, prompting a series of moves from Thai market authorities to halt the rally. Now, the stock is in a stark reversal.

A US$30b rout turns Delta Thailand into Asia’s worst stock

Thailand has introduced an emergency decree to grant its capital markets regulator more power in its oversight and supervision after a series of corporate scandals rattled investor confidence.

Thailand to give market regulator more power to prevent frauds

An overwhelming majority of respondents in a public hearing has backed Thailand’s plan to legalise casinos, with the government signalling it’s open to incorporating suggestions to ease the high entry barrier for the locals.

Thai casino plan wins overwhelming support in public hearing

Thailand unveiled draft legislation to create a special economic zone in the south of the country that would pave the way for a multibillion-dollar transport project linking the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Thailand drafts law to speed up US$29 bil transport link

Gulf Energy Development PCL, controlled by Thailand’s richest man Sarath Ratanavadi, has built up a stake worth US$370 million (RM1.64 billion) in commercial lender Kasikornbank PCL.

Thailand’s richest man amasses US$370 mil stake in Kasikornbank 

Central Pattana Pcl, Thailand’s largest shopping mall developer, plans to invest more than 120 billion baht (US$3.6 billion or RM15.75 billion) in the next five years to build new retail plazas, office buildings and other properties, amid rising urbanisation and booming tourism.

Top Thai mall builder plans US$3.6b five-year expansion

Thailand plans to halve the number of days it allows foreign tourists to stay without visas to 30 days as the Southeast Asian nation cracks down on travellers exploiting the waiver to engage in illegal businesses, according to Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong.

Thailand plans to cut tourists’ visa-free stays to 30 days

Japanese bonds and stocks are set to draw the biggest combined monthly foreign inflows on record, adding to signs global funds are seeking alternatives to US assets.

Japanese assets draw record inflows in sign funds are leaving US

The US stock market is well past its best days and investors should be prepared to see further declines in the nation’s equities, Treasury bonds as well as the dollar, according to Christopher Wood of Jefferies Financial Group Inc.

Jefferies’ Wood says best over for US stocks, sees more losses

Malaysia's headline inflation is expected to tick up in the latter half of the year, following its lowest reading in more than four years in March, according to Moody’s Analytics.

Malaysia's inflation may rebound after March slowdown, says Moody's Analytics

KUALA LUMPUR (April 24): The Ministry of Education issued an apology for an incorrect depiction of Malaysia’s national flag, the Jalur Gemilang, on an exam results analysis report distributed on Thursday.

Education Ministry apologises for Jalur Gemilang bungle in SPM results report

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and the Treasury Department will review the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) latest assessment of Malaysia’s real gross domestic product (GDP), as reported in the April 2025 World Economic Outlook.

BNM, Treasury to review IMF's latest report on Malaysia's real GDP, says Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR (April 24): Steel Hawk Bhd (KL:HAWK) has secured a three-year contract by Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd for splash zone structural repairs and maintenance for Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak assets.

Steel Hawk bags three-year splash zone maintenance job from Petronas Carigali

KUALA LUMPUR (April 23): Marriott International Inc has signed an agreement with Citta Worldwide Sdn Bhd to introduce the Aloft Hotels brand in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan. Slated to open by the end of 2025, the upcoming Aloft Seremban is said to become the first internationally branded hotel in the city, according to a press release dated April 23.

Marriott, Citta Worldwide to launch Aloft Hotel in Seremban by end-2025

China issued the first batch of special sovereign bonds for the year on Thursday, as part of the stimulus announced by authorities to soften the blow from simmering trade tensions with the US.

China kicks off special bond sale as tariffs threaten growth

The White House is discussing lifting sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and possibly other Russian assets in Europe as part of the negotiations on Ukraine, Sputnik/RIA Novosti reported.

White House discussing lifting sanctions on Nord Stream 2 pipeline — report

ACE-market listed LYC Healthcare Bhd (KL:LYC) said it has been served with a winding-up petition by SOG Mummy & Baby Centre Pte Ltd for allegedly failing to settle an outstanding amount of RM600,000.

According to the petition, the amount owed is related to instalment payments due under a settlement reached in December 2024, which was subsequently restructured by both SOG Mummy and LYC Healthcare.

LYC Healthcare gets winding-up petition

(April 24):&nbsp;Coffee shop operator Zuspresso Sdn Bhd&nbsp;plans to open nearly 200 new stores in Southeast Asia this year, after surpassing Starbucks as Malaysia’s largest coffee chain within five years of inception.&nbsp;

ZUS Coffee to add 200 Southeast Asia stores in Starbucks duel

Stocks drifted on Thursday and a rebound in the dollar lost traction, as investors tried to sift through the noise from the&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;administration and its fickle stance on&nbsp;tariffs&nbsp;and the Federal Reserve's (Fed) leadership.

Relief rally stutters as markets take stock of Trump's U-turns

KUALA LUMPUR (April 24): The Asian Development Bank (ADB) disbursed US$4.9 billion (RM21.5 billion) to Southeast Asia in 2024, with Malaysia getting the smallest slice of the allocation, its latest annual report showed.

