US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Wednesday US President-elect Donald Trump's plan to set up a new government agency to collect tariffs would duplicate an existing agency and was unlikely to save money.

Yellen says Trump's plan for new revenue agency won't save money for taxpayers

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson wants to sell as much as US$830 million (RM3.73 billion) in general obligation bonds, filing an ordinance to approve the borrowing one day after S&P Global Ratings cut the city’s credit rating.

Chicago seeks authorisation to sell up to US$830m in bonds

US consumer prices rose in December by less than forecast after months of faster underlying inflation persuaded the Federal Reserve to signal a pause in interest-rate cuts.

The so-called core consumer price index (CPI) — which excludes food and energy costs — increased 0.2% after rising 0.3% four straight months, Bureau of Labor Statistics figures showed on Wednesday.

US core inflation eases for first time in six months

US President-elect Donald Trump said on Tuesday he will create a new government agency called the External Revenue Service "to collect tariffs, duties, and all revenue" from foreign sources as he readies new import tariffs ahead of his inauguration next week.

Trump says he will create new agency to collect revenue from foreign sources

Some bond traders are betting that the relentless selloff in treasuries will soon lose momentum, in part because of questions around how President-elect Donald Trump’s policies will take shape.

Why some bond traders bet relentless selloff will soon lose steam

Surging yields are spurring at least a few blue-chip companies to delay US bond sales, a sign of how falling treasury prices are rippling into other markets.

Surging yields ripple into corporate bonds, delaying sales

WASHINGTON/HAVANA (Jan 14): The Biden administration said on Tuesday that it would remove Cuba from its terrorism blacklist, while Cuba said separately that it would release upward of 500 prisoners from its jails, dual announcements poised to reshape US-Cuba relations just days before Donald Trump takes office.

Biden looks to relax Cuba sanctions in final days before Trump

As the Federal Reserve (Fed) continues to unwind its balance sheet, it’s still dogged by the same issues that it faced more than five years ago.

While market dynamics have evolved, the main issue facing policymakers and investors is how to measure liquidity in the financial system and avoid turmoil that forced the Fed to intervene in September 2019, as the Fed runs down it holdings.

Fed’s balance-sheet dynamics still weigh heavy five years on

Bank of America (BofA) strategists expect the prospect of fewer interest-rate cuts this year to weaken the demand for longer-duration, investment-grade bonds.

BofA sees duration risk curbing demand for corporate bonds

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation gave a fresh deadline of Feb 10 to BlackRock to resolve an issue regarding oversight into the asset manager's investments in FDIC-regulated banking organisations, Bloomberg News reported on Sunday, citing three people with knowledge of the matter.

US bank regulator gives BlackRock February deadline on bank stakes — report

For years it’s seemed like nothing could stop the stock market’s inexorable march higher, as the S&P 500 Index soared more than 50% from the start of 2023 to the end of 2024, adding US$18 trillion (RM81.16 trillion) in value in the process. Now, however, Wall Street is seeing what can ultimately derail this rally: treasury yields above 5%.

S&P’s US$18 trillion rally threatened by psychology of 5% yields

Prospect Medical Holdings Inc, once an active buyer of cash-strapped hospitals, filed for bankruptcy after struggling with debt piles and soaring costs.

Private hospital owner Prospect Medical files for bankruptcy

Underlying US inflation probably cooled only a touch at the close of 2024 against a backdrop of a resilient job market and steadfast economy, supporting the Federal Reserve’s go-slow approach to further rate cuts.

US inflation set to back Fed pause after robust jobs data

Outgoing SEC chair Gary Gensler has a word of caution for the next administration: be careful about messing with the guardrails that protect mom-and-pop traders.

Gensler cautions against weakening guardrails for retail traders

Former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will have all of his Jana Wibawa charges tried in one court instead of two separate courts.

Muhyiddin’s seven Jana Wibawa charges to be heard in one court

WASHINGTON/SINGAPORE (Jan 15): The Biden administration added more than two dozen Chinese entities to a US restricted trade list on Wednesday, including Zhipu AI, a developer of large language models, and Sophgo, a company whose TSMC-made chip was illegally incorporated into a Huawei artificial intelligence (AI) processor.

US blacklists Chinese companies over TSMC chips in Huawei processor

COPENHAGEN (Jan 15): Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Wednesday she had spoken on the phone with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and told him that it is up to Greenland itself to decide on any independence.

Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, said last week that...

Danish PM tells Trump it is up to Greenland to decide on "independence"

SEOUL (Jan 16): South Korea's central bank unexpectedly left its policy interest rate unchanged on Thursday, weighing the impact of its back-to-back cuts last year, while supporting the won, which weakened to a 15-year low versus the US dollar in recent weeks.

Bank of Korea unexpectedly holds policy rate amid won slide

Regrets? Ruben Amorim may have had a few. Prior to the potentially pivotal draw at Liverpool last weekend, the Portuguese had not even attempted to put any spin on his disastrous first 50 days in charge of Manchester United.

With six defeats in 11 games, he acknowledged the toll it took...

Business Of Sports: Amorim can stop the rot at United — his way

British business confidence slid to a two-year low at the end of last year, pushed down by worries about tax following the Labour government's first budget, a survey showed on Wednesday.

UK business morale sank to two-year low in late 2024, accountants say

LONDON (Jan 15): The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) will be a critical vehicle to expand and facilitate investment and trade between Malaysia and the United Kingdom (UK).

Anwar: CPTPP a critical vehicle to expand investment, trade between Malaysia and UK

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 16): Malaysia’s tourism industry upcycle has started ahead of Visit Malaysia Year 2026, and could bolster share prices of related companies in the next two years, said Maybank Investment Bank (Maybank IB).

