KUALA LUMPUR (June 25): Malaysia has established a phase-out plan for existing coal-fired power plants by reducing it to 50% by 2035 and completely retiring the plants by 2044, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof at the London Climate Action Week.

Fadillah: Malaysia aims for complete retirement of coal-fired power plants by 2044

While green finance was a buzzword in the last few years, the attention has partly moved to transition finance this year.

What is transition finance?

Malakoff Corporation Bhd (KL: MALAKOF) is the country’s largest independent power producer (5,342mw of thermal power plants and 40mw of renewable energy) and it owns power generation and water desalination assets in the Middle East. It has a subsidiary, Alam Flora Sdn Bhd, which provides waste ma...

Case Study: Mixing dirty and green energy

The hard-to-abate industries have high carbon emissions due to their energy-intensive production processes. The solutions for these industries to reach net-zero emissions are currently either too costly or unfeasible to scale. The pressure on them to decarbonise is increasing, however, as the tra...

Case Study: Views from the industry

Mother Earth is set to face a projected temperature rise exceeding 2.5°C by the end of the 21st century under current energy policies, warns the International Energy Agency. Yet in regions like Southeast Asia, energy demand is expected to grow by another two-thirds by 2040 to cater to its fast-gr...

Financing: Identifying targets for transition finance

Southeast Asia is a culturally diverse region that demonstrates strong economic potential, thanks to its growing population and consumption power. Despite its strengths, it is also one of the regions that is most vulnerable to the impact of climate change.

Emissions from the region are ...

Taxonomy: Enabling Asean to transition

Companies and financial institutions need to have credible transition plans to avoid falling into the trap of greenwashing or “transition-washing”. Otherwise, this will throw a wrench into transition finance efforts when companies or financial institutions misrepresent the utilisation of finance ...

Greenwashing: Paving a credible transition pathway to avoid pitfalls

With frameworks such as the Climate Change and Principle-based Taxonomy being introduced by Bank Negara Malaysia, and stakeholders like investors and consumers scrutinising companies’ carbon emissions, preparing a transition plan towards a lower-carbon future has become increasingly important.

Road Map: Transition planning made simple

In the pursuit of net-zero emissions, it is inevitable that there will be an increase in hydroelectric dams and solar farms for renewable energy; mining for rare earth elements (REE) that are needed to build electric vehicles, solar panels and wind turbines; and carbon credit projects in forests....

Social: A blind spot in the transition?

Cement is a critical ingredient in the making of the modern world. It is the key component of concrete, which is used to construct buildings, bridges, roads, tunnels and many other structures that make cities liveable.

But it also takes a toll on the environment. Other than the impact o...

Case Study: Cementing change for a greener environment

In the past few years, conversations on sustainable finance have moved from green finance to transition finance, a relatively new category.

The shift in focus is understandable, given the projections that the current efforts to mitigate climate change are insufficient, and the acknowled...

Cover Story: Are we doing enough to transition?

The steel industry is a huge source of emissions globally, contributing 8% of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF). In Malaysia, it accounts for 4.5% of emissions and is expected to increase to 12% by 2030, according to a recent report by the...

Perspectives: More funding and direction needed for steel sector

UOB Malaysia has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with SEDC Energy (SEDCE) to support its supply chain and green transition projects in Sarawak.

UOB Malaysia signs pact to finance green transition in Sarawak

Malaysia’s landfills are nearing capacity, raising the risk of exhausting available space for solid waste disposal by 2050 in tandem with economic and population growth.

Malaysians discard about 39,078 tonnes of solid waste, equivalent to about 1.17kg per person daily, according to the ...

Waste: Is it a good idea to use waste to generate energy?

Saudi Aramco and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) have been separately considering bids for Santos, Bloomberg News reported, sending shares of the Australian gas producer up 6.5% on Thursday.

Aramco, ADNOC reportedly weighing bids for Australia's Santos, but analysts sceptical

(July 4): One of the world’s fastest growing pools of retirement capital is reducing its investments in hedge funds, as regulatory scrutiny grows on fees and performance at Australian pension funds.