Asian Development Bank disbursed US$4.9b to Southeast Asia in 2024, Malaysia received US$1.7m

KUALA LUMPUR (April 24): Malaysia&nbsp;will need to mark down its growth forecast of 4.5% to 5.5% for the year, due to trade and tariff uncertainties, its central bank governor said.

Malaysia will need to revise down growth forecast, BNM governor says

The timeline for completion of the aerotrain project at the Kuala Lumpur&nbsp;International Airport (KLIA) is completely unrelated to the recent privatisation of Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB), said its chairman Dr Nungsari Ahmad Radhi.

Aerotrain completion timeline not affected by privatisation — MAHB chairman

Bursa Malaysia Bhd’s (KL:BURSA) net profit for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025 (1QFY2025) is expected to decline year-on-year, weighed down by a weaker securities average daily value (ADV) amid cautious market sentiment, according to CIMB Securities.

Bursa’s 1Q net profit could decline as much as 27% amid weaker securities average daily value — CIMB

RHB Investment Bank cautioned that inconsistent US trade policies could defer critical capital expenditure (capex) decisions and manufacturing reallocation timelines, pressuring technology sector earnings.

RHB cuts tech sector earnings amid volatile US trade policy that threatens capex, equipment demand

Former Goldman Sachs Group Inc banker Roger Ng Chong Hwa said that he first met fugitive Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) almost 20 years ago, just as the Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA)&nbsp;was about to set up.

1MDB-Tanore: Ex-Goldman banker Roger Ng says knew Jho Low around 2008/2009

(April 24):&nbsp;Investors increasingly expect Malaysia, Southeast Asia’s last holdout against interest rate cuts, to give in to mounting economic pressure from the global trade war.

Bets on Malaysia’s OPR cut mount as tariff shock dims growth outlook

Malaysia is positioning itself to become a key player in the rare earth elements (REE) value chain, amid a shifting geopolitical landscape and the ongoing trade war between the US and China.

Malaysia poised to capitalise on rare earth element opportunities amid trade war, says science minister

The new operator of Kuala Lumpur Tower, LSH Service Master&nbsp;Sdn Bhd (LSHSM), is working closely with the Ministry of Communications to determine a suitable date for the reopening of the iconic national landmark, following comprehensive maintenance and improvement works.

KL Tower reopening date to be set after major upgrade works, says LSH Service Master's CEO

ACE-market listed LYC Healthcare Bhd (KL:LYC) said it has been served with a winding-up petition by SOG Mummy &amp; Baby Centre Pte Ltd for allegedly failing to settle an outstanding amount of RM600,000.

According to the petition, the amount owed is related to instalment payments due under a settlement reached in December 2024, which was subsequently restructured by both SOG Mummy and LYC Healthcare.

U Mobile Sdn Bhd, the telco spearheading the development of Malaysia’s second 5G network, announced&nbsp;on Thursday it had signed a term sheet agreement with Celcom Timur (Sabah) Sdn Bhd (CT Sabah) — a subsidiary of CelcomDigi Bhd (KL:CDB) — to deploy leased fibre circuits in Sabah and the Federal Territory of Labuan.

U Mobile chooses CelcomDigi’s CT Sabah as fibre partner to support 5G roll-out in Sabah and Labuan

(April 24):&nbsp;Online merchants are being inundated with suspicious offers to help avoid paying US tariffs&nbsp;on goods made in China.

‘Made in Malaysia’: Online sellers bombarded with ways to evade tariffs

(April 24): US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration won’t be pursuing specific exchange-rate targets in its talks with Japan, instead reiterating his predecessor’s calls for Tokyo to abide by long-standing Group of Seven (G-7) commitments.

Bessent says ‘no currency targets’ sought in Japan talks

Citigroup Inc&nbsp;strategists called on investors to build positions in Chinese property stocks, as policy support and better management practices are expected to improve the sector’s profitability.&nbsp;

Citi says ‘good time’ to accumulate Chinese property stocks

WASHINGTON (April 24): The&nbsp;US Justice Department has cancelled hundreds of ongoing grants that funded everything from services for mental healthcare for police officers, to support programs for victims of crime and sexual assault, according to internal records and four people familiar with the matter.

US cancels hundreds of grants for police, crime victims, Justice Dept documents show

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called for a course correction for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, while saying they serve “critical roles” and the Trump administration is willing to work with them.

Bessent says US backs IMF and World Bank, while calling for reforms

(April 24):&nbsp;Signs that Donald Trump is rethinking the most aggressive elements of his combative stances on trade and the US Federal Reserve, spurred back-to-back gains in stocks and the dollar, while soothing volatility across asset classes.

US stocks notch back-to-back gains as dollar climbs

KUALA LUMPUR (April 24): The decision on the appeal of Muar member of Parliament (MP) Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman against his conviction and sentence for abetting criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of property, and money laundering involving Angkatan Bersatu Anak Muda (Armada) funds, will be known on June 25.

Anuchit Nguyen

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Anuchit Nguyen

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