The world's economic reckoning with the incoming Trump administration kicked off in earnest this week, with the US Federal Reserve flagging fewer rate cuts and other leading central banks signalling caution over future rate decisions.

Trump, not yet in office, looms over global economy 

The Philippine central bank lowered its policy rate by a quarter point and signalled it may continue easing early next year, while joining policy makers in Indonesia and Thailand in warning of growing global risks.

Philippines cuts rate, signals more in early 2025 amid risks

Sweden’s Riksbank lowered its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points and signalled its easing campaign is likely to be wrapping up with one cut left to deploy.

The central bank in Stockholm cut its rate to a two-year low of 2.5%, according to a statement on Thursday.

Riksbank cuts rate by quarter point with easing nearing end

Central banks across Asia face a difficult decision after the Federal Reserve’s hawkish cut — stage a costly fight back against dollar strength, or stand by and watch their currencies falter.

Asian central banks start pushback as Fed shift hits currencies

WASHINGTON (Dec 17): The U.S. Congress is set to vote in the coming days on legislation restricting U.S. investments in China as part of a bill to fund government operations through mid-March, lawmakers said late on Tuesday.

In October, the Treasury finalized rules effective Jan. 2...

Congress to vote on new restrictions on US investment in China

It's clear that critical minerals will be China's weapon of choice in its escalating trade war with the US.

Every time Washington imposes new restrictions on exports of advanced semiconductor chips to China, Beijing responds by tightening controls on exports of the critical inputs for chip manufacturers.

Critical metals will be a key battleground in US-China trade war

India is likely to impose a "safeguard duty" or temporary tax of up to 25% on steel imports, industry and government sources said, to help to curb cheap imports from top producer China.

India plans up to 25% temporary tax to curb cheap Chinese steel imports

America’s surprisingly robust economy has raised expectations that US interest rates will stay high compared to Europe next year.

The US-euro rate gap that triggered Trump’s Fed bashing is set to widen again

Private-sector business activity in France shrank for a fourth month as the fall of the government over a budget dispute sapped confidence.

S&P Global’s composite purchasing managers index (PMI) came in at 46.7 in December, staying below the 50 threshold separating expansion from contraction.

French private sector shrinks for fourth month on political woes

The UK has joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, according to a release on Sunday from the country’s Department for Business and Trade.

UK joins CPTPP trade pact as fully-fledged member

A year when inflation subsided enough for monetary policy easing to start in most advanced economies is about to conclude with a 24-hour flurry of decisions led by the Federal Reserve.

The 24 hours of rate cuts that end year of global central-bank easing

Germany’s economy will hardly grow in 2025 after shrinking again this year, according to fresh forecasts from Bundesbank.

Gross domestic product (GDP) will fall by 0.2% in 2024, it said on Friday — slashing a June prediction for 0.3% growth.

German economy will hardly grow in 2025, says Bundesbank 

China's foreign ministry on Friday urged US politicians to exercise more "common sense" after a US senator called for a probe into imports of Chinese garlic, citing concerns about food safety and labour practices in the country.

China says US politicians need to be more rational after senator's call for garlic probe 

A total of 80 attendees from the business and trade communities in New York and New Jersey in the US participated in a trade and investment networking reception organised by the Consulate General of Malaysia in New York as a platform to strengthen economic ties and to offer investment opportunities in Malaysia.

Consulate General in New York hosts trade, investment networking reception

Main-Market listed Lotus Circular Bhd (KL:LOTUSCIR) is acquiring two waste recycling companies — Earthwise Resources Sdn Bhd and Expert Resources Management Sdn Bhd — controlled by its director and major shareholder Datuk Wong Sak Kuan for RM100 million, to expand its footprint in the business.

Lotus Circular buys two waste recycling firms controlled by its major shareholder for RM100 mil

Europe’s top fashion houses will reluctantly conclude that high profit margins are a luxury they can no longer afford in 2025. The likes of LVMH, Kering and Chanel aggressively hiked prices on handbags, shoes and jackets during the pandemic. As demand from Chinese consumers rapidly cools, CEOs will be forced to rethink.

