Great Eastern has made a “strategic” investment of US$70 million (RM299.36 million) in a newly formed digital financial services (DFS) unit of Axiata Group Bhd.

In announcing this today, Axiata’s digital services arm, Axiata Digital Services Sdn Bhd, said Great Eastern will hold a 21.875% stake in the new unit, Boost Holdings Sdn Bhd, with Axiata Digital controlling the remaining stake.

Great Eastern buys 22% ‘strategic’ stake in Axiata fintech unit for RM299m

It’s possible that the European Central Bank will lower interest rates at each of its upcoming meetings, according to Governing Council member Francois Villeroy de Galhau.

ECB’s Villeroy says it’s plausible to cut at each meeting

CIMB Thai Bank PCL, in which CIMB Group Holdings Bhd (KL:CIMB) owns a 94.83% stake, saw its net profit surged 77.7% to 2.85 billion baht (RM374.5 million) for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2024 (FY2024), up from 1.61 billion baht a year earlier, thanks to higher operating income and lower expected credit losses.

CIMB Thai’s FY2024 net profit surges 78%, boosted by investment gains, higher fees income and lower credit losses

European artificial intelligence champion Mistral AI is “not for sale” and instead is working toward an initial public offering, according to CEO Arthur Mensch.

French AI champion Mistral isn’t for sale, CEO Mensch says

Zecon Bhd (KL:ZECON) has teamed up with the Sabah Islamic Religious Council (MUIS) for a proposed housing development project in the state’s capital, Kota Kinabalu.

Zecon partners Sabah Islamic Religious Council for housing project

Pansar Bhd (KL:PANSAR) has secured a RM477.69 million highway construction job from the Sarawak Public Works Department.

The contract, awarded to its wholly owned subsidiary Perbena Emas Sdn Bhd via an invited tender, involves the design and construction of the Serian-Gedong-Samarahan dual carriageway highway.

Pansar bags RM478 mil highway construction job in Sarawak

KLANG (Jan 21): The police have confirmed that 32 individuals were injured in an explosion at a chemical recycling plant in Taman Perindustrian Kapar Indah, Klang, on Monday (Jan 20) evening.

Chemical recycling plant explosion in Klang injures 32 — police

For President Xi Jinping, the stage was set for an explosive start to Donald Trump’s presidency, after he campaigned on a promise to punish China with tariffs. Instead, the American leader’s first day back in office bought Beijing some unexpected breathing room.

Xi dodges early Trump tariffs, buying China time to influence US

KLANG (Jan 21): Section 2 of the West Coast Expressway (WCE) will be opened to traffic starting midnight on Wednesday (Jan 22), which will complement Port Klang as the largest logistics hub in Southeast Asia.

Section 2 of West Coast Expressway opens at midnight, toll-free for a month

European natural gas prices moved higher, with traders assessing the prospect of another year of tight supplies against US plans to boost exports.

Benchmark futures rose after fluctuating earlier, adding as much as 1.6% in early trade. Europe’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) demand is expected to increase by more than 15% in 2025 after a drop a year ago, and the global gas market balance remains fragile, the International Energy Agency said in a report on Tuesday.

Europe gas gains as market mulls tightness against US LNG plan

Mah Sing Group Bhd (KL:MAHSING) is purchasing a 2.78-acre prime land in Sentul here for RM32 million, where it plans to develop its new RM283 million residential development project dubbed M Aria.

The new project marks Mah Sing’s third development in Sentul and is estimated to carry a gross development value (GDV) of RM283 million, according to the property developer’s bourse filing.

Mah Sing buys RM32 mil land for third project in Sentul

Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd (KL:MRCB) is said to have won the bid for the Ipoh Railway Station Integrated Development Plan (iRide) project, which will be inked on Thursday (Jan 23) in Ipoh, Perak, according to sources.

MRCB wins bid for Ipoh Sentral, say sources 

Payment under Phase 1 of Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah&nbsp;or Rahmah Cash Donation (STR) will be disbursed in stages from Wednesday, according to the Ministry of Finance (MOF).

Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah's Phase 1 payment starts on Wednesday

RichTech Digital Bhd, which distributes electronic reloads and provides bill payment services, has launched the prospectus for its ACE Market initial public offering (IPO) to raise up to RM20 million.

