High crude oil prices caused by tension in the Middle East will help to boost Malaysia's oil and gas exports. However, escalated fuel prices will dampen the country’s economic growth, according to the Socio-Economic Research Centre (SERC).

SERC: Escalated oil price boon and bane for Malaysia

Elon Musk has kept investors hanging since he issued cryptic social posts following an exclusive April 5 Reuters report that Tesla had scrapped its plans for a US$25,000 “Model 2” electric vehicle.

“Reuters is lying,” Musk wrote in one post that day, without identifying any inaccuracies.

Wall Street wants answers from Musk on Tesla's affordable car

US Federal Reserve (Fed) chair Jerome Powell is making life tougher for his peers around the world, as the prospect of higher-for-longer US interest rates reduces room for easier policy elsewhere.

Powell's higher-for-longer US rate warning means headaches for rest of the world

Washington and London on Friday prohibited the London Metal Exchange (LME), Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and other metal exchanges from accepting new aluminium, copper and nickel produced by Russia.

The two countries also barred the import of the metals into the United States and Britain.

Washington, London ban exchange trading of new Russian metal

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is set to stand trial in New York on Monday on charges that he illegally covered up a hush money payment to a porn star.

But what happens if the jury convicts the former US president and the judge imposes a sentence before the November election?

Why Donald Trump could be president again despite his legal troubles

Since Meta blocked links to news in Canada last August to avoid paying fees to media companies, right-wing meme producer Jeff Ballingall says he has seen a surge in clicks for his Canada Proud Facebook page.

When Facebook blocks news, studies show the political risks that follow

After rising power by embracing uncompromising and sometimes combative politics, South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol may have to rethink his signature style if he hopes to protect his legacy and party after a crushing election defeat.

After election rout, compromise may better serve South Korea's combative president

Young Jin Yee quit her last job after less than six months to take on one of the hardest tasks in private banking — combining the Asian operations of UBS Group AG and Credit Suisse.

Now almost 10 months into her new role as UBS’ co-head of Asia-Pacific wealth management, the former international gymnast is making a mark.

Wealth management’s rising star in Asia has tricky task at UBS

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s mission to address the threat of cheap Chinese exports is set to increase pressure on the nation’s makers of solar panels, electric cars and batteries.

A trader’s guide to Chinese stocks in focus as Yellen visits

Exchange-traded funds, more commonly known as ETFs, are a basket of securities that can be easily traded like an individual stock.

Why are ETFs so important and why they are becoming a staple in investment portfolios

Wall Street is bracing for a potential bout of stress in money markets by putting some cash on the side ahead of US tax day, when high tax-related outflows could hurt market liquidity.

Tax season, which culminates on April 15 when income tax returns are to be submitted to the US federal government, is typically associated with a drop in financial sector liquidity as individuals draw down cash from bank deposits and money market funds to pay their taxes.

Wall Street gears up for US tax season liquidity test

Some market participants believe the relentless US stock rally is poised for a breather, even if it remains unclear whether equities are in a bubble or a strong bull run.

The benchmark S&P 500 index is up over 25% in the last five months, a phenomenon that has occurred just 10 times since the 1930s, according to BofA Global Research. In an advance led by stunning gains in chipmaker Nvidia, the S&P has already made 16 record highs this year, the most in any first quarter since 1945, CFRA Research data showed.

US stocks may not be in a bubble, but a pullback could be near

A stronger-than-expected US economy is buoying the dollar, frustrating investors who had bet the currency would wilt under a barrage of interest rate cuts that have yet to materialize.

The dollar index, which measures the buck against a basket of its peers, is up 2.4% year-to-date. Net bets on the dollar in futures markets swung positive last month for the first time since late November, Commodity Futures Trading Commission data showed.

Strong US economy sends dollar bears into hibernation

The Japanese economy may have avoided a technical recession at the end of 2023 after all, as the latest capital investment data indicated an upward revision may be in store for gross domestic product (GDP), according to economists.

A jump in corporate spending in the fourth quarter prompted some economists to revise their estimates for GDP to show there was positive growth, a reversal from preliminary data that showed the economy contracted at an annualised pace of 0.4% in the final three months of last year, the second consecutive quarter of declines.

