<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>KUALA LUMPUR (April 19): Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) said Kimlun Corp Bhd’s earnings is primed for promising prospects in FY2024-25, underpinned by an unbilled orderbook of RM2.48 billion (3.0x cover on FY2023 revenue and the highest achieved since FY2018), with 85% dedicated to construction and the remaining to precast manufacturing.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>In a technical tracker on Friday, the research house said that during the construction and property booms, Kimlun’s orderbook typically ranges between RM1.5 billion to RM2.2 billion, with core profit after taxation and minority interests (Patami) ranging between RM58.4 million to RM81.9 million.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>“As such, we anticipate Kimlun’s earnings to undergo a significant turnaround in FY24, reaching RM36.7 million from the sluggish FY23 core Patami of RM7.1 million.</p></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>“This upward trajectory is expected to extend into FY25 as projects progress ramp up.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>“Technically, Kimlun is poised for a resistance breakout at RM1.05, with indicators showing uptick bias.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>“A successful breakout above the said level will spur the price further toward RM1.09-1.15-1.22 levels. Cut loss at 94 sen,” it said.</p></div>

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Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) said Kimlun Corp Bhd’s earnings is primed for promising prospects in FY2024-25, underpinned by an unbilled orderbook of RM2.48 billion (3.0x cover on FY2023 revenue and the highest achieved since FY2018), with 85% dedicated to construction and the remaining to precast manufacturing.

HLIB sees promising prospects for Kimlun’s FY24-25 earnings

UOA REIT, a trust which mainly manages commercial properties, said its net rental income fell 12.7% in its quarter ended March 31, 2024 (1QFY2024) due to lower occupancy rates and higher property operating expenses.

UOA REIT sees 'restrained' rental rates improvement as 1Q earnings drop 12.7%

Cocoa prices dropped again, extending a week of extreme volatility as liquidity dries up and commercial buyers hold back from buying beans.

Cocoa slumps again as buyers hold back in troubled market

Gold prices fell on Thursday as investors assessed the prospects of monetary policy easing in the US this year, as the Federal Reserve indicated that the progress on inflation has stalled and interest rates would stay higher for longer.

Spot gold fell 0.7% at US$2,301.15 per ounce by 0943 GMT.

Gold falls as investors evaluate US rate cut prospects

The High Court on Thursday dismissed Tengku Datuk Zafrul Abdul Aziz's application to file an affidavit with regards to Datuk Seri Najib Razak's judicial review application to unearth an addendum to his pardon order that detailed he was to spend the remainder of his sentence under "house arrest".

Court rejects Zafrul’s bid to file affidavit on Najib’s ‘house arrest’ order

ArcelorMittal SA, the world’s biggest steelmaker outside of China, remains positive on the medium to long-term outlook for demand after first-quarter (1Q) earnings beat estimates.

ArcelorMittal positive on steel outlook after impressive 1Q earnings 

Japanese officials may have spent some ¥3.66 trillion (RM112.4 billion) on Wednesday to pull the yen back from near 34-year lows, Bank of Japan data suggested on Thursday.

Japan's May 1 intervention may have cost US$23.6b, BOJ data suggests

Mechanical and electrical engineering services provider Pasukhas Group Bhd has secured a RM56.98 million contract to build a data centre in Selangor.

Pasukhas secures RM57m contract from US company to build data centre in Selangor 

India's palm oil imports jumped by 41% in April from the previous month to reach the highest level in three months, as easing prices prompted refiners to increase purchases, five dealers told Reuters.

India's April palm oil imports jump 41% to three-month high, say dealers

Hong Kong’s economy grew faster than expected in the first quarter, a tentative sign that the city’s post-pandemic recovery is stabilising.

Hong Kong growth beats forecast as recovery gains traction 

AP Moller-Maersk A/S, a bellwether for global trade, said a strong start to the year has improved the outlook for container trade demand worldwide.

Maersk sees improved prospects for global container trade

<p>US software giant Microsoft Corp said on Thursday it would invest US$2.2 billion (RM10.5 billion) over the next four years in cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure in Malaysia.</p>


Microsoft to invest US$2.2 bil in Malaysia over next four years on cloud, AI

<p>Protasco Bhd, which has businesses ranging from hotel to engineering, said on Thursday it has received an offer to buy its unit Ikram Education Sdn Bhd which owns the Infrastructure University Kuala Lumpur (IUKL).</p>


Protasco gets offer from HK firm to buy its university unit

<p>Luno, a digital asset exchange (DAX) licensed by the Securities Commission Malaysia, expands its coin offerings with the launch of Cosmos (ATOM) and Polkadot (DOT).</p>


Luno launches two new digital assets

<p>Shares of Bursa Malaysia Bhd climbed to its highest in more than three years after the stock exchange operator reported better-than-expected results that prompted at least two analyst upgrades.</p>


