Traders start 2026 by locking in gains
In its technical reading, TA Securities said the local market is poised for further profit-taking consolidation as the momentum indicators continued to weaken. "Immediate support remains the September 2016 low of 1,645, with stronger support coming from the 76.4%FR (1,610) followed by the 61.8%FR(1,564). Rakuten Trade, however, sounded an optimistic tone as it said the local market, which ended the year above the 1,68- mark, has been propped up by local institutional buying. CIMB dropped 15 sen to RM8.10, Yabank fell six sen to MR10.42, Public Bank slid six sen to RM4.48 and AmBank dropped six sen to RM6.44. Top actives on the broader market were Mega Fortis up one sen to 90 sen, Bina Puri unchanged at 29.5 sen and Kinergy Advancement down 0.5 sen to 38 sen.
Source:The Star
January 02, 2026 01:24 UTC
Malaysia's December PMI remains at 50.1, unchanged from November – S&P Global
The seasonally adjusted S&P Global Malaysia Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for December 2025 remained unchanged at 50.1 from November’s reading. NSTP/ASYRAF HAMZAHKUALA LUMPUR: The seasonally adjusted S&P Global Malaysia Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for December 2025 remained unchanged at 50.1 from November's reading. S&P Global said the latest figure marked a further fractional strengthening in operating conditions across Malaysia's manufacturing sector. S&P Global said the latest uptick was the third-fastest since data collection began in July 2012 and the most pronounced in over seven years. S&P Global said muted demand trends were reportedly behind the easing of new business.
Source:New Strait Times
January 02, 2026 01:24 UTC
Football meets family fun
KULAI: The success of Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) Football Club has turned Sultan Ibrahim Stadium into a must-visit destination, drawing visitors eager to tour the premier football venue. Businessman Tan Wei Ming, 42, was among those who has included the stadium in his family itinerary. “My elder boy is a big football fan and loves JDT, so visiting Sultan Ibrahim Stadium is a must. For Indonesian tourist Erwin Salleh, a family holiday in Johor promised a mix of fun, shopping and familiar flavours. Tourism counters at Senai International Airport have also been enhanced with brochures and information highlighting attractions across all 10 districts in Johor, he added.
Source:The Star
January 02, 2026 01:10 UTC
Singapore Q4 GDP up 5.7pct, preliminary data shows
Singapore's economy grew 5.7 per cent in the fourth quarter from a year earlier, preliminary government data showed on Friday. – AFP picSINGAPORE: Singapore's economy grew 5.7 per cent in the fourth quarter from a year earlier, preliminary government data showed on Friday. The ministry has previously forecast 2026 GDP growth at 1.0 per cent to 3.0 per cent. Singapore's exports to the United States are subject to a 10 per cent tariff. Broader sectoral tariffs could hurt demand for Singapore's exports, including semiconductors, consumer electronics and pharmaceutical goods.
Source:New Strait Times
January 02, 2026 01:07 UTC
Lawyer held for helping to smuggle drugs into prison
KUALA TERENGGANU: A lawyer has been arrested for allegedly abetting an inmate to smuggle drugs into Marang prison. He said the suspect was believed to have abetted the smuggling of drugs into the prison on Dec 23 through a male inmate, who was also his client. Mohd Khairi said prison authorities recovered 123gm of Yaba pills, 21gm of cannabis and 13gm of Erimin 5, worth RM16,000, within two days after the inmate expelled the drugs. According to Mohd Khairi, the amount of drugs recovered was enough to supply some 800 addicts. Following that, he said the prison authorities lodged a police report at the Marang district police headquarters, and the case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act.
Source:The Star
January 02, 2026 01:05 UTC
Rising Malaysian corporate presence
Dubai Chambers president and chief executive officer Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah said the number of Malaysian companies there are growing with 318 companies registered with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce by the end of third quarter last year. Dubai Chambers have also organised high impact trade missions to Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines to further strengthen bilateral trade. The number of active members from Asean countries in the Dubai Chambers of Commerce also rose to 4,114 in 1H25 from 1,023 in 2020. DUBAI AS GLOBAL HUBBy the end of last year, Dubai Chamber of Commerce was supporting more than quarter of a million active members, with around 258,000 active members. "Dubai's digital economy is also continuing to grow rapidly, supported by our dedicated efforts to attract high-potential technology companies and entrepreneurs.
