Digitalisation continues to gain traction in the financial and wealth management industry, a development that is reflected in the RinggitPlus Malaysian Financial Literacy Survey 2024.

For instance, 29% of respondents say they prefer to purchase an insurance policy/takaful contract onlin...

Survey: RinggitPlus survey shows digitalisation happening at faster pace

In my column last month, I shared my initial views on Trump 2.0 (taxes, tariffs and taller walls) and promised to discuss the so-called Trump trades that investors have been jumping into since the US elections. For easy reference, I will use the acronym TRUMP to describe them. I will also share t...

Pitfalls & Pitch Calls: Positioning for 2025

Volatility reigns even with the end of the pandemic. It is increasingly hard to tell what is going to happen next in the financial markets and, for that matter, the world. Certainly, no one had expected the South Korean president to declare martial law in early December. But he did, and we saw th...

Editor’s Picks: Five books to help investors prepare for 2025

Happy 2025! I am staring at these bananas I bought a couple of days ago. Five in a bunch for RM7.90. A few dark spots have just started appearing. Bananas are like avocados — blink twice and the next thing you know, they turn black.

Coffee Break: It’s just … bananas!

The social aspect in ESG (environmental, social and governance) is something seldom featured, and if it is, it is merely a passing note. However, it plays an important role within and outside a company. In a nutshell, the social aspect looks at matters that relate to labour and human rights, incl...

Cover Story: A healthy work environment that benefits society

The rule of thumb is to cap alternative investments — anything beyond cash, bonds and equities — at 5%. But what if these non-traditional assets perform so well that you start questioning whether that limit still makes sense?

Cryptocurrencies, or digital assets, did remarkably well in 2...

Comment: Is a 5% allocation to alternative investments enough?

Credit cards these days go beyond just offering consumers access to financial resources. The cashback and rewards are a huge reason why consumers choose certain credit cards over others, based on their lifestyle choices.

In recent years, a new kind of credit card that claims to be more ...

Interlude: How to launch a truly ‘sustainable’ credit card

It is not an exaggeration to say that Luno, the first and largest digital asset exchange (DAX), has played an instrumental role in the development of the local cryptocurrency scene. Over the five years since it was granted a licence by the regulator, the firm has continued to command a market sha...

Luno in the lead

Since its inception in February, Moomoo Securities Malaysia Sdn Bhd has garnered over 500,000 users on its stock trading app. This is partly due to its rapid launch of new products and solutions to level the playing field in the world of investing. It aims to enable the man in the street to parti...

News: Levelling the playing field

Hong Seng Consolidated Bhd (KL:HONG­SENG) proposed a private placement to raise gross proceeds of RM4.6 million, based on an illustrative price of 0.9 sen per share, in October 2024.

Frankly Speaking: Hong Seng’s unfruitful glove venture

pitchIN, the largest equity crowdfunding (ECF) platform, isn’t resting on its laurels. It launched two initial exchange offering (IEO) campaigns this year, opening up new avenues for investors to participate in the growth of blockchain projects and businesses initiated by start-ups and companies....

Private Companies And Cryptocurrencies: pitchIN on a roll

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, we are witnessing a vibrant discourse on the future direction of Malaysia as guided by his administration. In the realm of governance, it is not uncommon to witness a spectrum of opinions, where criticisms arise alongside commendati...

My Say: Anwar Ibrahim’s Madani government can steer the nation towards a promising future

MALAYSIA’s property market saw a significant boost in activity in 2024, with more transactions and notable deals concluded compared with the previous year. The value of property transactions in the first half of 2024 (1H2024) was the highest in five years at RM105.65 billion, up 23.8% from RM85.3...

Best Property Deals: Sale of Bandar Malaysia, malls and data centres top list 

Green Packet Bhd (KL:GPACKET), which offers digital solutions ranging from payment gateways and e-wallets to social selling solutions, obtained a digital moneylending licence last week.

Frankly Speaking: Controls needed for moneylending licences

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar has instructed the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) to collaborate with the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) to enforce actions and prosecute those misusing the halal logo.

Jakim directed to collaborate with KPDN to take action against misuse of halal logo

Selgate Corp Sdn Bhd, through its healthcare arm, Selgate Healthcare Sdn Bhd, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with MTT Properties and Development Sdn Bhd to build a private specialist hospital in Balik Pulau, Penang.

Selgate Corp group chief executive officer Datuk Noor Hisham Mohd Ghouth said the Selgate Specialist Hospital Pulau Pinang is targeted to be ready by 2028 and would add about 172 beds and offer 31 specialities to its healthcare operations.

