(Jan 26): US search engine startup Perplexity AI has revised the merger proposal which it had submitted to TikTok's Chinese parent ByteDance to create a new entity combining Perplexity and TikTok US, a person familiar with the proposal told Reuters on Sunday.

Perplexity AI proposes to merge with TikTok, with US government getting half — Reuters

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the underlying economy is healthy and there’s no reason for the US to see a recession, while rejecting the idea of assuring there cannot be a downturn.

Bessent sees no reason for recession, economic data ‘healthy’

Tencent Music Entertainment Group's revenue rose 8.2% in the fourth quarter, as China's biggest music streaming company registered its second straight quarter of growth after a year-long slowdown.

Tencent Music quarterly revenue climbs 8% on stronger streaming demand

Alphabet said on Tuesday it would buy Wiz for US$32 billion (RM142.2 billion) in its biggest deal as the Google parent doubles down on cybersecurity to sharpen its edge in the cloud-computing race against Amazon.com and Microsoft.

Alphabet to buy Wiz for US$32b in its biggest deal to boost cloud security

Apple Inc lost its fight at Germany’s top civil court to overturn a regulator’s decision to put it under tighter antitrust scrutiny alongside other US tech giants.

Apple loses top court fight over German antitrust crackdown

Volkswagen AG’s Audi will cut as many as 7,500 positions in Germany by 2029 as the automaker tries to shore up its flagging profitability.

Audi to cut 7,500 jobs in Germany to become more efficient

Indonesia’s veteran Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said she will stay in her post, dispelling resignation rumours that helped drive the stock market to its biggest slump in three years.

Indonesia’s Indrawati says she is not quitting as finance chief

Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) deputy director general (entrepreneurship) Datuk Zulfikri Osman has been appointed as the new Mara director general.

Zulfikri Osman appointed Mara director general 

Malaysia strongly condemned the killing of eight humanitarian workers from the Malaysian Consultative Council for Islamic Organisations (Mapim) in an airstrike in Gaza last Saturday.

Anwar condemns killing of Mapim humanitarian workers in Gaza 

Zero tolerance for intolerance is a crucial principle that must be firmly embraced in Malaysia, a country rich with cultural and religious diversity, said National Unity Advisory Council member Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.

Lee Lam Thye urges zero tolerance for intolerance, return to core values of Rukun Negara 

Israeli airstrikes pounded Gaza, killing more than 400 people, Palestinian health authorities said on Tuesday, threatening the complete collapse of a two-month ceasefire as Israel vowed to use more force to free hostages held by Hamas.

Israeli strikes kill over 400 in Gaza, say Palestinians, threatening total truce collapse

An ultra-high net worth Chinese businessman is suing four former staff in Singapore for allegedly misappropriating S$74 million (US$56 million or RM248.9 million), underscoring the vulnerabilities of certain family office structures.

Rich Chinese alleges family office staff in Singapore misused US$56m

Indonesian stocks plummeted 7% on Tuesday and the rupiah slid to a two-week trough, pressured by concerns over the government's fiscal strategy and the nation's growth prospects ahead of the central bank's monetary policy decision.

Indonesian stocks plunge 7% as growth, fiscal worries weigh

Grab Holdings Ltd is moving forward with its attempt to take over GoTo Group, according to people familiar with the matter, who said the Singaporean ride and delivery firm has begun due diligence on its Indonesian rival.

Grab said to move forward with talks to acquire rival GoTo

Gold scaled an all-time peak on Tuesday, extending its historic run above the US$3,000 mark as global uncertainties exacerbated by rising trade tensions kept investors hooked on the popular safe-haven asset.

Gold extends historic rally as investors seek cover from tariff risks

Indonesia will raise its palm oil export levy to between 4.5% and 10% of the crude palm oil reference price, up from 3% to 7.5%, to finance a mandated increase in the amount of the oil used in biodiesel, a plantation fund official said on Tuesday.

Indonesia to raise palm oil export levy to 4.5% to 10%, official says

A Road Transport Department (JPJ) personnel was sentenced to one year in prison and a fine of RM80,000 by the Ayer Keroh Sessions Court here on eight counts of corruption.

JPJ personnel jailed, fined RM80,000 over graft

CEOs in Malaysia see a lack of availability of skilled workers as being the biggest threat to their business in the year ahead, a PwC survey shows. The result raises questions as to how this might impact companies’ growth plans and hiring.

Interestingly, this particular concern about sk...

Shortage of skilled workers a top concern for Malaysian CEOs — PwC survey

A growing share of US consumers say they’re not seeking loans because they expect to be refused amid tight credit conditions, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Americans see growing risk they’ll get turned down for loans

Police have recorded the statement of a 65-year-old man suspected of slapping a non-Muslim individual at a convenience store in a shopping mall on Sunday.

Johor police quiz man who allegedly slapped non-Muslim for eating during Ramadan

A trade war sparked by US President Donald Trump's tariffs may drive up global inflation, stoke market volatility and slow economic growth, the CEOs of two top Australian banks said on Tuesday, but added Australia was insulated from the disruption.

Australian bank CEOs say Trump 'tariff madness' may drive up global inflation

<h3>Banking</h3>

POSITIVE

MAYBANK IB RESEARCH (March 4): Banks ended 2024 on a decent note, with all banks under our coverage meeting expectations and AMMB Holdings Bhd (KL:AMBAN...

Brokers Digest: Local Equities - Banking, KPJ Healthcare Bhd, Guan Chong Bhd, Malakoff Corp Bhd

Investors slashed exposure to US equities by the most on record in recent weeks as expectations of global economic growth worsened, according to Bank of America Corp.

BofA survey shows biggest ever drop in exposure to US equities

Indonesia’s veteran Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said she will stay in her post, dispelling resignation rumours that helped drive the stock market to its biggest slump in three years.

Thailand plans to halve the number of days it allows foreign tourists to stay without visas to 30 days as the Southeast Asian nation cracks down on travellers exploiting the waiver to engage in illegal businesses, according to Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong.

Thailand plans to cut tourists’ visa-free stays to 30 days

DATUK Lim Kian Onn, co-founder and executive chairman of ECM Libra Group Bhd (KL:ECM), has emerged as a white knight for beleaguered Aseana Properties Ltd, a property developer whose listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) was pioneered 18 years ago by the Lai family that controlled Ireka Corp...

ECM Libra’s Lim emerges as London-listed Aseana Properties’ white knight

The recording of former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s statement at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters over allegations of corruption and money laundering has been postponed to Wednesday.

MACC's questioning of Ismail Sabri postponed to tomorrow

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the underlying economy is healthy and there’s no reason for the US to see a recession, while rejecting the idea of assuring there cannot be a downturn.

Tencent Music Entertainment Group's revenue rose 8.2% in the fourth quarter, as China's biggest music streaming company registered its second straight quarter of growth after a year-long slowdown.

2024 was a good year for Malaysia’s economy. The World Bank raised its growth forecast to 4.9%, a solid 14% jump from earlier projections. Growth surged beyond expectations, inflation remained moderate and investments boomed.

Unlocking new growth drivers: Services, subnational, sustainability

Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) deputy director general (entrepreneurship) Datuk Zulfikri Osman has been appointed as the new Mara director general.

Rishabh Jaiswal & Gnaneshwar Rajan