The United Nations Environment Programme’s Emissions Gap Report 2024 focuses on the massive gap between the rhetorical and real impact of climate action commitments, and emphasises that crunch time is here, as wildfires, heatwaves, storms and droughts intensify globally.

Time for countries to aggressively ramp up climate change action

Malaysia is on its way to becoming a data centre (DC) hub in the region. Between 2021 and  June 2024, a total of RM90.2 billion poured in for DC developments. International companies such as US-based Google, Microsoft, Equinix, as well as China-based Yondr Group, Bridge Data Centres and Singapore-based Keppel Data Centres and Singapore Telecommunications Ltd (Singtel) are among the big names in Malaysia's DC market.

Data Centres: Malaysia’s Next Frontier

After a prolonged lull in the latter half of the 2010s, Malaysia has experienced a resurgence in foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows from project owners since 2021. This revival has attracted renewed interest from financial asset investors, as evidenced by the rerating of the benchmark KLCI and the strengthening of the ringgit this year.

Roaring 20s: Malaysia in FDI upcycle

What the AI landscape will be like in 2025

The next frontier in the AI race: Scaling for impact

As global air traffic demand exceeds pre-Covid-19 pandemic levels this year, airlines are turning their attention to fleet expansion and about 10,000 more planes will operate by 2034, according to a new report published by global aviation advisory firm Alton Aviation Consultancy.

10,000 more planes to take to  the sky in 10 years, says Alton

The World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organisation unveiled its latest projections early this month, forecasting significant growth for the global semiconductor market in 2024 and 2025.

Global Semiconductor Market poised to sustain solid growth in 2025

Malaysia’s workforce is evolving rapidly, thanks to technology and globalisation. Key sectors like technology, healthcare and financial services are driving demand for specialised skills such as artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and data analytics.

Adapting to tech and talent demands

In October, the government announced incentives to jump-start the special economic zone in Forest City. One particular announcement that caught attention was the zero tax rate for family offices, a term rarely heard of in Malaysia as the regulatory framework for such firms did not exist. Essentially, family offices handle investment and wealth management for wealthy families.

Rise of the family office

Even as birth rates fell further in South Korea and Singapore, where less than one baby is born to every woman of reproductive age, Malaysia’s total fertility rate (TFR) surprisingly inched higher to 1.7 in 2023 from a record low of 1.6 in 2022.

Demographic squeeze : Declining birth rates and the rising burden of eldercare

Ideas, initiatives and innovation form the basis of any effort to actualise goals and targets. Ideally, sustainability is embedded into the business case of every investment decision made by the company.

10 steps to frame your business case

While Malaysia is consolidating returns on previous infrastructure investments, leveraging its established expertise in electronics, semiconductors and data centres, political shifts and the gradual outflow of talent could impact future economic progress, according to the 9th edition of e-Conomy SEA by Google, Temasek and Bain & Co.

A survey of Malaysia’s digital economy

Public-listed companies (PLCs) showed progress in the adoption of the Malaysian Code on Corporate Governance (MCGG), according to the Securities Commission Malaysia’s Corporate Governance Monitor (CG Monitor) 2024, which was published last Monday. However, the report highlighted three critical areas in need of improvement. The CG Monitor pointed to (i) the need to refresh board composition; (ii) enhancing shareholder participation through physical or hybrid annual general meetings (AGMs); and  (iii) a deeper integration of sustainability governance practices.

SC CG Monitor: 3 critical areas of improvement needed for PLCs

As workplace priorities evolve, three-quarters of talent in Malaysia believe generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) will cause some disruption to their jobs and roles in the next five years. The new Jobstreet by SEEK’s “Decoding Global Talent Report 2024: GenAI Edition” found that the majority of local talent are already experimenting with or regularly using Gen AI in both their professional and personal lives, positioning the country for transformative AI adoption across industries.

