<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 4): Thai-based hotel management company ONYX Hospitality Group will be introducing three new properties in Malaysia this year. Located in Johor, these properties are OZO Medini, Shama Medini and Shama Suasana Johor Bahru.</div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>"The new hotels in Malaysia form part of ONYX Hospitality Group’s strategy to drive significant expansion in the hotel, resort and serviced apartment business in Southeast Asia. The company is on track to operate over 50 properties by 2025, up from 44 at present, and an even more ambitious target of 70 by 2028,” according to a statement dated Jan 3.</div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>With the three upcoming properties, ONYX will have a total of seven properties in its Malaysian portfolio as it currently manages Amari Johor Bahru, OZO George Town Penang, Amari SPICE Penang and Amari Kuala Lumpur.&nbsp;</div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner>The expansion will also make Malaysia the first country outside Thailand to host all three ONYX brands — Amari (upscale hotel), OZO (hotel) and Shama (serviced apartments). 
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Thai-based hotel management company ONYX Hospitality Group will be introducing three new properties in Malaysia this year. Located in Johor, these properties are OZO Medini, Shama Medini and Shama Suasana Johor Bahru.

ONYX Hospitality Group to introduce three properties in Malaysia this year

The current status of the government's efforts to eradicate extreme poverty and the mechanisms used to determine the categories are among the highlights of Tuesday's Dewan Rakyat session.

Efforts to eradicate extreme poverty among focus of Parliament for the day

Great Eastern now has till Jan 24, 2025 to comply with the free float rule. The extension was announced on Monday, two days before the company’s previous deadline of Oct 23.

Great Eastern to have till January 2025 to comply with free float rule

MORNING CALL: 22/10/24

Australia said on Tuesday it would bolster air and missile defence in a A$7 billion (US$4.7 billion or RM20.2 billion) deal with the US to acquire SM-2 IIIC and SM-6 long-range missiles for its navy.

Australia says US$4.7b long-range missile deal to boost deterrence

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken headed to the Middle East on Monday to launch another push for an elusive ceasefire, seeking to revive negotiations to end the Gaza war and defuse the spillover conflict in Lebanon.

Blinken heads to Middle East for new ceasefire push as Israel strikes Beirut

European natural gas prices surged to €40 (RM186) per megawatt-hour as tensions in the Middle East generated a fresh wave of market volatility.

Benchmark futures settled 2.1% higher on Monday, following gains for oil and offsetting last Friday’s losses. Markets are bracing for a possible escalation in hostilities between Israel and Iran that could spark a wider regional conflict, potentially affecting supplies of the heating fuel.

European natural gas prices jump as Israel prepares response following attacks

Most Asian shares were set for declines on Tuesday, after Wall Street stocks took a breather having notching their longest weekly rally this year.

Futures for benchmarks in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Sydney pointed to losses, though Tokyo shares were heading for small gains. That’s after equities in the US dropped from nearly overbought levels, following a relentless advance to all-time highs. The S&P 500 fell 0.2%, with all of its major groups but technology pushing lower. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 0.8%.

Asian stocks set to decline after Wall Street dip

Stocks took a breather after notching their longest weekly rally this year, with traders gearing up for key earnings reports from Tesla Inc to Boeing Co and United Parcel Service Inc.

Following a relentless advance to all-time highs, equities dropped from nearly overbought levels. In another sign of how greed has trumped fear, the S&P 500 hasn’t suffered back-to-back losses in about 30 sessions. While a month with no consecutive down days may not sound like much, the current streak ranks among the very best since 1928, according to data compiled by SentimenTrader.

US stocks fall from record as earnings set to pick up

The chances that Federal Reserve officials will leave interest rates unchanged in November are mounting as the US economy powers ahead, according to Torsten Slok, chief economist at Apollo Management.

Apollo’s Slok sees rising chance Fed holding rates in November

Venezuela detained former oil minister Pedro Tellechea over the weekend as part of an internal purge at the state oil company after President Nicolás Maduro’s disputed reelection.

Tellechea, a technocrat from the petrochemical sector, served as oil minister until Aug 27, when he was replaced by Vice President Delcy Rodríguez.

Venezuela arrests former oil minister Tellechea in latest government purge

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

DNeX, PTT Synergy, MyEG, HeiTech Padu, AWC, Khee San, KIP REIT, CIMB, Alpha IVF

Master Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM) said it is opposed to the government's plan to introduce mandatory Employees Provident Fund (EPF) coverage for non-citizen workers.

