Germany is waging a charm offensive inside the Republican Party. Japan is lining up its own Trump whisperer. Mexican government officials are talking to Camp Trump. And Australia is busy making laws to help Trump-proof its US defence ties.

How US allies are preparing for a possible second Trump term

US President Joe Biden’s recent polling bump in key battleground states has mostly evaporated, as a deep current of pessimism about the trajectory of the US economy hurts his standing with voters.

Biden trails Trump in six of seven key states, poll shows

Donald Trump's political group that pays his legal bills on Saturday reported spending US$3.6 million (RM17.2 million) on lawyer fees in February, draining the finances backing Trump's White House bid as the Republican trailed President Joe Biden at raising money.

Trump group spends big on legal fees; Biden leads at fundraising

President Joe Biden called China “xenophobic” while highlighting the Asian nation’s economic woes, as he sought to make the case for US economic strength during a campaign stop in the swing state of Pennsylvania.

Biden calls China ‘xenophobic’, ramping up 2024 campaign rhetoric

Russia is working to undermine US support for Ukraine ahead of the 2024 election, while Chinese influence campaigns aim to divide Americans and undercut their faith in democracy, according to new research from Microsoft Corp.

Microsoft sees slowing in Russia, China efforts to sway vote

President Joe Biden lambasted Donald Trump’s economic platform in a broadside that included mocking the drop in shares of his political rival’s media company.

Biden mocks Trump media share drop in economic broadside

(April 6): Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's campaign said a major fundraiser in Florida on Saturday raked in a massive US$50.5 million, as the former president seeks to replenish diminished coffers in his rematch against Democrat Joe Biden.

Trump says US$50 mil raised from biggest fundraiser yet

WASHINGTON (March 16): US President Joe Biden took jabs on Saturday at former president Donald Trump with jokes about the mental fitness of his election opponent during a speech at the Gridiron Club dinner, a Washington tradition that began in the 1880s.

Biden jokes about Trump's mental fitness at Washington's Gridiron dinner

WASHINGTON (March 16): Donald Trump said on Saturday that if he does not win November's presidential election, it will mean the likely end of American democracy.

Trump predicts the end of US democracy if he loses 2024 election

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump both clinched their parties' nomination on Tuesday, kicking off the first US presidential election rematch in nearly 70 years.

Biden needed 1,968 delegates to win the nomination, and he passed that number on Tuesday night as results began to come in from the primary contest in Georgia, Edison Research said. Results were also coming in from Mississippi, Washington state, the Northern Mariana Islands and Democrats living abroad.

Biden, Trump clinch nominations, kicking off bruising presidential rematch

An anti-Trump Republican group is planning to spend US$50 million (RM233.8 million) in a campaign to stop the former president from winning a second term in the White House, according to US political website The Hill.

Republican group plans US$50m campaign to block Trump from reelection — report

Former president Donald Trump defended his plan to increase tariffs on Chinese imports if elected for a second term, saying he did not mind if China retaliated with tariffs of its own on US goods.

Trump defends tariffs, dismisses threat of retaliatory moves

Conservative billionaires Liz and Dick Uihlein will help fund Donald Trump’s campaign, giving the former president financial support as he seeks to catch a fundraising lead built by President Joe Biden, the Financial Times said on Saturday.

Packaging billionaires to help fund Trump campaign — FT

US President Joe Biden vowed Thursday to raise taxes on wealthy Americans and large companies, announcing plans in his State of the Union address to hike corporate minimum taxes and cut deductions for executive pay and corporate jets.

Biden previewed the steps that will be part of a proposed fiscal 2025 budget released next week that aims to decrease the federal deficit by US$3 trillion over 10 years while cutting taxes for low-income Americans and aiding middle-class homebuyers.

State of the Union: Biden vows to raise taxes on wealthy, corporations

Harvey Weinstein's 2020 conviction for sexual assault and rape was overturned by New York's highest court, reopening the landmark case that fuelled the #MeToo movement and highlighting the challenges of holding powerful men accountable.

Harvey Weinstein's rape conviction overturned by top New York court

Honda Motor Co will spend C$15 billion (US$11 billion or RM52.54 billion) to build out its electric vehicle (EV) supply chain in Canada, with billions of dollars of financial aid from government, as the Japanese automaker seeks to tap long-term demand in the region.

Honda to spend US$11 bil on EV strategy in Canada

Hulu Selangor Bersatu action division head has been named as Perikatan Nasional's (PN) candidate for the Kuala Kubu Baharu (KKB) state by-election on May 11.

PN names Hulu Selangor Bersatu acting division head as candidate for KKB by-election

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

AirAsia X, Capital A, ViTrox, PavREIT, Luxchem, Chin Teck, MKHOP, TAS Offshore, Inta Bina, Heineken, Pantech and Infoline Tec 

TAS Offshore Bhd’s net profit has leapt by nine-fold year-on-year for the financial quarter ended Feb 29, 2024 (3QFY2024) due to more vessels delivered.

TAS Offshore’s 3Q net profit up nine-fold, shares surge to eight-year high

US economic growth for the first quarter could be revised higher and inflation will ease to more normal levels, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told Reuters on Thursday after a clutch of "peculiar" factors held the economy to its weakest showing in nearly two years.

US growth may get revised up, inflation will ebb

EUPE Corp Bhd's net profit surged by 28.9% to RM14.54 million in the fourth quarter ended Feb 29, 2024 (4QFY2024) from RM11.28 million a year ago, underpinned by a higher contribution from the property development division.

EUPE Corp net profit surges 28.9% in 4Q, driven by strong property sales

CGS International has cut its earnings estimate for Inari Amertron Bhd as recent data flagged weakened smartphone demand, according to its research note on Thursday.

