Malaysia Smelting Corp installs co-group CEOs to boost operations
KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 31): Malaysia Smelting Corporation Bhd (KL:MSC) has promoted its deputy chief executive officer Nicolas Chen Seong Lee and group chief financial officer Lam Hoi Khong as co-group CEOs effective Jan 1, 2026. His responsibilities included assisting the group CEO in overseeing legal, corporate, human resources, security, information technology, procurement and administrative matters. Lam, 55, has more than 30 years of experience in finance, accounting, corporate finance, auditing and taxation. Separately, MSC also announced the appointment of former Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Dr Maimunah Mohd Sharif as an independent non-executive director, effective Jan 1. Maimunah was in the news in early November after her tenure as the Kuala Lumpur mayor was shortened from the original end date of August 2026.
Source:The Edge Markets
December 31, 2025 05:46 UTC
China limits trade-in subsidy for 2026 in hit to some carmakers
(Dec 31): China has adjusted its cash-for-clunkers programme that could impact lower-priced brands such as BYD Co, potentially reducing the boost to new car sales next year. To receive the maximum 20,000 yuan subsidy, a new car would need to cost at least 166,700 yuan. Even though the extension of trade-in subsidies is welcome news to the auto industry, the new conditions lend uncertainty to how much the programme will underpin demand in 2026. An earlier-than-anticipated withdrawal of the trade-in programme in some parts of the country this year hit auto sales, leading to an 8% drop in November during what is usually a peak time for demand. “The revised 2026 vehicle trade-in subsidy programmes will reduce support for mid-to-low-priced vehicles under 150,000 yuan, a shift from 2025 policies that offered uniform subsidy amounts,” the analysts wrote in a note.
Source:The Edge Markets
December 31, 2025 05:27 UTC
China’s Zijin mining plans gold output push after record profit
(Dec 31): Zijin Mining Group Co is planning double-digit growth for its gold and copper production in 2026, after surging prices and expanding operations propelled annual profit to another record. In 2026, Zijin Mining will target mined gold and copper output at 105 tonnes and 1.2 million tonnes respectively, it said in a statement. The company aims to achieve a yearly 100-tonne gold output target two years ahead of schedule, it said in a separate statement on WeChat. Acquisitions of gold mines in Ghana and Kazakhstan and expansion at its Julong copper mine in China’s Tibet region have driven production growth, it added. Its recently spun-off gold unit, Zijin Gold International Co, said in a separate statement that estimated net income surged as much as 233% to US$1.6 billion (RM6.49 billion) in 2025.
Source:The Edge Markets
December 31, 2025 05:12 UTC
Copper set for biggest annual gain since 2009 on supply bets
(Dec 31): Copper headed for its biggest annual gain since 2009, fuelled by bets that demand for the key metal in electrification will outpace supply. The red metal has notched a series of all-time highs in an end-of-year surge, rallying over 40% on the London Metal Exchange this year. They pointed to Federal Reserve easing, a boom in technology industries and the reshaping of global supply chains because of US tariffs as bullish for the red metal. Copper slipped 0.4% to US$12,515 (RM50,773.35) a tonne on the London Metal Exchange as of 12.01pm in Shanghai (same time as Malaysia). Iron ore futures rose 0.1% to US$105.75 a tonne on the Singapore Exchange, up 5% this year.
Source:The Edge Markets
December 31, 2025 04:56 UTC
China buys two-thirds of pledged US soybeans as 2025 closes — Bloomberg
The White House said immediately after talks between US President Donald Trump and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that China had pledged to buy at least 12 million tonnes of US soybeans by the end of this year. The return of Chinese buyers is welcome news for US exporters, and a reminder that buying patterns can change fast — but it is not yet a full reset. “We cannot confirm from China’s side that anything beyond the 12 million tonnes has been pledged,” said Ben Buckner, grains and dairy analyst at AgResource Co. The brokerage wrote in a note this week that China was seeking shipments and could reach a “soft target” of 10 million tonnes in 2025, with an additional two million tonnes in January. “From our vantage point, once you quantify that they’re going to buy 12 million tonnes, you need something in excess of that to get everyone excited,” Bennett, co-founder of farm advisory AgMarket.Net, said in a phone interview.
Source:The Edge Markets
December 31, 2025 04:36 UTC
My Say: Keeping public-private partnership projects affordable
While these partnerships have helped ease the government’s fiscal burden, concerns over the affordability and long-term financial sustainability of PPP projects are mounting. Rising fiscal commitments and budgetary strainOne of the main affordability issues surrounding PPP projects in Malaysia stems from their financial structure. Cost overruns and renegotiationsCost overruns have further exacerbated affordability concerns in Malaysian PPP projects. The way forward: Enhancing PPP affordabilityTo address these challenges, policymakers must carefully assess the financial feasibility of PPP projects before implementation. Some potential measures include:Strengthening cost-benefit analyses: Ensuring that all PPP projects undergo rigorous affordability assessments to prevent long-term fiscal burdens.
Source:The Edge Markets
December 31, 2025 04:30 UTC
Penang transport on right track
Several key infrastructure projects finally got off the ground, with construction of the RM16bil light rail transit (LRT), a cornerstone of the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), commencing in January. It centralised various government agencies including the National Registration Department (JPN), Immigration Department (JIM), Road Transport Department (JPJ), Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) and the police under one roof. Penang Island City Council (MBPP) enforcement personnel operating the Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system in George Town. Errant motoristsBoth Penang Island and Seberang Perai city councils rolled out the Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system for roadside parking in April. Thomas Cup winner Datuk Yew Cheng Hoe (left) posing for a photo during the Penang Badminton Association’s centenary celebration in Penang.
