KUALA LUMPUR (March 12): MIDF Amanah Investment Bank Bhd expects loan applications for property purchases to be flattish in February 2025 and grow stronger from March onwards, following lower monthly loan applications in January.

MIDF Amanah expects flattish property loan applications in February, growth in March

Oil and gas activities are expected to stay buoyant “over the medium term”, said Malaysia Petroleum Resources Corp (MPRC).

Buoyant OGSE sector in 'medium term' as FY2023 sales hit decade high, says MPRC

Malaysia’s direct selling industry grew 7.4% to RM34.4 billion in 2024, from RM32.04 billion the previous year, said Deputy Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Fuziah Salleh.

Malaysia’s direct selling industry hits RM34.4b, leads in market penetration, says deputy minister

Apex Securities expects Malaysian telecommunication companies (telcos) to face lower profitability this year, due to high network upgrade costs, as they increase infrastructure investment with greater clarity on the 5G operating environment.

Malaysian telcos face lower profitability this year as infrastructure costs, stagnant ARPU growth take a toll — Apex Securities

PUTRAJAYA (March 7): The Malaysia Retail Chain Association (MRCA) and the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) are collaborating to enhance data collection and analysis within the retail sector.

MRCA, DOSM team up to enhance retail sector data analysis

KUALA LUMPUR (March 7): Malaysia’s insurance and takaful industry has proposed nine measures to address escalating healthcare costs and promote transparency, including the implementation of diagnostic-related grouping (DRG) pricing.

Insurance and takaful industry proposes measures to tackle rising healthcare costs, promote transparency

Malaysian banks will likely see moderate profit growth this year, underpinned by steady loan expansion and still-benign loan provisioning expenses.

Malaysian banks to see moderate profit growth in 2025 on steady loan expansion — RAM Ratings

CIMB Securities expects car sales to drop 7% in 2025, below the industry’s projected 780,000 units, mainly due to the introduction of targeted subsidies for RON95 fuel in July 2025.

CIMB forecasts 7% drop in car sales due to targeted subsidies for RON95

Malaysia’s commercial real estate (CRE) market saw a strong recovery in 2024, in line with the global resurgence in property investment. According to The Wealth Report by Knight Frank, global CRE investment rebounded to US$806 billion, marking an 8% increase year-on-year, following a sharp contraction in 2023. Cross-border capital flows also rose by 12% to US$171 billion, underscoring the international appetite for real estate.

Knight Frank: Malaysia’s high-net-worth individuals drive property market growth amid global rebound

WASHINGTON (March 4): A trade group representing nearly all major automakers warned on Tuesday that new 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico imposed by US President Donald Trump will lead to drastic price hikes.

Automakers warn that Trump tariffs will hike vehicle prices as much as 25%

Construction stocks in Malaysia have room to improve from currently unjustified valuations, amid booming data centres and upcoming public projects, analysts said.

Construction stocks on Bursa have room to grow as current valuations unjustified, say analysts

Kenanga Research believes the banking sector will be one of the few areas with growth in calendar year 2025 (CY2025), expecting a net positive improvement in returns on equity (ROEs).

Banking sector a sparse safe space for growth — Kenanga

KUALA LUMPUR (March 3): Malaysia’s manufacturing sector conditions improved marginally in February, as firms reduced purchasing activity to a lesser extent than seen a month earlier to meet rising orders, latest data showed.

Malaysia’s manufacturing activity improving in February as new orders rise, PMI data show

(March 2): Global shippers from AP Moller-Maersk A/S to Cosco Shipping Holdings Co, Ltd, which logged windfall earnings last year, may see a reversal of fortunes in 2025, as a potential reopening of the Red Sea route and punitive US tariffs loom.

Shipping profit boom evaporates on US tariffs, Red Sea reopening

BANGKOK (March 13): Thailand's Investment Board said on Thursday it had approved a US$1 billion (RM4.4 billion) investment from China's Sunwoda Electronic to build an electric vehicle battery plant, the latest in a series of new EV-related projects in the regional automaking hub.

The Sh...

Thailand approves US$1b investment from China's Sunwoda for EV battery plant

Singapore prosecutors told a court on Thursday that a case in which Singapore-based firms have been accused of fraudulently supplying US servers to Malaysia involves transactions worth US$390 million (RM1.7 billion).

Singapore prosecutors say US server fraud case involves US$390m of transactions

THE Employees Provident Fund is set to declare its highest ever dividend payout on March 1 for 2024, with the dividend rate likely beating 2023’s 5.5% for conventional savings and 5.4% for shariah savings. Yet in the run-up to the stellar showing, EPF’s equity traders’ decision to sell close to 1...

Cover Story 2: EPF cites insider trading rules on MAHB share trades as critics decry missed profits

（吉隆坡13日讯）Kerjaya Prospek Group Bhd（KL:KERJAYA）获得一份价值1164万令吉的建筑工程合约。

Kerjaya Prospek获1164万槟建筑合约

Hibiscus Petroleum Bhd (KL:HIBISCS) has declared a third interim dividend of two sen per share for the financial year ending June 30, 2025 (FY2025), with the extension of one of its production sharing contracts (PSCs).

Hibiscus secures extension for production sharing contract, announces third interim dividend for FY2025

Bank of Japan governor Kazuo Ueda on Thursday painted an optimistic view on consumption and reaffirmed the bank's resolve to shrink its "too big" balance sheet, a sign it remains on course to wean the economy off monetary stimulus.

