US President-elect Donald Trump chose loyalists with little experience for several key cabinet positions on Wednesday, stunning some allies and making clear that he is serious about reshaping - and in some cases testing - America's institutions.

Trump taps loyalists with few qualifications for top jobs

The following is a partial list of reciprocal tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump during his April 2 press conference.

Here are Trump’s reciprocal tariffs by country

The long-awaited unveiling by President Donald Trump of sweeping reciprocal import tariffs triggered a slump in oil prices on Thursday, while gold rose to a fresh record.

Oil slumps, gold rallies as traders review Trump tariff hit

Nintendo Co will release its new Switch 2 console on June 5, seeking to keep the number one spot in video-game devices with a new version of the top-selling model it introduced in 2017.

Nintendo’s Switch 2 priced at US$450 for June 5 launch

An aggressive suite of tariffs announced Wednesday by President Donald Trump will significantly complicate the Federal Reserve’s job as it struggles to quash inflation and avoid an economic downturn, likely keeping officials in wait-and-see mode.

Tariffs put US Fed in tough spot, raise growth and price fears

SINGAPORE (April 3): The world's coal-fired power fleet inched up by 18.8 gigawatts in 2024, its lowest rise in two decades, but new additions in China and India continued to offset closures elsewhere, data from US think tank Global Energy Monitor showed on Thursday.

Despite a record su...

Global coal power capacity inches up in 2024, data shows

Stocks dived and investors scrambled to the safety of bonds, gold and the yen on Thursday as US President Donald Trump unveiled a bigger-than-expected wall of tariffs around the world's largest economy, upending trade and supply chains.

Stocks slump as US tariffs hit tech hardest

KUALA LUMPUR (April 3): Malaysian stocks fell on Thursday amid Asia-wide market decline, following reciprocal tariffs announced by the US against its trading partners.

Malaysian stocks decline following Trump reciprocal tariff

The latest round of US trade tariffs unveiled on Wednesday will sap yet more vigour from a world economy barely recovered from the post-pandemic inflation surge, weighed down by record debt and unnerved by geopolitical strife.

Trump tariffs pile stress on ailing world economy

WASHINGTON (April 2): US President Donald Trump on Wednesday unveiled a 10% minimum tariff on most goods imported to the United States, with much higher duties on products from dozens of countries, kicking into high gear a global trade war that threatens to drive up inflation and stall US and worldwide economic growth.

Trump announces 10% tariff on all imports, with higher rates for some countries

MORNING CALL: 3/4/25

KUALA LUMPUR (April 3): Malaysia has been slapped with 24% reciprocal tariff by the US effective April 9 in a sweeping trade policy hitting all of its trading partners.

Malaysia hit with 24% US reciprocal tariff effective April 9

The Construction Industry Development Board Malaysia (CIDB) has issued an apology and retracted its earlier media statement on the gas pipeline inferno in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya.

CIDB issues apology, retracts statement on devastating gas pipeline inferno

QSR Brands (M) Holdings Bhd, the operator of KFC restaurants across Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and Cambodia, said there are "no sales process currently being pursued or planned" by the group, and that it has been seeing encouraging signs of recovery in the first quarter of 2025 (1Q2025).

KFC operator QSR Brands says no sales process being pursued or planned

A brief recap of some corporate announcements that made the news on Wednesday.

Petronas Gas, Gas Malaysia, IJM, Rohas Tecnic, T7 Global, ICT Zone Asia, Capital A, YNH Property, OCK Group

Apple Inc is finding itself squarely in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump’s new tariffs, even after a yearslong effort to insulate the iPhone maker from trade wars and supply chain disruptions.

Apple production hubs, including Malaysia, hit by tariffs 

President Donald Trump on Wednesday is set to announce the most expansive US trade restrictions in a century, at a stroke upending the postwar global trading system and posing difficult-to-predict economic risks.

Trump tariff rollout opens new era of risk for global economy

Now that the US&nbsp;has instituted broad tariffs worldwide, businesses will be forced to adjust - but the options to cope with the greater-than-expected levies are limited and unpalatable for companies and their customers.

Global companies face a new reality of Trump tariff chaos

A tariff offensive Donald Trump billed as key to America’s long-term prosperity went down badly in markets late Wednesday, setting off a rout in equities that had rallied on hopes the programme would be less draconian.

S&P 500 futures sink as bonds jump on US tariffs

The dollar slid broadly on Thursday, while the euro was steady after US President Donald Trump announced more aggressive-than-anticipated tariffs against major trading partners, jolting the markets as investors sought safe haven yen and Swiss franc.

Dollar slides as traders rush into safe havens after US tariffs

KUALA LUMPUR (April 3): Malaysian stocks fell on Thursday amid Asia-wide market decline, following reciprocal tariffs announced by the US against its trading partners.

US President Donald Trump has told members of his Cabinet and other close contacts that tech billionaire Elon Musk will soon step back from his cost-cutting government role, Politico reported on Wednesday, citing three people close to Trump.

Trump tells Cabinet, others that Musk will leave soon, reports Politico 

US stock indices recovered from morning losses to trade modestly higher on Wednesday as investors awaited US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariff announcements.

Wall Street steadies ahead of Trump's tariff plans

President Donald Trump has launched an aggressive economic strategy reminiscent of the 1985 Plaza Accord, aiming to weaken the US dollar and rebalance global trade in America’s favour. Dubbed the Mar-a-Lago Accord, this initiative seeks to tackle what Trump sees as the overvaluation of the dollar — an issue he believes has contributed to America’s persistent trade deficits and weakened its manufacturing sector.

From the Plaza Accord to the Mar-a-Lago Accord: Trump’s high-stakes gamble to reshape global trade and currency markets

WASHINGTON (April 2): US President&nbsp;Donald&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;on Wednesday unveiled a 10% minimum tariff on most goods imported to the United States, with much higher duties on products from dozens of countries, kicking into high gear a global trade war that threatens to drive up inflation and&nbsp;stall US and worldwide economic growth.

British Airways is partnering with Malaysia Airlines to expand its codeshare agreement, offering travellers more travel options to Europe.

British Airways, Malaysia Airlines expand codeshare, resuming Heathrow-KLIA services

Stocks dived and investors scrambled to the safety of bonds, gold and the yen on Thursday as US President Donald Trump unveiled a bigger-than-expected wall of tariffs around the world's largest economy, upending trade and supply chains.

Shipping companies have all-but stopped buying dry bulk commodity carriers that were built in China as the industry waits to see if President Trump will press ahead with historic port charges on vessels constructed in the Asian country.

Sales of China-built ships collapse as industry sweats over US ports plan

The recovery work in the area of the gas pipeline blaze at Jalan Putra Harmoni, Putra Heights, Subang Jaya is currently safe as no gas content has been detected in the pipeline, said Subang Jaya district police chief Wan Azlan Wan Mamat.

Gas pipeline blaze: No more gas content detected, recovery work safe — police

When Geely listed Volvo Car AB in 2021, Li Shufu hailed the turnaround of the “tiger” that he’d bought 11 years earlier, and said the job now was to “give that tiger wings”.

Volvo’s billionaire owner Li faces pressure for new growth plan

An aggressive suite of tariffs announced Wednesday by President Donald Trump will significantly complicate the Federal Reserve’s job as it struggles to quash inflation and avoid an economic downturn, likely keeping officials in wait-and-see mode.

Gram Slattery, Andrew Goudsward, Patricia Zengerle & Sarah N Lynch