The share price of Gadang Holdings Bhd (KL:GADANG) may rally on the back of strong earnings growth, following a better-than-expected quarter, TA Securities said.

Gadang shares may rally on strong earnings growth, says TA Securities in upgrade to 'buy'

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 23): Aeon Co (M) Bhd (KL:AEON) is set to deliver another strong performance in the final quarter of the financial year 2024, with a projected net profit of RM57.3 million, according to CIMB Securities.

Aeon poised for strong 4Q performance on festive season, reopening of stores — CIMB Securities

Standard Chartered plc shares still have potential to soar even after an 85% increase in the stock over the past year, according to chief executive officer Bill Winters.

Standard Chartered still undervalued despite rally, says CEO

(Jan 22): This year’s 30% artificial intelligence (AI)-driven rally in shares of South Korea’s SK Hynix Inc faces threats as political issues and valuations push local investors towards domestic-focused companies.

SK Hynix’s 30% gain this year under pressure from Trump trades

MIDF Research said the recent selldown of data centre-linked construction stocks 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 its upgrade on Sunway Construction Group Berhad (KL:SUNCON) to a “buy”, from “neutral”.

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

Malakoff Corporation Bhd (KL:MALAKOF) will likely see a weaker fourth quarter, as fuel margin losses from falling coal prices may prompt the power company to book higher provisions, said AmInvestment Bank.

Malakoff likely to see weaker 4Q on fuel margin losses, AmInvestment flags

Datasonic Group Bhd's (KL:DSONIC) one-year extensions for passport supply and biodata page contracts have come within expectations, but the company's share price has been weighed down by the absence of long-term contract extensions.

Contract renewals boost Datasonic's prospects, say analysts

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 21): Aluminium smelting and extrusion facility, Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd’s (KL:PMETAL) fourth quarterly earnings are expected to come in a range of RM375 million to RM400 million, according to Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB).

Press Metal’s 4Q earnings to be boosted by associate PT Bintan’s contribution amid high alumina prices, says HLIB

(Jan 21): Yinson Production Offshore Pte Ltd plans to allocate US$4.5 billion to US$6 billion (RM20.2 billion to RM30 billion) capital expenditure in the next three years to expand ahead of a possible initial public offering in the US.

Yinson's FPSO unit to allocate up to US$6 bil in capex

A vehicle linked to Scanwolf Corp Bhd (KL:SCNWOLF) managing director Eddy Seah Ley Hong has triggered a mandatory takeover offer to acquire all the remaining shares it does not own in the plastic extrusion maker at 54 sen per share.

Scanwolf MD-linked vehicle triggers mandatory takeover offer, intends to maintain listing

Bird's nest processor MYMBN Bhd (KL:MBN) said on Friday that the Department of Veterinary Services Malaysia has lifted the temporary suspension of exports of both raw-cleaned edible bird’s nest (RCEBN) and raw-uncleaned edible bird’s nest (RUCEBN) products to China after nearly one month. This is expected to bring major relief to MYMBN, given that China is a primary market for the group.

Malaysia lifts suspension of bird’s nest exports to China after nearly one month, says MYMBN

Europe’s beaten-down luxury stocks have turned a corner the past two months, increasing the stakes for the earnings the companies are about to announce.

Speculation that China’s economic stimulus will lead to higher spending, and that President-elect Donald Trump will manage to boost US growth, has lifted a Goldman Sachs Group Inc basket tracking the sector by 13% since mid-November, outpacing the broader market. Now investors need proof that the optimism was justified.

European luxury stocks’ recent revival faces high-stakes earnings test

Affin Bank Bhd's (KL:AFFIN) ambitious branch expansion plan is expected to keep its cost-to-income ratio (CIR) elevated for the next few years, according to CGS International, which is reiterating its 'reduce' recommendation on the bank.

Affin Bank's expansion plan will keep costs high for next few years, says CGS

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 15): Yinson Holdings Bhd’s (KL:YINSON) move to rope in foreign partners for its production unit would strengthen its own balance sheet and reduce the reliance on debt, analysts said.

Yinson’s move to rope in foreign partners for unit is timely, will strengthen balance sheet, analysts say as shares rise

Singapore's central bank on Friday loosened its monetary policy, the first such move since 2020, saying it expects inflation and growth to be slower than it initially forecast this year.