BOJ's Ueda upbeat on consumption, warns of 'too big' balance sheet

The worst of the US equity correction may be over, with credit markets indicating a lower risk of recession, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Worst of US equity correction likely over, JPMorgan says

Malaysia’s natural rubber (NR) production fell by 20.8% to 30,342 tonnes in January 2025, compared to 38,299 tonnes in December 2024, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).

DOSM: Malaysia’s natural rubber production down 20.8% in January 2025

MALAYSIA’s ambition to unlock RM747 billion (according to government estimates) worth of rare earth elements (REE) embedded in the country’s hills and soil, has recently come under the spotlight — and for good reason.

China’s ongoing public consultation on new regulations designed to pr...

Cover Story 1: Can Malaysia unlock potential of its rare earth deposits?

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said and a Malaysian delegation are currently in London to conduct an empirical study on the proposed separation of the roles of Attorney General and Public Prosecutor.

Malaysian delegation in UK for study on AG and Public Prosecutor role separation

(March 13):&nbsp;Intel Corp&nbsp;named Lip-Bu Tan as its next chief executive officer, entrusting a former board member and semiconductor veteran with one of the toughest jobs in the chip industry.&nbsp;

Intel names Malaysian-born chip industry veteran Lip-Bu Tan as its next CEO

(March 13): DHL Group will look to hire workers in locations such as Malaysia if US President Donald Trump removes a tax exemption for lower-value shipments, DHL Express chief executive officer John Pearson said.

The logistics industry was whipsawed in February by an executive order tha...

DHL to hire hundreds in Malaysia if shipping loophole nixed

Cash-strapped Sapura Energy Bhd (KL:SAPNRG) will go through an additional due diligence process as a prerequisite to the government’s capital injection of RM1.1 billion and its restructuring exercise, according to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Sapura Energy to undergo additional due diligence as precondition for RM1.1b capital injection — PM

Saliran Group Bhd (KL:SALIRAN) eked out tiny gains in its first ever trade on the ACE Market before falling below its initial public offering price (IPO) less than a second later.

Saliran Group turns lower immediately after ekeing out tiny gain in first ever trade on ACE Market

Bermaz Auto Bhd’s (KL:BAUTO) stock fell on Thursday and headed towards a three-year low after the car assembler reported weaker-than-expected quarterly profits.

Bermaz Auto heads towards three-year low after weaker-than-expected quarter

The Perak government has called on AirAsia to reconsider its decision to suspend the Ipoh-Singapore route, which is set to take effect on April 25, as announced on the airline’s website.

Perak govt urges AirAsia to reconsider suspension of Ipoh-Singapore route

Taiwanese shares saw their worst-ever selling streak by foreign investors as heavyweight Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co fell out of favour.

Taiwanese stocks suffer record foreign selling as TSMC dumped

SumiSaujana Group Bhd has opened applications for its initial public offering (IPO) at 24 sen per share that could raise up to RM96 million for its ACE Market listing.

Chemicals firm SumiSaujana opens applications for ACE Market IPO at 24 sen

Tech stocks led advances in Asia on Thursday, taking their cue from Wall Street's gains after tepid inflation data allayed concerns over the state of the US economy.

Stocks gain after mild US inflation; yields buoyed by trade tensions

PUTRAJAYA (March 13): Former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob was at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters here on Thursday, to give his statement regarding an investigation into a corruption and money laundering case linked to him.

Ismail Sabri at MACC HQ to give statement

(March 13):&nbsp;Cooler-than-forecast February inflation pushed stocks higher after two days of heavy losses. A kneejerk rally in bonds quickly reversed and yields rose across the curve amid concerns over an escalating trade war.

Stocks rise after CPI surprise as trade risks loom

KUALA LUMPUR (March 13): Global economy growth is expected to slow this year, weighed down by trade tensions, policy uncertainties, and geopolitical risks, according to Moody’s Analytics.

Global economy fragile, growth to slow to 2.4% this year — Moody’s

Singapore prosecutors told a court on Thursday that a case in which Singapore-based firms have been accused of fraudulently supplying US servers to Malaysia involves transactions worth US$390 million (RM1.7 billion).

MOSCOW (March 12): The Kremlin said on Wednesday that it would review details from Washington about a proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine before responding, while US&nbsp;Secretary of State Marco Rubio hoped a deal would be struck within days.

Cautious Russia weighs Ukraine ceasefire plan as US tries to seal a deal

The worst of the US equity correction may be over, with credit markets indicating a lower risk of recession, according to JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co.

(March 13):&nbsp;More than 1,600 financial firms and their subsidiaries tapped the Federal Reserve’s emergency lending programme created to support the industry during the regional banking turmoil two years ago.

Over 1,600 financial firms tapped Fed’s emergency lending tool

The judicial review hearing involving Cekap Urus Sdn Bhd — majority-owned by Tan Sri Vincent Tan — the Ministry of Finance (MOF), as well as the federal government and Spanco Sdn Bhd regarding the government fleet car project has been rescheduled.

Cekap Urus' fleet car project judicial review against MOF, Spanco rescheduled to August 28

Specialty chemicals manufacturer SumiSaujana Group Bhd, which is set to list on Bursa Malaysia’s ACE Market in April, is looking to expand its presence in the Middle East and North America to capture new growth opportunities and mitigate high freight costs.

ACE Market-bound SumiSaujana eyeing global expansion amid rising demand, says CEO

The tenures of Chief Judge of Malaya Datuk Seri Hasnah Mohammed Hashim and two Federal Court judges Datuk Zabariah Mohamad Yusof and Datuk Hanipah Farikullah will be extended for six months, after they reach the judicial retirement age of 66.

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