While acknowledging the rationale behind safeguarding the retirement savings of foreign workers, the association said the proposal will have significant cost implications, especially for the construction sector.

Reconsider mandatory EPF coverage for foreign workers, contractors tell govt

CIMB Thai Bank PCL, in which CIMB Group Holdings Bhd (KL:CIMB) owns a 94.83% stake, saw its net profit for the third quarter ended Sept 30, 2024 (3QFY2024) surge by 62.1% to 595.67 million baht (RM76.77 million) from 367.42 million baht (RM47.33 million) in the same quarter a year ago, thanks to gains on financial instruments and higher operating income.

CIMB Thai’s 3Q net profit up 62% y-o-y on gains from financial instruments, operating income

The government will continue to provide various incentives to developers who are committed to the construction of affordable housing, including tax relief and access to more strategic properties, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said.

Govt to continue incentives for developers committed to affordable housing — Fadillah

Wall Street's main indexes were subdued on Monday as investors took a breather after the previous week's rally, awaiting results from major companies that could influence whether markets would sustain their record highs or decline.

Wall Street muted as investors pause ahead of big corporate earnings

Most Asian shares were set for declines on Tuesday, after Wall Street stocks took a breather having notching their longest weekly rally this year.

Futures for benchmarks in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Sydney pointed to losses, though Tokyo shares were heading for small gains. That’s after equities in the US dropped from nearly overbought levels, following a relentless advance to all-time highs. The S&amp;P 500 fell 0.2%, with all of its major groups but technology pushing lower. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 0.8%.

China is on track to become the largest market for Russia’s pipeline gas this year, overtaking Europe after the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine capped flows of the fuel to the region.

China is overtaking Europe as top market for Russia’s pipeline gas

European natural gas prices surged to €40 (RM186) per megawatt-hour as tensions in the Middle East generated a fresh wave of market volatility.

Benchmark futures settled 2.1% higher on Monday, following gains for oil and offsetting last&nbsp;Friday’s losses. Markets are bracing for a possible escalation in hostilities between Israel and Iran that could spark a wider regional conflict, potentially affecting supplies of the heating fuel.

Stocks took a breather after notching their longest weekly rally this year, with traders gearing up for key earnings reports from Tesla Inc&nbsp;to Boeing Co&nbsp;and United Parcel Service Inc.

Following a relentless advance to all-time highs, equities dropped from nearly overbought levels. In another sign of how greed has trumped fear, the S&amp;P 500 hasn’t suffered back-to-back losses in about 30 sessions. While a month with no consecutive down days may not sound like much, the current streak ranks among the very best since 1928, according to data compiled by SentimenTrader.

Thames Water Utilities Ltd has officially started a process to raise at least £3.3 billion (RM18.52 billion) in equity that it needs to stay afloat.

The process started in the past week, meaning potential investors now have access to a data room that provides sensitive information about the company, according to a person familiar with the plans.

Thames Water is said to start process to raise fresh equity — Bloomberg

The chances that Federal Reserve officials will leave interest rates unchanged in November are mounting as the US economy powers ahead, according to Torsten Slok, chief economist at Apollo Management.

Venezuela detained former oil minister Pedro Tellechea over the weekend as part of an internal purge at the state oil company after President Nicolás Maduro’s disputed reelection.

Tellechea, a technocrat from the petrochemical sector, served as oil minister until Aug 27, when he was replaced by Vice President Delcy Rodríguez.

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Antony Blinken headed to the Middle East on Monday to launch another push for an elusive ceasefire, seeking to revive negotiations to end the Gaza war and defuse the spillover conflict in Lebanon.

Australia said on Tuesday it would bolster air and missile defence in a A$7 billion (US$4.7 billion or RM20.2&nbsp;billion) deal with the US to acquire SM-2 IIIC and SM-6 long-range missiles for its navy.

After more than four months of waging a public battle with activist investor Elliott Investment Management, low-cost pioneer Southwest Airlines Co may finally be headed towards a truce

Southwest seeks truce with Elliott after major policy tweaks

Great Eastern now has till Jan 24, 2025&nbsp;to comply with the free float rule. The extension was announced on Monday, two days before the company’s previous deadline of Oct 23.