Energy
Brent Crude was up 0.21% to US$48.68 per barrel at 1.58pm.
Forex
Ringgit down 0.66% to 4.2930 versus the US dollar at 2.30pm.
Top foreign stories
Toshiba to report huge half-year operating loss: Troubled Japanese conglomerate Toshiba is expected to announce a whopping loss of 90 billion yen (US$737 million) for the six months to September as it deals with a huge accounting scandal, a report said on Thursday. The operating loss – its first in six years – compares with a year-earlier 137.8 billion yen profit, the Nikkei business daily said without citing sources. — AFP
Deutsche Telekom confident for 2015 after strong Q3: Deutsche Telekom on Thursday confirmed its full-year profit targets after rising mobile subscriber numbers in the United States and the expansion of its fibre-optic network in Germany buoyed business in the third quarter. — AFP
Indonesia Q3 growth pace rise, but no real recovery seen: Higher government spending helped Indonesia’s struggling economy grow slightly faster in the third quarter, but not enough to show a real turnaround has begun. — Reuters
Thai stimulus lifts consumer mood for first time in nearly a year: Thai consumer confidence rose for the first time in 10 months, a university survey showed on Thursday, boosted by stimulus measures from the military government as it tries to revive the economy. — Reuters
Oaktree’s Marks says to tap more Chinese funds for distressed debt: Howard Marks, co-founder and chairman of Oaktree Capital, the world’s largest distressed debt investor, said on Thursday he expects to raise more funds from Chinese high net worth investors to buy distressed debt overseas. — Reuters
Colombia drought threatens one of world’s top coffees: A drought caused by the El Nino weather phenomenon is worrying farmers in the Colombian Andes who fear for their crop - one of the world’s most prized coffee beans. — AFP
China fuel surplus to double by 2020 as refining sector opens: Surplus annual production of diesel, gasoline and kerosene in China will double to nearly 30 million tonnes by 2020 from last year’s level, boosted by increasing output from independent refiners, according to an industry research paper. — Reuters
Top local stories
MRCB-Quill REIT Q3 earnings jump to RM16m: MRCB-Quill real estate investment trust’s net income rose 76.1% to RM15.7mil for the third quarter, from RM8.93mil a year ago. The net income growth was mainly due to the recognition of income contribution from Platinum Sentral, gain on sale of Quill Building 10 – Section 13, and higher net property income. — StarBiz
Ramsay Sime Darby Health Care mulls China hospital ventures: Ramsay Sime Darby Health Care Ltd is looking into teaming up with Guangzhou Overseas Chinese Hospital to set up a number of higher quality international hospitals in China. Ramsay Health Care Ltd announced to the Australian Stock Exchange on Thursday that while there has been no agreement reached at this stage, it was discussing the potential setting up of hospitals. — Reuters
Amiran Tech eyes RM1.2bil revenue from buyback contract with Japan firm: Amiran Technology Sdn Bhd, an incubatee at Technology Park Malaysia, is expected to generate a revenue of RM1.2 billion in 10 years from a buy-back contract with Japan’s K.I.S. Co Ltd. — Bernama
Malaysia Airlines Mueller puts last touches to Asean hub: Malaysia Airlines said a network restructuring aimed at establishing its base in Kuala Lumpur as a hub for travel to fast-growing regional economies including China and Vietnam is 90 percent complete. — Bloomberg
Labuan IBFC: Asia’s wealth management sector needs to embrace techology: Asia’s wealth management industry must embrace technology to connect with new generations of the wealthy in a changing global environment, says the Labuan International Business and Financial Centre (Labuan IBFC). — Bernama
Maybank IB issues 16 new call warrants: Maybank Investment Bank Bhd (Maybank IB) has issued 16 European-style cash-settled call warrants over ordinary shares of Bumi Armada Bhd
, Dayang Enterprise Holdings Bhd, Dialog Group Bhd, Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd, SapuraKencana Petroleum Bhd and UMW Oil and Gas Corporation Bhd. — Bernama
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