<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 6): Varia Bhd (KL:<a href="/askedge/klse/5006" class="ce-stock" target="_blank">VARIA</a>) has secured a subcontract for flood mitigation works worth RM334.69 million.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Varia said in a bourse filing Friday that the contract was awarded to its wholly-owned Pembinaan Teguh Maju Sdn Bhd by Ikatan Harmoni Sdn Bhd to build a flood control reservoir in Kota Tinggi, Johor.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>In a bourse filing, the company said the 60-month job started from July 23, 2024 and is expected to be completed by July 22, 2029.</p></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>The new contract, which comes on the heels of another flood mitigation project it secured in Segamat worth RM410.3 million that it announced on Aug 28, lifted Varia’s total job wins in 2024 to RM1.46 billion.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Varia shares closed two sen or 2.3% lower at 85 sen on Friday, giving it a market capitalisation of RM367.63 million.</p></div>


Varia Bhd (KL:VARIA) has secured a subcontract for flood mitigation works worth RM334.69 million.

Varia said in a bourse filing Friday that the contract was awarded to its wholly-owned Pembinaan Teguh Maju Sdn Bhd by Ikatan Harmoni Sdn Bhd to build a flood control reservoir in Kota Tinggi, Johor.

Varia bags another flood mitigation job in Johor worth RM335m

MORNING CALL: 27/12/24

Oil edged lower in light holiday trading on soft US jobs data and a retreat in natural gas futures.

Oil prices dip in thin trading on soft US data, natural gas outlook

U.S. soybean futures rose more than 1% on Thursday and soymeal futures touched a two-month high as worries about dry weather in parts of Argentina prompted speculators to exit short positions ahead of the new year, analysts said.

Soybean futures up as weather spurs short-covering; corn at six-month high

MOSCOW (Dec 26): Alexei Miller, the head of Russia's Gazprom said on Thursday the group's natural gas production is set to rise this year by 61 billion cubic metres (bcm) to around 416 bcm.

The increase is from an all-time low production in loss-making 2023, when output plummeted b...

Gazprom's gas output to rise to around 416 bcm in 2024

(Dec 27): The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday its analysis of samples from the first severe case of bird flu in the country last week showed mutations not seen in samples from an infected backyard flock on the patient's property.

The CDC said the patient...

Bird flu virus shows mutations in first severe human case in US, CDC says

BEIJING (Dec 27): Chinese battery manufacturer CATL said it plans to seek a listing in Hong Kong, a Shenzhen Stock Exchange filing showed.

CATL plans to issue offshore H-shares and apply for a listing on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, it said in the filing.

...

China's CATL to seek Hong Kong listing

Japanese equities were primed to rise after fresh weakness in the yen, following a lackluster day on Wall Street that saw muted moves in stocks and government bonds.

Japanese stocks to gain after fresh yen weakness

(Dec 27): South Korea’s business confidence deteriorated the most since the global outbreak of Covid-19, reflecting mounting concerns about an economy grappling with political turmoil and facing Donald Trump’s tariff threats.

The business outlook for January fell 7.3 points to 82.4 in t...

South Korea’s business confidence tumbles by most since pandemic

Stocks wavered in a quiet post-holiday session as mixed jobless claims data did little to alter bets on the Federal Reserve outlook.

US stock rally stalls in sleepy session

(Dec 27): As Donald Trump prepares to fulfill a lengthy list of campaign promises, the president-elect’s vow to ensure that all remaining Bitcoin is “made in the USA” may prove to be one of the most challenging to keep.

Trump made the pledge in a post on his Truth Social account in June...

Trump’s ‘made in USA’ Bitcoin is promise impossible to keep

<p>Here is a brief recap of the business news and corporate announcements that made the headlines on Thursday.</p>


TNB, Samaiden, Gadang, Aizo, MyMBN, YTL Power, Kawan Renergy, Taghill, BHIC, Teck Guan, CCK, Lebtech, Southern Cable

<p>YTL Power International Bhd (KL:YTLPOWR) said on Thursday that the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) has once again ceased to be a substantial shareholder in the multi-utility owner and operator after offloading 14.93 million shares.&nbsp;</p>


EPF ceases to be substantial shareholder in YTL Power

<p>The legal counsel for Segambut Member of Parliament Hannah Yeoh has filed an appeal in the Court of Appeal on Thursday challenging the High Court's decision to dismiss her defamation suit against former inspector general of police Tan Sri Musa Hassan.</p>


