The wealth held by the world's billionaires jumped by about 17% over the past year, as significant gains among the super-rich in the United States more than offset a decline in China, Swiss bank UBS said on Thursday.

Global billionaire wealth leaps, fuelled by US gains, UBS says

Italy's tax system is skewed in a way that lets society's wealthiest 7% pay proportionately less tax than low and middle-income earners, a new study shows, fuelling inequality and hurting public finances in one of Europe's most indebted nations

How Italy's tax system got rigged for the rich

November 2024 marks the month that Donald Trump won the US election to become the 47th president of the US. President-elect Trump is expected to move back into the White House next January. He was last in the White House from January 2017 to January 2021 as the 45th US president. The US Senate was then controlled by the Republicans.

Pitfalls & Pitch Calls: What to expect with Trump 2.0

When David Low left Luno Malaysia Sdn Bhd to set up Hata Digital Sdn Bhd, another digital asset exchange (DAX), he reckoned that it would be a case of David versus Goliath. He had helped build Luno from scratch to become the largest DAX in the country with over 90% market share in just five years. Can he do the same for Hata so that it can compete against the big players, like Luno?

Cover Story: David versus Goliath

The local investing community includes a group of speculators who love stock market volatility, but many among them are conservative investors who prefer predictable and periodical returns derived from the likes of fixed deposits, property rental incomes and bonds.

Funds: Monthly distribution an emerging trend in fixed income products

Local investors are provided with an array of choices when it comes to investing in alternative asset classes. But what about investing in tiny houses of 139 sq ft on wheels, like caravans?

TheWall: Alternative Investment: Investing in tiny houses

Cryptocurrency exchange Luno has launched a new feature called Luno Bundles, designed to help customers manage and maintain a diversified portfolio of top-performing cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ether.

Luno launches ‘Luno Bundles’ that tracks overall crypto market performance

HSBC is relaunching its 'Premier' wealth banking brand in Britain, targeting so-called mass affluent customers who have between £100,000 and £2 million (RM567,918 and RM8.9 million) to invest.

HSBC relaunches 'Premier' brand in the UK in pursuit of wealthy clients

Crypto bros have a reason to cheer. Last month’s SCxSC Fintech Summit came with a surprise announcement by the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) to create a sandbox to spur innovation. This comes on the heels of the crypto-leaning sandboxes launched by several countries this year (see chart). B...

Shadow Crypt: Crypto’s choice between a sandbox and an airport

Digital investment platform StashAway Malaysia has surpassed the RM1 billion mark in assets under management (AUM) as of 2023, about five years since its inception in 2018.

StashAway surpasses RM1b in assets under management

For at least three years, China and Hong Kong’s stock markets were in the red. But thanks to the “bazooka stimulus”, the large economic stimulus package announced by the Chinese government in late September, things started to turn around. Share prices soared and sentiment improved.

The ...

Cover Story: Does the China rally still have legs?

Three letters were all the rage a few years ago when it came to stocks and investing: ESG (an acronym for environmental, social and governance). Today, ESG investors seek to align their portfolios with positive ESG principles while earning investment returns.

ESG investing has its fair ...

Pitfalls & Pitch Calls: ESG here to stay

Alta Alternative Investments Pte Ltd (Alta), a Singapore-headquartered alternative investment company and digital asset exchange platform, intends to join the Securities Commission Malaysia’s (SC) regulatory sandbox initiative to provide local investors with access to super late-stage US start-up...

News: Provide access to early-stage companies in the US with tokenisation

The co-payment feature in medical and health insurance/takaful (MHIT) policies has sparked debates in recent months on whether it is the best way to mitigate fast-rising insurance premiums. A bone of contention is, if policyholders are already paying the premiums, why would they still need to for...

Insurance: Are co-payment medical health insurance and takaful products worth it?

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s pursuit of closer ties with China has raised private questions from Donald Trump’s incoming administration, European diplomats and even some senior British officials.

UK's Starmer is deepening China ties while allies turn away

The US Congress passed spending legislation early on Saturday in a down-to-the wire burst of activity that will avert a destabilising government shutdown ahead of the busy holiday travel season.

US Senate passes govt funding bill, averts shutdown

Honda and Nissan are considering producing vehicles in one another's factories as part of their plan to deepen ties and potentially merge, Japan's Kyodo news agency said on Saturday.

Honda and Nissan mulling mutual production of vehicles, Kyodo reports

The Cabinet draft paper on the separation of powers between the attorney general (AG) and the public prosecutor (PP) is expected to be ready by the middle of next year, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Draft paper on separation of AG powers expected to be ready by mid-2025 — PM

The government will continue its Special Appreciation for Pensioners (PKKP) initiative, aimed at supporting affected pensioners and derivative pension recipients, to ensure the welfare of this group is well taken care of.

Govt to continue special appreciation for pensioners — PM

The Johor government has completed seven housing projects, categorised as ‘sick’ and abandoned, this year, representing an estimated property value of about RM700 million.

Seven 'sick' housing projects worth RM700m completed in Johor, says exco

Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) expects inflation to rise in 2025, driven by domestic policy reforms such as RON95 fuel subsidy rationalisation and an expanded sales and service tax (SST) scope.

HLIB sees higher inflation in 2025 on RON95 subsidy rationalisation, expanded SST scope

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has reiterated his commitment to upholding judicial independence and advancing governance reforms, stressing that he has not interfered in judicial matters during his two years in office.

