The S&P 500 and Nasdaq fell on Friday as investors were on edge ahead of Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell's comments that some fear may have a hawkish tilt towards monetary policy.

S&P, Nasdaq slip as caution prevails ahead of Powell comments

US-listed shares of Alibaba Group Holding declined on Friday following a Morgan Stanley downgrade on concerns over slower turnaround in its key businesses, hours after PDD raced past its rival to become the most valuable Chinese e-commerce firm.

Alibaba dips on Morgan Stanley downgrade as PDD grabs spot of most valuable Chinese e-commerce firm

Shares of crypto miners and bitcoin-tracking companies climbed in premarket trading on Friday as the world's largest cryptocurrency extended a recent rally to touch a near 19-month high on improving risk appetite.

Bitcoin, up 2% at US$38,410, has been gaining since October on optimism that a potential approval of a spot exchange-traded fund is likely to unleash more capital investments in the digital asset sector.

Crypto stocks set to start December on a high note as bitcoin hits near 19-month high

A weekly round-up of tanker and dry bulk market (Dec 1, 2023)

Baltic Exchange shipping updates: Dec 1, 2023

Mining firm OM Holdings Ltd, which is dual-listed on Bursa Malaysia and the Australian Stock Exchange, has issued 27.63 million shares, representing a 3.75% stake, in the company to JFE Shoji Corp for A$13.04 million (about RM40.34 million) or A$0.472 sen per share.

Japan-based JFE Shoji takes up 3.75% stake in OM Holdings

After seven turbulent years in Nepal, Axiata Group Bhd is selling its stake in Ncell Axiata Bhd by disposing of its shares in Reynolds Holdings Ltd, which holds an 80% stake in Ncell Axiata, and exiting the country.

Axiata sells Ncell stake and exits Nepal, cites unfair taxation and unfavourable foreign investor protection

Bitcoin soared to its highest price so far this year, as investors took on more risk ahead of comments from Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell which could give guidance on whether the US is closer to lowering interest rates.

Bitcoin rally pushes largest token to 18-month high

Brazil is expected to join the Opec+ group of oil-producing countries in January but would not take part in the group's coordinated output caps, the chief executive of state-run oil firm Petrobras told Reuters.

Brazil to join Opec+ but won't cap oil output, Petrobras CEO says

Oil prices were broadly steady on Friday following a 2% drop on Thursday, with the market seemingly unconvinced that the latest round of production cuts by the Opec+ coalition will be able to lift prices out of their recent slump.

Oil prices stabilise after slump on underwhelming Opec+ cuts

Israel's warplanes pounded Gaza on Friday after talks to extend a week-old truce with Hamas broke down, sending wounded and dead Palestinians into hospitals and others onto the streets to seek safety.

Eastern areas of Khan Younis in southern Gaza came under intensive bombardment as the deadline lapsed shortly after dawn, with columns of smoke rising into the sky, Reuters journalists in the city said. Residents took to the road with belongings heaped up in carts, fleeing for shelter further west.

Scores reported killed in Gaza after Israel-Hamas truce collapses

(Dec 1): Dell Technologies Inc reported revenue that declined more than expected, buffeted by continued sluggish corporate demand for personal computers.

Fiscal third-quarter sales fell 10% to US$22.3 billion (RM104.5 billion), the company said Thursday in a statement. Analysts, on...

Dell sales miss estimates with corporate PCs still lagging

Global stocks edged up on Friday, having closed out their best month in three years the day before, as investor confidence that interest rates will fall next year has lured cash into equities, cryptocurrencies and gold at the expense of the dollar.

Shares rally as investor confidence in Fed cuts grows

(Dec 1): President Vladimir Putin has ordered the transfer of all the rights to managing St Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport from foreign shareholders that include Germany’s Fraport AG and the Qatari wealth fund by shifting their stakes into a new Russian entity.

Under a decree publish...