Selgate, MTT to develop Balik Pulau's maiden private specialist hospital

Cheeding Holdings Bhd, the utilities engineering solutions provider, is looking to raise capital from a planned initial public offering (IPO) on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia to repay bank borrowings, raise capital for capital expenditure and to be used for performance bonds for future projects.

Cheeding Holdings files draft prospectus for ACE Market listing

Logistics service provider Xin Hwa Holdings Bhd's (KL:XINHWA) cargo transport unit has resumed normal operations after the suspension of its goods vehicle operator licence, which was in place for over two months since November last year, was lifted.  

The company’s wholly owned Xin Hwa Trading & Transport Sdn Bhd (XHTT) is now fully operational under its reinstated licence, Xin Hwa said in a filing with Bursa Malaysia on Monday.

Xin Hwa’s cargo transport unit resumes ops after two-month suspension

A1 AK Koh Group Bhd, the Johor-based processed food and beverage (F&B) manufacturer best known for its premix soup spices or meat ribs soup, is looking to raise fresh capital from a planned initial public offering (IPO) on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia.

Premix soup maker A1 AK Koh Group files draft prospectus for ACE Market listing

Solarvest Holdings Bhd (KL:SLVEST)  is acquiring three plots of land in Kedah for RM19.99 million cash to secure strategic land for renewable energy asset development projects.

The solar photovoltaic provider's subsidiary Atlantic Blue Sdn Bhd has entered into two separate sale and purchase agreements with Aziho Trading Sdn Bhd to purchase the plots measuring 48.86ha in total in Mukim Gurun in Kuala Muda.

Solarvest buys land for RE projects in Kedah for RM19.9 mil

BENGALURU (Jan 13): India's Pixxel is set to launch three of its six hyperspectral imaging satellites aboard a SpaceX rocket from California on Tuesday, the first such network in the country's nascent private space sector, Pixxel's chief told Reuters.

The satellites will be pla...

Pixxel to launch India’s first private satellite network, eyes US$19 bil market

Apex Equity Holdings Bhd (KL:APEX) said its executive chairman, Datuk Wira Farhash Wafa Salvador, is seeking a court order to get the company to replace its memorandum and articles of association (M&A) with a new constitution, to comply with Bursa Malaysia's listing requirements.

Farshah said the lawsuit at the High Court is brought in the best interest of Apex, according to the stockbroker and property developer in an exchange filing on Monday.

Apex Equity chairman Farhash Wafa seeks court order to get company to amend constitution

YTL Power International Bhd (KL:YTLPOWR), which is in the midst of setting up its own artificial intelligence (AI) data centres using the latest chips by US chip giant Nvidia Corp, does not expect to be impacted by the proposed US rules on advanced chip exports into countries like Malaysia.

YTL Power ‘confident’ not affected by potential US chip export curbs amid Nvidia partnership

Guan Chong Bhd (KL:GCB), the fourth largest cocoa grinder in the world, has signed an agreement to acquire a 25% stake in Ivory Coast-based cocoa manufacturing outfit Transcao Côte d'Ivoire (Transcao CI) for €28.08 million (RM130.1 million) cash.

Guan Chong firms deal to acquire stake in Ivory Coast cocoa firm for RM130 mil cash

Prospect Medical Holdings Inc, once an active buyer of cash-strapped hospitals, filed for bankruptcy after struggling with debt piles and soaring costs.

Private hospital owner Prospect Medical files for bankruptcy

Gamuda Bhd (KL:GAMUDA) said its consortium has been appointed as the main contractor to deliver the first civil works package worth over RM8 billion for the Penang Light Rail Transit (LRT) project.

Gamuda gets first package worth over RM8 bil of Penang LRT project

Malaysian stocks were broadly lower on Monday led by construction and property companies, while the country’s benchmark index fell to a five-month low.

Investors in Asia reacted poorly to the latest jobs data in the US that pointed to a robust economy, threatening the prospects of rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. The ringgit also depreciated along with other emerging Asian currencies under pressure from a strengthening US dollar.

Malaysian stocks broadly lower as KLCI falls to five-month low, ringgit weakens

City Motors Group has officially opened its 42-storey Alfa Bangsar mixed-use development located at the intersection of Jalan Maarof and Jalan Tandok in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, last Friday (Jan 10).

City Motors Group officially opens Alfa Bangsar and Holiday Inn Kuala Lumpur Bangsar

The government on Monday wants to apply for a gag and prohibitive order to refrain the public from discussing issues pertaining to a purported addendum allowing former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest, as it involves sensitive matters.

