Britain's antitrust regulator said on Friday it will review whether to launch a merger probe of Microsoft's multi-billion dollar partnership with OpenAI, after the ChatGPT maker said the US tech giant would have a non-voting board seat.

UK antitrust regulator reviewing Microsoft, OpenAI partnership

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 8): Axis Real Estate Investment Trust (Axis-REIT) has proposed to acquire a two-storey shopping mall in Temerloh, Pahang, for RM25.75 million cash.

Axis-REIT to acquire shopping mall in Temerloh for RM25.75 mil

World stocks teetered on their first weekly loss since October as a rally fuelled by hopes of the US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank cutting interest rates paused ahead of key US jobs data.

Global stocks and bonds turn cautious before US jobs data

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 8): The ringgit ended higher against the greenback on Friday, as forex traders awaited the release of the US nonfarm payrolls (NFP) data later that night, which will provide further clarity on the interest rate outlook of the United States.

Ringgit closes higher versus greenback ahead of US jobs data

Vietnam earned a sovereign credit rating upgrade from Fitch Ratings on favourable medium-term growth outlook, putting the nation closer to investment grade.

Vietnam wins credit-rating upgrade from Fitch on ‘robust’ FDI

YTL Power International Bhd announced on Friday that it is collaborating with Nvidia to build AI infrastructure that will bring the fastest supercomputers to Malaysia by the middle of 2024.

YTL Power confirms collaborating with Nvidia to build AI infrastructure in Malaysia

SINGAPORE (Dec 8): Genting Singapore’s wholly owned subsidiary Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) has been issued a penalty of S$2.25 million by Singapore’s gaming regulator, the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA), for its failure to perform customer due diligence measures.

Genting Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa handed S$2.25 mil penalty for customer due diligence breaches

Central Global Bhd has proposed to split each of its shares into four shares in a move to reward its shareholders and improve the trading liquidity of the shares.

Following the share split, the crepe paper masking tape manufacturer also plans to issue up to 275.17 million free warrants (Warrants B) on the basis of one warrant for every three split shares held.

Central Global proposes one-to-four share split, followed by one-for-three issue of warrants

Cyber Security Malaysia (CSM), the National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA) and the Personal Data Protection Department will conduct investigations into claims that the Social Security Organisation’s (Perkeso) website had been hacked.

Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil also urged the public to give the three agencies time to look into the matter and to gather further information.

Three agencies investigating Perkeso website hacking claim — Fahmi

China has named veteran banker Zhu Hexin as the head of its forex regulator and deputy governor of its central bank, the country's human resources ministry said on Friday.

China names Zhu Hexin as new chief of foreign exchange regulator

The Edge covers former Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's 1Malaysia Development Bhd-Tanore (1MDB-Tanore) trial live.

Najib's 1MDB-Tanore trial live reporting (Dec 8)

US-based artificial intelligence (AI) chip giant Nvidia Corp, which is mulling a plan to set up a data centre in Malaysia, believes AI data centres could be a new manufacturing sector for the country.

Nvidia CEO says AI data centres could be new manufacturing sector for Malaysia

Most read this week - Stay up to date with the biggest news and latest trending topics by checking out the top 10 articles of the week.

Most read this week

RHB Investment Bank Research (RHB IB) has maintained its “neutral” rating on the rubber glove product&nbsp;sector, and said sentiment on the sector improved recently, following the sequential pickup in sales volumes as announced during the results reporting season in November.

RHB IB expects meaningful turnaround for glove makers in 2024

Mah Sing Group Bhd has acquired a four-acre land with a total land cost of RM74.3 million in Mukim Setapak, Kuala Lumpur. The developer will develop a transit-oriented development (TOD) called M Azura with a gross development value of RM508 million, it said in a press release on Dec 8. This is Mah Sing’s third project in Setapak.

Mah Sing secures 4-acre tract of land in Setapak to develop M Azura

Jensen Huang Jen-hsun — chief executive officer and co-founder of American artificial intelligence (AI) chip giant Nvidia Corp — is set to meet with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in a closed-door meeting on Friday.

Nvidia boss Jensen Huang to meet PM on Friday

YTL Power International Bhd announced on Friday that it is collaborating with Nvidia to build AI infrastructure that will bring the fastest supercomputers to Malaysia by the middle of 2024.&nbsp;

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 8): Sime Darby Property Bhd and Brunsfield Metropolitan Sdn Bhd have mutually terminated their 60:40 joint venture (JV).

Sime Darby Property mutually terminates joint venture with Brunsfield Metropolitan

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 8):&nbsp;Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank) has appointed Alvin Lee Han Eng as its country chief executive officer (CEO), CEO of Maybank Singapore Ltd and CEO of Maybank Singapore branch, effective Jan 1, 2024.

Maybank appoints Alvin Lee as CEO for Singapore

MSM Malaysia Holdings Bhd has extended the garden leave of its chief financial officer (CFO)&nbsp;Dr Mazatul 'Aini Shahar Abdul Malek Shahar by one month.

MSM Malaysia extends CFO's garden leave until Jan 15

Analysts remain upbeat on Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd's prospects, as it enjoys resilient demand for its cement, thanks to a stronger flow of infrastructure jobs in Sarawak.

