Stock on the Move

Nestle Malaysia rises on ice cream business sale talk

KUALA LUMPUR: Nestle (Malaysia) Bhd emerged as the top gainer in early trade on Friday following plans to explore the potential sale of its ice cream business to Froneri, a global ice cream firm active in more than 20 countries.

Markets

Stocks dip and oil climbs as Trump ramps up Iran threats

SINGAPORE: Stocks fell in Asia on Friday, the dollar headed for its largest weekly gain in four months and oil prices were rising as a U.S. military build up in the Middle East and a rout in private equity stocks sent ripples of nerves across markets.

Forex

Ringgit opens higher vs US$ amid geopolitical tensions

KUALA LUMPUR: The ringgit opened higher against the US dollar on Friday as traders turned cautious amid escalating geopolitical tensions, an analyst said.

Markets

FBM KLCI lift slightly amid higher crude oil prices

KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI edged higher on Friday as crude oil priced climbed amid rising geopolitical tensions in the middle east.

Corporate News

Trading ideas: Nestle, MISC, IHH, Atlan, FBG, Bina Puri, Jentayu, Cape EMS

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

Commodities

Oil prices rise 2% on US-Iran conflict worries

Oil prices rose around 2% on Thursday to settle at their highest level in six months, as traders worried about escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, which have stepped up military activity in the oil-producing Middle East.

Markets

Wall St ends down as private equity stocks sink

Wall Street ended lower on Thursday, with losses in private equity companies and weakness in Walmart and Apple, while earnings-driven gains in industrials limited losses.

Economy

Firms sign over US$7bil in trade and investment

Indonesian and US companies on Wednesday signed deals valued at more than US$7bil a day ahead of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto's meeting with US President Donald Trump to sign a final trade pact, the US-Asean Business Council (USABC) says.

Economy

HCM City becomes hub for digital tools integration

Ho Chi Minh (HCM) City has emerged as the nation's central hub for integrating digital tools into all aspects of life, experts say.

Economy

Cold storage imbalance hits Vietnam agro exports

Along with strong growth momentum of agricultural and seafood exports, cold storage is emerging as a strategic infrastructure component within the value chain.

Markets

New OCBC investors flock to gold and silver

Gold and silver have emerged as the top choices for first-time investors at OCBC, overtaking stocks and unit trusts as more customers turn to precious metals amid economic uncertainties.

Economy

Indonesia to import 105,000 India vehicles

State-owned agriculture enterprise PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara has partnered with Indian automotive giants Mahindra and Tata Motors to procure 105,000 vehicles for the government's Red and White Rural Cooperatives programme.

Retail

Hanoi retailers see tax compliance, AI as key to survival in 2026

Compliance with tax regulations and electronic invoicing, adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and expansion into multi-channel sales are becoming essential for business survival in Vietnam, according to a survey of 15,000 retailers released by Sapo Technology JSC, as firms navigate tighter rules and intensifying competition.

Energy

Illinois governor to halt data centre tax perks

Illinois governor JB Pritzker is seeking to temporarily halt incentives for data centres in a bid to contain soaring power bills.

Corporate News

Qatar Airways’ new CEO eyes better ties with Airbus

About a month into his tenure as Qatar Airways Group's chief executive officer (CEO), Hamad Al-Khater made certain his first overseas trip took him to the French headquarters of planemaker Airbus SE.

Economy

RBNZ navigates stronger growth, cooling inflation

New Zealand's central bank is in the unusual position this year of expecting a strong economic recovery without triggering inflation pressures, according to assistant governor Karen Silk.

Corporate News

OpenAI new funding round on track to top US$100bil

OpenAI is close to finalising the first phase of a new funding round that is likely to bring in more than US$100bil, according to people familiar with the matter, a record-breaking financing deal that would give the startup additional capital to build out its artificial intelligence (AI) tools. 

Economy

Australia’s jobless rate stays low, hiring firm

Australian unemployment stayed low in January and hiring remained strong, validating the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) view that the economy can withstand tighter monetary policy without a sharp rise in layoffs.

Markets

Foreign buying of US stocks jumps 134% in 2025

Foreign investors bought more than twice the amount of US stocks in 2025 as they did a year before, even as President Donald Trump's tariffs rattled markets and clouded corporate outlooks. 

Corporate News

MNRB sees robust earnings in next three years

Maybank Investment Bank (Maybank IB) Research raised MNRB Holdings Bhd's financial year 2026 (FY26) to FY28 net profit forecasts following the group's stronger-than-expected third quarter of financial year 2026 (3Q26) results.