As the illegal vaping market grows rapidly in size, JTI International talks about the need for regulation.</div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage>

NEWS: JTI: ‘Amend the Poisons Act’

WASHINGTON (Dec 16): The US Senate on Monday voted overwhelmingly to advance an US$895 billion (RM3.98 trillion) bill setting policy for the Pentagon towards passage as soon as Tuesday, which would send it to the White House for President Joe Biden to sign into law.

US Senate advances massive defence bill, despite transgender provision

A key measure of CEO confidence in China signalled pessimism for the first time since the pandemic even after the nation unleashed a raft of stimulus measures.

Confidence of foreign CEOs in China slides despite stimulus — survey

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 17): The appointment of former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as an informal advisor to assist with Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship next year, is viewed as a bridge to strengthen cooperation between the region and global powers.

Thaksin’s appointment as informal advisor seen as bridge for Asean cooperation — minister

China announced on Tuesday a relaxation of its visa-free transit policy, extending the permitted stay for eligible foreign travellers to 240 hours, or 10 days, from the original 72-144 hours, as authorities aim to lure more foreign visitors.

China extends visa-free transit stays to 10 days

IPOH (Dec 17): Perak Transit Bhd (KL:PTRANS) has rebranded its MyBAS stage bus service to BAS.MY.

In a statement, the company said the rebranding is not merely a change of name and colour, but also reflects its commitment to enhancing service efficiency, comfort and user-frien...

Perak Transit rebrands MyBAS to BAS.MY for enhanced service

Everything’s Donald Trump these days. Just as he would like it. Seeing him at the recent reopening of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, it looked like there is a certain culture to the man. Yet the picture of him scowling at the Élysée — not in the middle, with French President Emmanuel Macron a...

CARI Asean: Trump, Asean and the Global South

Analysts remain bullish on Gamuda Bhd (KL:GAMUDA) after the group's latest Australian job win, increasing its order book to approximately RM31.8 billion.

Gamuda's subsidiary DT Infrastructure Pty Ltd recently secured a RM1.8 billion contract from Lightsource bp Renewable Energy Investments Ltd for the Goulburn River Solar Farm in New South Wales, Australia.

Analysts remain optimistic on Gamuda amid robust order book growth  

Air fragrance maker Vanzo Holdings Bhd (KL:VANZO), which made its debut on the ACE Market on Tuesday, said there is still ample room for growth in the domestic market.

Newly debuted air fragrance maker Vanzo says will focus on home market as there's ample room for growth

Asian stocks edged higher and the dollar held firm on Tuesday as traders braced for a slate of central banks meetings this week that is likely to see the US Federal Reserve deliver a rate cut and the Bank of Japan (BOJ) stand pat for now.

Asian shares drift, dollar firms ahead of central bank meetings

WILMINGTON, Delaware/SAN FRANCISCO (Dec 16): The chief executive of Arm on Monday downplayed the company’s ambitions to become a chip supplier in its own right at a trial against Qualcomm, a major customer that pays Arm an estimated hundreds of millions of dollars per year.

Arm’s CEO downplays ambitions to make its own chip in Qualcomm case

The East Coast Rail Line (ECRL) project has achieved 76.06% progress as of November, Malaysia Rail Link (MRL) Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak said.

The progress was on track to ensure that the project will be completed in December 2026 for the Kota Bharu to Gombak Integrated Terminal and then to Jalan Kastam in December 2027, he added.

ECRL project reaches 76% completion as of November — MRL

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 17): The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti) has extended the deferral of the 80:20 employment ratio requirement for the manufacturing sector.&nbsp;

Miti extends deferral of 80:20 employment ratio rule for manufacturing sector

(Dec&nbsp;17) :&nbsp;Weeks before Donald Trump returns to the White House, China’s factories are expanding production abroad and growing their customer base outside the US, as they gird for new levies from the self-proclaimed “tariff man”.

China’s factories seek to Trump-proof business by going global

Vanzo Holdings Bhd (KL:VANZO) shares staged a strong debut on the ACE Market as it raised close to RM21 million from its initial public offering (IPO).

Shares of the air fragrance maker opened at 17.5 sen, a 2.5 sen or 16.7% premium to its IPO price of 15 sen per share.

Vanzo shares up 17% on strong ACE Market debut

Former Sabah chief minister Tun Musa Aman has been appointed the 11th Yang Dipertua Negeri of Sabah. The appointment takes effect on Jan 1, 2025.

