Energy
Brent crude was 0.15% higher to US$51.86 per barrel at 3.44pm.
Forex
Ringgit up 0.21% to 4.1702 versus the US dollar at 3.52pm.
Top foreign stories
Outlook dims for Singapore Inc as economy moonwalks: Having grown at a break-neck pace that transformed what half a century ago was a seedy colonial port into an Asian Manhattan, Singapore is now bracing for a prolonged period of low growth, darkening the outlook for the city-state’s deeply indebted firms. — Reuters
BoJ frets about real estate lending boom, watchful of bubble risk: The Bank of Japan (Boj) said it is closely monitoring bank lending to the real estate sector to guard against excessive credit that could lead to overheating and pose risks to financial stability. The BoJ does not currently see signs of a property bubble, according to a report it released on Monday. — Reuters
Boeing takes on peers, partners in bid for replacement parts business: In search of higher profits margins, Boeing Co is aiming to win more of the lucrative market for replacement parts and repair services, pitting the plane maker against major suppliers who view that growing US$62 billion a year market as their turf. — Reuters
Japan’s exports down 7% in September: Japan’s finance ministry data issued on Monday showed the country’s exports fell for a 12th straight month to 6.9% in September from a year earlier, following a 9.6% decline in August, dragged down by US-bound shipments of cars, China-bound shipments of electronics parts and exports of steel. — Reuters
S. Korea Q3 GDP seen slowing slightly: South Korea’s economy is expected to have slowed down slightly over July through September after accelerating in the previous quarter, a Reuters survey found, as gains from construction were undercut by strikes and the collapse of Hanjin Shipping. The economy was expected to grow a seasonally adjusted 0.6% quarter-on-quarter, the poll found. — Reuters
S. Korea’s pension fund eyes infrastructure, medical sectors: South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS), the world’s third-largest pension fund, sees infrastructure and the medical industry as good prospects for returns in a low interest rate environment, its chief investment officer said. — Reuters
In insurance Big Data could lower rates for optimistic tweeters: When people take to Twitter to comment on the great evening they enjoyed with good food and wonderful friends, reducing their monthly insurance bill is probably the last thing on their mind. But such tweets could help insurers to price premiums for individuals, with research suggesting a direct link between positive posts and a reduced risk of heart disease. — Reuters
Top local stories
Bursa third-quarter net profit falls to RM44m: Bursa Malaysia Bhd
reported a lower net profit of RM44.04mil for its third quarter, from RM51.47mil a year ago, on the back of lower trading activity and a subsequent increase in operating revenue. Its revenue came in at RM119.4mil versus RM128.83mil a year earlier. It did not declare dividends. — StarBiz
I-Bhd quarterly earnings surge 162%: I-Bhd posted a strong set of financial results for the quarter ended Sept 30, 2016, as earnings surged 162.3% to RM22.42mil, underpinned by the flagship i-City project. — StarBiz
Maybank Indonesia posts strong nine-month earnings: PT Bank Maybank Indonesia Tbk (Maybank Indonesia) posted a strong set of earnings in the January-September period at 1.3 trillion rupiah or RM416.89mil, boosted by higher net interest income and improvement in fee-based income. — StarBiz
BCM Alliance makes firm debut on Bursa: BCM Alliance Bhd made a firm debut on the Ace Market of Bursa Malaysia on Monday, opening at 27 sen or eight sen above its offer price of 19 sen a share. — StarBiz
Same price, twice broadband speed for UniFi customers, says Telekom: Telekom Malaysia Bhd has announced its Broadband Improvement Plan for 2017 to provide Malaysians with greater value offerings. Under the initiative, the average broadband speeds for residential UniFi customers will be doubled at the same price. — StarBiz
Eversendai order book hits RM2.5b: Structural steel turnkey contractor Eversendai Corporation Bhd has secured contracts worth RM1.8bil year to date. It said on Monday its current order book was RM2.5bil and the tender book at RM20.8bil. — StarBiz
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