The Ministry of Plantation and Commodities has indicated that it may consider reapplying for another special foreign worker quota for the plantation industry in 2025 to help planters address the labour shortage.

This, however, will be guided by the urgency of industry needs and feedback from industry stakeholders, its deputy minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin told reporters at the Palm Oil Economic Review & Outlook Seminar (R&O) 2025 on Tuesday.

Ministry may consider seeking another special foreign worker quota for plantation sector

The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) is expecting tight global supply, partly due to Indonesia's upcoming B40 biodiesel mandate, to keep crude palm oil (CPO) prices firm in 2025.

Tight supply, biodiesel mandate to support CPO prices in 2025 — MPOB

Malaysian products, particularly palm oil, are expected to benefit from tariff-free access in the UK under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

CPTPP secures tariff-free access to UK market for palm oil and products, says M'sian envoy

Malaysia is keen to position Pakistan as a strategic distribution hub for palm oil exports to Central Asia, capitalising on the country's strategic location and its proximity to emerging high-growth markets, the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) said.

Malaysia to position Pakistan as palm oil hub for Central Asia — MPOB

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 13): Rising production and delays in implementing biodiesel mandates in Indonesia may weaken palm oil prices beyond the first quarter of 2025, even as latest data show a 19-month low stockpile, analysts say.

Rising production, Indonesia’s biodiesel delays likely to weaken CPO prices — analysts

Malaysia's palm oil stocks declined for a third consecutive month, falling 6.91% to 1.71 million tonnes at the end of December, data from the industry regulator showed on Friday.

Malaysian palm oil stocks hit 19-month low in December as output drops

Indonesia said on Thursday its exports of used cooking oil and palm oil residue in recent years had exceeded production capacity, indicating crude palm oil (CPO) had been mixed in and prompting it to issue regulation curbing shipments this week.

Indonesia suspects virgin palm oil mixed into used cooking oil exports

Palm oil could hit as high as RM5,000 per tonne over the next few months, though the high prices are unlikely to be sustained beyond the first quarter, Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) flagged.

Palm oil could hit RM5,000 in next few months but unsustainable beyond 1Q — HLIB

Indonesia has clamped down on exports of used cooking oil (UCO) and palm oil residue to ensure supply to domestic cooking oil and biodiesel industries, the government said in a new regulation on Wednesday.

Indonesia curbs exports of used cooking oil, palm residue to help domestic users

Indonesia’s B40 biodiesel mandate, which requires a higher palm oil mix, is a crucial factor that will lend support to the demand for the edible oil, said Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.

Indonesia’s B40 biodiesel mandate a key support for CPO demand, says Johari Ghani

Agribusiness firm FGV Holdings Bhd (KL:FGV) has signed an agreement with the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), to increase awareness and provide comprehensive support to independent smallholders in meeting global sustainability standards and regulations.

FGV partners MPOB to help smallholders meet global sustainability standards

Sarawak needs over 800,000 workers in oil palm plantations statewide, said state Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom.

Sarawak needs over 800,000 workers for oil palm plantations, says state minister

MUMBAI (Jan 3): India's palm oil imports in December 2024 plunged to their lowest in nine months, as a rally in prices to a 2-1/2-year high prompted refiners to increase purchases of substitute soyoil that was available at a discount, five dealers said.

India's December palm oil imports hit nine-month low as buyers prefer soyoil, dealers say

Indonesia has yet to implement a higher mandatory blend of biodiesel planned for Jan 1 as industry participants await technical details of the new regulation, causing confusion among palm oil traders.

Indonesia's palm oil B40 delay causes market uncertainties

BERLIN (Jan 16): Volkswagen's chief financial officer said in comments to investors seen by Reuters on Wednesday that the next step to making its German plants competitive was to improve productivity, increasing the number of cars produced per worker.

CFO Arno Antlitz, spe...

Volkswagen CFO: after cost-cutting deal, productivity must go up

DOHA/CAIRO/JERUSALEM (Jan 16): Israel intensified strikes on Gaza hours after a ceasefire and hostage release deal was announced, residents and authorities in the Palestinian enclave said, and mediators sought to quell fighting ahead of the truce's start on Sunday.

Israel, Hamas ceasefire accord followed by airstrikes on Gaza, residents say

(Jan 16): Maintaining the dollar as the world’s reserve asset is "critical" to US economic health and the nation’s future, Scott Bessent, Donald Trump’s nominee for Treasury secretary, will tell a Senate committee, according to prepared remarks.

“We must secure supply chains that are vu...

Bessent to say dollar’s global status is "critical" to US economy

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

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Wednesday she had spoken on the phone with US President-elect Donald Trump and told him that it is up to Greenland itself to decide on any independence.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

DOHA/CAIRO/JERUSALEM (Jan 16): Israel&nbsp;intensified strikes on Gaza hours after a ceasefire and hostage release deal was announced, residents and authorities in the Palestinian enclave said, and mediators sought to quell fighting ahead of the truce's start on Sunday.

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

OTTAWA (Jan 15): Canada&nbsp;could impose countermeasures on up to C$150 billion&nbsp;(US$105 billion, or RM471.8 billion)&nbsp;worth of US imports if President-elect Donald Trump puts tariffs on Canadian goods and services, a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

Canada could impose tariffs on US$105b worth of US imports — Reuters

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico looks set to survive an upcoming no-confidence vote after rebel lawmakers in one ruling coalition party said they would not support the motion.

Opposition parties said on Tuesday they were initiating a no-confidence vote against Fico's leftist-nationalist government, accusing him of dragging the country's foreign policy closer to Russia while doing little to fix problems at home.

Slovakia's Fico set to survive no-confidence vote as coalition rebels backing him

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.

Trump's AG nominee Pam Bondi vows not to have 'enemies list' for Justice Department

SEOUL (Jan 16): South&nbsp;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.

Vegoils

‌
‌

Vegoils

‌‌

‌
‌