Manulife Investment Management (M) Bhd had one of its best years at the Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards 2023. The firm clinched three group awards — Best Equity Group (Malaysia), Best Mixed Assets Group (Islamic) and Best Bond Group (Provident) — and bagged five fund awards.

Manulife wins the most group awards

The last couple of years have been a roller-coaster ride for most fund managers because of global uncertainties. According to Xav Feng, director of Lipper Asia Pacific Research, most funds of various asset classes experienced outflows in 2022, compared with conservative net inflows in 2021.

Money market funds suffered highest outflows in 2022

In a challenging year of tight monetary policies and high inflation, UOB Asset Management (M) Bhd (UOBAM) clinched the Best Mixed Assets Group (Malaysia) award and three fund awards at the Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards 2023.

UOB Asset Management takes home  a group award, three fund awards

Under the leadership of its founder and chief strategist Dr Tan Chong Koay, Pheim Asset Management Sdn Bhd took home four awards at the Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards 2023.

Pheim wins Mixed Asset awards for eighth year in a row

RHB Asset Management Sdn Bhd (RHBAM) swept the awards for Best Bond MYR in the three-, five- and 10-year categories in the Provident universe. Chief investment officer Michael Chang attributes its success to the firm’s structured investment management process.

RHB Asset Management dominates Bond MYR (Provident) space

Maybank Asset Management Sdn Bhd bagged a trophy at the Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards 2023 through its Maybank Malaysia Income (MMI) fund, which clinched the Best Bond MYR — Malaysia award in the 10-year category.

Maybank bags Bond Fund award

Inter-Pacific Asset Management (IPAM) continues its winning streak. For the second year in a row, the InterPac Dana Safi won the Best Mixed Asset MYR Flexible (Islamic) Fund award for the three-year category.

Inter-Pacific Asset Management wins Best Mixed Asset awards again

Eastspring Investments (EI) Bhd bagged four Refinifiv Lipper Fund 2023 awards for their equity and fixed income funds.The Eastspring Investments Asia Select Income Fund won Best Mixed Asset MYR Balanced - Global (Malaysia) in the 10-year category; the Eastspring Investments Balanced Fund won Best Mixed Asset MYR Balanced - Malaysia (Malaysia) in the three- and 10-year categories; and the Eastspring Investments Islamic Equity Income Fund won Best Equity Malaysia Income (Islamic) in the three-year category.

Eastspring Investments takes home four awards 

Areca Capital Sdn Bhd bagged four awards at the Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards 2023. This is the sixth year in a row that the fund house has walked away with the Best Equity Malaysia awards in the five- and 10-year categories. It also won the Best Equity Malaysia Income awards in the three- and five-year categories.

Areca Capital on six-year winning streak

KAF Investment Funds Bhd won five fund awards at the Refinitiv Lipper Funds Awards 2023. It won the Best Equity Malaysia Small & Mid Cap (Provident) and Best Equity Asia Pacific (Malaysia) awards.

KAF Investment Funds shines with five awards

Principal Asset Management Bhd clinched five awards in the Asia Pacific ex-Japan space and another award in the Equity Global category at the Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards 2023.

Principal Asset Management leads in Asia Pacific ex-Japan space

Hong Leong Asset Management Bhd (HLAM) maintained last year’s record, winning 15 fund awards at the Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards 2023.

HLAM continues winning streak with 15 fund awards

Despite the challenging and volatile market conditions in 2022, Public Mutual Bhd bagged 19 fund awards at the Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards 2023.

Public Mutual biggest winner with 19 awards

Last year was challenging for most asset classes. For the most part, the key challenge was to keep the investment portfolios defensive while seeking to deliver income targets. The high inflationary pressure and corresponding interest rate hikes scenario were a bad recipe for bonds.

AmInvest takes home Best Bond Group (Malaysia) award

Selangor Pakatan Harapan (PH) has lodged a police report against an opposition assemblyman from the state accused of posting defamatory content about Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Selangor PH files police report over alleged defamatory post against Anwar

The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) agreement is expected to be signed on Monday, said Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.

Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone agreement to be signed on Monday, says MB

Investigators on Saturday expect to compile the complete transcript from the cockpit voice recorder recovered from the wreckage of the Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 that crashed last Sunday in South Korea, the Transport Ministry said in a statement.

South Korea to compile transcript of voice recording from crashed plane on Saturday

South Korean investigators again asked the country's acting president on Saturday to order the presidential security service to comply with an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol.

South Korean investigators ask acting president to clear way for Yoon's arrest

Hong Kong's deficit for this fiscal year is expected to be just below HK$100 billion (US$13 billion or RM57.87 billion), the city's finance chief said on Saturday.

Hong Kong budget deficit to be just under HK$100b, financial chief says

Police have recorded statements of 15 individuals, including family members and friends of the four people who died after attending a concert in Bandar Sunway, Subang Jaya, on Dec 31.

Four dead at concert: Police record statements from 15 individuals

The second phase of the National Digital Network Plan (Jendela) is expected to commence this year, announced Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching.

Second phase of National Digital Network Plan to commence this year — deputy minister

The Malay Chamber of Commerce Malaysia (DPMM) will establish a Malay construction consortium comprising G1 to G7 class contractors to be involved in the development of 20.23 hectares in Bandar Malaysia gazetted as Malay reserved land.