Govt wants gag order on addendum

CAPE EMS Bhd (KL:CEB), which started its Bursa Malaysia journey on a high note in 2023, has found itself in the midst of a corporate storm this year.

A sequence of financial missteps, margin calls and declining investor confidence has left the electronics manufacturing services (EMS) pr...

Turkeys Of The Year: Cape EMS’ dramatic fall from grace

Europe’s largest pension fund sold its entire €571 million (US$585 million or RM2.63 billion) stake in Tesla Inc&nbsp;in the third quarter, partly due to disagreement with Elon Musk’s remuneration package.

Europe’s largest pension fund sold Tesla stake over Musk’s pay

The Joe Biden administration's plans to introduce new export restrictions on artificial intelligence (AI) chips under a three-tiered system by country have sparked concerns in Malaysia.

How will restricted AI chip access impact Malaysia?

Allianz Malaysia Bhd’s (KL:ALLIANZ) earnings outlook is clouded by uncertainties over future premium increases, Maybank Investment Bank said and downgraded the country’s largest general insurer.

Allianz Malaysia's earnings outlook clouded by premium uncertainties, Maybank says in downgrade to 'hold'

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 13): Rising production and delays in implementing biodiesel mandates in Indonesia may weaken palm oil prices beyond the first quarter of 2025, even as latest data show a 19-month low stockpile, analysts say.

Rising production, Indonesia’s biodiesel delays likely to weaken CPO prices — analysts

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 13): Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad failed in his judicial review application to challenge the Pulau Batu Puteh Royal Commission of Inquiry’s decision not to allow the presence of his lawyers during the proceedings.

Court dismisses Dr M’s bid to challenge decision to not allow his lawyers to be at Batu Puteh RCI

Bursa Malaysia Bhd (KL:BURSA) has introduced a new renewable energy (RE) subsector within its energy and utilities sector classification. This move aims to provide more focused classification for public listed companies (PLCs) operating in the RE space.

The new RE classification includes PLCs involved in providing equipment and services for RE production, as well as those producing or distributing electricity through RE sources.&nbsp;

Bursa reclassifies 13 companies as it introduces new renewable energy subsector

Local institutions supported Bursa Malaysia for the 12th consecutive week, with net purchases of RM281.9 million, according to MIDF Amanah Investment Bank Bhd.

MIDF: Local institutions back Bursa Malaysia for 12th straight week

YTL Power International Bhd (KL:YTLPOWR), which is in the midst of setting up its own artificial intelligence (AI) data centres using the latest chips by US chip giant Nvidia Corp, does not expect to be impacted by the proposed US rules on advanced chip&nbsp;exports into countries like Malaysia.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 13): Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said that he returned the purported Arab donation, because the 13th general elections were over and he didn’t need a large sum of money.

1MDB-Tanore: Najib says GE13 over, no need for such large sum, returned monies

Former 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) president Arul Kanda Kandasamy told the High Court on Monday that there was no merit to the allegations made by his former company, that he had failed to inquire, investigate or ascertain, and recover the investments the company had lost.

Testifying in his defence to 1MDB’s US$6.59 billion suit against him and former Treasury secretary-general and former 1MDB board of advisors chairman Tan Sri Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah, before judge Datuk Raja Ahmad Mohzanuddin Raja Mohzan, Arul Kanda also disagreed that he had acted against 1MDB’s interests.

Arul Kanda: 1MDB loss inquiry was not my job

Malaysia’s wholesale and retail trade growth decelerated to 4.7% year-on-year in November, largely driven by sales in non-specialised and specialised stores, official data on Monday showed.

Malaysia's wholesale and retail trade growth slows in November, official data show

Eden Inc Bhd (KL:EDEN) said on Monday that it has been selected to develop a 29.99-megawatt (MW) large-scale solar photovoltaic plant in Gebeng, Kuantan.

Eden picked to develop 29.99MW solar plant in Kuantan

Al-Salam Real Estate Investment Trust (KL:ALSREIT) will see “significant” rental growth from this year onwards thanks to higher occupancy at its most valuable property, BIMB Securities said.

Al-Salam REIT to see significant rental growth in 2025 onwards, BIMB says in starting coverage with 'buy' call

Energy infrastructure firm Yinson Holdings Bhd (KL:YINSON)&nbsp;is close to signing up investors for a funding round in its unit that makes equipment used by the offshore oil and gas industry, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

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