Source:New Strait Times
January 02, 2026 01:05 UTC
Close call for couple in fiery crash
IPOH: A couple narrowly escaped death when their car burst into flames after a collision on the North-South Expressway near here. Perak Fire and Rescue Department acting deputy director of operations Shazlean Mohd Hanafiah said the crash at the northbound lane occurred at about 8.20am yesterday at the KM264.6 mark, shortly after the Ipoh toll plaza. He said the couple’s car collided with another car before bursting into flames. The other vehicle was towed away,” he said in a statement yesterday. A total of six firefighters and one light fire rescue tender were deployed in the operation.
Source:The Star
January 02, 2026 01:04 UTC
Royal Belum still the ‘hornbill capital’
IPOH: The Royal Belum State Park has remained a “hornbill capital” for the past decade, says the Ecotourism and Conservation Society Malaysia (Ecomy). Ecomy president and chief executive officer Andrew Sebastian explained that Royal Belum, known as one of the oldest rainforests in the world, is the only place where 10 hornbill species coexist. Nine hornbill species live in Royal Belum year-round, while plain-pouched hornbills are the sole migratory visitors. The 10 species in Royal Belum are the oriental pied hornbill, black hornbill, bushy crested hornbill, white-crowned hornbill, rhinoceros hornbill, great hornbill, plain-pouched hornbill, helmeted hornbill, wrinkled hornbill and wreathed hornbill. “This will entice poachers to target it as our birds in Royal Belum are doing fairly well.
Source:The Star
January 02, 2026 01:00 UTC
In a knot over optional necktie use in schools
Malaysian Education Concorde Organisation (Me’Didik) chairman Mohd Ridhwan Othman said many schools in Johor have long required students to wear neckties, with some institutions even being easily identified by their distinctive ties. “A necktie can help cultivate self-discipline and instil good character in students. Optional ties allow schools to maintain uniformity while showing trust in students.”D’Silva noted that the change does not abolish school uniforms but adjusts them thoughtfully, retaining shirts, trousers or skirts and school identity while removing an element that offers little educational value. He said allowing optional ties modernises the school environment without lowering expectations, emphasising that respect and accountability are stronger markers of discipline than uniform accessories. On Tuesday, the Education Ministry announced that students will no longer be required to wear neckties to school starting this year.
Source:The Star
January 02, 2026 01:00 UTC
Australia's Khawaja to retire after Ashes finale, slams 'racial stereotyping'
Usman Khawaja said Friday he will retire from international cricket after the fifth and Ashes clash against England, leaving a legacy as Australia’s first Muslim Test cricketer while lashing out at perceived “racial stereotyping” during his 15-year career. — REUTERSSYDNEY: Usman Khawaja said Friday he will retire from international cricket after the fifth and Ashes clash against England, leaving a legacy as Australia's first Muslim Test cricketer while lashing out at perceived "racial stereotyping" during his 15-year career. "I'm a proud Muslim coloured boy from Pakistan who was told that he would never play for the Australian cricket team. – 'Attacked me' –Khawaja, a qualified pilot, has plundered 6,206 runs in Test cricket with 16 centuries, averaging 43.39. I haven't seen anyone treated like that in the Australian cricket team before."
Source:New Strait Times
January 02, 2026 00:58 UTC
Tune Protect shifts to digital-first strategy
KUALA LUMPUR: Tune Protect Group Bhd is taking the necessary steps to operate as a digital-first company that understands its customers' needs beyond insurance. PREDOMINANTLY IN THE MIDDLE EASTAt present, Tune Protect operates in 34 markets spanning Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of Africa. In Malaysia, Tune Protect partners with 380 travel agents. BEYOND INSURANCEHow said Tune Protect is taking a holistic approach is to ensure its services cover the customer's needs. Tune Protect is also making significant investments in technology to streamline and simplify its operations.
