<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>(Oct 12): Hong Kong’s leader is set to announce measures to bolster the city’s standing as a global financial hub when he makes a key policy address next week, the <em>South China Morning Post </em>reported, citing unidentified sources.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Chief Executive John Lee will outline measures to diversify the city’s economy, through developing new industries such as life sciences, while boosting existing sectors like the fashion trade, the paper reported Saturday.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Hong Kong is planning to lower the amount of tax it levies on spirits to regain its edge as a premier destination for nightlife, dining and shopping, people familiar with the matter said last month. It may be a highlight of Lee’s address too.</p></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>The financial services sector is the backbone of Hong Kong’s economy and the moves would represent the latest steps by the city’s government to win back global investors and visitors. Hong Kong is under increasing pressure to regain its relevance as a travel hub as it faces rising competition from metropolises in mainland China, as well as Singapore and Japan.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p><em>Uploaded by Chng Shear Lane</em></p></div>


Hong Kong’s leader is set to announce measures to bolster the city’s standing as a global financial hub when he makes a key policy address next week, the South China Morning Post reported, citing unidentified sources.

HK’s Lee to unveil steps to boost financial hub role, SCMP says

CARLO Rino Group Bhd (KL:CRG) has adopted a cautious stance on the retail outlook as the group gears up for its listing transfer to the ACE Market from the LEAP Market on Dec 18.

While acknowledging rising operating costs and subdued consumer sentiment as key hurdles, its group managing...

IPO Watch: ACE Market-bound Carlo Rino banks on civil servants’ pay hike and festive spending to drive growth 

Fiuu: Leading the Charge in Transforming Malaysia’s Payments Landscape with Real-Time Payment Solutions

IT services provider Infomina Bhd (KL:INFOM) has accepted a purchase order valued at US$2.6 million (approximately RM11.6 million) for the provision of technology application, infrastructure operations, maintenance, and support services.

Infomina secures US$2.6 mil technology services order from Hong-Kong based firm

TOKYO/SINGAPORE (Dec 16): Bitcoin surged to a record high above US$106,000 (RM472,523) on Monday, after President-elect Donald Trump suggested he plans to create a US bitcoin strategic reserve similar to its strategic oil reserve, stoking the enthusiasm of crypto bulls.

Bitcoin surges above US$106,000 on strategic reserve hopes

THE listing of TMK Chemical Bhd (KL:TMK) on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia will take place on Thursday, Dec 12.

At an initial public offering (IPO) price of RM1.75 per share, TMK — which specialises in chemical management and storage solutions — will have a market capitalisation of R...

IPO Watch: Main Market debut for TMK Chemical this Thursday 

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 16): Shares in Supermax Holdings Bhd (KL:SUPERMX) rose to their highest in nearly three years in active trade on Monday morning, amid US’ efforts to boost nitrile-glove production there.

Supermax climbs to three-year high on active trade 

theedgemalaysia.com highlighted three stocks with positive momentum and two stocks with negative momentum at Bursa Malaysia's afternoon close on Monday.

Stocks with momentum on Dec 16: Hektar REIT, ACME, JF Tech, ViTrox, OSK

Fuse Media, a Latino-owned entertainment company, has become the latest party to raise objections to the pending Skydance-Paramount merger, suggesting to a federal regulator that Paramount chair Shari Redstone would be overpaid in the deal, to the detriment of the media business.

Studio protests over Paramount chair payout in Skydance deal

(Dec 16): Wealth managers are ramping up hiring in Hong Kong to cater to an inflow of mainland Chinese money.

Private banks boost Hong Kong hiring to woo rich Chinese clients

Lotte Chemical Titan Holding Bhd (KL:­LCTITAN) just can’t seem to catch a break.

Last Friday, the loss-making olefin and polyolefin producer announced that it would temporarily shut down one of its plants at the Pasir Gudang Complex in Johor, from Dec 15, to mitigate losses stemming fro...

Frankly Speaking: The hits just keep coming for Lotte Chemical Titan

<p>YTL Power International Bhd's (KL:YTLPOWR) data centres are well on track, with the second phase of 8MW under Johor Data Centre 1 (JDC1) expected to come online by end-2024, according to MIDF Research.</p>


MIDF Research: YTL Power on track to deliver data centres, with second 8MW under Johor Data Centre 1 to come online by year end

<p>TopVision Eye Specialist Bhd (KL:TOPVISN) shares staged a strong debut on the ACE Market on Monday, as it looked to raise close to RM18 million from its initial public offering (IPO).</p>


TopVision shares stage strong debut on ACE Market

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 16): TNG Digital Sdn Bhd urges users to verify their TNG eWallet accounts for better security, according to its statement on Monday.</p>


TNG Digital urges users to complete acct verification via eKYC tech from Dec 20

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 15): The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has commended Malaysia’s economic reforms, notably the introduction of the Public Finance and Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) 2023, and the successful implementation of electricity and diesel subsidy reforms.&nbsp;</p>