Gen AI use growing at home and in the workplace

Malaysia remained the fifth most connected country in Asean in the first half of 2024 (1H2024), after Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam and Indonesia, according to the Malaysian Aviation Commission’s (Mavcom) latest Air Connectivity Index (ACI).

Malaysia the fifth most connected country in Asean in 1H

Indonesia is close to a deal with Apple Inc over an investment plan that would lift a ban on iPhone 16 sales in the country, according to a government minister.

Apple close to deal to lift Indonesian iPhone ban, minister says

Gateway Development Alliance Sdn Bhd (GDA) and its shareholders (the consortium) have refuted any suggestion that the offer for Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd or MAHB (KL:AIRPORT) has been undertaken in anything other than full compliance with the Securities Commission Malaysia’s (SC) Rules on Takeovers, Mergers and Compulsory Acquisitions.

GDA says in full compliance with SC rules on MAHB takeover

SINGAPORE (Jan 22): Singapore’s Changi Airport handled 67.7 million passengers in 2024, a 14.8% year-on-year increase, according to the airport operator.

Singapore’s Changi Airport handled 67.7 million passengers in 2024, nears pre-Covid levels 

Berlin will try to talk US President Donald Trump out of his decision to withdraw the US from the World Health Organization (WHO), Germany's health minister said on Tuesday.

Germany to lobby Trump on WHO withdrawal, agency hopes for U-turn

Indonesia's palm oil fund agency has resumed fund disbursement to subsidise biodiesel and oil palm tree replanting programmes after a brief pause during a reorganisation, agency official Achmad Maulizal said on Wednesday.

Indonesian agency resumes fund disbursement for biodiesel, palm replanting

Companies that make up the backbone of the German economy are putting borrowing plans on hold, with sales of a local debt product dwindling amid a gloomy economic outlook.

Germany’s private debt deals diminish due to gloomy outlook

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 22): TechStore Bhd, which provides hardware and software to businesses, has fixed its initial public offering (IPO) price at 20 sen per share ahead of its listing on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia.

Enterprise hardware and software firm TechStore sets IPO price at 20 sen

President Donald Trump faces a host of headwinds that could thwart his ability to generate a boom for the US economy, according to Harvard University professor Ken Rogoff.

Trump’s plan to trigger boom risks coming undone, Rogoff warns

The Mexican peso tumbled after President Donald Trump vowed to impose stiff tariffs, reigniting fears among traders that the nation will become a target over the next four years.

Trump’s pledge to slap 25% tariffs on Mexico sinks peso

(Jan 22): Japan’s stock market is only now waking up to potential gains from record numbers of big-spending tourists.

Luxury, hotel stocks are all the rage as tourists flock to Japan

Sunway Bhd (KL:SUNWAY) has started the ball rolling for the initial public offer (IPO) of its healthcare unit, sources told The Edge.

Maybank Investment Bank Bhd and AmInvestment Bank Bhd are said to be the front-runners as principal advisers for the IPO of Sunway Healthcare Group, the sources said.

Sunway shortlists bankers for healthcare unit's IPO 

(Jan 22): US&nbsp;President Donald&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;on Tuesday announced&nbsp;a&nbsp;private&nbsp;sector&nbsp;investment&nbsp;of up to US$500&nbsp;billion (RM2.23 trillion) to fund&nbsp;infrastructure&nbsp;for artificial intelligence (AI),&nbsp;aiming to outpace rival nations in the business-critical technology.

Trump announces private-sector US$500 bil investment in AI infrastructure

MIDF Research said&nbsp;the recent selldown of data centre-linked construction stocks&nbsp;may have been overdone as it sees the US’ AI chip export restrictions having minimal impact on data centre operations here.

In a note, MIDF Research said this prompted&nbsp;its upgrade on&nbsp;Sunway Construction Group Berhad (KL:SUNCON) to a “buy”, from “neutral”.

MIDF says selldown on data centre-related stocks overdone, upgrades SunCon

Founders of FashionValet Sdn Bhd Datin Vivy Yusof and her husband Datuk Fadzarudin Shah Anuar have been charged with the misappropriation of RM8 million from Khazanah Nasional Bhd and Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB), belonging to the company.