Luxury firms will warily cut prices to boost sales

An Australian computer scientist who falsely claimed he invented bitcoin was on Thursday found in contempt of court for bringing a £911 billion (US$1.2 trillion or RM5.4 trillion) lawsuit against Twitter founder Jack Dorsey's payments company Block  in Britain.

Self-proclaimed bitcoin inventor in contempt of court over US$1.2 tril UK lawsuit

Chai Woon Yun, daughter of Aset Kayamas founder Tan Sri Datuk Chai Kin Kong, has become the largest shareholder of Kanger International Bhd through a private placement.

Daughter of Aset Kayamas founder is now Kanger’s largest shareholder

The US economy expanded at a faster pace in the third quarter than previously estimated, owing in part to stronger consumer spending and exports.

US GDP revised up to 3.1% on stronger consumer spending, exports

The number of Americans filing new applications for jobless benefits fell more than expected last week, consistent with a gradual cooling in labour market conditions.

US weekly jobless claims fall more than expected

Pentamaster Corp Bhd (KL:PENTA) on Thursday proposed to privatise its 63.9%-owned Hong Kong-listed Pentamaster International Ltd (PIL) with a partner in an exercise that would raise its stake to 71%.

Pentamaster, partner to privatise HK-listed unit; confirms The Edge’s report

The Court of Appeal has granted UEM Sunrise Bhd’s (KL:UEMS) wholly-owned unit UEM Land Bhd leave to challenge the Inland Revenue Board’s (IRB) additional tax assessment and penalty of RM8.49 million.

Appellate court grants UEM Sunrise unit leave to challenge additional tax assessment

The government will implement direct intervention measures to eradicate hardcore poor in 10 of the districts with the highest poverty rates in the country, eight of which are in Sabah, under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP).

Direct intervention to eradicate hardcore poor in 10 poorest districts under 13MP — Rafizi

Funds stolen by hacking cryptocurrency platforms surged 21% from a year ago to US$2.2 billion (RM9.9 billion) in 2024, a report from blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis showed on Thursday.

Losses from crypto hacks jump to US$2.2b in 2024 — report 

Companies that spent billions on poorly timed acquisitions in recent years are now offloading those assets at knockdown prices. 
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Alibaba Group Holding Ltd announced on Tuesday it’s going to sell Chinese department-store chain Intime to a local apparel group for US$1 billion (RM4.47 billion).

Companies that spent billions on M&A are now selling for peanuts

Property developer Mah Sing Group Bhd (KL:MAHSING) has acquired 5.99 acres of land in Taman Pelangi, Johor, from S P Setia Bhd (KL:SPSETIA) for RM156.8 million to develop a premium serviced apartment project.

Mah Sing acquires Johor land from S P Setia for RM157 mil

UEM Group Bhd, the wholly-owned infrastructure arm of Khazanah Nasional Bhd, has been silent for a long time.

Some in the diversified group say the last time it gave an interview to the media was when Datuk Mohd Izzaddin Idris was at the helm. He left in October 2018, after holding the ...

Cover Story: Sleeping Giant UEM Group Stirs

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 19): Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor has pronounced the court’s decision to acquit her of all 17 charges in her money-laundering and tax evasion case as “justice”.

Rosmah celebrates acquittal: ‘This is what I call justice’

High Court judge Wan Muhammad Amin Wan Yahya has taken over a civil suit against former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, and a Singaporean woman, Shabnam Naraindas Daswani, involving the purchase of luxury goods using funds allegedly diverted from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

Third judge takes over 1MDB's US$346 mil suit against Rosmah and Singaporean woman

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 19): The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has announced that no charges will be filed against any parties involved in the 1BestariNet project tender under the Ministry of Education (MOE).

No charges filed in 1BestariNet tender investigation, says MACC

Indonesia will increase its export levy for crude palm oil (CPO) to 10% from the current 7.5% to finance higher biodiesel subsidies, its chief economic minister said on Thursday.

Indonesia to hike crude palm oil export levy to 10%

The government’s proposal to introduce a Diagnostic-Related Group (DRG) payment system to regulate private healthcare costs may face significant challenges and feasibility issues, according to Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB).