IMF credits Malaysia’s economic reforms, calls for further action to strengthen resilience

<p>(Dec&nbsp;16) :&nbsp;Australia’s markets watchdog sued HSBC Bank of Australia Ltd&nbsp;for failing to protect customers who lost millions of dollars in scams.&nbsp;</p>


HSBC sued by Australian regulator for scam loss failures

<p>(Dec&nbsp;16):&nbsp;Asian stocks are set to fall on Monday, ahead of a swath of Chinese data and a vow from the nation’s regulators to stabilise markets. South Korean assets will be closely watched after President Yoon Suk Yeol was&nbsp;impeached.&nbsp;</p>


Asia wary of Fed rate future, China data disappoints

<p>Gamuda Bhd's (KL:Gamuda) Australian subsidiary DT Infrastructure Pty Ltd has secured a A$625 million (RM1.8 billion) engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) job for the Goulburn River Solar Farm project.</p>


Gamuda's Australian unit bags RM1.8 bil EPC job for Goulburn River Solar Farm

<p>The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has assessed Malaysia's current monetary policy stance as appropriate but emphasised that Bank Negara Malaysia has to be ready to tighten policy in 2025 amid inflation risks.</p>


IMF: Malaysia's neutral monetary policy 'appropriate' but brace for inflation risks in 2025

<p>(Dec&nbsp;16) :&nbsp;Wall Street is starting to sour on the dollar as President-elect Donald Trump’s policies and the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate cuts will likely put pressure on the greenback in the latter portion of 2025.</p>


Dollar’s trump-fuelled gains face a reality check late next year

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 16): The High Court here has ordered former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to pay RM400,000 to DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng by year’s end, and the remaining RM1 million by Jan 27 next year.&nbsp;</p>


High Court orders Muhyiddin to pay RM400k to Guan Eng by year’s end, and balance RM1m by Jan 27

<p>China's industrial output growth quickened slightly in November, while retail sales disappointed, keeping pressure on Beijing to ramp up stimulus for a fragile economy as it braces for more US trade tariffs under a second Trump administration.</p>


China's weak consumption drags on economy as Trump tariff threat looms

<p>Grab Holdings Ltd’s ability to cut costs and edge out rivals in Southeast Asia’s ride-hailing arena helped push its share performance above global peers this quarter, with some analysts citing further gains ahead.</p>


Grab stock’s big quarter has some analysts seeing further gains

<p>TOKYO/SINGAPORE (Dec 16): Bitcoin&nbsp;surged to a record high above US$106,000 (RM472,523) on Monday, after President-elect&nbsp;Donald Trump&nbsp;suggested he plans to create a US&nbsp;bitcoin&nbsp;strategic reserve&nbsp;similar to its strategic oil reserve, stoking the enthusiasm of&nbsp;crypto&nbsp;bulls.</p>


<p>(Dec&nbsp;16) :&nbsp;What was supposed to be a comeback year for Boeing Co. has turned into its worst stock-market plunge since 2008, and if Wall Street is right, the plane-maker’s shares may have only a modest recovery in store in 2025.&nbsp;</p>


Boeing’s year of crisis leaves investors wary of beaten-up stock

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 16): Yinson Holdings Bhd (KL:YINSON), whose share price dropped nine sen in the morning session on Monday, is expected to see strong earnings ahead, as it gears up to deliver multiple major floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) units, with new opportunities on the horizon, said analysts.&nbsp;</p>


Yinson poised for strong earnings growth amid major FPSO deliveries, say analysts

<p>(Dec&nbsp;16) : South Korea’s currency and its stock market will take centre stage on Monday, as investors respond to a weekend vote to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol following his attempt to impose martial law.</p>


Korean won, stocks take spotlight after impeachment vote

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 16): Shares in Supermax Holdings Bhd (KL:SUPERMX) rose to their highest in nearly three years in active trade on&nbsp;Monday morning, amid US’ efforts to boost nitrile-glove production there.</p>


<p>(Dec 16):&nbsp;Chinese President Xi Jinping dismissed internal divisions within the ruling Communist Party as unavoidable, while calling for greater efforts to instil&nbsp;discipline, according to newly disclosed remarks he made at an anti-graft meeting in January.</p>


Xi says ‘inevitable’ for ruling party to have internal conflicts

<p>PUTRAJAYA (Dec 16): Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who is on a two-day official visit to Malaysia, attended&nbsp;an official welcoming ceremony at Perdana Putra Complex&nbsp;here on Monday.</p>


Thai PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra accorded official welcome at Perdana Putra

<p>Advancecon Holdings Bhd (KL:ADVCON) has bagged a main infrastructure work contract worth RM44.6 million by Sime Darby Property Bhd (KL:SIMEPROP) for the development at Elmina West.</p>
