Archive
Back to homepage
Federal grants to states expected to rise to RM10.5b this year, says Anwar
PUTRAJAYA, March 5 — The National Finance Council (NFC) has agreed to increase the grants provided by the federal government to state governments, with the total amount expected to reach RM10.5 billion this year, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar
Read More
Israeli strikes hit Beirut as Lebanese media reports Hamas official killed
BEIRUT, March 5 — Israel said it carried out strikes on Beirut targeting Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah on Thursday, while Lebanese state media reported an Israeli drone strike killed a Hamas official. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war
Read More
China to boost military spending by 7pc in 2026 amid rising regional tensions
BEIJING, March 5 — China said on Thursday its defence budget, the world’s second largest after the United States, will increase by seven per cent in 2026, in line with expectations but slightly below last year’s. Beijing plans to spend
Read More
South Korean chipmakers warn Iran crisis could disrupt materials, push up prices
SEOUL, March 5 — South Korea’s chip industry is concerned that a prolonged Iranian crisis will disrupt supplies of key materials from the Middle East and increase chip prices due to a spike in energy costs, a ruling party lawmaker
Read More
China orders top refiners to halt diesel, petrol exports amid Middle East tensions
BEIJING, March 5 — China has told its largest oil refiners to suspend exports of diesel and gasoline, Bloomberg News reported Thursday, as the war in the Middle East increasingly risks an energy supply crunch. China is a net importer
Read More
Bursa Malaysia tracks Wall Street gains, KLCI rises 3.86 points
KUALA LUMPUR, March 5 — Bursa Malaysia opened higher on Thursday, tracking positive overnight Wall Street performance as easing oil prices and upbeat economic data soothed concerns over the US-Iran geopolitical crisis. At 9.16am, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM
Read More
US judge orders refund of US$130b in Trump-era tariffs
WASHINGTON, March 5 — A US trade court judge on Wednesday ordered the government to begin paying potentially billions of dollars in refunds to importers who paid tariffs that the Supreme Court said last month were collected illegally. Judge Richard
Read More
Oil jumps nearly 2pc as Hormuz tensions rattle Asian trade
TOKYO, March 5 — Oil prices rose nearly two per cent in early Asian trade on Thursday off the back of persistent worries about supplies because of the Middle East conflict. At around 2310 GMT West Texas Intermediate, having closed
Read More
Ringgit firms slightly against US dollar as markets await OPR call
KUALA LUMPUR, March 5 — The ringgit opened marginally higher against the US dollar on Thursday as traders shifted focus to the overnight policy rate (OPR) announcement later in the day, despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. At
Read More
Maybank Singapore to hand one-off bonuses to over 800 junior staff
SINGAPORE, March 5 — Maybank Singapore will provide one-off ex-gratia payments to more than 800 junior employees in recognition of their work and to ease cost-of-living pressures, a spokesperson said. According to Singapore’s Business Times, the payout includes S$1,250 (RM3,860) for
Read More