Bursa Malaysia climbs to over three-year high after above-view 1Q

<p>Feytech Holdings Bhd's initial public offer (IPO) on Main Market of Bursa Malaysia is offering&nbsp;252.94 million shares at 80 sen apiece.&nbsp;</p>


Feytech's Main Market IPO to raise over RM201m

<p>Elon Musk’s latest cost-cutting victims: Summer interns.</p>

<p>Tesla Inc is rescinding offers just weeks before internships were set to start, prompting aspiring employees to take to LinkedIn to appeal to other employers to take them in.</p>


Tesla interns say offers are getting revoked weeks before their start date

<p>Apex Securities Bhd has recommended investors to “subscribe” to ACE Market-bound Farm Price Holdings Bhd at an initial public offering (IPO) price of 24 sen and a fair value of 42 sen by pegging financial year 2025 (FY2025) forecast core earnings per share of 3.2 sen to price-earnings (PE) of 13 times (75% potential upside from IPO price).</p>


Apex Securities advises investors to subscribe to ACE Market-bound Farm Price with fair value of 42 sen

<p>Subang Airport, officially known as Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, will likely be able to handle jet aircraft by the third quarter this year, according to Transport Minister Anthony Loke.</p>


Subang Airport’s jet ops likely to start in 3Q, also eyes business jets — Loke

<p>Shares of Duopharma Biotech Bhd surged more than 9% during early trade on Thursday following news of the pharmaceutical company securing supply contracts worth RM578.09 million in total.</p>


Duopharma Biotech surges over 9% after RM578m contract news

<p>Smart Asia Chemical Bhd, an industrial paint and coating manufacturer, on Thursday has begun taking orders from investors for its ACE Market initial public offering (IPO) that would raise up to RM37.4 million.&nbsp;</p>


Smart Asia Chemical starts taking orders for ACE Market IPO to raise RM37.4 mil

<p>The additional investment by Microsoft amounting to US$2.2 billion or RM10.5 billion in the country over the next four years is the largest single investment by the company in its 32 years in Malaysia.</p>


Microsoft’s new US$2.2b outlay is company’s largest single investment in Malaysia, says Anwar

<p>The High Court on Thursday dismissed Tengku Datuk Zafrul Abdul Aziz's application to file an affidavit with regards to Datuk Seri Najib Razak's judicial review application to unearth an addendum to his pardon order that detailed he was to spend the remainder of his sentence under "house arrest".</p>


<p>Yinson Production, the offshore production business unit of Yinson Holdings Bhd, has closed the limited recourse term loan facility of up to US$1.3 billion (RM6.2 billion) for the pre- and post-delivery financing of the Agogo floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel, which will be deployed in Angola.</p>


Yinson unit secures single largest term loan of US$1.3b to finance Agogo FPSO delivery

<p>Shares of Ge-Shen Corp Bhd rose as much as 14.91% to a new record high of RM4.47 on Thursday, following the emergence of Chin Hin Group’s Chiau family as its second largest shareholder.</p>


Ge-Shen shares hit new high on emergence of new substantial shareholder

<p>Latest data signalled further downbeat trends across the Malaysian manufacturing sector at the start of the second quarter of 2024.</p>

<p>In a statement on Thursday, S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence said that while demand remained generally subdued, there were slight indications that firms were on an upward trajectory, as firms scaled back production at a softer rate amid a slower reduction in new order inflows.</p>


Overall manufacturing conditions in Malaysia ease to lesser extent, says S&P Global

<p>US President Joe Biden included ally Japan along with rivals China and Russia in a list of countries he called “xenophobic” in a speech at a campaign fundraising event in Washington.</p>


Biden calls ally Japan ‘xenophobic’ along with China, Russia

<p>The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is moving to prevent Huawei, ZTE and other foreign companies deemed to pose US national security concerns from certifying wireless equipment, officials told <em>Reuters </em>on Wednesday.</p>


US moves to bar Huawei, other Chinese telecoms from certifying wireless equipment

<p>Malaysia’s biggest port operator Westports Holdings Bhd said on Thursday its net profit rose 11.4% year-on-year (y-o-y) in the first quarter, thanks to higher container revenue, coupled with higher finance income and share of results of a joint venture (JV).</p>


Westports' 1Q net profit up 11% on higher container revenue, finance income and share of results of JV

<p>theedgemalaysia.com highlighted seven stocks with momentum at Bursa Malaysia’s afternoon close on Thursday. Two stocks showed positive momentum while five stocks showed negative momentum.</p>


GHL Systems, Oppstar, Bursa Malaysia, Country View, Fiamma, Marco, Tambun Indah 

<p>Smart Asia Chemical Bhd, en route to Bursa Malaysia’s ACE Market, expects its new plant in Perak to triple its production capacity while allowing the paint and coating manufacturer to be closer to its clients.</p>
