IDFC FIRST Bank Receives Inaugural Investment-Grade Ratings From S&P

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- IDFC FIRST Bank, one of India's fast-growing private banks, has received its inaugural international investment-grade issuer credit ratings from S&P Global Ratings, with a ‘BBB-’ long-term rating and ‘A-3’ short-term rating, both with a stable outlook.

Bursa Malaysia Opens Lower On Profit-Taking

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia opened lower on Monday as profit-taking emerged following a decent run-up in previous sessions.

Ringgit Opens Higher Versus Greenback On Upbeat GDP Data

By Nurunnasihah Ahmad Rashid & Nur Athirah Mohd Shaharuddin

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- The ringgit opened higher against the US dollar, tracking Malaysia’s stronger-than-expected second quarter 2026 (2Q 2026) Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 6.0 per cent, said an economist.

Mamas Targets To Expand Sauce, Soy Sauce Exports To Cambodia Next Year

By Nur Faradilla Mohamad

JOHOR BAHRU, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- Mamas M&M (M) Sdn Bhd, which offers a variety of sauces including chilli, tomato, oyster and black pepper sauces, as well as vinegar and soy sauce, aims to penetrate the Cambodian market by mid-next year, further expanding its export market.

Penang Eyes Becoming Leading ASEAN Semiconductor Design Hub By 2040

GEORGE TOWN, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- Penang plans to shift from its current dominance in assembly and testing activities towards high-value upstream activities such as chip design, system architecture and prototype development, in a bid to become a leading semiconductor design hub in ASEAN by 2040.

IHH Healthcare Aims To Nearly Double Hospital Beds In India To 10,000 By 2031

By Fatin Umairah Abdul Hamid

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 (Bernama) --  Private healthcare provider IHH Healthcare Bhd. plans to nearly double its operational hospital beds in India to about 10,000 by 2031 from around 6,100 currently, with an estimated investment of about US$250,000 (US$1=RM4.08) per bed.

Is Malaysia Really Ready For Battery EV Transition?

By Niam Seet Wei

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- A year ago, during my Wolfson Press Fellowship at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, I was grappling with a question I was not entirely sure I wanted to answer.

TH Needs To Focus On Sustainable Returns, Prioritise Savings Of Pilgrims - Economist

By Nurunnasihah Ahmad Rashid

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) needs to focus on reasonable and sustainable investment returns commensurate with the level of risk that can be accepted, with the protection of the savings of prospective pilgrims remaining a priority, according to an economist.

KLCI Futures Seen Trading With Upward Bias Next Week

By Engku Shariful Azni Engku Ab Latif & Abdul Hamid A Rahman

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) futures are expected to trade with an upward bias next week, within a relatively narrow range, in line with the cash market, an analyst said.

Gold Futures Likely To Hover Around US$4,345-US$4,375 Next Week

By Harizah Hanim Mohamed

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- Gold futures on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives are anticipated to fluctuate between US$4,345 and US$4,375 per troy ounce next week.

Rubber Market Likely To Trade Range-bound Next Week

By K. Naveen Prabu

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian rubber market is expected to trade range-bound next week, according to the Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (MARGMA). 

CPO Futures Likely To Stay Firm Next Week On Tighter Supply Expectations

By K. Naveen Prabu

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- Crude palm oil (CPO) futures on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives are likely to remain supported next week as the market continues to price in expectations of tighter supply from November onwards.