Malaysia’s tourism upcycle has begun, some related stocks could gain — Maybank IB

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 16): The High Court on Thursday approved a pension increase for retirees, based on their final salary per the 2016 Public Services Department circular, effective January 2022.

High Court rules in favour of pensioners

A husband and wife, who own a travel agency, were arrested in Kuala Lumpur at 7pm on Wednesday in connection with allegations of failing to fly out a group of umrah pilgrims on Tuesday.

Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) of the Selangor police contingent headquarters (IPK) also seized several computers, passports and related documents.

Failure to fly out umrah pilgrims: Couple who owns travel agency arrested

CBH Engineering Holding Bhd (KL:CBHB) rose 18% on Thursday in Bursa Malaysia’s ACE Market trading debut, following robust demand during the engineering services firm’s initial public offering (IPO).

CBH Engineering rises 18% in ACE Market trading debut

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday met his UK counterpart, Sir Keir Starmer, and discussed about elevating the relations between both countries to strategic partnership covering all spheres.

“The focus and the fundamentals is of course economics, but also defence and education,” he told reporters after meeting Starmer at No 10, Downing Street, on Wednesday.

Malaysia, UK discuss elevating relations to strategic partnership

Asian shares tracked Wall Street higher on Thursday and the dollar was soft as easing core US inflation kept potential rate cuts by the Federal Reserve on the table, while the yen rose to a one-month high on rate hike bets.

Stocks rise with US rate cuts back in view; yen at one-month high

Nate Anderson, the short seller who made his name with campaigns targeting billionaires Gautam Adani, Jack Dorsey and Carl Icahn, said he’s disbanding his small but renowned firm, Hindenburg Research.&nbsp;

Short seller Nate Anderson says he’s disbanding Hindenburg

WASHINGTON/SINGAPORE (Jan 15): The Biden administration added more than two dozen Chinese entities to a US&nbsp;restricted trade list on Wednesday, including Zhipu&nbsp;AI, a&nbsp;developer&nbsp;of large language models, and Sophgo, a company whose TSMC-made chip was illegally incorporated into a Huawei artificial intelligence (AI) processor.

Four locals, including a woman, have been arrested for their alleged involvement in a syndicate selling non-existent vehicle registration numbers in several states.

Perak acting police chief DCP Zulkafli Sariaat confirmed that the arrests of individuals aged between 27 and 52 were made during separate raids from Jan 10 to 14. The operation followed a report made on Jan 8 by a 22-year-old victim who claimed to have been scammed by the syndicate.

Four arrested for selling fake vehicle registration numbers

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 16): Malaysia’s tourism industry upcycle has started ahead of Visit Malaysia Year 2026, and could bolster share prices of related companies in the next two years, said Maybank Investment Bank (Maybank IB).

Wall Street breathed a sigh of relief after a surprise slowdown in inflation spurred a stock rally and a plunge in bond yields, reinforcing bets the Federal Reserve is on track to keep cutting rates this year.

Equities erased their losses for 2025, with the S&amp;P 500 up about 2% in its biggest gain since the&nbsp;aftermath of the US election.

Wall Street has best CPI day since at least 2023

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim officially inaugurated YTL Brabazon New Town in Bristol, a development poised to become the most sustainable new town in the UK.

Anwar launches UK’s most sustainable new town in Bristol by YTL

Eastern &amp; Oriental Bhd (KL:E&amp;O), Malaysia’s premier lifestyle developer, has launched Maris, a RM700 million waterfront residence located in the Gurney Green district on Andaman Island, Penang.

E&O unveils RM700m Maris waterfront development in Penang

US health officials banned the artificial food colouring Red No 3, which has been linked to cancer and is currently in scores of products from candy to cold medicine. 
&nbsp; 
The dye will no longer be allowed in US food or ingested drugs starting Jan 15, 2027, according to a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) document posted online.&nbsp;

US bans cancer-linked Red Dye No 3 in cereal and other foods

Former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will have all of his Jana Wibawa charges tried in one court instead of two separate courts.

DOHA/CAIRO/JERUSALEM (Jan 15): Hamas and Israel reached a deal for a&nbsp;ceasefire in&nbsp;Gaza&nbsp;that mediators said would take effect on Sunday, and include a release of hostages held there during 15 months of bloodshed that devastated the Palestinian enclave and inflamed the Middle East.

Israel, Hamas reach ceasefire deal to end 15 months of war in Gaza

Goldman Sachs' credit-card partnership with Apple may end before its contract runs out in 2030, Goldman CEO David Solomon said on Wednesday.

"We have a contract with Apple to run that partnership until 2030, although there's some possibility that it won't continue until that time frame," Solomon told analysts on an earnings call.

Goldman Sachs CEO says Apple card partnership may end before 2030

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused Russia of planning to carry out “acts of air terror” against airlines worldwide as he urged European partners to join forces in countering Moscow’s alleged sabotage attempts.

Poland’s Tusk says Russia planned terror acts against airlines

A Harmony Parade to celebrate the ethnic diversity and unity of society in this country will be held on Feb 15-16, said National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang on Wednesday.

He said the parade would be held at night at Dataran Merdeka in conjunction with Federal Territories Day and the World Interfaith Harmony Week (annually held in first week of February).

Harmony Parade to celebrate Malaysia united in diversity next month — Aaron

Donald Trump's choice for attorney general, Pam Bondi, vowed on Wednesday not to use the US Justice Department to target people based on their politics, seeking to allay concerns the president-elect will use law enforcement to go after his opponents.

"There will never be an enemies list within the Department of Justice," Bondi told the Senate Judiciary Committee.

US Economy

‌
‌

US Economy

‌‌

‌
‌