Putin seizes rights to St Petersburg Airport from foreign investors

Global manufacturing activity remained weak in November on soft demand, surveys showed on Friday, as euro zone factory activity kept contracting, while there were mixed signs on the strength of China's economy.

Global factory activity stays weak, uncertainty on China clouds outlook

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will provide a framework within a month to enable all social media platform providers to register with the agency and facilitate the regulating such platforms in the country.

Fahmi: MCMC working on framework to facilitate registration, regulation of social media platforms

Here is a brief recap of some corporate announcements that made the news on Friday involving Citaglobal Bhd, CelcomDigi Bhd, Maxis Bhd, Telekom Malaysia Bhd, YTL Power International Bhd, Axiata Group Bhd, Pansar Bhd, Apex Healthcare Bhd, Crest Builder Holdings Bhd and Sarawak Consolidated Industries Bhd.

Citaglobal, CelcomDigi, Maxis, TM, YTL Power, Axiata, Pansar, Apex Healthcare, Crest Builder, SCIB

Pavilion Real Estate Investment Trust (Pavilion REIT) has terminated two memoranda of understanding (MOUs) it inked for the purchase of renewable energy (RE) from a solar power plant in Pasir Mas, Kelantan, under the Corporate Green Power Programme (CGPP) to power its malls.

Pavilion REIT cancels MOUs to power Pavilion KL, Intermark and Pavilion Bukit Jalil with renewable energy

In today’s edition of Evening 5 — Five telcos have finally inked deals with DNB, and will collectively own a 70% stake in the state-owned entity, while Putrajaya will retain 30% plus a golden share. Meanwhile, PM Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says Digital ID concerns such as personal data leaks and chip implants are unfounded.

EVENING 5: Telcos finally ink DNB deal

Here’s a quick look at some of the stories that made headlines today.

EVENING 5: Five things you need to know today

Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd has reprimanded Sarawak Consolidated Industries Bhd (SCIB) and two of its former directors, Datuk Mohd Abdul Karim Abdullah and Rosland Othman, for failing to submit the group’s 2021 annual report within the approved timeline.

Bursa reprimands SCIB, fines Abdul Karim and one other RM27,000 each for late submission of annual report

Pavilion Real Estate Investment Trust (Pavilion REIT) has terminated two memoranda of understanding (MOUs) it inked for the purchase of renewable energy (RE) from a solar power plant in Pasir Mas, Kelantan, under the Corporate Green Power Programme (CGPP) to power its malls.

Citaglobal Bhd, in which the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah is a substantial shareholder, has together with its consortium partner TIZA Global Sdn Bhd, executed a 40:60 joint development agreement with clean energy player Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC (Masdar) for a two-gigawatt (2GW) solar farm project in Pahang for US$2 billion (RM9.75 billion).

Under the deal, Citaglobal and TIZA will hold a 40% equity interest in the project, with the remaining 60% held by Masdar. The parties will put in funding for the project's development's cost — which will be determined later — in proportion to their stake in the project.

Citaglobal executes deal with Abu Dhabi energy firm to develop US$2 bil solar farm in Pahang

Here is a brief recap of some corporate announcements that made the news on Friday involving Citaglobal Bhd, CelcomDigi Bhd, Maxis Bhd, Telekom Malaysia Bhd, YTL Power International Bhd, Axiata Group Bhd, Pansar Bhd, Apex Healthcare Bhd, Crest Builder Holdings Bhd and Sarawak Consolidated Industries Bhd.

After seven turbulent years in Nepal, Axiata Group Bhd is selling its stake in Ncell Axiata Bhd by disposing of its shares in Reynolds Holdings Ltd, which holds an 80% stake in Ncell Axiata, and exiting the country.

Here’s a quick look at some of the stories that made headlines today.

Country Heights Holdings Bhd has appointed its deputy managing director Dr Ricky Yip Chun Mun as the new acting MD effective Friday (Dec 1).

