Yet another feather in United Plantations Bhd’s (UP) hat. The Perak-based planter has won The Edge Billion Ringgit Club (BRC) 2023 corporate award for the highest return on equity (ROE) over three years in the plantation sector. This is the fifth BRC award that the company has won over the years. It bagged two CR Awards as well in 2013 and 2016.

HIGHEST RETURN ON EQUITY OVER THREE YEARS: PLANTATION: United Plantations Bhd - Three consecutive years of record profits

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 29): Bank Negara Malaysia expects the country’s export growth to remain in contraction in the near term, albeit at a milder pace as downside risks remain, stemming from weaker external demand.

BNM: Exports to continue to contract in near term

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 28): Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) plans to generate a total of 3,000 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy by 2040, within the ambit of its National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) flagship projects.

TNB to generate 3,000MW renewable energy by 2040

Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) Research said it is neutral on VS Industry Bhd (VSI)’s additional 11% stake acquisition in HT Press Work Sdn Bhd (HTPW) for RM2.6 million, as it will take a while for this to have meaningful contributions.

HLIB neutral on VS Industry's 11% stake acquisition in HT Press Work and flattish overall orders

Targeted fuel subsidies could hit the middle-income group (M40s) the hardest, as the top 20% income earners (T20) will be better able to absorb the higher fuel costs while the bottom 40% households (B40) will be eligible for handouts to buffer the resulting higher inflation, said an analyst and economist.

Targeted fuel subsidy could squeeze M40s hardest, say experts

theedgemalaysia.com highlighted two stocks with positive momentum and seven stocks with negative momentum during Bursa Malaysia’s afternoon session on Wednesday.

Ocean Vantage, Sealink, Catcha, Swift Haulage, Spring Art, Puncak Niaga, United U-Li, SWS Capital, Formosa Prosonic

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 27): The Joint Committee on Climate Change (JC3) said there needs to be improvements towards more consistent and credible reporting by financial institutions under the Climate Change and Principle-based Taxonomy (CCPT).

Joint committee encourages financial institutions on consistent reporting under Climate Change and Principle-based Taxonomy

PublicInvest Research has derived a fair value of 28 sen for ACE market-bound SSF Home Group Bhd, which is slated to be listed on Oct 10, based on a 12 times price-earnings multiple to its financial year 2025 (FY2025) earnings per share forecast of 2.3 sen.

ACE market-bound SSF Home seen expanding retail outlets post-listing

Poh Kong Holdings Bhd’s net profit plummeted 83.3% to RM4.98 million or 1.21 sen per share in the fourth quarter ended July 31, 2023 (4QFY2023), from RM29.84 million or 7.27 sen per share a year ago, due to a fall in sales volume and increased operating expenses.

Poh Kong 4Q net profit down 83% on lower demand, high operating expenses 

Foreign appetite for emerging markets including Malaysia is expected to remain strong for the remainder of the year as investors are looking to diversify funds in light of the widening risk-reward ratio on Wall Street as another Federal Reserve rate hike looms.

Cheaper valuation of emerging market stocks set to attract strong foreign investment, says Rakuten Trade

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 22): A total of 15 areas nationwide recorded unhealthy air quality as of 9am on Thursday, with Nilai in Negeri Sembilan registering the highest Air Pollutant Index (API) reading at 163.

Haze: 15 areas record unhealthy air quality as of 9am; Nilai highest at 163

(Oct 22): Citigroup Inc is counting on securing an onshore securities licence in China as the US lender expands operations in the world’s second-largest economy following a string of major consumer exits across Asia.

Citi targets top spot in China as it awaits securities licence

'Clearly the prime minister has been wrongly advised,' says former finance minister Lim Guan Eng.

Opinion: Tuju doesn't work, improvements needed

CIMB Group Holdings Bhd (KL:CIMB) on Thursday “categorically” denied planning to privatise its Indonesian unit.

CIMB denies plans to privatise Indonesian unit

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 22): RedPlanet Bhd (KL:RPLANET) staged a strong ACE Market debut on Thursday following the information technology services firm’s listing transfer from the LEAP Market.

RedPlanet rises 42% in ACE Market debut following listing transfer

(Oct 22): The European Union (EU) reached a provisional agreement to overhaul rules governing the bloc’s securitisations markets, a deal that would unleash billions of euros to finance initiatives in key areas such as defence and climate resilience.

EU nears market securitisation reform in bid to unleash billions

Meta Platforms has struck a deal with Mark Zuckerberg to keep him living in California after the chief executive officer warned he was considering leaving the state that houses the company's headquarters if voters pass a wealth tax proposal next month.

Meta strikes deal to keep Zuckerberg in California after wealth tax concerns

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 22): The government is still finalising a natural gas roadmap that will guide the development of Malaysia’s gas sector through energy transition, a minister said on Thursday.

Malaysia’s national natural gas roadmap still being finalised, says minister

MELBOURNE/BENGALURU (Oct 22): Australia's Fortescue warned on Thursday that its operations could be hit if talks with China's state-backed buyer did not conclude by year-end, as the world's fourth-largest iron ore miner released results that showed sales lagging shipments.