Hannah Yeoh appeals dismissal of defamation suit against ex-IGP

<p>Kawan Renergy Bhd co-founder and managing director Lim Thou Lai has pared his stake in the ACE Market-listed engineering services firm to 67.03%.</p>


Kawan Renergy MD Lim Thou Lai trims stake to 67%

<p>Taghill Holdings Bhd (KL:TAGHILL), formerly known as Siab Holdings Bhd, said on Thursday that its wholly owned unit has received an adjudication claim from its subcontractor, seeking to recover an outstanding amount of RM2.59 million.</p>


Taghill unit faces adjudication claim from subcontractor

<p>Finnish authorities said they had boarded and taken control on Thursday of an oil tanker travelling from Russia, on suspicion it had caused the outage on Wednesday of an undersea power cable and three internet lines connecting Finland and Estonia.</p>


Finland boards oil tanker after internet and power cable outages

<p>The Taiping High Court has awarded RM1.8 million in damages to a former security guard who sustained a brain injury due to medical negligence during treatment following a motorcycle accident in 2016.</p>


Court awards RM1.8 mil to ex-security guard over medical negligence

<p>Keyfield International Bhd (KL:KEYFIELD) has issued its maiden RM200 million Islamic bonds (sukuk) under its sukuk wakalah programme of RM1 billion.</p>


Keyfield International issues maiden RM200m sukuk

<p>The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) aims to focus on eradicating corruption in procurement, enforcement and grand corruption to help the country's economy, reduce leakages and return misappropriated national assets and money next year.</p>


MACC sets sights on 'grand corruption', to revamp structure in 2025 — Azam Baki

<p>Wall Street's main indexes drifted lower in light trading volumes on Thursday, as rising yields pressured some shares, while investors looked for a year-end boost from the so-called Santa Claus rally.</p>


Wall Street slips as rising yields pressure some shares 

<p>US crude exports to China plunged by almost half this year as shifts in the nation’s economy weighed on demand and it bought more barrels from other countries including Russia and Iran.</p>

<p>Exports of US oil to China plunged to 81.9 million barrels over the course of the year, down 46% from 150.6 million barrels last year, according to data from Kpler.</p>


US oil exports to China dwindle as demand wanes, buying shifts

<p>Recurring applications for US unemployment benefits rose to the highest in more than three years, adding to signs that it is taking longer for out-of-work people to find a job.</p>


US continuing claims rise to highest in more than three years

<p>The turmoil that’s threatening to topple Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has members of his political party poring over the rulebook for replacing him.</p>

<p>Trudeau is under mounting pressure from elected lawmakers in his ruling Liberal Party to leave after nine years in power.</p>


Trudeau’s crisis puts spotlight on succession rules for Canada’s Liberals

<p>The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will require companies to monitor and report their emissions in an effort to reach a target to become carbon neutral by 2050.</p>

<p>All companies with emissions equivalent to 500,000 tonnes or more of carbon dioxide per year are required to participate, according to legislation that comes into force on Dec 28.&nbsp;</p>


UAE companies to start tracking and reporting carbon emissions

<p>US retail sales rose 3.8% between Nov 1 and Dec 24, as intense promotion to drum up sales in what was expected to be a highly competitive holiday season for retailers prompted last-minute shopping among consumers.</p>


US holiday retail sales stronger than last year with online boost, Mastercard says

<p>Oil edged lower in light holiday trading on soft US jobs data and a retreat in natural gas futures.&nbsp;</p>


<p>Japanese equities were primed to rise after fresh weakness in the yen, following a lackluster day on Wall Street that saw muted moves in stocks and government bonds.</p>


<p>Stocks wavered in a quiet post-holiday session as mixed jobless claims data did little to alter bets on the Federal Reserve outlook.</p>


<p>U.S. soybean futures rose more than 1% on Thursday and soymeal futures touched a two-month high as worries about dry weather in parts of Argentina prompted speculators to exit short positions ahead of the new year, analysts said.</p>


<p>(Dec 26): Iraq, OPEC’s second-largest oil producer, is planning to cut the amount of gas it burns off unproductively to about 20% next year in an attempt to meet rising demand and reduce imports.</p>

<p>The country captured about 67% of the gas that is produced from oil fields at the end of 20...