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MORNING CALL: 16/4/25

US President Donald Trump's new tariffs could cost US semiconductor equipment makers more than US$1 billion (RM4.42 billion) a year, according to industry calculations discussed with officials and lawmakers in Washington last week, two sources familiar with the matter said.

US tariffs may cost chip equipment makers more than US$1 bil, industry estimates

US equity-index futures slumped after Nvidia Corp said the government was setting new limits on its exports to China and President Donald Trump ordered a probe into potential tariffs on critical minerals.

Nasdaq 100 contracts fell more than 1% in early trading, while S&P 500 futures dropped 0.8% after the index finished slightly lower Tuesday.

US futures slide on Nvidia curbs, minerals probe

Stocks whipsawed as President Donald Trump’s fast-evolving tariff war with top trade partners showed little signs of abating, leaving investors unwilling to take on too much risk after a two-day rally.

That’s even as results from Wall Street’s financial heavyweights underscored an equity-trading boon and still-healthy consumers and businesses.

US stocks halt rally amid lingering trade-war risks

Malaysian exports to the US were meant to be hit with a 24% tariff, effective April 9. Certain goods, such as semiconductors, were to be exempted. This was part of US President Donald Trump’s sweeping trade policy targeting countries that the US has large trade deficits with.

How much does Malaysia trade with the US?

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg made a key concession at a US antitrust trial on Tuesday, saying he bought Instagram because it had a "better" camera than the one his company was trying to build for flagship app Facebook at the time.

At US antitrust trial, Meta's Zuckerberg admits he bought Instagram because it was 'better' 

Fraser & Neave Holdings Bhd (KL:F&N) marked a milestone with its first batch of 2,500 dairy heifers from Chile at its integrated dairy farm in Gemas, Negeri Sembilan.

F&N's first batch of 2,500 Chilean dairy cattles arrives in Gemas farm

OpenAI is working on its own X-like social media network, the Verge reported on Tuesday, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter.

OpenAI is working on X-like social media platform — report

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said his government will allow automakers to import US-manufactured cars and trucks without tariffs, as long as the companies keep making vehicles in Canada.

Canada scraps tariffs for automakers that keep plants running

US importers looking to sidestep Trump administration tariffs are desperately seeking space in a type of warehouse that lets them stash merchandise for as long as five years without paying duties.

Trump trade war sparks run on US warehouses with tariff loophole

Here is a brief recap of some business news and corporate announcements that made the headlines on Tuesday.

Petronas Gas, RHB Bank, Lien Hoe, Mayu Global, Binastra, Skygate, Tomei, Binasat, Aurelius Technologies, Kerjaya Prospek, Scope Industries, Keyfield International, Bank Rakyat

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg made a key concession at a US antitrust trial on Tuesday, saying he bought Instagram because it had a "better" camera than the one his company was trying to build for flagship app Facebook at the time.

Bank Rakyat has appointed Ahmad Shahril Mohd Shariff as its new chief executive officer (CEO), effective April 9.

Ahmad Shahril has been serving as the acting CEO of the bank since Nov 9, 2024, following the resignation of Datuk Mohammad Hanis Osman, who held the top job for nearly three years from July 2022.

Ahmad Shahril appointed as Bank Rakyat CEO

The federal government has approved an allocation of RM16.45 billion for the setting up of a helicopter assembly factory at the Melaka International Airport (LTAM) in Batu Berendam here, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.

Putrajaya has greenlit RM16.4b helicopter assembly plant in Melaka, says CM

Loss-making Scope Industries Bhd (KL:SCOPE) is disposing of its wholly owned manufacturing unit to Singapore-based Luxshare Precision ingapore Pte Ltd for RM96.7 million.

In a filing with the exchange on Tuesday, Scope Industries said it had entered into an agreement with Luxshare for the disposal of its entire stake in Scope Manufacturers (M) Sdn Bhd (SMSB).

anufacturer in Taiwan.

Scope Industries to exit manufacturing via RM96.7 mil sale of subsidiary

Fraser &amp; Neave Holdings Bhd (KL:F&amp;N) marked a&nbsp;milestone with&nbsp;its first batch of 2,500 dairy heifers from Chile at its integrated dairy farm in Gemas, Negeri Sembilan.

Malaysian exports to the US were meant to be hit with a 24% tariff, effective April 9. Certain goods, such as semiconductors, were to be exempted. This was part of US President Donald Trump’s sweeping trade policy targeting countries that the US has large trade deficits with.

Wall Street inched higher on Tuesday, as investors assessed the possibility of tariff relief for the auto sector, although signs of new levies on pharma and semiconductor imports kept the optimism in check.

Wall Street edges up as investors hold on to tariff relief hopes

Swift police investigations saw a kidnap suspect shot dead on Monday while the victim of the kidnapping case in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, on April 10 was freed the next day after a partial ransom was paid.

Teen victim hidden in luggage; one suspect shot dead in Seremban kidnap case

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said his government will allow automakers to import US-manufactured cars and trucks without tariffs, as long as the companies keep making vehicles in Canada.

US importers looking to sidestep Trump administration tariffs are desperately seeking space in a type of warehouse that lets them stash merchandise for as long as five years without paying duties.

US equity-index futures slumped after Nvidia Corp said the government was setting new limits on its exports to China and President Donald Trump ordered a probe into potential tariffs on critical minerals.

Nasdaq 100 contracts fell more than 1% in early trading, while S&amp;P 500 futures dropped 0.8% after the index finished slightly lower Tuesday.

The crude palm oil (CPO) futures contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives (BMD) ended lower for the second straight day on Tuesday, tracking weakness in soybean oil futures on both the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) and the Dalian Commodity Exchange.

CPO futures end lower on weaker soybean oil prices

President Donald Trump threatened Harvard University’s tax-exempt status after the school said it won’t accept his administration’s demands in exchange for continued federal funding.

Trump threatens Harvard’s tax-exempt status after school’s rebuke 

Apple's main India suppliers Foxconn and Tata shipped nearly US$2 billion (RM8.83 billion) worth of iPhones to the US in March, an all-time high, as the US company airlifted devices to bypass President Donald Trump's impending tariffs, customs data shows.

Apple airlifted iPhones worth a record US$2 bil from India in March as Trump tariffs loomed

Executives at the world’s biggest trade fair in China found themselves staring into the abyss as the seams of global commerce come apart.

Ground zero of China trade boom reckons with decoupling from US

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump's new&nbsp;tariffs&nbsp;could&nbsp;cost&nbsp;US semiconductor&nbsp;equipment&nbsp;makers&nbsp;more&nbsp;than US$1&nbsp;billion (RM4.42 billion) a year, according to industry calculations discussed with officials and lawmakers&nbsp;in Washington last week, two sources familiar with the matter said.

The European Union and US made scant progress bridging trade differences this week as officials from President Donald Trump’s administration indicated that the bulk of the US tariffs imposed on the bloc will not be removed.

EU expects most US tariffs to stay as talks make little progress

US consumer spending has benefited from strong wage growth and low unemployment so far, but it faces huge risks, bank executives warned, if the upheaval sparked by President Donald Trump's trade policy persists.

US banks flag risks to consumer spending from tariff policy uncertainties

Police have denied a viral claim that there was an explosion threat at a petrol station near the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on Tuesday.

José Antonio Ocampo