Source:New Strait Times
January 02, 2026 00:50 UTC
Ringgit starts 2026 firmer on weaker greenback
The ringgit edged higher against the US dollar on the first trading day of the year, as the greenback weakened on expectations of possible further US Federal Reserve rate cuts in 2026. STR/NABILA ADLINA AZAHARIKUALA LUMPUR: The ringgit edged higher against the US dollar on the first trading day of the year, as the greenback weakened on expectations of possible further US Federal Reserve rate cuts in 2026. At 8am, the local currency rose to 4.0540/0645 versus the US dollar from Wednesday's close of 4.0580/0620. According to reports, the Fed is expected to implement further interest rate cuts in 2026, amid open pressure from US President Donald Trump for a more dovish central bank leadership. He said in 2025, the US Dollar Index (DXY) declined by approximately 9.6 per cent, reflecting a sustained easing in US dollar exceptionalism.
Source:New Strait Times
January 02, 2026 00:40 UTC
4-year-old boy killed in motorcycle collision with pickup truck at junction
SEMPORNA: A four-year-old boy was killed, while his father, younger sibling and another pillion rider were seriously injured when the motorcycle they were riding was involved in a collision with a pickup truck on Jalan Kampung Tampi-Tampi yesterday afternoon. In the incident at about 3.50pm, the boy was pronounced dead at the scene after sustaining severe injuries when the motorcycle ridden by his father collided with the pickup truck, which was making a right turn at a junction. District police chief Superintendent Tan Hiap Wah said the crash involved a pickup truck driven by a 20-year-old woman and a motorcycle ridden by a 35-year-old man with three pillion riders. The victim's father, a 28-year-old adult male pillion rider and the victim's three-year-old sibling were seriously injured. "The accident is believed to have occurred when the motorcycle carrying the victims crashed into the pickup truck as it was turning right at the junction," he said in a statement last night.
Source:New Strait Times
January 02, 2026 00:16 UTC
Australia's Nickel Industries says South Korea's Sphere to buy 10% stake in Indonesian project
(Jan 2): Australia's Nickel Industries said on Friday that South Korea's Sphere Corp will buy a 10% stake in the Excelsior Nickel Cobalt high-pressure acid leach plant (HPAL) project in Indonesia at a US$2.4 billion (RM9.73 billion) valuation. The South Korean materials manufacturer will acquire the stake from Hong Kong-based Decent Resource, while Nickel Industries will retain its 44% stake in the project, the Australian company said in a statement. The ENC HPAL project, being built in Indonesia's Central Sulawesi, will be the first HPAL project worldwide with the capacity to produce three class-1 nickel products —mixed hydroxide precipitate, nickel sulphate and nickel cathode, according to Nickel Industries' website. The deal comes at a time of soaring nickel prices as top producer Indonesia plans to cut mining output quotas to support commodity prices. Nickel Industries expects funding of the transaction to complete early in the first quarter of 2026.
Source:The Edge Markets
January 02, 2026 00:02 UTC
Two killed in crash between car, 4WD carrying seven in Betong
BETONG: Two people were killed while nine others were injured in a road accident involving a four-wheel drive (4WD) carrying seven occupants and a car with four occupants along Jalan Lubok Antu on Thursday (Jan 1). The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department said it received an emergency call at about 3.30pm and immediately dispatched a team from the Betong Fire and Rescue Station to the scene. Upon arrival, firefighters found that most of the victims had already been extricated from the vehicles by members of the public. Paramedics from the Health Ministry confirmed that two victims from the 4WD were pronounced dead at the scene. "Nine other victims sustained injuries and were handed over to the hospital authority for further treatment, while the firefighters assisted in transporting one injured victim to the hospital," it added.
Source:The Star
January 02, 2026 00:02 UTC