RichTech launches ACE Market IPO prospectus, seeks to raise up to RM20m

President Donald Trump wasted no time announcing steps to implement many of his campaign pledges, including on immigration, energy, the military and federal workforce, casting many as reversing the policies of his predecessor, Joe Biden.

A rundown of Trump’s executive actions, from tariffs to immigration

President Donald Trump did not immediately impose tariffs on Monday as previously promised but directed federal agencies to "investigate and remedy" persistent US trade deficits and unfair trade practices and currency manipulation by other countries.

Trump holds off on immediate tariffs but plans trade overhaul

(Jan&nbsp;21): Yinson Production Offshore Pte Ltd plans to allocate US$4.5 billion to US$6 billion (RM20.2 billion to RM30 billion) capital expenditure in the next three years to expand ahead of a possible initial public offering in the US.

Yinson's FPSO unit to allocate up to US$6 bil in capex

The dollar fell as Donald Trump was sworn in as US president, with traders betting that he’d hold off on implementing aggressive tariffs immediately after his Inauguration.

US dollar tumbles on bets Trump holds off on immediate tariffs

Datuk Seri Najib Razak claimed that the legality of the government task force investigating the multi-billion-dollar 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) debacle was questionable.

Najib claims 1MDB govt task force disbanded due to unlawfulness

The government is reviewing a more targeted approach to assist the public, replacing the method of providing toll-free travel during festive seasons, said Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi.

No more toll-free travel during festive seasons — minister

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 21): Aluminium smelting and extrusion facility, Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd’s (KL:PMETAL) fourth quarterly earnings are expected to come in a range of RM375 million to RM400 million, according to Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB).

Press Metal’s 4Q earnings to be boosted by associate PT Bintan’s contribution amid high alumina prices, says HLIB

The two sons of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad have together declared assets worth RM1.2 billion to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Bloomberg reported on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Mahathir's two sons declare RM1.2 bil assets to MACC — Bloomberg

A who’s who of the world’s wealthiest people surrounded US President Donald Trump as he took the oath of office — gathering a combined net worth exceeding US$1.3 trillion (RM5.8&nbsp;trillion) for the occasion.

The new order: Tech billionaires worth US$1.3 tril at Trump inauguration

Malaysia’s National Water Services Commission (SPAN) on Tuesday raised concerns over the extensive, unsustainable use of potable water by data centres in the country.

SPAN calls out data centres for unsustainable use of potable water 

Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak insisted that 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) benefitted the nation despite the crippling debt forced upon it, according to his court testimony on Tuesday.

Najib maintains 1MDB benefitted country, despite overwhelming debt

Datuk Seri Najib Razak does not appear to see anything wrong with getting updates on the then-ongoing investigations into 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal.

Najib sees nothing wrong with getting updates on investigations involving him

THE days of “super big profits” once enjoyed by Sime Darby Bhd (KL:SIME) in China’s car market are over, but the automotive and industrial equipment trading company remains confident in its long-term prospects.

Executive director and group CEO Datuk Jeffri Salim Davidson still believes ...

Special Report: China’s car-making juggernaut keeps Sime Darby CEO up at night

Wall Street breathed a collective sigh a relief after Donald Trump held off from imposing China-specific tariffs on his first day in office, pushing US equity futures higher. The dollar slumped.

Tariff relief lifts S&P futures as Trump sworn in

A tariff war with the US will cut into economic growth of a trading bloc of Southeast Asian nations, China, Japan and South Korea, according to a regional macroeconomic surveillance organisation.

Retaliatory tariffs against US could shave Asean+3 growth by up to 2%, AMRO warns

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday to create an advisory group called the Department of Government Efficiency aimed at carrying out dramatic cuts to the US government, attracting immediate lawsuits challenging its operations.

Trump announces 'DOGE' advisory group, attracting instant lawsuits

Global markets greeted Donald Trump's presidency with apprehension on Tuesday in moves that were highly sensitive to headlines over the newly sworn-in president's plans for trade relations and tariffs in particular.

Chee Gee Ren & Wong Ee Lin

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