Japan’s bullish companies may help economy avoid recession

Shares in Snap jumped nearly 25% in premarket trading on Friday after targeted ads and new features helped the owner of the photo messaging app beat Wall Street expectations for first-quarter revenue and user growth.

Snapchat parent soars after beating revenue, user growth estimates

The Inland Revenue Board (IRB) on Friday announced that the deadline for taxpayers to submit Form E and CP8D has been extended to May 31.

Deadline to submit Form E, CP8D extended to May 31, says IRB

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he will be returning the allowance received as chairman of Khazanah Nasional Berhad, reiterating that he does not draw a salary for the position of prime minister that he has held since November 2022.

Anwar returns Khazanah allowance, reiterates stance on salary waiver

There are no plans to open or operate any casinos in the state, Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said.

He said the news is merely a rumour intended for sabotage, and to maliciously tarnish the image of Forest City and the state of Johor as a whole.

Johor MB says no plan to open casino in Forest City

GDANSK/BRUSSELS (April 26): The boss of Spanish steelmaker Acerinox says the European Union (EU) should do more to curb steel imports from Asia, which are hurting some of the EU's mills, as demand and prices weaken.

EU should do more to curb steel imports from Asia, says Acerinox CEO

The son of the Perlis menteri besar and four others who were remanded by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) since Wednesday have been released on MACC bail.

Perlis MB’s son, four others released on bail

Voice TV, a Thai media company owned by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s family, said it will cease operations next month and lay off about 200 employees including journalists.

Thaksin-linked TV broadcaster to shut down after 15 years

(April 26): The allies of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump are drafting proposals that would attempt to erode the Federal Reserve's independence if he wins, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.

A small group of the fo...

Trump allies drafting plans to erode Fed's independence — WSJ

S P Setia Bhd will launch Casaville, which comprises 38 single-storey bungalows, in its Setia EcoHill township in Semenyih at end-April.

With a gross development value (GDV) of RM50 million, the homes measure 52ft by 90ft each, with built-ups from 1,994 to 2,074 sq ft, and a three-bedroom, three-bathroom layouts. The selling price starts from RM1.376 million. It is slated for completion in the second quarter of 2026.

S P Setia to launch single-storey bungalows in Setia EcoHill at end-April

HOUSTON (April 26): Exxon Mobil Corp missed analysts' estimates on Friday with a 28% year-on-year drop in first quarter profits, as weaker refining margins and lower natural gas prices offset volume gains.

Exxon misses on 1Q profit despite big gains in Guyana

Most read this week - Stay up to date with the biggest news and latest trending topics by checking out the top 10 articles of the week. 

Most read this week

The Inland Revenue Board (IRB) on Friday announced that the deadline for taxpayers to submit Form E and CP8D has been extended to May 31.

Berjaya Corp&nbsp;Bhd (BCorp) has denied that its founder Tan Sri&nbsp;Vincent Tan Chee Yioun participated in talks to revive a US$100 billion (RM477.60 billion)&nbsp;Forest City casino resort as reported recently.

Berjaya Corp denies participation in talks to revive Forest City casino resort

Maxis Bhd could work with another consortium partner to lower the cost of deploying the second 5G network, even after the recapitalisation of Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB), said RHB Research in a note on Friday.

Maxis could lead second 5G network roll-out with new consortium partner, says RHB Research

Analysts believe Capital A Bhd's proposed restructuring plan will help the group exit the Practice Note 17 (PN17) status and enhance its competitiveness, as well as provide benefits to AirAsia X Bhd's (AAX) shareholders in terms of free warrants and improved company valuation post restructuring.

Analysts positive restructuring plan will uplift Capital A's PN17 status, benefit AirAsia X shareholders

The corporate exercise to merge the AirAsia airline businesses under AirAsia X Bhd (AAX) is apparently sufficient to offset all of the RM8.7 billion negative equity in Capital A Bhd, according to chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.

