LAST week, the government disclosed that it will pay British chip architect Arm Holdings plc, which is owned by SoftBank Group Corp, a total of  US$250 million (RM1.11 billion) over 10 years for semiconductor-related licences and know-how.

According to Minister of Economy Datu...

The State of the Nation: Shot in the arm for producing Malaysian-made semiconductor chip

PENANG-based automated test equipment (ATE) maker and automation house Pentamaster Corp Bhd (KL:PENTA) is in the process of privatising its Hong Kong-listed, 63.9%-owned subsidiary, Pentamaster International Ltd (PIL) with partners.

And if everything goes according to plan, PIL will be ...

Pentamaster has big plans with Taiwanese partners after privatising Hong Kong unit 

US President Donald Trump is set to meet next week with top executives from some of the country’s biggest tech companies who are worried about new import tariffs and tighter export rules that could disrupt their businesses.

The Week Ahead: US tech leaders’ meeting with Trump to hog the limelight

US president Donald Trump’s return to the White House has further disrupted global trade, particularly in semiconductor and technology supply chains, which has prompted the European Union (EU) and Japan to intensify efforts to bring key industries back home to safeguard their economies.

Tech: Malaysia must comply with US tech controls in its pursuit of AI goals, says geopolitics expert

Brokers Digest: Local Equities - Healthcare sector, Public Bank Bhd, Mega First Corp Bhd, Kelington Group Bhd

In a major move to protect US metal producers, President Donald Trump last Monday imposed 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports, removing all previous exemptions. The decision, seen as a step towards a full-blown trade war, aims to close loopholes that allowed tariff circumvention throug...

Malaysian steel firms under pressure from new US tariffs

PENANG-based electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider Nationgate Holdings Bhd (KL:NATGATE) holds a unique position as one of only four elite Asian original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partners of US chip giant Nvidia Corp.

Nationgate is Nvidia’s sole contract manufacturer in S...

Nationgate: Balancing Nvidia boom with market jitters

Crowne Plaza Penang Straits City officially opened on Tuesday, marking the first completed phase of the Straits City waterfront master development in Butterworth, Penang.

Crowne Plaza Penang Straits City opens, kicks off RM4.3b master development in Butterworth

JUST six weeks into 2025, shockwaves are already rippling through the global semiconductor industry.

From former US president Joe Biden’s eleventh hour artificial intelligence (AI) diffusion rule to Donald Trump’s return to the White House with new tariffs, the geopolitical landscape ha...

The State of the Nation: Weathering emerging headwinds on the semiconductor landscape 

US-China tech rivalry has catalysed significant shifts in supply chains, creating openings for Southeast Asian nations such as Malaysia to attract foreign investments under the China Plus One (China+1) strategy amid the AI boom. The race for semiconductor supremacy is not just about business, tho...

Cover Story: Redefining Malaysia’s role in the semiconductor supply chain

Versa Asia Sdn Bhd (Versa), a financial technology start-up with about 300,000 registered users, has completed its series A funding round led by AHAM Asset Management Bhd (AHAM Capital).

AHAM Capital makes one of its largest investments in Versa’s RM30 mil series A funding round

Malaysia suffered damages totalling RM933.4 million from floods in 2024, a 23% increase from the previous year, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).

Malaysia suffers RM933 mil damages from 2024 floods, DOSM survey shows

theedgemalaysia.com highlighted four stocks with negative momentum at Bursa Malaysia's noon break on Wednesday.

Stocks with momentum on March 19, 2025: Sapura Energy, Mentiga Corp, Salcon, Poh Kong

SARAWAK-based PMG Healthcare Sdn Bhd, the largest primary integrated healthcare provider in East Malaysia, is looking to expand its footprint in Peninsular Malaysia as heightened competition weeds out the weaker players.

The healthcare group, which recently entered into a strategic part...

PMG Healthcare eyes acquisitions as retail pharmas consolidate amid heightened competition

Solar energy solution provider Solarvest Holdings Bhd (KL:SLVEST) has signed a large-scale solar photovoltaic power purchase agreement (PPA) with Tenaga Nasional Bhd or TNB (KL:TENAGA).

Solarvest signs large-scale solar power purchase agreement with TNB

Xiaomi Corp is expanding the size of a planned second electric car factory in Beijing, according to a person familiar with the matter, after the success of its first model prompted billionaire co-founder Lei Jun to raise this year’s sales target to 350,000 vehicles.

Xiaomi plans to expand Beijing EV factory to meet surging demand

Oracle Corp is weighing a proposal for a sale of TiKTok’s US operations that would have it provide security assurances and take a small stake in a new American entity while potentially leaving the app’s influential algorithm in Chinese hands, according to people familiar with the matter.

Oracle weighing security backstop, small stake to land TikTok deal — Bloomberg

Malaysian shares fell on Wednesday as investors returned from holiday with caution following overnight losses on Wall Street and sharp declines in neighbouring markets.

The country’s benchmark equity index FBM KLCI fell as much as 15.6 points or 1% to 1,512.21 after three consecutive sessions of gain.

Malaysian shares dip as investors return from holiday with caution

Lee Shau-kee, the Hong Kong billionaire known as “Asia’s Warren Buffett” and whose business empire included real estate, utilities and public infrastructure, has passed away. He was 97.

HK billionaire developer Lee Shau-kee, known as Asia’s Warren Buffett, passes on at 97

The sustainability agenda has become a major concern discussed globally. Malaysia is taking significant steps towards sustainability and climate action, recognising the need for collaborative efforts to protect its natural environment while driving economic growth. A key initiative is the propose...