Hedge funds lose favour in Australia’s US$2.6 tril pension pot

AG's Report 2/2024 highlights nine audits involving 11 ministries, with cost of audited projects totalling RM41.97b

Asian stocks hit 27-month highs on Thursday as softer US data narrowed the odds on a September rate cut there, boosting bonds and commodities while dragging on the dollar.

Asian stocks hit 27-month top, dollar slips on rate cut talk

KUALA LUMPUR (July 4): Analysts remain upbeat on Mah Sing Group Bhd (KL:MAHSING) after it acquired a piece of land in Taman Desa, which is earmarked for an RM1 billion high-rise residential project.

Analysts remain upbeat on Mah Sing after Taman Desa land acquisition 

(July 4): Pakistan was lowered to frontier market status, from secondary emerging market by FTSE Russell, dealing a blow to the nation’s equities and potentially driving millions of dollars in outflows.

Pakistan stocks downgraded to frontier market by FTSE Russell

Traders are looking to trim excessive policy tightening bets in Taiwan as hawkish central bank moves keep swap rates near record highs.

Taiwan’s one and two-year swap rates, measures of interest rate expectations over those periods, have been trading near their peaks after the island’s central bank last month unexpectedly raised the amount of funds lenders must hold in reserve.

Record high Taiwan swaps prompt rethink of excess rate hike bets

KUALA LUMPUR (July 4): The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) has cautioned the public on investment scams enticing investors with pre-initial public offering (pre-IPO) shares of companies seeking to list on Bursa Malaysia.

Securities Commission warns public on pre-IPO investment scams

Shares of Ocean Fresh Bhd (KL:OFB) more than doubled in its trading debut on the ACE Market after the frozen seafood company raised RM14.01 million from its initial public offering (IPO) on the back of strong demand.

Ocean Fresh shares more than double on ACE Market debut

Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) has turned more positive on the consumer sector, upgrading its call to "overweight", from "neutral", due to potential margin expansion from lower raw material prices and consumption boosts from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Account 3 and civil servant pay hikes.

HLIB upgrades consumer sector to overweight, names Aeon, Focus Point, QL Resources as top picks

The red-hot Washington debate over whether President Joe Biden will scrap his run for re-election is spilling into Wall Street, where traders are shifting money to and from the dollar, Treasuries and other assets that would be impacted by Donald Trump’s return to office.

The recalibration of portfolios kicked off at the end of last week after Biden’s disastrous debate with Trump heightened concerns the 81-year-old Democrat is too old to serve another term.

Global markets on alert for Biden exit as Trump-win trades mount

Shares of Ocean Fresh Bhd (KL:OFB) more than doubled in its trading debut on the ACE Market after the frozen seafood company raised RM14.01 million from its initial public offering (IPO) on the back of strong demand.

Construction outfit Jati Tinggi Group Bhd (KL:JTGROUP) said it has secured a RM20.05 million contract to undertake the installation of 33kV underground cables in the southern region of Peninsular Malaysia.&nbsp;

Jati Tinggi secures RM20m underground cable job

&nbsp;US&nbsp;President&nbsp;Joe&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;vowed to stay in the&nbsp;2024 presidential race&nbsp;during a call with campaign staff on Wednesday and sought to reassure top Democrats on Capitol Hill that he is fit for reelection despite&nbsp;his&nbsp;shaky&nbsp;debate performance last week.

Biden&nbsp;dialed in to a call with worried members of&nbsp;his&nbsp;campaign team&nbsp;and told them he wasn't going anywhere, according to two sources familiar with the call.

'I am running' — Biden scrambles as pressure grows to abandon his campaign

Philip Research reaffirmed its positive outlook on OCK Group Bhd (KL:OCK), projecting significant gains from widespread 5G adoption and a record-breaking year in 2024.

Philip Research sees record year for OCK, boosted by 5G and order book

Wall Street traders sent stocks higher as bonds yields fell after a string of weaker-than-estimated economic reports reinforced the case for the Federal Reserve to start cutting rates this year.