Australia's Fortescue warns of possible operations hit as China state buyer talks rumble on

A total of 72 Malaysians were detained overseas on suspicion of drug-related offences, with 1,704kg of drugs, worth RM81.76 million, seized from January to Oct 15.

Bukit Aman: 72 Malaysians detained abroad over suspected drug offences this year

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

Sunway Healthcare, Sunway REIT, Zetrix AI,Malakoff,  Capitaland Malaysia,Westports, AME REIT, Pantech Global, MHB, ES Sunlogy, Kerjaya Prospek & Mudajaya

Zetrix AI Bhd (KL:ZETRIX) faces a deadline on Thursday to resolve a covenant breach that could trigger a payment default on its RM2 billion sukuk.

D-day for Zetrix AI to fix RM2b sukuk covenant breach

(Oct 22):&nbsp;Oil prices rose on Thursday as more attacks by the Houthis in Saudi Arabia prompted the United States to order some diplomats and family members to leave its missions in the Kingdom.

Oil rises as US orders diplomats to leave Saudi Arabia amid escalating tensions

US equity-index futures fell as a technology rally faded, trimming gains sparked by strong earnings that had bolstered confidence in the artificial intelligence trade.

US stock futures slip as tech earnings rally fades

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 22): RedPlanet Bhd (KL:RPLANET) staged a strong ACE Market debut on Thursday following the information technology services firm’s listing transfer from the LEAP Market.

The next five years will serve as a crucial transition period for Sarawak in its efforts to develop a high-value economy based on technology creation, said Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

Next five years crucial transition period for Sarawak’s economy

Here's a heads up on what to look out for today.

YOUR DAY AHEAD: Oct 22, 2026 

Wall Street’s wagers on artificial intelligence regained traction, with stocks rising in late hours as solid results bolstered confidence in the trade that has powered the bull market.

Stocks climb in late hours on Meta’s big AI wagers

'Clearly the prime minister has been wrongly advised,' says former finance minister Lim Guan Eng.

CIMB Group Holdings Bhd (KL:CIMB) on Thursday “categorically” denied planning to privatise its Indonesian unit.

(Oct 22):&nbsp;Malaysia has given the go-ahead for a batch of unprocessed rare earths to be exported, the first approval under a new framework designed to permit testing and potentially encourage investments in local capacity.

Malaysia allows first export of raw rare earths under new rules

The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) has urged the government to tighten enforcement against the misuse of foreign worker recruitment approvals to ensure foreign workers are employed only in approved sectors and occupations facing genuine labour shortages.

MEF urges stricter enforcement, priority for local workers

NEW YORK (Oct 21):&nbsp;Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh wasn't nominated to raise rates, but he did so anyway. Now, cash investors are asking why money market fund yields have lagged. The answer is mechanics, not malfunction.

Warsh and his colleagues on the ​Federal Open Market Commit...

Opinion: Why is capital leaving money market funds as rates rise?

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 22): Palm oil prices will stay firm above RM4,600 per tonne next month on stronger exports and seasonal output decline, said a Malaysian industry council.

Palm oil to stay above RM4,600 in November on stronger export, output decline — MPOC

(Oct 21): The Federal Reserve can substantially shrink its balance sheet if it overhauls its rate control toolkit to provide liquidity on demand, if those alterations are in made in conjunction with rule changes that allow ​banks to hold lower levels of cash on hand, says a new<a data-testid="Lin...

Brookings paper offers broad plan to shrink Fed balance sheet

(Oct 21):&nbsp;Netflix's&nbsp;cut to ​its advertising sales forecast is fuelling concerns that its growth engine is losing steam, threatening the ‌edge that made it a model for the media industry.

Shares of the company fell nearly 5% in Wednesday afternoon trading after Netflix forecast...

Netflix's ad stumble deepens fears its growth is hitting a wall

President Vladimir Putin said Russia’s ready to resume trilateral negotiations with the US and Ukraine on a potential peace deal, according to the Kremlin.

Putin says Russia ready for new peace talks with US, Ukraine

(Oct 21):&nbsp;Electronic Arts is planning to close BioWare, the developer of the "Mass Effect" series ​of games, and lay off employees ‌to focus on more lucrative projects, the company said on Wednesday in an email to employees.

EA said it would cancel an ​early-stage "Mass Effect" pro...

EA to shutter BioWare studio, cut jobs as it narrows game slate

SAN FRANCISCO/BENGALURU (Oct 21): Tesla&nbsp;cut its annual capital expenditure forecast by a fifth and posted surprise positive free cash flow in the third quarter on Wednesday, after investing far less in its AI and robotics ambitions than Wall Street had expected.

Tesla cuts spending before potential SpaceX deal even as Musk bets future on AI, robots

The Trump administration is offering to loan up to nearly a third of the one-million-barrel US emergency heating oil reserve, the Department of Energy said on Wednesday, in a bid to tame surging prices.

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