Economy

Ringgit rise reflects strong economic fundamentals, boosts investor confidence

KUALA LUMPUR: The recent strengthening of the ringgit versus the US dollar reflects Malaysia's underlying economic fundamentals and rising investor confidence in the country, said Sunway University economics professor Dr Yeah Kim Leng.

Corporate News

EcoWorld, SD Guthrie, PDT to develop RM3.75bil GDV Eco Business Park 8 in Kulai

KUALA LUMPUR: Eco World Development Group Bhd and SD Guthrie Land Ventures Sdn Bhd have entered into a strategic partnership with Johor's state investment arm, Permodalan Datul Ta'zim Sdn Bhd (PDT), to develop a new integrated industrial park in Kulai.

Markets

FBM KLCI higher at midday, bucks regional trend

KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia's benchmark index ended the morning session higher amid mild accumulation in selected heavyweights, despite the weaker performance in regional markets.

Plantations

AI boom is turning Malaysia’s palm oil estates into data centers

MALAYSIA's palm oil giants, long-blamed for razing rainforests, fueling toxic haze and driving orangutans to the brink of extinction, are recasting themselves as unlikely champions in a different, potentially greener race: the quest to lure the world's AI data centers to the Southeast Asian country.

Economy

Malaysia Oct exports jump 15.7% to record-high RM148.32bil - Miti

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's exports rose 15.7 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) to RM148.32 billion in October 2025, reaching a record high driven by stronger manufacturing shipments and sustained demand for electrical and electronic (E&E) products.

Corporate News

Solarvest's net profit doubles y-o-y to RM18.73mil in 2Q

KUALA LUMPUR: Solarvest Holdings Bhd anticipates a satisfactory overall performance in the coming year as the clean energy firm posted improved earnings in the second quarter of financial year 2026 (2QFY26) amid the execution of utility-scale solar projects under the Corporate Green Power Programme (CGPP).

Aviation

Malaysia Airlines, Trip.Biz in pact to enhance travel solutions for SME

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airlines and Trip.com group's business travel unit Trip.Biz have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to deliver enhanced business travel solutions to small and medium‑sized enterprises (SMEs) across key business travel markets in Asia, Europe, and other regions globally.

e-Commerce

Asean cross-border QR payment surges to RM12.9mil transactions in 1H25 - Bank Negara governor

KUALA LUMPUR: ASEAN cross-border Quick Response (QR) payment has surged, reaching 12.9 million transactions in the first half of 2025, said Bank Negara Malaysia Governor Datuk Seri Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour.

Stock on the Move

Aquarium operator Aquawalk makes ACE Market debut down one sen from IPO price

KUALA LUMPUR: Aquawalk Group Bhd opened at 30 sen in its ACE Market debut on Bursa Malaysia today, one sen below its initial public offering (IPO) price of 31 sen, with 26.49 million shares traded.

Economy

Asean must act on tariff fallout with clearer trade rules - Bank Negara governor

KUALA LUMPUR: ASEAN must address the immediate fallout from the rise in tariffs by defining the rules of origin more clearly, closing transhipment loopholes, and developing trade diversion safeguards, said Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) Governor Datuk Seri Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour.

Property

OSK Property to unveil Bayu68 as first commercial hub in Seremban's Iringan Bayu

KUALA LUMPUR: OSK Property is set to unveil Bayu69, the first commercial development in its 1,717-acre OSK Iringan Bayu township in Seremban, that will serve as a business hub for the existing community and the growing population of the area and neighbouring housing areas.

Markets

Asia markets wobble toward Nvidia earnings test

SINGAPORE: Asian markets struggled to make headway on Wednesday as a bout of nerves over AI valuations held back investors ahead of an earnings update from chip titan Nvidia.

Forex

Ringgit higher vs US$ ahead of next Fed rate move

KUALA LUMPUR: The ringgit opened higher against the US dollar on Wednesday amid investors' cautious sentiment about the US Federal Reserve (Fed) interest rate next month, an analyst said.

Markets

FBM KLCI holds to support as AI rout gains pace

KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI found its support on Wednesday despite a sharply lower closing on Wall Street, which accelerated the selling pressure in global markets.

Corporate News

Trading ideas: Sunway, Farm Fresh, SCIB, Careplus, Ecobuilt, Lianson, Dialog, MUI, Nestcon, IGB, Paramount, Glostrext, Betamek, Manulife, MFM

KUALA LUMPUR: Here is a recap of the announcements that made headlines in Corporate Malaysia.

Commodities

Oil settles up 1% on Russia sanctions, interviews for next US Fed chair

HOUSTON: Oil prices settled higher on Tuesday after a choppy session as traders weighed the impact of Western sanctions on Russian oil flows, as well as U.S. President Donald Trump saying his administration had started interviewing for the next Federal Reserve chair.

Markets

US stocks lose ground, gold resumes its climb as risk appetite sours

NEW YORK: Wall Street stocks closed sharply lower on Tuesday, extending a selloff prompted in part by the run-up to Nvidia earnings, which could test the artificial intelligence boom amid mounting valuation concerns.

Corporate News

Chevron joins race to buy Lukoil assets

NEW YORK: US oil major Chevron is studying options to buy global assets of sanctioned Russian oil firm Lukoil, five sources familiar with the process SAY.

Corporate News

Paramount’s 3Q25 net profit up more than 53%

PETALING JAYA: Paramount Corp Bhd's net profit jumped 52.6% year-on-year (y-o-y) to RM25.02mil in the third quarter ended Sept 30, 2025 (3Q25), even as its biggest business segment – property development – saw a double-digit drop in revenue.

Corporate News

MFM posts jump in 3Q profit to RM36mil

PETALING JAYA: Malayan Flour Mills Bhd's (MFM) says that its net profit surged almost fivefold to RM35.8mil in the third quarter of this year (3Q25) compared with RM7.34mil a year earlier.