Govt's proposed DRG payment system may face challenges — HLIB

The costly truth about US government shutdowns: They don’t save taxpayers a dime.

Trump, Musk threaten government shutdown. Here’s what that costs

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 19): Aluminium products maker Winstar Capital Bhd (KL:WINSTAR) is expecting sales to grow in 2025, with the removal of China’s export tax rebates for aluminium products, and the upcoming implementation of the fifth iteration of Malaysia’s large scale solar programme (LSS5).

Winstar eyes sales growth amid China tax shift, LSS5 opportunities

Mynews Holdings Bhd (KL:MYNEWS) reported a significant jump in net profit to RM3.76 million for the fourth quarter ended Oct 31, 2024 (4QFY2024), a nearly fourfold increase compared to RM947,000 in the same period last year. This marks the fifth consecutive profitable quarter for the convenience store operator.

Mynews plans more new stores after 4Q profit jumps nearly fourfold as sales climb

(Dec 19):&nbsp;Global investors are looking to Southeast Asia for some shelter, as they brace for uncertainties surrounding Donald Trump’s trade policies, boosting prospects for the region’s stocks in the coming year.

Southeast Asian stocks to offer shelter amid Trump threat — analysts

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 19): Catcha Digital Bhd (KL:CATCHA) has announced its acquisition of a 70% stake in Tastefully Malaysia Sdn Bhd for RM7.6 million cash, to strengthen its position in the integrated digital and offline advertising space.

In a bourse filing on Thursday, Catcha Digital sa...

Catcha Digital acquires 70% stake in Tastefully to tap into consumer food expo sector

Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd (KL:MRCB) has confirmed it has withdrawn from a Berjaya-led consortium which is bidding for the multi-billion-ringgit Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail (HSR) project.

In a filing, MRCB said the group issued a notice of termination to consortium partner Berjaya Rail Sdn Bhd to terminate the teaming agreement for the submission of a non-binding conceptual proposal to MyHSR Corporation Sdn Bhd in relation to the project.

MRCB confirms withdrawal from Berjaya-led HSR consortium

THE general perception is that PLUS Malaysia Bhd is sitting on a lucrative toll concession. But Datuk Amran Hafiz Affifudin, managing director of UEM Group Bhd, tells The Edge that such a perception is different from reality.

“Sometimes people on the outside think that it [PLUS highway ...

Cover Story: PLUS’ concession not as lucrative as perceived, says UEM Group MD

The US Federal Reserve’s (US Fed) intent to adopt a slower pace of interest rate easing in 2025 is expected to prompt slight downward pressure on the domestic market, analysts said.

US Fed’s hawkish pivot ‘slightly negative’ for Malaysian market, analysts say

There is noticeable shift towards local fast-moving consumer goods amid prolonged boycott of international brands following the Israel-Gaza conflict, according to Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB).

HLIB: Consumer trends shift to local fast-moving consumer goods as boycotts persist

THERE has been speculation for the past few weeks that healthcare support services and property and facility solutions provider UEM Edgenta Bhd (KL:EDGENTA) will be taken private by its 69.14% parent company UEM Group Bhd, the infrastructure arm of Khazanah Nasional Bhd.

“I cannot comme...

Cover Story: Depressed valuation sparks speculation about UEM Edgenta

UWC Bhd's (KL:UWC) net profit rose 49.2% to RM6.5 million in the first quarter ended Oct 31, 2024 (1QFY2025) from RM4.35 million a year ago, lifted by increasing orders from the semiconductor industry.&nbsp;

Contributions from its acquired subsidiaries, MCE Technologies Sdn Bhd (MCET) and MCT (Thailand) Co Ltd, also add to the earnings.

UWC's net profit jumps 49% as revenue nearly doubles on increased semiconductor orders 

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 19): Telekom Malaysia Bhd (KL:TM) has signed&nbsp;a memorandum of understanding&nbsp;(MOU) with Petroliam Nasional Bhd’s (Petronas) digital arm Petronas Digital Sdn Bhd and Gentari Sdn Bhd to accelerate&nbsp;digital transformation and sustainable innovation for industries and the nation.&nbsp;

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