MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 1.0%, while South Korea's tech-heavy index climbed 3.9%. Chip stocks saved the day with Nvidia jumping almost 8%, while Advanced Micro Devices surged over 8% and Broadcom rose 7%. "Should Starmer be replaced, gilt yields initially rise and the pound weakens," said Ruth Gregory, deputy chief UK economist at Capital Economics. Gold was also up 1.5% at $5,033 an ounce, having been as low as $4,403 at one stage last week. Brent edged down 0.8% to $67.52 a barrel, while U.S. crude fell 0.7% to $63.09 per barrel.

SHAH ALAM: The Selangor Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) conducted a medical evacuation of a female passenger who suffered a stroke aboard a cruise ship en route from Phuket, Thailand, to Singapore on Sunday (Feb 8). Its director, Maritime Capt Abdul Muhaimin Muhammad Salleh said the agency’s Operations Centre received a request to evacuate the passenger from cruise ship 'Ovation of the Seas' at about 3.53pm. "Upon arrival, the patient was rushed to the Bukit Tinggi Medical Centre by ambulance for further treatment, accompanied by two medical personnel,” he said in a statement on Monday (Feb 9). At the same time, Abdul Muhaimin said the agency remained on standby to provide emergency and humanitarian assistance in Malaysian waters at any time and under all circumstances. Members of the public with information or complaints related to suspicious activities or maritime emergencies may contact the Selangor Maritime Operations Centre at 013-6606652 or the 999 emergency line for immediate action.- Bernama

Yeah, if you’re a parent and you’ve left your kid on YouTube, you know what I’m talking about. It’s not about making sure that kids get to watch content that is good for them, it’s about making sure that we’re glued permanently to our screens. When it comes to kids you should have some respectable limits for what is and isn’t kids’ programming. And a bunch of yahoos running and screaming and doing fast cuts isn’t for kids. Big Smile, No Teeth columnist Jason Godfrey – a model who once was told to give the camera a ‘big smile, no teeth’ – has worked internationally for two decades in fashion and continues to work in dramas, documentaries, and lifestyle programming.

PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry has revoked the notification of "Saqa Glowing Turmeric Night Treatment Cream" cosmetic product for containing scheduled poison and mercury. It said mercury is prohibited in cosmetics because it can be absorbed into the body and damage the kidneys and nervous system. Mercury can also cause rashes, irritation and other changes to the skin," it said in a statement on Monday (Feb 9). The ministry urged the public not to buy and stop using the product. The sale and distribution of this cosmetic product violates the Control of Drugs and Cosmetics Regulations 1984," read the statement.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 9): Insights Analytics Bhd (KL:IAB), whose shares have surged by more than fivefold from their IPO price in under three months, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Hong Kong-listed 51WORLD Digital Twin Technology Co Ltd to adopt its technology solutions. 51WORLD, an AI-driven digital twin and physical AI technology pioneer, specialises in real-world simulation and intelligent system modelling, according to a bourse filing. Under the collaboration, Insights Analytics will integrate 51WORLD’s industrial-grade, AI-powered digital twin solutions into its platform to develop and deploy innovative applications across multiple industries. The move is aimed at enhancing scalability, depth and competitiveness, with some existing software applications to be replaced while continuing to support clients with upgraded capabilities, said Insights Analytics. For the second quarter ended Oct 31, 2025 (2QFY2026), Insights Analytics posted a net profit of RM9.9 million on revenue of RM26.47 million.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 9): AEON Co (M) Bhd (KL:AEON) has promoted deputy managing director Tsugutoshi Seko to managing director. Current managing director Naoya Okada will be redesignated as a non-independent and non-executive director on the same date. Seko has been on the retailer and shopping mall operator’s board as a deputy managing director since July 2022. He also previously served as managing director of AEON Cambodia. He was appointed deputy managing director in July 2022, before he was redesignated as managing director in March 2024.

(Feb 9): UniCredit SpA pledged to return €50 billion (RM232.63 billion) to investors through 2030 as CEO Andrea Orcel vowed to continue one of the most generous distribution policies in Europe. In the almost five years since Orcel assumed his role, UniCredit has undergone a deep transformation, exiting low-performing businesses. The distributions outlined Monday equal those of Italian rival Intesa Sanpaolo SpA, which last week said it plans to return about €50 billion through 2029. UniCredit has more than €4.5 billion excess capital to be deployed to further improve organic or inorganic growth or returned to shareholders, it said. “UniCredit can pursue M&A or return excess capital to shareholders if no better opportunity for deployment is found,” Orcel said in a conference call with analysts.