Anwar says never interfered in judiciary, no compromise on any power abuse in Cabinet

The Malaysian government is constantly striving to repatriate its citizens who have fallen victim to job scams in Myanmar, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

No let-up in efforts to repatriate job scam victims from Myanmar, says Tok Mat

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Saturday called for an immediate end to any narratives involving racial profiling in the context of aid distribution and efforts to combat hardcore poverty in the country.

Anwar calls for end to racial profiling narratives in tackling hardcore poverty

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) announced on Friday evening several temporary measures to address the uproar over the sizeable medical insurance premium hikes that insurance and takaful operators deem necessary to cover the higher costs of medical services.

Who pays the price of runaway healthcare inflation?

Highway users nationwide will enjoy toll-free travel&nbsp;on Dec 23 and 24, in conjunction with&nbsp;Christmas celebration.

Christmas: Toll-free travel for Class 1 vehicles on all highways on Dec 23 and 24

In a&nbsp;Vanity Fair&nbsp;video&nbsp;last month, Lisa, a member of mega&nbsp;K-pop&nbsp;band Blackpink, shared her obsession with toys from Chinese company Pop Mart International Group Ltd.&nbsp;

China's hottest stock Pop Mart rockets 370% on craze for collectibles

Wall Street surged on Friday and the dollar softened as cooler-than-expected inflation data helped investors look past the possibility of a government shutdown and fresh tariff threats from US&nbsp;President-elect Donald Trump.

US stocks end sharply higher, dollar drops after inflation report

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has assured that an amicable solution will be taken to address the ongoing dispute between&nbsp;Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) and Sarawak's state-owned oil and gas (O&amp;G) company Petroleum Sarawak Bhd (Petros) over the distribution of natural gas in Sarawak.

PM: Amicable solution in the works for Petronas-Petros dispute over natural gas distribution

The Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) has warned that it will take a firm stance against associations that openly announce price hikes, minimum pricing or new trading conditions, particularly through the media.

MyCC warns stern action against cartel activities by associations

The US&nbsp;Congress passed spending legislation early on Saturday in a down-to-the wire burst of activity that will avert a destabilising government shutdown ahead of the busy holiday travel season.

Singapore’s main stock index is on track to have its best annual performance since 2017, but any celebrations over the Straits Times Index’s 15% gain so far this year are likely to be overshadowed by doubts about what lies ahead.&nbsp;

Singapore stocks’ best year since 2017 masks downbeat outlook

Alphabet Inc’s Google called a US Justice Department (DOJ) plan to force it to sell its web browser “extreme” and at odds with the law, urging a Federal Court judge to take caution lest he stifle innovation and future investment.

Google blasts Chrome sale as ‘extreme’ remedy at odds with law

Volkswagen AG (VW) reached an agreement with labour leaders to cut capacity at its namesake brand while avoiding factory closures, capping three months of tense negotiations and preventing further union walkouts.

VW, union agree to cut capacity and keep German plants open

Thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds are expected in&nbsp;Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Selangor and&nbsp;Johor until 4pm on Saturday.

Thunderstorms in six states until 4pm on Saturday — MetMalaysia

Qualcomm Inc prevailed at trial against Arm Holdings plc’s claim that it breached a licence for chip technology that the world’s largest maker of mobile-phone processors acquired when it bought a startup in 2021.&nbsp;

Qualcomm defeats Arm’s claim over chip design licence breach

At first glance,&nbsp;Sony Group Corp’s US$1.2 billion (RM5.4&nbsp;billion) acquisition of the anime streaming site Crunchyroll in 2021 looks like a success. Subscribers to the US$8-a-month service have tripled to 15 million since then, and the number of new shows has doubled to more than 50 every quarter.

Sony's Crunchyroll finds its early lead in anime under attack

The election of Donald Trump will usher in a wave of private-company purchases that had previously been slowed by red tape, investor Cathie Wood said in an interview, in which she also reiterated her ultra-bullish view on bitcoin.

Cathie Wood predicts wave of startup M&A after Trump election, ultra-bullish on bitcoin

The launch of a new direct route from Chennai to Penang, via IndiGo, commencing on Saturday, marks a significant milestone in enhancing connectivity, generating economic opportunities, and solidifying Penang’s position as a regional air travel hub.

Direct route from Chennai elevates Penang as key regional air travel hub, says exco

The government will continue its Special Appreciation for Pensioners (PKKP) initiative, aimed at supporting affected pensioners and derivative pension recipients, to ensure the welfare of this group is well taken care of.

Nippon&nbsp;Steel alleges the White House had "impermissible undue influence" over a national security review of its US$14.9 billion (RM67.2&nbsp;billion) bid for US&nbsp;Steel and threatened legal action if the deal is blocked.

Nippon Steel alleges undue White House influence on doomed US Steel deal review, letter says

Honda and&nbsp;Nissan are considering producing vehicles in one another's factories as part of their plan to&nbsp;deepen ties&nbsp;and potentially merge, Japan's Kyodo news agency said on Saturday.

OpenAI is preparing to launch a new artificial intelligence (AI) model that it said is capable of more advanced human-like reasoning than its current offerings, ratcheting up the competition with rivals such as Alphabet Inc’s Google.

OpenAI unveils more advanced reasoning model in race with Google

With Donald Trump set to return to the White House in January, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has expressed confidence in Malaysia’s ability to safeguard its foreign policy and economic priorities amid&nbsp;evolving global dynamics.

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