Analysts stay upbeat on Cahya Mata Sarawak, thanks to strong cement demand for local projects

Datuk Raja Rozela Raja Toran, the former lead prosecutor in Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's corruption cases,&nbsp;was among nine persons appointed as&nbsp;High Court judicial commissioners (JCs) on Friday.

Raja Rozela among nine persons appointed as judicial commissioners

Organic expansion and expansion across the healthcare continuum are the top two priorities of IHH Healthcare Bhd as the strategy moving forward, said TA Securities, citing IHH group chief executive officer Dr Prem Kumar&nbsp;Nair.

New vision and directions to bring IHH to next level of profitability, says TA Securities

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 8): Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) analyst Adam Ariff Mohd Roslan was accused of not being independent and colluding with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) when he had made his 76-page report on 1Malaysia Development Bhd’s (1MDB) transactions and money trails.

1MDB-Tanore trial: Shafee accuses BNM analyst of favouring MACC

Pecca Group Bhd, which has posted record profits and revenue for the past three financial years, is aiming to generate at least 15% of its revenue from the aviation business over the next five years.

Pecca targets 15% earnings boost from aviation business over next five years 

Bursa Malaysia opened higher on Friday, supported by mild bargain hunting.

At 9.10am, the FBM KLCI had risen 0.52 point&nbsp;to 1,443.37, from Thursday's close at 1,442.85.

Bargain hunting lifts Bursa to open higher

AmBank Research has downgraded the consumer sector to “neutral” on cautious spending ahead, impacted by macroeconomic uncertainties and downtrading tendencies as consumers seek (i) competitive pricing or unbranded items, and (ii) smaller-sized packs (value options) for F&amp;B.

AmBank Research downgrades consumer sector on cautious spending ahead

RHB Retail Research said ITMAX System Bhd is eyeing for a technical breakout as it bounced off the 21-day simple moving average line, heading towards the RM1.83 immediate resistance.

ITMAX System eyeing for a technical breakout, says RHB Retail Research 

The government will intensify its labour market reforms in 2024, including reducing dependency on foreign labour, said Economy Minister Mohd Rafizi Ramli.

Govt to intensify labour market reforms in 2024, says Rafizi

The ringgit reversed its losses to open higher against the US dollar on Friday,&nbsp;amid positive developments in&nbsp;the Asian foreign exchange market.

Ringgit opens firmer against US dollar

China has long prided itself on its economic growth from 1979 onwards as a “peaceful development”, although the original designation of “rise” has been changed to “development”. Whether it is one or the other, China’s ability to engage in what the late Deng Xiao Ping, the paramount leader of China, once called the “four modernisations”, has been nothing but astounding.

my Say: Not the time for China to be a Middle East peace broker in Gaza

The past decade has witnessed an unparalleled decline in nature. Nature loss is intrinsically linked with climate change — a failure in one sphere will exacerbate and cascade into the other. With over half of the world’s total gross domestic product (GDP), or about US$58 trillion (RM270 trillion), being moderately or highly dependent on nature, its loss has far-reaching consequences, not just for the ecology but also for the economy.

my Say: Taking the first step with nature — the next risk frontier

One fine weekend, as I was walking along the skywalk bridge connecting Bangsar Village I and II, a young, well-spoken man approached me and my other half with an investment proposition.

Apparently, he had overhead our conversation about the performance of global markets, which has been ...

Millennial Musings: The rise of scams and the achievement society

THE tech world had its most turbulent week in history starting Friday, Nov 17. At the beginning of the gripping soap opera, Sam Altman, the CEO of ­OpenAI, the pre-eminent artificial intelligence (AI) start-up, was summarily fired by the board because he was not consistently candid in his communi...

Tech: How a turbulent week changed the future of AI

EXCITEMENT about Malaysia’s energy transition has certainly spilled over to Tenaga Nasional Bhd, the sole party involved in electricity transmission and distribution. And that has investment analysts even more upbeat about the prospects of the utility stock, in addition to its improved balance sh...

Cover Story: Ballooning capex not dampening investor interest 

THE one key task, which is also a tough challenge, that Tenaga Nasional Bhd CEO Datuk Seri Baharin Din’s predecessors did not have to face is addressing the utility group’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Like many energy companies globally, including its peer Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas...

Cover Story: Exploring unconventional ways to net zero emissions

AT Tenaga Nasional Bhd’s new headquarters — a green building on the site where its previous office stood in Pantai Hill, Kuala Lumpur — Datuk Seri Baharin Din is relaxed and chatty during his conversation with The Edge, compared with his maiden interview three years ago when he was appointed pres...

Cover Story: Tenaga sees energy transition in a new light

The recent worldwide surge of inflation is forcing political change, reminding us how efficiently this old economic problem can topple governments. In democracies, election outcomes often hinge on price developments. But the effect on autocracies is no less pronounced because inflation erodes the implicit social compact on which they base their authority.

my Say: Inflation destroys rotten governments

‘Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world.’ — Nelson Mendela, 1990

Addressing religious extremism (including fundamentalism) in Malaysia necessitates a comprehensive approach, with education at its forefront. The recent ou...

my Say:Education reforms are more important than economic reforms: Countering religious extremism in Malaysia

The trajectory of global finance in 2024 hinges upon one central actor — the US Federal Reserve. When will the Fed start easing?

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