(Feb 9): Novo Nordisk A/S shares reversed some of last week’s plunge after Hims & Hers Health Inc pulled a copycat version of the new Wegovy weight-loss pill following US government threats to crack down on knockoffs. Hims & Hers backing down “gives Novo a reprieve from the compounded Wegovy pill and may help Novo’s efforts to limit the impact of injectable compounded Wegovy in the future,” Graham Parry, an analyst at Citi, wrote in a note. Pill launchAnalysts had hailed the new Wegovy pill as one of the most successful drug launches in recent years — a badly needed win for the Danish company. Along with compounders, competition between Novo and Lilly and pressure from the Trump administration have seen weight-loss drugs become cheaper, squeezing profit margins. The makers of blockbuster GLP-1 drugs, Novo and Lilly, have long complained the FDA hasn’t done enough to stop the proliferation of cheap, compounded weight-loss drugs.

NIBONG TEBAL: The Education Ministry is concerned about the welfare, health and safety of students, teachers and school staff amid hot and unpredictable wea­ther, particularly in the northern states. “We reiterate this every time the country experiences hot wea­ther. “All school administrators are expected to comply with and refer to these guidelines. The Nibong Tebal MP was res­ponding to queries on the relaxation of school uniform rules and the conduct of school activities during hot weather. She said the guidelines cover school attire, including flexibility to switch to sportswear, as well as the management of students’ phy­sical activities during extreme weather conditions, Bernama reported.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 9): The government has agreed to provide transfer and relocation allowances to contract doctors who were offered permanent appointments under the Health Ministry in 2025. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the one-off provision allows eligible officers to claim meal allowances, hotel accommodation or lodging allowances, travel expenses, transportation of personal effects, transfer grants and miscellaneous expenses. “For transfers within Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan, claims are capped at 50% of the total eligible amount. Instead, under the SSPA, the government agreed to set a fixed rate for existing recipients and a new fixed rate for newly eligible officers. He added that the BIW is a special allowance or additional incentive granted to officers posted or serving in Sabah and Sarawak.

The Green Wira Showcase 2.0, held late last year in Subang Jaya, Selangor, highlighted a growing movement to equip Malaysian teachers with the tools to implement zero-waste living and green initiatives. “Our goal is to ensure that there is at least one effective green programme running in schools,” she said. “I am an English teacher, but I incorporated green initiatives into my lessons. “This shows green initiatives can be integrated into classroom learning,” the 35-year-old said. Teachers who received RM10,000 grants shared how the funds helped kick-start ecosystem transformations in their schools to facilitate behaviour change.

KUALA LUMPUR: Developments involving the rare earth elements (REE) industry must provide tangible, broad-based benefits to local communities, says Deputy Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh. He said the entire value chain must encompass both upstream and downstream activities, so that producing states are not merely used as mining sites. “They must enjoy economic benefits, attract investment opportunities and foster the growth of supporting industries. He also said the National Minerals Council serves as the main platform to coordinate policies, strategic direction and governance of the minerals sector between the federal and state governments. Syed Ibrahim was responding to a question from Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden (PN–Alor Setar), who asked about strategic engagements between the federal and state governments to ensure the REE industry is developed in line with the spirit of federalism.

PETALING JAYA: The Badminton World Federation (BWF) have announced massive changes from 2027 onwards to take the sport to greater heights. There will also be changes in the World Championships which will adopt a group-stage format followed by knockout play, ensuring all competitors contest at least two matches. The Sudirman Cup and Thomas-Uber Cup Finals will expand to more teams, delivering broader international representation and competitive diversity. "We are building a sport that speaks to the next generation," said BWF president Patama Leeswadtrakul. "It is a bold undertaking, but it is exactly what our sport needs to thrive.

PETALING JAYA: Land or plantation owners must proactively patrol their surroundings and ensure all fire fighting systems are functioning in view of the current dry, hot season, says the Fire and Rescue Department. The main cause of forest and bush fires, he said, was due to human carelessness. Fires have razed several parts of the country in the past few weeks, including a peat fire in Pengerang, Johor. On Feb 4, about 5ha of forest at the jeep trail near the Penang Botanic Gardens also caught fire. Besides Johor, other open burning cases have also been reported in Kedah and Selangor.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 9): Hibiscus Petroleum Bhd (KL:HIBISCS) is set to deliver its first power from its first ground-mounted solar farm in Brunei by year end, marking a key step in its plan to diversify into energy transition projects by 2030. The 12MWp solar farm, located on a 26-acre site at Sungai Liang Industrial Park, held its groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, according to a statement by the company. Managing director Datuk Dr Kenneth Gerard Pereira said the project strengthens Hibiscus’ presence in Brunei, supports the local energy ecosystem, and provides a platform for future power generation projects. In a separate statement, Progressture Power (B) Sdn Bhd announced that it has been appointed as the engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning and operations & maintenance contractor for the solar project. In April 2025, Hibiscus’ unit secured US$100 million (RM393.15 million) in Islamic financing to support its growth in Brunei.