FashionValet founders claim trial to alternative charges of fund misappropriation

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday vowed to hit the European Union with tariffs and said his administration was discussing a 10% punitive duty on Chinese imports because fentanyl is being sent from China to the US via Mexico and Canada.

Trump stirs tariff pot with fresh threats on EU, Feb 1 China deadline

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 22): Malaysia’s property market is now showing signs of improvement that will lift Malaysian banking stocks under pressure from uncertainties over data-centre outlook, according to CIMB Securities.

CIMB Securities: Malaysian property market now showing signs of improvement that will lift banking stocks

President Donald Trump said he would be open to billionaire supporter Elon Musk or Oracle Corp chairman Larry Ellison purchasing social video app TikTok as part of a joint venture with the US government.

Trump says he’s open to Elon Musk or Larry Ellison purchasing TikTok

Global stocks gained on Wednesday as a flurry of new policies from US President Donald Trump combined with robust corporate earnings to bolster investor optimism, while tariff uncertainty kept the dollar near two-week lows.

Stocks bask in Trump glow, tariff uncertainty weighs on dollar

DAVOS, Switzerland (Jan 21): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said digitalisation is a "missing component" in all of Malaysia's previous free trade agreements (FTAs).

PM: Malaysia seeks to upgrade its free trade agreements to cover digitalisation

Over the past two years, the Biden administration struck a careful balance on artificial intelligence. The White House took steps to ensure the US stayed ahead of China in developing the technology while also trying to address some of AI’s many potential risks.

Trump pushes to make US an AI superpower, with fewer guardrails 

Indonesia's antitrust agency on Tuesday ordered Google to pay fines about 202 billion rupiah (US$12.4 million or RM55.3 million) for unfair business practices related to its payment system services for Google Play Store, its software distribution platform.

Indonesia fines Google US$12.4m for unfair business practices

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 22): TechStore Bhd, which provides hardware and software to businesses, has fixed its initial public offering (IPO) price at 20 sen per share ahead of its listing on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia.

Lawmakers in some of Asia’s key digital-assets markets are warming to the industry as Donald Trump’s pro-crypto agenda in the US ripples through the region.

Crypto fears ease in Asia as officials aim to keep up with Trump

For all the hand-wringing about the potential fallout of Donald Trump’s expansive, pro-growth policy agenda, the US treasury market has gotten off to a smooth start.

On day one, Trump appeases bond traders and pushes down rates

DAVOS, Switzerland (Jan 21):&nbsp; Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that Malaysia&nbsp;is not in “pressing need” to adopt nuclear power, as the country still sees much potential in solar power and the Asean Power Grid (APG).

WEF 2025: Malaysia not in 'pressing need' to adopt nuclear power, says Anwar

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would likely impose sanctions on Russia if its president, Vladimir Putin, refuses to negotiate about ending the war in Ukraine.

Trump says will sanction Russia if Putin does not negotiate on Ukraine 

Microsoft on Tuesday said it has changed some key terms of a deal with OpenAI after the ChatGPT creator announced a joint venture with Oracle and Japan's SoftBank Group to build up to US$500 billion (RM2.2 trillion) of new AI data centres in the United States.

Microsoft relaxes data centre grip on OpenAI amid US$500b joint venture

ByteDance is placing a big bet on artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure as the TikTok parent plans to spend more than US$12 billion (RM53.5 billion) on AI in 2025, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing sources.

TikTok owner ByteDance plans to spend US$12b on AI chips in 2025 — report

MrBeast, the internet’s most-followed and highest-earning content creator, has joined a new bid to buy TikTok.

MrBeast, internet’s top creator, joins new bid to buy TikTok

Inflation in Malaysia eased slightly and was marginally slower than expected in December as prices of non-food items and services rose at a more moderate pace, official data released on Wednesday showed.

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