CGS International cuts Inari Amertron earnings forecast on weak smartphone demand

AirAsia X Bhd (AAX), which will be taking over Capital A Bhd's aviation business, has announced the mechanics of its plan via a bourse filing on Thursday.

AirAsia X to buy Capital A's aviation business for RM6.8b via share and debt deal 

In today’s edition of Evening 5: 00:00 EPF unveils the details of flexible Account 3 02:07 AAX to buy Capital A’s airline business for RM6.8 bil 03:47 DNB adds five new members to its board 04:58 PM denies claims about a Forest City casino 05:51 Pantech mulls listing two subsidiaries

EVENING 5: EPF unveils the details of flexible Account 3

AirAsia X Bhd (AAX), which will be taking over Capital A Bhd's aviation business, has announced the mechanics of its plan via a bourse filing on Thursday.

Chin Teck Plantations Bhd’s net profit surged sevenfold for the financial quarter ended Feb 29, 2024 (2QFY2024) thanks to higher palm oil production as well as lower operating and administrative expenses.

Chin Teck’s 2Q net profit up sevenfold

MKH Oil Palm (East Kalimantan) Bhd (MKHOP), the plantation arm of property developer MKH Bhd, reported RM16.02 million net profit on the back of RM86.05 million revenue for the second quarter ended March 31, 2024 (2QFY2024), ahead of its listing on Bursa Malaysia’s Main Market.

MKH Oil Palm posts RM16 mil net profit in 2Q, q-o-q up 44% ahead of Main Market listing

Shares of CapitaLand Malaysia Trust (CLMT) surged on Thursday to its highest in nearly four years while analysts remained upbeat following better-than-expected first-quarter (1Q) results.

CapitaLand Malaysia Trust surges to near four-year high after strong 1Q

Global semiconductor firm Nasdaq-listed TTM Technologies Inc has invested US$200 million (about RM958 million) for its first manufacturing plant in Malaysia.

Nasdaq-listed TTM Technologies invests RM958 mil for manufacturing plant in Penang

The Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) has called on the European Union to delay the implementation of deforestation rules by at least a year for small businesses, its secretary general said on Thursday.

Palm oil producers urges EU to delay deforestation rules for small businesses

Pantech Group Holdings Bhd is considering to list two wholly-owned subsidiaries — Pantech Stainless &amp; Alloy Industries Sdn Bhd and Pantech Steel Industries Sdn Bhd — on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia via a special purpose vehicle (SPV).

Plans for this are still at the preliminary stage and extensive preparatory work needs to be carried out, Pantech said in a bourse filing on Thursday.

Pantech mulls listing two subsidiaries on Main Market via SPV

Practice Note 17 (PN17) company Khee San Bhd will increase the allotment underwritten in its proposed rights issue after Ng Meng Kee ceased to be a substantial shareholder and requested to discharge his undertaking.&nbsp;

Khee San revises underwriting of rights issue after substantial shareholder ceases to be, withdraws undertaking

ViTrox Corp Bhd saw its net profit nearly halved for the financial quarter ended March 31, 2024 (1QFY2024), primarily due to unfavourable product mix and higher research and development (R&amp;D) expenditures to support the introduction of new products.

ViTrox 1Q’s net profit nearly halved, extending declining profits to five quarters

Construction company Inta Bina Group Bhd has secured a contract worth RM224.8 million to develop a 38-storey business serviced apartment in Subang Jaya.

Inta Bina bags RM224.8m job to build business serviced apartments in Subang Jaya

The newly constituted board of Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) will convene a meeting soon to review due diligence findings and address the remaining conditions precedent in the share subscription agreements (SSAs), said Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo.

DNB's new board to review due diligence findings, finalise share subscription agreements soon — Gobind

While March’s headline inflation of 1.8% year-on-year (y-o-y) came in slightly lower than consensus expectations of 2%, economists are maintaining their projection that Malaysia's headline inflation will progressively accelerate towards the end of the year on account of the government's fuel subsidy rationalisation plan, utility tariff hikes, and its recent adjustments of the service tax.

Inflation to pick up soon on fiscal consolidation measures after weaker-than-expected March print — economists

Pavilion Real Estate Investment Trust (PavREIT) reported that its first quarter net property income (NPI) jumped 33.2% year-on-year, thanks largely to contribution from its newly acquired mall, Pavilion Bukit Jalil. The increase was also attributed to higher occupancy rates and higher revenue rent from its other retail malls.

PavREIT’s 1Q NPI jumps 33%, pays 2.48 sen distribution per unit

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

US economic growth slowed more than expected in the first quarter, but an acceleration in inflation suggested that the Federal Reserve would not cut interest rates before September.

US economic growth slows more than expected in first quarter

KUALA LUMPUR (April 25): The Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) expects more companies to utilise the new corporate rehabilitation framework introduced by the Companies (Amendment) Act 2024, which came into force on April 1.

SSM expects more companies to utilise new corporate rehabilitation framework

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has served a senior police officer arrested on suspicion of protecting an illegal syndicate in the country's capital a notice to declare his assets before April 28.

Senior police officer arrested for alleged corruption given until April 28 to declare assets to MACC

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EVENING 5: Five things you need to know today

KUALA LUMPUR (April 25): HeiTech Padu Bhd targets&nbsp;stronger earnings growth after returning to profitability for the financial year ending Dec&nbsp;31, 2023 (FY2023), amid greater competition.

HeiTech Padu targets stronger earnings growth after returning to black in 2023

TAS Offshore Bhd’s net profit has leapt by nine-fold year-on-year for the financial quarter ended Feb 29, 2024 (3QFY2024) due to more vessels delivered.

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