Malay Chamber of Commerce wants G1-G7 contractors to participate in Bandar Malaysia development

A total of 63,652 pieces of fraudulent online content on social media were taken down by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) last year.

Teo says 63,652 fraudulent content removed from social media by MCMC last year

Police are seeking public assistance to locate a 14-year-old girl reported missing in Genting Highlands, Bentong, since Tuesday.

Police seek help to locate missing teen in Genting Highlands

Malaysians are required to download the MyBorderPass application&nbsp;to register their travel details, before utilising the quick response (QR) code system at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), according to the Immigration Department.

Malaysians required to download MyBorderPass app before utilising KLIA QR code system

PAS is going to go ahead with a planned rally on Monday to show support for jailed former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, despite Umno pulling out from the event on Friday night following remarks made by the National Palace and the police.

PAS stands firm on pro-Najib rally despite Umno's cancellation

Microsoft Corp&nbsp;plans to spend US$80 billion (RM360.16 billion) this fiscal year building out data centres, underscoring the intense capital requirements of artificial intelligence (AI).&nbsp;

More than half of this projected spending through June 2025 will be in the US, Microsoft President Brad Smith wrote in a blog post on Friday. Recent AI progress is thanks to “large-scale infrastructure investments that serve as the essential foundation of AI innovation and use”, Smith wrote.

Microsoft to spend US$80b on AI data centres this year

MALAYSIA should stop second-guessing itself.

2025: To be or not to be?

Donald Trump has been ordered to appear for sentencing in his hush money criminal case on Jan&nbsp;10, though the New York state judge signalled that the US president-elect wouldn’t face time behind bars.

Trump fails to toss hush money conviction, faces sentencing on Jan 10

The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) agreement is expected to be signed on Monday, said Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.

The Malay Chamber of Commerce Malaysia (DPMM) will establish a Malay construction consortium comprising G1 to G7 class contractors to be involved in the development of 20.23 hectares in Bandar Malaysia gazetted as Malay reserved land.

For months, US Steel Corp&nbsp;argued that selling out to Japanese-owned Nippon Steel Corp&nbsp;was the only way to survive. President Joe Biden thought different, concluding that even a takeover by a company based in close ally Japan wasn’t enough to allay national-security concerns.

Nippon Steel rejection shows US national security means whatever you want

The stock market faces its first major test of the year in the coming week, with investors counting on the US&nbsp;jobs&nbsp;report to show a stable but not overheated economy that underpins expectations for equity gains in 2025.

US jobs report poses first big stocks test of 2025

US President Joe Biden is set to order a ban on new offshore oil and gas development across some 625 million acres (252.93&nbsp;million&nbsp;hectares) of US coastal territory, ruling out the sale of drilling rights in Atlantic and Pacific waters as well as the eastern Gulf of Mexico.

Biden to ban new oil drilling over vast stretch of US Atlantic, Pacific waters

As cryptocurrencies gain prominence as an alternative to conventional currencies, they have also become a new tool for criminals to facilitate illegal activities.

MACC strengthening investigation specialists for cryptocurrencies

The Biden administration suggested that the Supreme Court should reject Donald Trump’s request to delay a law that would ban TikTok in the US if it isn’t sold by its Chinese parent company.

US DOJ asks Supreme Court to reject Trump's bid to delay TikTok ban

Police have confirmed having arrested 196 ethnic Rohingya&nbsp;who landed at Teluk Yu Beach in Langkawi early on Friday.

Langkawi police chief ACP Shariman Ashari said the authorities received information from a member of the public at around 3.25 am, saying that a group of foreigners had landed at the beach.

Police arrest Rohingya group of 196, including women and children, at Teluk Yu Beach

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested a man in connection with a corruption case&nbsp;involving heavy vehicle inspections at the Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre (Puspakom)&nbsp;in the capital.

MACC arrests man in Puspakom bribery probe

Boeing Co&nbsp;and US prosecutors said they are working to hammer out a new deal to settle a criminal case stemming from two fatal 737 Max crashes, after a federal judge&nbsp;blocked&nbsp;an earlier plan because it included race as a consideration for selecting a compliance monitor.

Boeing, DOJ in talks to revise plea deal for 737 Max crashes

Police are seeking public assistance to locate a 14-year-old girl reported missing in Genting Highlands, Bentong, since Tuesday.

Police have recorded statements of&nbsp;15 individuals, including family members and friends of the four people who died after attending a concert in Bandar Sunway, Subang Jaya, on Dec&nbsp;31.

The Immigration Department (JIM) detained 53 illegal immigrants during an operation code-named&nbsp;Op Kutip around a shopping mall in Ampang, Selangor, on Friday night.

Immigration Dept nabs 53 illegals around shopping mall in Ampang

Founded on April 8, 2004, by six visionary organisations (Aarhus United, Karlshamns, Malaysian Palm Oil Association, Migros, Unilever and WWF), the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has made unprecedented progress in spearheading the global production and use of sustainable palm oil that is aligned to the triple bottom-line philosophy embracing social justice, environmental protection and economic viability.

My Say: RSPO’s path to transforming the sustainable palm oil market

Singapore will build a new hydrogen-ready combined cycle gas turbine generating unit, slated to begin operations in 2029, the Energy Market Authority (EMA), a statutory board under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, has said in a press release,&nbsp;reported Xinhua.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards 2023

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