The veteran head of markets at one of Japan’s largest banks sees the potential for the central bank to raise benchmark interest rates to a three-decade high of 2% if economic trends persist.

Sumitomo Mitsui markets head sees BOJ rate at 30-year high

(Feb 4): As Japan’s biggest bank heads for record profit that surpasses even its own projections, one thing is on the mind of its chief financial officer: what to do with all those extra earnings and how to make the good times last.

Japan’s MUFG looks beyond record profits to win global investors

ASML Holding NV warned that it doesn’t know how to quantify the impact from recent tariff announcements, which have threatened to upend the semiconductor industry, after it reported lower-than-expected orders in the first quarter.

ASML orders miss estimates, CEO warns of tariff uncertainty

The King, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, has expressed his belief that Malaysia and China will continue to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, despite various geopolitical gaps around the world.

King confident Malaysia, China will continue to empower cooperation

Shares fell in Asia on Wednesday as AI darling Nvidia took a hit from US curbs on chip sales to China, highlighting the damage to come in a tit-for-tat global trade war, while gold hit a record and the safe-haven currencies jumped.

Shares skid in Asia as Nvidia curbs fan worries, gold surges to record

JUST days after Donald Trump began his second term as the US president, a friend reminded me about a Chinese proverb: “One mountain cannot accommodate two tigers.” My pal and I had been texting each other about billionaire Elon Musk, his electric vehicle (EV) firm Tesla Inc and his outsized role ...

Tech: Why Elon Musk is ready for ‘DOGExit’

In the 1Malaysia Development Board-Tanore (1MDB-Tanore) trial, former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer Datuk Mohd Hafaz Nazar testified that a key part of the MACC's standard interview process — a question-and-answer session — was skipped during a 2015 trip to Saudi Arabia to verify former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s claim that the US$681 million he received was a donation from Saudi royalty.

1MDB-Tanore: MACC skipped key interview step in Saudi probe on Najib’s US$681m donation claim, court told

Malaysia’s takaful industry saw its net contributions increase to RM19 billion in 2024, up 9.8% from RM17.3 billion in the previous year, supported by higher growth in both family and general takaful.

Malaysia's takaful industry records RM19b contributions in 2024, payout hits RM10.2b

President Donald Trump’s administration has barred Nvidia Corp from selling its H20 chip in China, an escalation of Washington’s tech battle with Beijing that will cost the company billions of dollars and hamstring a product line it explicitly designed to comply with previous US curbs.

Nvidia warns Trump curbs on China chips to cost US$5.5 bil

A top Asian junk bond investor purchased more of such debt during the recent tariff-induced market turmoil, reiterating a bullish view on the sector, given fewer defaults and expectations of a lighter blow from trade tensions.

Top UBS fund manager says he bought ‘oversold’ Asian junk bonds during rout

Sapura Energy Bhd (KL:SAPNRG) has secured multiple contracts worth nearly RM100 million combined in Malaysia and Thailand to provide offshore support vessels.

Sapura Energy bags multiple contracts worth nearly RM100 mil

Chinese stocks in Hong Kong are set to snap a six-day winning streak, as renewed fears of an expanding US-China trade war weigh on sentiment.

The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index tumbled as much as 3.2%, while the mainland benchmark CSI 300 Index dropped as much as 0.9%. Both indices were among Asia’s worst performers on Wednesday.

Chinese stocks slump in Hong Kong as trade war concerns mount

President Donald Trump’s administration has barred Nvidia Corp from selling its H20 chip in China, an escalation of Washington’s tech battle with Beijing that will cost the company billions of dollars and hamstring a product line it explicitly designed to comply with previous US curbs.

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?

Chinese President Xi Jinping was given a state welcome at Istana Negara on Wednesday in conjunction with a three-day state visit starting on Tuesday at the invitation of the King, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar.

Chinese President Xi accorded state welcome at Istana Negara

Malaysian banks, in spite of their domestic focus, will not emerge completely unscathed from the escalating international trade tensions, TA Securities flagged on Wednesday.

Malaysian banks, despite local focus, will suffer from trade tensions fallout — TA Securities

US President Donald Trump called on China to reach out to him in order to kick off negotiations aimed at resolving the escalating trade fight between the world’s two largest economies.&nbsp;

Trump presses China to make tariff offer to calm trade war

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.

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

Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) is offering up to 30% off on airfares for economy and business class on all Malaysian Airlines routes, domestic and international, in conjunction with Matta Fair 2025.

MAG offers up to 30% off for Malaysian Airlines tickets at Matta Fair

The government will implement the diagnostic-related group (DRG) payment system only for new basic health insurance and takaful products, instead of changing the entire private healthcare payment model, according to Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) Research.

Govt to apply diagnostics-related group payment system to basic insurance only, private healthcare model unaffected — HLIB Research

Gold rose to a record high as the Trump administration pressed ahead with probes that could broaden a sweeping trade war, boosting demand for havens.

Gold climbs to record as expanding trade war aids haven demand

The 1Malaysia Development Bhd-Tanore (1MDB-Tanore) trial, which has been on the 'tail-end' for months, seems to be protracted even longer with more contestations to subpoena possible witnesses.

1MDB-Tanore: Now, IGP contests defence’s subpoena

China's first-quarter economic growth outstripped expectations, underpinned by solid consumption and industrial output, but analysts fear momentum could shift sharply lower as US tariffs pose the biggest risk to the Asian powerhouse in decades.

China 1Q GDP growth beats expectations, but US tariff shock looms large

Four weeks before Melbourne entered lockdown in March 2020, a group of councillors gathered in the city’s Town Hall to back a proposal for the tallest structure that Australia had ever seen, one that would see a spiralling green garden wrapped around a 365-metre skyscraper.

A US$1.7 bil plan to build Australia’s tallest tower falters

President Donald Trump launched a probe into the need for tariffs on critical minerals, the latest action in an expanding trade war that has targeted key sectors of the global economy.

Trump launches critical minerals probe to weigh new tariffs

Shares fell in Asia on Wednesday as AI darling Nvidia took a hit from US curbs on chip sales to China, highlighting the damage to come in a tit-for-tat global trade war, while gold hit a record and the safe-haven currencies jumped.

Shares of Aurelius Technologies Bhd (KL:ATECH) extended gains sharply, outperforming peers and the broader market on Wednesday, after announcing a bonus share issue.

Aurelius Tech's stock rises more than 4% after bonus share issue plan

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

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.

US futures slide on Nvidia curbs, minerals probe

The High Court here has given time for the lawyers of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to “consider his approach” in contempt of court proceedings that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has brought against him.&nbsp;

Zahid’s attempt to commit Mahathir for contempt postponed after court gives time for Dr M to 'consider his approach'

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene sold US Treasuries and bought stakes in Amazon.com Inc, Blackstone Inc&nbsp;and Tesla Inc&nbsp;the day before President Donald Trump put a 90-day pause on retaliatory tariffs and prompted a market rally.

Trump ally Marjorie Taylor Greene sold Treasuries, bought Tesla, Amazon, Blackstone before rally

Malaysian businesses recorded a sharp rise in ransomware activity last year, with attempts increasing by 153% year on year, according to cybersecurity firm Kaspersky.

Taiga Uranaka & Hideki Suzuki