Musa Aman appointed new Sabah governor

(Dec&nbsp;17) : Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government ran a deeper deficit than projected and broke a fiscal objective outlined by his finance minister, who resigned the day she was set to unveil new spending and revenue estimates.

Canada runs deeper deficits as finance minister resigns

(Dec&nbsp;17) :&nbsp;US stocks broadly ended Monday’s session higher, as traders geared up for interest-rate decisions by major central banks across the globe due later this week.&nbsp;

US stocks close higher with Fed rate-cut expected

Asian stocks edged higher and the dollar held firm on Tuesday as traders braced for a slate of central banks meetings this week that is likely to see the US Federal Reserve deliver a rate cut and the Bank of Japan (BOJ) stand pat for now.

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 17): Fitch Ratings has affirmed Malaysia’s long-term foreign-currency issuer default rating (IDR) at BBB+ with a stable outlook, according to a statement on Monday.

Fitch affirms Malaysia’s long-term issuer rating with stable outlook

Air fragrance maker Vanzo Holdings Bhd (KL:VANZO), which made its debut on the ACE Market on Tuesday, said there is still ample room for growth in the domestic market.

MicroStrategy shares rose about 3% on Monday as the software company and bitcoin buyer was set to join the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 index, further brightening the prospects of the stock.

The US$25.7 trillion index that houses the largest non-financial companies will now gain indirect exposure to bitcoin via MicroStrategy, which holds US$44 billion worth of the digital currency on its balance sheet, about 2% of the total supply of the world's largest cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin buyer MicroStrategy's Nasdaq 100 entry to support stock rally

WILMINGTON, Delaware/SAN FRANCISCO (Dec 16): The chief executive of&nbsp;Arm on Monday downplayed the company’s ambitions to become a chip supplier in its own right at a trial against Qualcomm, a major customer that pays&nbsp;Arm&nbsp;an estimated hundreds of millions of dollars per year.

WASHINGTON (Dec 16): TikTok made a last-ditch effort on Monday to continue operating in the United States, asking the&nbsp;Supreme Court&nbsp;to temporarily block a law intended to force ByteDance, its China-based parent company, to divest the short-video app by Jan&nbsp;19, or face a ban.

TikTok turns to US Supreme Court in last-ditch bid to avert ban

SAO PAULO/BRASILIA (Dec 16): Market anxiety dragged Brazil's real currency to a historic low on Monday, as significant central bank interventions again failed to counter market concerns over government spending.

Brazilian currency hits record low amid ongoing fiscal woes

Analysts remain bullish on Gamuda Bhd (KL:GAMUDA) after the group's latest Australian job win, increasing its order book to approximately RM31.8 billion.

Gamuda's subsidiary DT Infrastructure Pty Ltd recently secured a RM1.8 billion contract from Lightsource bp Renewable Energy Investments Ltd for the Goulburn River Solar Farm in New South Wales, Australia.

SINGAPORE (Dec 17): Singapore’s non-oil domestic exports&nbsp;rose 3.4%&nbsp;in November 2024, from the same month a year earlier, data on Tuesday showed, as&nbsp;shipments of electronics increased, while non-electronics declined.

Singapore’s November exports rise 3.4% y-o-y, stronger than forecast

BENGALURU (Dec 17): Australia’s competition watchdog said on Tuesday that it has taken Exxon Mobil’s local brand affiliate to court, claiming it misled customers about fuel sold at six of its branded petrol stations in Queensland.

Australia takes Exxon’s local petrol brand to court over false fuel representations

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 17): The appointment of former Thai prime minister&nbsp;Thaksin Shinawatra as an informal advisor to assist with Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship next year, is viewed&nbsp;as a bridge to strengthen cooperation&nbsp;between the region and global powers.

IPOH (Dec 17): Perak Transit Bhd (KL:PTRANS) has rebranded its MyBAS stage bus service&nbsp;to BAS.MY.

In a statement, the company said the rebranding is not merely a change of name and colour, but also reflects its commitment to enhancing service efficiency, comfort&nbsp;and user-frien...

China announced on Tuesday a relaxation of its visa-free transit policy, extending the permitted stay for eligible foreign travellers to 240 hours, or 10 days, from the original 72-144 hours, as authorities aim to lure more foreign visitors.