Singapore central bank eases monetary policy, first time since March 2020 

Mitsubishi Motors Corp won’t be a part of Honda Motor Co and Nissan Motor Co’s plans to combine their companies under a holding company, the Yomiuri reported.

Mitsubishi Motors won’t join Honda, Nissan tie-up — report

MORNING CALL: 24/1/25

TALKING EDGE: Oriental Kopi on brewing up success

Britain said on Friday it had awarded Rolls-Royce a £9 billion (US$11 billion or RM48.8 billion) contract to design, make and provide support services to nuclear reactors that power its fleet of submarines.

Rolls-Royce wins US$11b UK nuclear submarine contract

TOKYO (Jan 24): The Bank of Japan is expected to raise interest rates on Friday to their highest levels since the 2008 global financial crisis, as a broad stocks rally worldwide calms policymakers' fears US President Donald Trump's tariff threats could upend markets.

With traders almost...

BOJ likely to raise rates to highest in 17 years, signal more hikes

Japan’s key inflation gauge hit 3% for the first time in 16 months, underscoring the nation’s sustained price momentum just hours before the central bank is expected to hike rates for a third time under governor Kazuo Ueda.

Japan inflation jumps to 3%, giving support to rate-hike case 

US businessman Frank McCourt is open to teaming up with other buyers on a bid to take over the US operations of TikTok as long as he can maintain control of the asset, he told Reuters at the Davos event on Thursday.

Billionaire McCourt says open to teaming up on a TikTok bid 

The US Treasury Department said on Thursday that it activated another of its extraordinary cash management measures to avoid breaching the federal debt limit, suspending daily reinvesments of the Government Securities Investment Fund, or G Fund.

Acting US Treasury chief deploys another debt ceiling cash management move

US President Donald Trump on Thursday ordered the creation of a cryptocurrency working group tasked with proposing new digital asset regulations and exploring the creation of a national cryptocurrency stockpile, making good on his promise to quickly overhaul US crypto policy.

Trump orders crypto working group to draft new regulations, explore national stockpile

Here is a brief recap of some business news and corporate announcements that made the headlines on Thursday

YTL Corp, YTL Power, MRCB, Westports, IGB REIT, IGB Commercial REIT, Axis REIT, KIP REIT, Destini, Citaglobal, T7 Global, Oriental Kopi, Econframe, Unitrade 

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EVENING 5: Five things you need to know today

US President Donald Trump on Thursday ordered the creation of a cryptocurrency working group tasked with proposing new digital asset regulations and exploring the creation of a national cryptocurrency stockpile, making good on his promise to quickly overhaul US crypto policy.

Unitrade Industries Bhd (KL:UNITRAD), a building material wholesaler and distributor, says its 51%-owned subsidiary Intergreen Metal Sdn Bhd is acquiring a controlling stake in metal recycling specialist Kien San Metal Sdn Bhd (KMSB) for RM42 million to expand its business to Sabah and Sarawak.

Unitrade Industries' unit buys controlling stake in metal recycler Kien San for RM42 mil

Econframe Bhd (KL:EFRAME) is buying Ipoh-based manufacturer and seller of wooden doors Ivory Pearl Sdn Bhd (IPSB) for RM56 million, in a move to expand its footprint in the UK and Australian markets.&nbsp;

Econframe is paying RM46.67 million in cash — to be funded via a combination of internally generated funds and bank borrowings — to buy IPSB from the major shareholders, which include Yeong Chew Tet and Lee Kok Choy, who owned 31.5% stake and 17.1% stake in the company, respectively.

Econframe buys Ipoh-based wooden doors maker for RM56 mil

US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he wants the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates at a time the central bank has hit pause for an uncertain duration, arguing he understands monetary policy better than those charged with setting it.

Trump demands US Fed cut rates, claims better monetary policy understanding

TOKYO (Jan 24): The Bank of Japan is expected to raise interest rates on Friday to their highest levels since the 2008 global financial crisis, as a broad stocks rally worldwide calms policymakers' fears US President Donald Trump's tariff threats could upend markets.

With traders almost...

The authorities’ strict action in shutting down illegal crossings at the Malaysia-Thailand border in Rantau Panjang here forced the operators of the illegal jetties to move their operations to the neighbouring country two days ago.

