Bitcoin is flagging in the last leg of a record-breaking year.

Bitcoin momentum ebbs heading into last stretch of record year

Agrochemicals giant Syngenta Group Co signed a US$4.5 billion (RM20.2 billion) sustainability-linked loan, according to a company statement on Monday, in Asia’s largest such dollar facility this year.

Syngenta signs US$4.5b ESG loan, Asia’s biggest this year — Bloomberg

Panama President Jose Raul Mulino rallied support from former presidents in defence of the country’s canal following threats from Donald Trump to reimpose US control over the waterway.

Panama president rallies support for canal after Trump threat

Stocks in Asia traded in tight ranges amid relatively thin holiday trading after a rally in some of the world’s largest technology companies boosted US benchmarks.

Asian stocks in narrow ranges after US tech boost

Oil prices were up on Tuesday in thin trade ahead of the Christmas Day holiday, with prices supported by US economic data and rising oil demand in India, the world's third-largest oil importer.

Oil prices up in thin pre-Christmas trade

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) shares touched a record high, as the world’s largest contract chipmaker is poised to cap its best annual stock performance in 25 years.

TSMC shares touch record high, eyeing best year since 1999 on AI

The future of fun with Sunway Theme Parks

NEWS: GWM makes its mark on Malaysian roads

Australia’s balance of risks is tilted to the downside, including a potential stall in disinflation, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said, calling on the government to avoid excessive spending.

Australia’s risks tilt to downside, IMF says, urging restraint

United Overseas Bank Ltd and Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp Ltd will give a one-off payment to junior employees globally for the second year in a row to alleviate ongoing cost-of-living concerns.

UOB, OCBC plan cost-of-living payout to junior staff in 2025

Corporate services provider Amicorp Group has denied allegations it knowingly facilitated more than US$7 billion (RM31.43 billion) in fraudulent transactions related to the misappropriation of funds from scandal-hit Malaysian state fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

Amicorp Group denies alleged fraud of over US$7b in 1MDB scandal

MORNING CALL: 24/12/24

China’s real estate woes look set to get worse before they get better, raising the prospect of a miserable year for property shares despite a recent bounce.

China’s property stock rebound faces a reality check in 2025

South Korea's consumer sentiment dropped sharply this month to hit the weakest level in more than two years on growing worries about political uncertainty following parliament's impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol.

South Korea consumer sentiment weakest since 2022 on political uncertainty

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

KLCCP Stapled, Tuju Setia, Coastal Contracts, Powerwell, Prolintas, Malayan Flour Mills, Malakoff, Heitech Padu, Supercomnet, ECM Libra, Esthetics International 

The Energy Commission (EC) was to inform winners of the fifth large scale solar bidding round (LSS5) beginning Monday, following nine months of deliberation since it was opened in April this year.

Energy Commission says LSS5 bids finalised but mum on winners

Singapore forged ahead with efforts to formulate a digital-assets hub in 2024, while rival financial center Hong Kong has struggled to gain traction.

Singapore pulls ahead of Hong Kong in race to be crypto hub

Stocks in Asia traded in tight ranges amid relatively thin holiday trading after a rally in some of the world’s largest technology companies boosted US benchmarks.

Corporate services provider Amicorp Group has denied allegations it knowingly facilitated more than US$7 billion (RM31.43 billion) in fraudulent transactions related to the misappropriation of funds from scandal-hit Malaysian state fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is taking immediate action to address scams relating to MyPR (Red IC) application on Facebook, said Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching.

Deputy minister urges caution, vows swift action against red IC scams

China’s real estate woes look set to get worse before they get better, raising the prospect of a miserable year for property shares despite a recent bounce.

A rally in some of the world’s largest technology companies spurred a rebound in stocks, following a brief slide fueled by weaker-than-expected data on US consumer confidence.

In a thin trading session at the start of a holiday-shortened week, the S&amp;P 500 finished near session highs. Nvidia Corp., Meta Platforms Inc. and Tesla Inc. drove a gauge of the “Magnificent Seven” megacaps up almost 1.5%.

US stocks get boost from tech at start of Christmas week

Nordstrom Inc is going private through an all-cash transaction valued at about US$6.25 billion (RM28.16 billion) in a bet by the founding family that the department-store company will be more successful without the scrutiny and demands of the public market.

Founding family to take Nordstrom private in US$6.25 bil deal

Wall Street's main indexes were mixed at the start of a holiday-shortened week on Monday, after a stopgap government funding bill averted a partial shutdown and investors braced for a slower pace of rate cuts from the US central bank next year.

Wall Street opens mixed as holiday-shortened week starts

US consumer confidence unexpectedly sank in December for the first time in three months on concerns about the outlook for the economy amid uncertainty around the Trump administration’s policies.

US consumer confidence falls as politics weigh on outlook

Walmart Inc and one of its financial technology partners allegedly opened expensive bank accounts for delivery drivers without their consent, a US consumer protection agency said on Monday.

CFPB sues Walmart, fintech partner for illegal account openings

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) shares touched a record high, as the world’s largest contract chipmaker is poised to cap its best annual stock performance in 25 years.

Daiwa Securities Group Inc may need more time to achieve profit in China, according to the head of Japan’s second biggest brokerage, reflecting how investment banks continue to struggle on the mainland.

Daiwa’s China venture may take longer to make profit, says CEO 

New-home sales in the US rebounded last month as builders and consumers sealed deals that had been delayed by storms in the South, and buyers took advantage of heavy sales incentives.

Sales of new single-family homes increased 5.9% last month to a 664,000 annualised rate, according to government data issued on Monday.

US new-home sales rebound in November after storm-stricken month

The Canadian economy appeared to lose its strength towards the end of this year even as the central bank cut interest rates at a rapid pace.

Advance data suggested gross domestic product shrank 0.1% in November, the first monthly contraction this year, after 0.3% expansion a month earlier, Statistics Canada said on Monday.

Canada’s economy shrank in November for first time this year

South Korea's consumer sentiment dropped sharply this month to hit the weakest level in more than two years on growing worries about political uncertainty following parliament's impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Orders placed with US factories for business equipment rebounded in November, posting the strongest monthly advance in over a year.

Orders for US business equipment rise by most in over a year

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose party looks set to lose power early next year, is under increasing pressure from his own legislators to step down and let someone else take over.

Canada's Trudeau faces increasing pressure from his own MPs to quit

Australia’s balance of risks is tilted to the downside, including a potential stall in disinflation, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said, calling on the government to avoid excessive spending.

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