My Say: Understanding the Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage Bill 2025

The Court of Appeal (COA) on Wednesday upheld the Kuala Lumpur High Court's decision that quashed the proposed fine of RM86.77 million imposed by the Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) on Grab Holdings Inc, together with its subsidiaries GrabCar Sdn Bhd and MyTeksi Sdn Bhd, in 2019.

Appellate court upholds quashing of proposed RM86.77 mil fine against Grab, two others

Malaysian shares fell on Wednesday as investors returned from holiday with caution following overnight losses on Wall Street and sharp declines in neighbouring markets.

The country’s benchmark equity index FBM KLCI fell as much as 15.6 points or 1% to 1,512.21 after three consecutive sessions of gain.

US President Donald Trump released material related to the 1963 assassination of President John F Kennedy on Tuesday, seeking to honor his campaign promise to provide more transparency about the shock event in Texas.

Trump releases JFK assassination documents

Affin Bank Bhd has signed an agreement with Halogen Capital to distribute the Halogen Shariah Defensive Bitcoin Fund, a digital asset fund with an integrated capital preservation strategy, to investors.

Halogen Capital is a digital asset fund manager licensed by the Securities Commission Malaysia.

Affin Bank to distribute Bitcoin fund managed by Halogen Capital  

Siemens will cut 5,600 jobs at its Digital Industries business, the engineering company said on Tuesday, in the latest blow for German industry shaken by weak demand at home and abroad.

Siemens to cut 8% of jobs at struggling factory automation business

Bangkok Airways Pcl is gearing up to order as many as 30 new aircraft as it renews its aging fleet and plans for a tourism boost driven by the popularity of television series the White Lotus.

Bangkok Airways seeks 30 new jets as TV series White Lotus boosts tourism

Corporate figure Tan Sri Mohamad Salim Fateh Din has been appointed as the new chairman of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Anti-Corruption Advisory Board (ACAB) for the 2025-2028 session effective Feb 2.

Salim Fateh Din appointed MACC Anti-Corruption Advisory Board chairman

Heavy selling resumed in Wall Street’s largest technology companies, with American shares snapping a two-day rebound amid signs investors are paring exposure in US risk assets. European stocks gained.

US stocks hit by tech rout on eve of Federal Reserve decision day

The Association of Private Healthcare Malaysia (APHM) has rejected the insurance and takaful operators’ (ITOs) proposal for private hospitals to freeze costs for three years and also for the Health Ministry to regulate the pricing of pharmaceuticals or medication. 
&nbsp;

Private hospitals association reject calls for three-year costs freeze, regulation of pharmaceutical pricing

Asian stocks were subdued on Wednesday and gold hovered near record highs as economic worries and a shifting geopolitical landscape kept risk appetite in check, while the yen was a tad softer ahead of the Bank of Japan's (BOJ) policy decision.

Asian stocks muted, yen softer ahead of BOJ decision

Morgan Stanley is planning to cut about 2,000 employees later this month in the first major workforce reduction under chief executive officer Ted Pick.

Morgan Stanley plans about 2,000 job cuts to cut costs — Bloomberg

Solarvest Holdings Bhd’s (KL:SLVEST) stock edged up on Wednesday, bucking broader market decline, as investors cheer its biggest job win to-date and analysts see more contract flows in coming months.

Solarvest bucks broader market decline as analysts, investors cheer contract win

Bain Capital-owned data centre operator Bridge Data Centres has obtained a US$2.8 billion (RM12.43 billion) loan for its operations in Malaysia, according to people familiar with the matter, marking the its largest bank financing deal ever.

Bain Capital-owned Bridge Data gets record US$2.8 bil loan 

Indonesia's GoTo Gojek on Wednesday reiterated that there was no agreement with any party about a potential transaction after a media report emerged that Singapore-headquartered Grab was moving forward to buy it.

GoTo reiterates no deal in place with any party as it addresses Grab buyout rumours

Gold rose to hit a record high on Wednesday, as Middle East tensions and trade uncertainties lifted the bullion's appeal, while traders awaited the Federal Reserve's (Fed) decision later in the day.

Gold hits record high on safe-haven demand; Fed decision in focus

It wasn’t supposed to unfold this way. Just over a year ago, optimism about Indonesia was running high, with investors expecting Prabowo Subianto to extend former president Joko Widodo’s pro-business policies.

Indonesia’s wild stock moves spark fresh investability concerns

HE Group Bhd’s (KL:HEGROUP) earnings could decline this year amid delays in contracts roll out, Phillip Capital warned on Wednesday and cut its target price by 48%.

Contracts delays could snag on HE Group’s earnings, Phillip Capital slashes target price by 48%

Indonesia’s central bank may hold its key interest rate unchanged to support the rupiah, opting for stability after the nation’s veteran finance minister was forced to deny resignation rumors that sent stocks tumbling.

Indonesia may hold rate as stocks, trade turmoil threaten rupiah

Jensen Huang, Nvidia Corp’s chief executive officer, used his annual developer conference to address concerns that the cost of artificial intelligence computing is spiralling out of control.

Nvidia looks to expand AI reign with new chips, personal supercomputers

Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd’s (KL:KLK) stock may have more upside ahead, with the palm oil producer on track for a 40% surge in net profit this financial year, said RHB Investment Bank.

Liew Jia Teng

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