Merger of airlines alone enough to reverse all of Capital A's negative equity, says Fernandes

Doctor-turned-businessman Tan Sri Mohan MK Swami and his partner Datuk Seri Dr Shamir Kumar Nandy agreed on Friday to acquire a 58% stake in property management company Turiya Bhd for RM52.86 million from MAA Group Bhd.

Mohan Swami, partner agree to buy 58% of Turiya for RM52.86m from MAA Group

Uday Kotak built his Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd over decades to become Asia’s richest banker. After India’s regulator slapped his firm with a surprise ban, he’s facing one of his biggest tests yet — and a dip in wealth.

Asia’s richest banker loses US$1.2 bil after RBI ban

Shares in ViTrox Corp Bhd fell to their lowest in a month, as first-quarter results disappointed investors, while analysts turned increasingly cautious on the semiconductor company’s near-term prospects.

ViTrox fell as much as 6% before ending the day at RM7.40, its lowest since March 26, 2024. The stock was still down a little under 3% at the closing bell after 5.29 million shares changed hands. In contrast, the country’s benchmark index FBM KLCI was 0.4% higher.

ViTrox slips to one-month low as 1Q disappoints, analysts raise caution

The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) has updated its Investor Alert List.

SC adds four entities to Investor Alert List, two being potential clones

Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank) has obtained a summary judgement at the High Court here against ACE Credit (M) Sdn Bhd, ACE Corporation (M) Sdn Bhd, and the company directors Datuk Choong Chee Meng and Chang Ai Nee, for defaulting on a RM46.47 million loan given to them by the bank.

Maybank obtains summary judgement against ACE Corporation, three others for RM46m loan default

Mercury Securities Sdn Bhd has valued ACE Market-bound Sin-Kung Logistics Bhd at 14 sen based on a 14 times financial year 2025 (FY2025) earnings per share forecast of one sen.

Mercury Securities values ACE Market-bound Sin-Kung Logistics at 14 sen

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Friday suggested all parties mentioned in a recent report&nbsp;alleging that the government is planning to issue&nbsp;a licence for a casino in&nbsp;Forest City, Johor, to take necessary action&nbsp;against the foreign news agency.

Anwar wants action taken against Forest City casino licence news report

The country’s&nbsp;fifth-generation (5G) network&nbsp;adoption rate has reached nearly 36% as of mid-April, while the service coverage rate stood at 80.3% in February.

Fahmi: 5G adoption rate almost 36%, coverage 80.3%, second network unveiling next week

Nestle (Malaysia) Bhd is slated to raise prices for 22 of its products starting July 1, according to the Federation of Sundry Goods Merchants Associations of Malaysia (FSGMAM).

Nestle Malaysia to adjust prices of 22 products starting July 1

The world’s 3,000 billionaires should pay a minimum 2% tax on their fast-growing wealth to raise £250 billion (RM1.28 trillion) a year for the global fight against poverty, inequality and global heating, ministers from four leading economies have suggested.

World’s billionaires should pay minimum 2% wealth tax, say G20 ministers

The battle for consumer attention in China's electric car market is being fought over touches of "tech luxury" that car buyers in other markets have never seen.

China’s upstart electric brands, and even its state-owned, legacy automakers, are racing to pack technology and features once considered premium into electric vehicles (EVs) as cheap as US$20,000 (RM95,525) — less than half the cost of an average new car in the US, now more than US$48,000.

Battle for 'tech luxury' in China as EVs get smarter — and cheaper

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has given businessmen Mirzan Mahathir and Tan Sri Mokhzani Mahathir a 30-day extension from Friday to declare their assets to the anti-graft body.

Mirzan and Mokhzani given 30-day extension to declare assets

Pavilion Real Estate Investment Trust rose to its highest in more than a month&nbsp;after the release of its first-quarter results, while analysts expect the REIT, which mainly manages shopping malls, to benefit further from higher tourist arrivals.

Pavilion REIT climbs over one-month high, analysts say earnings growth on track

MYAirline Sdn Bhd will continue to retain its nominated post holders as well as key personnel, while ensuring that its air operator’s certificate (AOC) documentation remains as current as possible.

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