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In a shortened session ahead of the&nbsp;US holiday, the S&amp;P 500 hit an all-time high on bets lower rates will keep fueling Corporate America.
</article>

Stocks hit fresh highs as weak data sink US yields

Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) has turned more positive on the consumer sector, upgrading its call to "overweight", from "neutral", due to potential margin expansion from lower raw material prices and consumption boosts from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Account 3 and civil servant pay hikes.

Budget pressures are forcing governments across Southeast Asia to rethink fuel subsidies, risking political backlash and another inflation blow to their economies.

Thailand and Malaysia have let diesel prices climb in the past weeks to ease the burden on public finances as global crude prices rise.

Asia’s fuel subsidies are falling victim to budget pressures

KUALA LUMPUR (July 4): The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) has cautioned the public on investment scams enticing investors with pre-initial public offering (pre-IPO) shares of companies seeking to list on Bursa Malaysia.

The dollar dropped by the most in three weeks as data showed the US services sector contracted in June at the fastest pace in four years, sending Treasury yields lower.

The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index dropped 0.4% Wednesday, the biggest decline since June 12. The currency lost ground against all of its major counterparts, with the Norwegian krone, Swedish krona and the Australian dollar leading the advances.

Dollar drops most in three weeks as yields fall on rate-cut bets

The Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) recorded revenue of RM186 million in the first quarter (1Q) of 2024, up 3% from a year earlier, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Felda 1Q2024 revenue up 3% to RM186m, Parliament told

Some of the world’s biggest oil-hauling supertankers are instead loading up vast volumes of diesel in the latest sign of how attacks by Yemen’s Houthis are upending global shipping.&nbsp;

At least one so-called very large crude carrier, or VLCC, capable of hauling two million barrels of oil is already sailing from the Middle East to Europe, while another is in the process of loading, according to Kpler and ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg.&nbsp;

Giant oil tankers find new business after Houthi ship attacks

The National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) received as many as 37,002 calls from scam victims with a total reported loss of RM203.33 million as of May 2024.

Over RM203m in scam losses reported to NSRC as of May, says Anwar 

Signs&nbsp;of renewed activity emerged on Wednesday in the quest for a&nbsp;ceasefire&nbsp;deal between&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;and Hamas in the nine-month-old war in the&nbsp;Gaza&nbsp;Strip while&nbsp;Israel&nbsp;launched more strikes on the devastated&nbsp;enclave.

After weeks with little public diplomacy, mediators Egypt and Qatar delivered a response from Hamas to a proposal that would include a release of hostages held in&nbsp;Gaza&nbsp;and a&nbsp;ceasefire&nbsp;in the Palestinian&nbsp;enclave.

Gaza ceasefire effort shows signs of revival as Israel pounds enclave

Federal Reserve (Fed) officials said they were awaiting additional evidence that inflation is cooling and were divided on how long to keep interest rates elevated at their last policy meeting.

Minutes from the two-day Federal Open Market Committee gathering ended June 12 showed officials didn’t expect it would be appropriate to lower borrowing costs “until additional information had emerged to give them greater confidence that inflation” is on track to their 2% goal.

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Fed sought more evidence of cooling inflation, June minutes show

（吉隆坡4日讯）海洋冷冻食品公司（Ocean Fresh Bhd）（KL:OFB）今早在创业板上市，成交量超出一倍。

海洋冷冻食品创业板登场 成交量翻倍

KUALA LUMPUR (July 4): Analysts remain upbeat on Mah Sing Group Bhd (KL:MAHSING) after it acquired a piece of land in Taman Desa, which is earmarked for an RM1 billion high-rise residential project.

Asian stocks hit 27-month highs on Thursday as softer US data narrowed the odds on a September rate cut there, boosting bonds and commodities while dragging on the dollar.

Traders are looking to trim excessive policy tightening bets in Taiwan as hawkish central bank moves keep swap rates near record highs.

Taiwan’s one and two-year swap rates, measures of interest rate expectations over those periods, have been trading near their peaks after the island’s central bank last month unexpectedly raised the amount of funds lenders must hold in reserve.

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