Markets

Tycoon Syed Mokhtar said to mull property company IPO

AUSTRALIAN developer Walker Corp. and Malaysian tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Albukhary are considering an initial public offering of their joint venture to raise as much as RM500mil, according to people familiar with the matter.

Business

Trump warns of major war escalation if Iran peace process fails

WASHINGTON/DUBAI/TEL AVIV: U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to retain military assets in the Middle East until a peace deal with Iran is reached and warned of a major escalation in fighting if it failed to comply, as oil prices rose on concerns over supply and restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz.

Banking

Standard Chartered Malaysia reaffirms support for clients amid uncertainty

KUALA LUMPUR: Standard Chartered Malaysia has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting clients facing financial pressures amid ongoing geopolitical and economic uncertainties.

Aviation

Asian airlines trim flights as fuel supplies tighten

SINGAPORE: Airlines across Asia are cutting flights, carrying extra fuel from home airports and adding refuelling stops as the Middle East conflict squeezes jet fuel supply in some countries, adding to pressure on an industry already hit by a sharp jump in fuel costs.

Markets

Bursa Malaysia lower at midday as Middle East negotiations stall

KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia ended the morning trading session lower despite positive Wall Street performance overnight as negotiations in West Asia appeared to stall less than a day after a ceasefire agreement was reached.

Economy

World Bank raises Malaysia's 2026 growth forecast to 4.4% on strong domestic demand

KUALA LUMPUR: The World Bank Group has raised Malaysia's economic growth forecast for 2026 to 4.4 per cent from 4.1 per cent, citing resilient domestic demand, its lead economist for Malaysia, Apurva Sanghi, said.

Markets

ACE Market hopeful Inspace Creation in underwriting deal with TA Securities

KUALA LUMPUR: Inspace Creation Bhd has signed an underwriting agreement with TA Securities Holdings Bhd for its initial public offering (IPO) on Bursa Malaysia's ACE Market.

Markets

Asian stocks in sober mood as oil rises on Middle East truce doubts

SYDNEY: Asian share markets were in a sober mood on Thursday as cracks quickly began to appear in the fragile Gulf truce, nudging oil prices back up and reminding investors the inflationary fallout would last a long time yet.

Investment

Amanah Hartanah Bumiputera declares 2.5 sen interim income distribution

KUALA LUMPUR: Pelaburan Hartanah Bhd (PHB) and PHB Asset Management Bhd's (PHBAM) shariah-compliant unit trust, Amanah Hartanah Bumiputera (AHB), have declared an interim income distribution of 2.50 sen per unit for the six months ended March 31, 2026.

Aviation

High jet fuel prices likely to spark structural shakeout in airline industry - aviation experts

KUALA LUMPUR: Rising fuel prices can precipitate a structural shakeout in the airline industry via consolidation, as well as signal the demise of weak and badly run airlines, an aviation analyst warned today.

Forex

Ringgit holds firm at 3.97 vs US$, stronger against major currencies

KUALA LUMPUR: The ringgit remained firmer at the 3.97 level against the US dollar and other major currencies at Thursday's opening, supported by improved market optimism following the two-week ceasefire, which spurred risk-on sentiment.

Markets

Bursa backs down as Middle East ceasefire deal in peril

KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia drifted lower on Thursday despite the overnight surge in US stocks as negotiations in the Middle East may have hit a wall less than a day after a ceasefire deal was struck.

Corporate News

Trading ideas: Inta Bina, Infoline, LSH, PMW, EPB, MNC, Talam, Focus, Kenyalang, Mayu, Perak, Golden, Eckem, MM Computer

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

Commodities

Oil falls below US$100 on ceasefire announcement

Oil plummeted on Wednesday, falling below US$100 a barrel, on hope of the Strait of Hormuz reopening after US President Donald Trump agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran.

Markets

Wall St ends sharply higher on US-Iran ceasefire

US stocks closed sharply higher on Wednesday after a last-minute, two-week ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran lifted investor sentiment.

Insight

Fulfilling duty to submit tax returns

For individual taxpayers in Malaysia, April marks the month when the tax filing needs to be carried out by salaried individuals although the deadline is typically extended for e-filing as follows:

Aviation

Despite hike, jet fuel prices still competitive

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia says despite the price hike on April 1, domestic aviation turbine fuel (avtur) is regionally "competitive" and still more affordable compared to other countries.

Auto

Demand for China’s recond vehicles gains traction

Nawej Makal Styno, an automotive business manager at Celeste Agency in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), travelled to a vehicle remanufacturing plant in Tianjin's Binhai New Area in China last month to inspect a batch of heavy-duty trucks that had just rolled off the production line and placed the first order.

Aviation

Aviation fuel prices will take months to stabilise

Jet fuel prices will still take months to normalise, Asian airline bosses say, even after Iran agreed to open the Strait of Hormuz as part of a two-week ceasefire deal with US President Donald Trump.

Logistics

Shipowners eye Hormuz ceasefire window for 800 trapped vessels

Shipowners are scrambling to understand the fine print in a ceasefire that could temporarily open up the Strait of Hormuz, hoping to take advantage of a potential window to extract more than 800 ships trapped in the Persian Gulf.