The General Operations Force (GOF) Southeast Brigade commander, Datuk Nik Ros Azhan Nik Ab Hamid, said this move, enforced on Dec 1, reflects the growing compliance of the communities in border areas with the ban on illegal border crossings.&nbsp;

Border crossing ban cripples illegal jetties in Rantau Panjang

Changpeng 'CZ' Zhao, a few months out of prison and worth US$70 billion thanks to the relentless crypto rally, is turning the former venture capital arm of his Binance Holdings Ltd into a family office.

Binance Labs, which oversees about US$10 billion of crypto-related assets, will be renamed YZi Labs, according to a statement on Thursday. Zhao brought back Ella Zhang, who helped set up Binance Labs in 2018 and left two years later, to run the outfit. YZi Labs will also manage the wealth of Binance co-founder Yi He, with whom Zhao has three children.

Crypto’s richest man CZ turns VC firm into giant family office

Furniture maker Rhong Khen International Bhd (KL:RKI) is selling its Vietnamese indirect subsidiary RT Industries Company Ltd (RTI) to Singapore-based Maideli Pte Ltd for US$7.12 million (RM31.66 million) in cash.

The sale is expected to yield a gain of up to RM15.5 million for Rhong Khen. This move is part of the group’s strategy to streamline operations, reduce costs amid challenging market conditions, and strengthen its liquidity position.

Furniture maker Rhong Khen to rake in RM16 mil gain from Vietnam indirect unit sale 

Singapore's central bank on Friday loosened its monetary policy, the first such move since 2020, saying it expects inflation and growth to be slower than it initially forecast this year.

Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup&nbsp;is facing renewed scrutiny on its strategy of backing&nbsp;loss-making&nbsp;electric vehicle maker VinFast, with its shares near multi-year lows as foreign investors sell and its borrowing costs rise.

EV maker VinFast's losses heap pressure on parent Vingroup as foreign investors sell

ByteDance is exploring a deal to keep TikTok running in the US without selling its operations there, according to board member Bill Ford.

The Chinese company is looking at options for the social media app that could involve a change of control locally to ensure it complies with US legislation, General Atlantic Chief Executive Officer Ford said Thursday in an interview with Bloomberg Television. The private equity firm holds a stake in ByteDance, TikTok’s parent firm.

TikTok deal could stop short of full US sale, shareholder says

A late-day rebound in technology companies helped drive stocks to all-time highs, extending an advance fuelled by President Donald Trump’s call for lower oil prices and interest rates.

US stocks get Trump boost to close at all-time highs

HSBC's&nbsp;decision to shutter international payments app Zing is likely to trigger around 400 job losses, a source familiar with the matter said, as CEO Georges Elhedery steps up cost-cutting efforts at Europe's largest bank.

HSBC's payments app closure puts around 400 jobs at risk — Reuters

The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) has declared its opposition to any policy or practice of basing wages on gender, asserting that employers should reward employees based on their contributions and performance.

In a statement on Thursday, MEF president Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman called on all employers to immediately address and rectify any existing gender-based pay disparities as he highlighted the crucial role women have played in Malaysia’s progress and development.

Employers federation calls for immediate end to gender-based pay disparities

US businessman Frank McCourt is open to teaming up with other buyers on a bid to take over the US operations of TikTok as long as he can maintain control of the asset, he told Reuters at the Davos event on Thursday.

Friedrich Merz, the conservative front-runner in the race to be Germany’s next chancellor, warned domestic companies against making bigger investments in China.

“The decision to invest in China is a decision with great risk,” Merz said at a foreign policy event in Berlin on Thursday. “If you take this risk, do it in such a way that it doesn’t endanger the entire company group if you have to write off this investment from one year to the next.”

German frontrunner Merz warns companies against China investment

Adidas CEO Bjoern Gulden plans to cut up to 500 jobs at the German sport retailer's headquarters in Herzogenaurach, a source who took part in a meeting where the figure was announced told Reuters on Thursday.

Adidas to axe up to 500 jobs at headquarters — Reuters

When Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg appeared on a Jan 10, 2025, episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” he lamented that corporate culture had become too “feminine,” suppressing its “masculine energy” and abandoning supposedly valuable traits such as aggression.

The workplace, he concluded, has been “neutered.”

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