The appointment follows the recent stepping down of Datuk Mircle Yap Ching Chai, who will now serve as a non-independent non-executive director of the group, the property developer said in a statement.

Country Heights promotes deputy MD to acting MD

Israel's warplanes pounded Gaza on Friday after talks to extend a week-old truce with Hamas broke down, sending wounded and dead Palestinians into hospitals and others onto the streets to seek safety.

Eastern areas of Khan Younis in southern Gaza came under intensive bombardment as the deadline lapsed shortly after dawn, with columns of smoke rising into the sky, Reuters journalists in the city said. Residents took to the road with belongings heaped up in carts, fleeing for shelter further west.

INV New Material Technology (M) Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of China's Shenzhen Senior Technology Material Co Ltd, has marked a significant milestone with the launch of its inaugural plant in Malaysia with an initial investment of RM3.2 billion for its first phase.

INV inaugurates RM3.2 bil Phase 1 lithium battery separator project in Penang

Mining firm OM Holdings Ltd, which is dual-listed on Bursa Malaysia and the Australian Stock Exchange, has issued 27.63 million shares, representing a 3.75% stake, in the company to JFE Shoji Corp for A$13.04 million (about RM40.34 million) or A$0.472 sen per share.

Bintai Kinden Corporation Bhd has proposed to undertake a private placement of up to 281.54 million shares, or 30% of its issued share capital, to third-party investors who have yet to be identified.

Bintai Kinden proposes private placement to raise RM19.71m for working capital 

The daily usage of public transport provided by Prasarana Malaysia Berhad (Prasarana) has increased consistently following the Covid-19 pandemic, with an average of 1.1 million passengers recorded per day as of Thursday.

Prasarana in a statement said that of the total, Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd (Rapid Rail) services which include LRT, MRT and Monorail recorded an average daily usage rate of 835,119 passengers, while the average usage of Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd (Rapid Bus) services was 258,710.

Prasarana: Public transport usage on the rise, average of 1.1 million commuters per day

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 1): Dutaland Bhd has appointed the 13th chief justice of Malaysia, Tun Ariffin Zakaria as its new chairman, effective immediately.

Ariffin was chief justice from&nbsp;Sept 2011 to March 2017.

In a local exchange filing on Friday, the property developer said A...

Dutaland appoints ex-chief justice Tun Arifin Zakaria as new chairman

Construction and engineering contractor Crest Builder Holdings Bhd has acquired the remaining 49% equity interest in its indirect subsidiary Unitapah Sdn Bhd for RM43.61 million, cash.

Unitapah holds a 23-year concession to develop and maintain Universiti Teknologi MARA’s (UiTM) campus in Tapah, Perak.

Crest Builder buys remaining 49% stake in company holding UiTM's campus maintenance concession for RM43.6m cash

The S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq fell on Friday as investors were on edge ahead of Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell's comments that some fear may have a hawkish tilt towards monetary policy.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will provide a framework within a month to enable all social media platform providers to register with the agency and facilitate the regulating such platforms in the country.

Shares of crypto miners and bitcoin-tracking companies climbed in premarket trading on Friday as the world's largest cryptocurrency extended a recent rally to touch a near 19-month high on improving risk appetite.

Bitcoin, up 2% at US$38,410, has been gaining since October on optimism that a potential approval of a spot exchange-traded fund is likely to unleash more capital investments in the digital asset sector.

DUBAI (Dec 1): Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah said addressing emissions from the energy and industrial sectors is the focus of Malaysia’s climate action, as they account for the majority of Malaysia’s total carbon emissions.

The King, in his...

COP28: Malaysia focused on tackling emissions from energy, industrial sectors — Agong

US-listed shares of Alibaba Group Holding declined on Friday following a Morgan Stanley downgrade on concerns over slower turnaround in its key businesses, hours after PDD raced past its rival to become the most valuable Chinese e-commerce firm.

A weekly round-up of tanker and dry bulk market (Dec 1, 2023)

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