Source:The Star
December 31, 2025 04:00 UTC
Worker killed in landslide near Johor factory
KOTA TINGGI: An Indonesian worker was killed in a landslide in front of a factory that is still under construction. “We reached the site to find two plumbing workers buried in the landslide. “A 32-year-old local man managed to escape, while the 52-year-old Indonesian worker was buried in soil estimated to be about 3m deep,” he said in a statement on Wednesday (Dec 31). He added that the Indonesian was extricated using ropes, an excavator and digging equipment. Khairul Sufian said that after the area was declared safe, the machinery and firemen returned to the station and the operation ended at 4.25pm.
Source:The Star
December 31, 2025 03:59 UTC
Countdown hotspots in Klang Valley
From star-studded concerts and cultural bazaars to dazzling fireworks displays, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor are transforming into a massive celebration hub. In collaboration with Tourism Malaysia, Pavilion Group has a series of programmes to welcome visitors to Kuala Lumpur and promote the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign. At Pavilion Bukit Jalil, a VM2026-themed bazaar runs until today, featuring a mix of street food, artisanal goods, and cultural performances. Those seeking a livelier atmosphere should head to the VM2026 Arts and Culture Showcase at Fahrenheit 88 in Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, tonight. These events will culminate in a grand countdown across the street at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.
Source:The Star
December 31, 2025 03:55 UTC
MetMalaysia warns of severe weather in Sarawak
KUALA LUMPUR: The Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has issued a severe alert for continuous rain in several areas of Sarawak, starting on Wednesday (Dec 31) and continuing until Thursday (Jan 1). MetMalaysia director-general Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip announced that severe continuous heavy rain is expected to occur in Kuching, Serian (Serian) and Samarahan, while the alert level is in Serian (Tebedu), Sri Aman and Betong. The public can get the latest weather information via the department's official website, the myCuaca application and MetMalaysia's official social media pages or call 1-300-22-1638 for any further enquiries.- Bernama
Source:The Star
December 31, 2025 03:15 UTC
South Korea’s inflation cools even as weak won stokes import costs
(Dec 31): South Korea’s consumer inflation stayed above the central bank’s target for a fourth straight month, even as price growth cooled slightly on slower increases in food and broader living costs. Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy items, advanced at a 2% pace, matching the 2% clip in November, the data showed. Authorities warned earlier this month that strength in food prices could help push inflation above the projected path next year, even as underlying price pressure remains largely contained. The slowdown was led by easing costs for telecommunication, alcoholic beverages and tobacco products. What Bloomberg Economics says... “We expect CPI to stay elevated in the near term as a weaker won lifts import costs and keeps underlying pressures firm.
Source:The Edge Markets
December 31, 2025 02:56 UTC
Former GIC and Avanda’s Sung Cheng Chih to be new chairman of SGX RegCo
SINGAPORE (Dec 31): Professor Tan Cheng Han, founding chairman of SGX RegCo, will be stepping down after nearly nine years on the board. Sung Cheng Chih, a former chief risk officer of GIC, will be taking over with effect from Jan 1. Tan, a former dean of the NUS Faculty of Law, was in the news recently for taking on the president role at the Law Society of Singapore.
Source:The Edge Markets
December 31, 2025 02:11 UTC
Can Bursa’s outperformers stay ahead?
Selected sectoral indices – such as plantation, financial services and real estate investment trusts (REITs) – emerged as outperformers amid a challenging macroeconomic backdrop. “We opine that the finance and consumer sectors could see this momentum continue in 2026. As of Monday, we observed that the only sectors in the positive territory y-t-d are REITs, plantation and finance. Yong also noted that the plantation sector remains a top performer, with crude palm oil prices trading between RM3,900 and RM4,100. Meanwhile, on key themes for 2026, Tan believes Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) will play a key role in supporting the economy and equity market.
Source:The Star
December 31, 2025 02:05 UTC
MH370 hunt restarts: Drones dive into aviation's deepest enigma
Washington, United States (AFP): Nearly 12 years after Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 vanished with 239 people on board, the search for answers to one of aviation's most haunting riddles resumed Tuesday (Dec 30) in the remote southern Indian Ocean. MH370 took off from Kuala Lumpur just after midnight on March 8, 2014, bound for Beijing on what should have been an uneventful six-hour flight. A Beijing court ordered Malaysia Airlines on December 8, 2025 to pay compensation to the families of eight passengers from flight MH370, more than a decade after the plane disappeared. In this picture taken on December 10, 2025, Jiang Hui, whose mother was on board the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, is seen showing items commemorating the accident at his home in Beijing. Jiang Cuiyun, then a 72-year-old retiree, was one of 239 people aboard flight MH370 when it vanished from radar screens on March 8, 2014, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
Source:The Star
December 31, 2025 02:00 UTC
UK calls for restraint over China's military drills around Taiwan
LONDON (Dec 30): Britain said on Tuesday that China's military exercises around Taiwan increased the risk of escalation, and reiterated a call for restraint. "China's military exercises around Taiwan this week increase cross-strait tensions and the risk of escalation," a foreign office spokesperson said in a statement. We do not support any unilateral attempts to change the status quo or any activity that risks destabilising it." "We continue to call for restraint and the avoidance of any further actions that risk undermining peace and stability." The Chinese embassy in Britain said the foreign office remarks were "a misrepresentation of the facts, a manipulation of the truth".
Source:The Edge Markets
December 31, 2025 01:41 UTC