(Dec 19) : The US Federal Reserve did what markets expected on Wednesday. But that didn’t stop investors from dumping risk assets in droves.

Wall Street pros say fears of fewer Fed cuts sparking selloff

(Dec 19) : The Federal Reserve’s waning enthusiasm for rate cuts jarred US markets on Wednesday, sending stocks lower and pushing Treasury yields and the dollar sharply higher. It was the worst loss for the S&P 500 on the day of a rate decision since 2001.

S&P 500 sees worst Fed day since 2001; yields up

Wall Street's main indexes were subdued in choppy trading on Wednesday, as investors anticipated an interest rate cut from the Federal Reserve in its final meeting of the year and awaited clues on what policymakers could do in 2025.

Wall Street muted as caution prevails ahead of Fed decision

At a time when the American consumer’s resiliency has been questioned amid signs of a slowing economy, Walmart Inc has thrived. The world’s largest retailer, famed for its discount prices but increasingly known for its pursuits in advertising and an online marketplace, is headed for its best year since 1998.

Walmart cements retail dominance with best year since 1998 

(Dec 18) : US stocks declined as traders braced for the Federal Reserve’s widely anticipated rate decision and its forecast for next year.

Stocks drop before Fed’s last decision of the year

Technology stocks weighed on Wall Street on Tuesday, as investors grew cautious ahead of the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision this week following a stronger-than-expected retail sales reading.

Wall Street falls on caution over Fed decision after strong retail sales 

(Dec 17) : US stocks broadly ended Monday’s session higher, as traders geared up for interest-rate decisions by major central banks across the globe due later this week.

US stocks close higher with Fed rate-cut expected

MicroStrategy shares rose about 3% on Monday as the software company and bitcoin buyer was set to join the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 index, further brightening the prospects of the stock.

The US$25.7 trillion index that houses the largest non-financial companies will now gain indirect exposure to bitcoin via MicroStrategy, which holds US$44 billion worth of the digital currency on its balance sheet, about 2% of the total supply of the world's largest cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin buyer MicroStrategy's Nasdaq 100 entry to support stock rally

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq climbed while the Dow was flat on Monday, as investors looked ahead to an anticipated Federal Reserve interest rate cut later in the week, as well as several key data releases that will help set the tone for policy next year.

S&P 500, Nasdaq rise on optimism ahead of rate cut, economic data

(Dec 16): Investors anticipating another calm year in 2025 should be on guard for more shocks like the one seen in August, as uncertainty around Donald Trump’s tax and tariff policies threaten to roil markets.

Wall Street eyes 2025 volatility spikes on Trump tariffs, geopolitics

Fuse Media, a Latino-owned entertainment company, has become the latest party to raise objections to the pending Skydance-Paramount merger, suggesting to a federal regulator that Paramount chair Shari Redstone would be overpaid in the deal, to the detriment of the media business.

Studio protests over Paramount chair payout in Skydance deal

MicroStrategy will be added to the tech-heavy Nasdaq-100 Index, the exchange operator said on Friday, following a meteoric surge in the shares of the bitcoin buyer.

MicroStrategy secures Nasdaq-100 inclusion after bitcoin-fueled stock surge

US stocks closed out the trading week near the unchanged mark in a subdued session on Friday, with the S&P 500 and Dow posting weekly declines, while the Nasdaq secured its fourth consecutive week of gains.

US stocks close flat as Nasdaq extends weekly gains, S&P 500 and Dow dip

A rally that shot the world’s biggest technology stocks to all-time highs hit pause on Thursday, as Wall Street held off on big bets ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s (Fed) policy meeting next week.

Wall Street puts rally on hold before Fed meeting

China’s biggest oil refiner said the country’s gasoline demand had peaked last year and declines would accelerate as the shift to electric vehicles gathers pace.

China’s gasoline demand to keep falling, Sinopec says

Emerging Asian stocks tumbled to multi-month lows on Thursday while currencies weakened against a strong dollar, as risk aversion prevailed after the US Federal Reserve signalled a slower pace of rate cuts in the coming year.

Asian currencies, stocks slide as Fed signals slower rate cuts

Britain's water regulator said it would allow bills to rise by just over a third in the next five years to fund a much higher level of investment than originally slated, with the aim of fixing the country's broken water sector.

UK water bills to rise by 36% to help fix broken sector

Taiwan's central bank held its policy interest rate unchanged on Thursday while raising its growth estimate for the year, but flagged risks for next year from trade policies from the incoming Trump administration in the US.

Taiwan raises growth forecast, keeps interest rates unchanged

South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol is willing to present his views himself during legal proceedings related to his short-lived declaration of martial law, a lawyer advising Yoon said on Thursday.

South Korea's Yoon willing to represent himself in legal proceedings, lawyer says

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) kept interest rates unchanged on Thursday but one dissenting board member's proposal to push up borrowing costs showed the bank remains on track to tighten policy early next year.

BOJ keeps rates steady, hawkish board member dissents

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 19): Malaysia’s e-commerce income grew by 4% to RM918.2 billion in the first nine months of 2024 (9M2024), with the highest surge recorded in the second quarter (2Q), amounting to RM309.8 billion, the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) said.

Malaysia’s 9M2024 e-commerce income reaches RM918.2b — DOSM

China issued rules on Thursday to tighten scrutiny of foreign accounting firms' domestic operations as Beijing seeks to rein in accounting failures and fraud.

China introduces new rule to tighten scrutiny on foreign accounting firms' domestic operations

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has said he might pardon people who engaged in graft if they return what they stole, underlining his commitment to tackle corruption.

Indonesia president pledges to pardon 'corrupters' who return what they stole

Hedge fund firm Segantii Capital Management and its founder Simon Sadler have pleaded not guilty to insider trading, setting the stage for a high-profile criminal trial in Hong Kong.

Segantii founder Sadler pleads not guilty to insider trading

Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor has been granted a full acquittal in her RM7.1 million money-laundering and tax evasion case.&nbsp;

Rosmah acquitted in RM7.1m money-laundering and tax evasion case

The Indonesian arm of Malaysia-based home improvement retailer Mr DIY Group (M) Bhd (KL:MRDIY) shook off a wobbly start to rise on its stock market debut on Thursday.

Indonesian arm of Mr DIY climbs on market debut

Shares of YTL Corporation Bhd (KL:YTL) and its associate YTL Power International Bhd (KL:YTLPOWR) soared in early trade on Thursday, a day after YTL Power said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has cleared the group of any wrongdoing in the 1BestariNet project.

YTL Corp, YTL Power soar in early trade after MACC clears subsidiary of wrongdoing in 1BestariNet project

Asian stocks slipped and the dollar was perched near a two-year high on Thursday after the US Federal Reserve cautioned it would ease the pace of rate cuts in the coming year, while the Bank of Japan (BOJ) kept rates steady, as expected.

Asian stocks slide after Fed flags slower rate cuts, BOJ stands pat

NEW YORK (Dec 19) :&nbsp;Federal&nbsp;Reserve chair Jerome Powell said on Wednesday the U.S. central bank has no desire to be involved in any government effort to&nbsp;stockpile&nbsp;large amounts of bitcoin.

Powell says Fed cannot hold bitcoin, not seeking to change that

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 19): Aluminium products maker Winstar Capital Bhd (KL:WINSTAR) rose 40% on its ACE Market trading debut on Thursday.

Winstar Capital rises 40% on ACE Market debut

Shares of Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd (KL:MRCB) slipped to a four-month low in early trade after the group was said to have withdrawn from the Berjaya Group-led consortium vying for the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail (HSR) project.

MRCB slips to four-month low after group was said to have withdrawn from HSR-bidding consortium

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 19): Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor has pronounced the court’s decision to acquit her of all 17 charges in her money-laundering and tax evasion case as “justice”.

Rosmah celebrates acquittal: ‘This is what I call justice’

High Court judge Wan Muhammad Amin Wan Yahya has taken over a civil suit against former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, and a Singaporean woman, Shabnam Naraindas Daswani, involving the purchase of luxury goods using funds allegedly diverted from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

Third judge takes over 1MDB's US$346 mil suit against Rosmah and Singaporean woman

Property developer Mah Sing Group Bhd (KL:MAHSING) has acquired 5.99 acres of land in Taman Pelangi, Johor, from S P Setia Bhd (KL:SPSETIA) for RM156.8 million to develop a premium serviced apartment project.

Mah Sing acquires Johor land from S P Setia for RM157 mil

The costly truth about US government shutdowns: They don’t save taxpayers a dime.

Trump, Musk threaten government shutdown. Here’s what that costs

(Dec 19):&nbsp;Global investors are looking to Southeast Asia for some shelter, as they brace for uncertainties surrounding Donald Trump’s trade policies, boosting prospects for the region’s stocks in the coming year.

Southeast Asian stocks to offer shelter amid Trump threat — analysts

(Dec 19):&nbsp;A look at the day ahead in Asian markets.

Fed's 'hawkish cut' slams markets, BOJ up next

WASHINGTON (Dec 18):&nbsp;The US central bank lowered interest rates on Wednesday, but&nbsp;Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell said more reductions in borrowing costs hinge on further progress in lowering stubbornly high inflation, remarks that showed policymakers are beginning to reckon with the prospects for sweeping economic change under an incoming Trump administration.

Fed lowers rates but sees fewer cuts in 2025 due to stubbornly high inflation

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 19): Aluminium products maker Winstar Capital Bhd (KL:WINSTAR) is expecting sales to grow in 2025, with the removal of China’s export tax rebates for aluminium products, and the upcoming implementation of the fifth iteration of Malaysia’s large scale solar programme (LSS5).

Winstar eyes sales growth amid China tax shift, LSS5 opportunities

(Dec&nbsp;19) :&nbsp;The Federal Reserve’s waning enthusiasm for rate cuts jarred US markets on Wednesday, sending stocks lower and pushing Treasury yields and the dollar sharply higher. It was the worst loss for the S&amp;P 500 on the day of a rate decision since 2001.

BENGALURU (Dec 18): Micron Technology&nbsp;forecast quarterly revenue and profit below Wall Street estimates on Wednesday, sending shares lower as weak demand for consumer-centric products such as personal computers and smartphones impacts the chipmaker's business.

Micron shares tumble as quarterly forecast signals sluggish consumer demand

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 19): The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has announced that no charges will be filed against any parties involved in the 1BestariNet project tender under the Ministry of Education (MOE).

No charges filed in 1BestariNet tender investigation, says MACC

(Dec&nbsp;19) :&nbsp;The US Federal Reserve did what markets expected on Wednesday. But that didn’t stop investors from dumping risk assets in droves.

Analysts expect Scientex Bhd (KL:SCIENTX) to see better earnings from the property division moving forward, which will offset any shortfall and challenges at its packaging manufacturing segment.

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