- A + A KUALA LUMPUR (May 19): AEON Co (M) Bhd (AEON Malaysia) said on Thursday (May 19) prices of products sold at the retailer’s outlets in Malaysia have increased between 3% and 5% but the company has been able to delay the price hikes to enable consumers to adapt to the current inflation situation. Its managing director Shafie Shamsuddin said AEON Malaysia "is resisting a lot of pressure” from suppliers to increase prices of products. "To give you some perspective, some of our products’ [prices] have been increased [from] 3% to 5% but we have been able to delay the hike in order to give space to our consumers to adapt to the current [inflation] condition. “We believe as retailers and as any other businesses, we need to constantly find ways to innovate and reduce our cost of goods sold and reduce our operating costs of running the businesses. In return, we will be able to offer better quality products and services to consumers,” Shafie said. He was speaking … [Read more...] about AEON says product prices have increased between 3% and 5%
Ipo share price
Shares slump as retailer warnings fuel stagflation fears
- A + A LONDON (May 19): Heavy falls in European and Asian stock markets followed Wall Street's worst day since mid-2020 on Thursday, as stark warnings from some of the world's biggest retailers underscored just how hard inflation is biting. Bond markets rallied in the dive for safety and on bets that interest rate rises may get recalibrated, but it was the gloom striking down equities after Wednesday's US$25 billion wipeout in US retailer Target's shares that dominated the action. Europe opened down 1.8%, led by a 2.2% fall in its retail sector, while scarlet red US futures and some sharp overnight drops in China tech firms put 1½-year lows back in focus for MSCI all-country world. "Target and Walmart coming out with disappointing numbers has really, really spooked people," said Close Brothers Asset Management's Chief Investment Officer Robert Alster. "We are going to see a raft of downgrades to US GDP (forecasts) now... it really looks like we are running into … [Read more...] about Shares slump as retailer warnings fuel stagflation fears
Affin Bank optimistic on loan growth despite its expectation for another potential OPR hike this year
Wan Razly as seen speaking at a press conference in conjunction with the official collaboration of AFFIN x MYTHEO on Thursday (May 19). (Photo by Kenny Yap/The Edge) - A + A KUALA LUMPUR (May 19): Affin Bank Bhd expects its loan growth to expand to 12% compared with 11% last year amidst a challenging economic and operating environment, according to the banking group’s president and chief executive officer Datuk Wan Razly Abdullah Wan Ali. Speaking at a Thursday (May 19) press conference in conjunction with the official collaboration of AFFIN x MYTHEO, Wan Razly said the bank had recorded good loan growth for the first quarter. However, he does not rule out the loan growth tapering off as things will become more expensive for borrowers and they would want to borrow less as they try to minimise their cost with the anticipation of overnight policy rate (OPR) hikes. “For us, we always look for ways to optimise our net interest margin (NIM) with the biggest … [Read more...] about Affin Bank optimistic on loan growth despite its expectation for another potential OPR hike this year
Hong Kong new listings’ volume sinks to nine-year low on China slowdown
- A + A HONG KONG (May 19): Hong Kong new listings' volume plunged 90% to a nine-year low this year, data showed, as China's sharp economic slowdown and its regulatory drive cast a long shadow over the city's prospects as a destination for initial public offerings (IPOs). The drying up of share listings in Hong Kong bodes ill for investment banks, who make about a third of their revenue in the region from equity capital market deals, and for the Chinese-ruled territory's status as a global financial hub. Only US$2.1 billion has been raised this year via IPOs and secondary listings in Asia's most popular fundraising venue compared with US$20.7 billion by the same time last year, according to Refinitiv data, the slowest start to a year since 2013. "One of the reasons for the IPO market in Hong Kong falling so sharply is the deteriorating financial performance for most of the applicants in the previous financial year, and it is possible that will be the case for the … [Read more...] about Hong Kong new listings’ volume sinks to nine-year low on China slowdown
Keeping it Real with Real Vision’s Raoul Pal
A super slide for stocks, bonds, and cryptocurrencies rolled all the way into last week, right up until Friday, when the Nasdaq posted its strongest one-day gain since November of 2020. Despite Friday's gains, the major averages posted losses for the week, with the Dow closing down more than 2% and posting its first seven-week losing streak since 2001. The S&P 500 fell 2.5% and hit its longest weekly losing streak since 2011, while the Nasdaq fell 2.8%. It's been a rough, rough year across capital markets. A full $35 trillion in global market value has been erased since the beginning of the year. That's 14% of all global wealth, including a trillion dollars of losses in cryptocurrencies. To put those losses in perspective, 2008 saw a 19% decline in global market value, and that doesn't include non-financial assets such as housing. Still, perspective is everything, especially for investors who have been invested in the U.S. stock market for at least five years. Believe it or not, … [Read more...] about Keeping it Real with Real Vision’s Raoul Pal
Bursa Malaysia snaps three-day winning streak to end lower
- A + A KUALA LUMPUR (May 19): Bursa Malaysia snapped a three-day winning streak to end in the red on Thursday (May 19), dragged by selling in selected heavyweights led by Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd and Public Bank Bhd. Press Metal gave up 20 sen to RM5.08 and Public Bank fell four sen to RM4.57, with both stocks contributing a combined 4.203 points to the loss in the composite index. At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) dropped 5.5 points or 0.35% to 1,549.41 from Wednesday's close of 1,554.91. The benchmark index, which opened 4.67 points easier at 1,550.24, moved between 1,545.02 and 1,554.53 throughout the day. Market breadth was negative with decliners outnumbering advancers 692 to 272, while 380 counters were unchanged, 925 untraded, and 22 others suspended. Total turnover dwindled to 2.69 billion units worth RM2.23 billion from 3.74 billion units worth RM2.25 billion on Wednesday. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice president of equity … [Read more...] about Bursa Malaysia snaps three-day winning streak to end lower
Philippine peso firms after rate hike, Asian stocks fall on growth fears
- A + A BENGALURU (May 19): The Philippine peso firmed on Thursday after its central bank raised rates for the first time in more than three years, while Asian shares tumbled on concerns around surging inflation, its impact on retail demand, and the threat of a recession. Stocks in Manila fell 1%, while the Philippine peso edged up 0.2%. The Philippine central bank raised its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points, as expected, to address rising inflationary pressures. "With the recovery in hand and price pressures surging, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) finally decided to join the rate-hike club... The bigger development was the quick walk-back of pandemic support with BSP closing the provisional advance and tweaking the bond purchase window," said Nicholas Antonio Mapa, senior economist at ING. Equities in the region also tracked weakness on Wall Street overnight as retail giant Target Corp warning of a bigger margin hit due to rising fuel and freight … [Read more...] about Philippine peso firms after rate hike, Asian stocks fall on growth fears
Stocks drop more than 1 percent after Wall Street plunge
A screen in Hana Bank's trading room in central Seoul shows the Kospi closing at 2,592.34 points on Thursday, down 33.64 points, or 1.28 percent, from the previous trading day. [YONHAP] Shares dropped by more than 1 percent to snap a two-day winning streak, as investor appetite for risky assets fell amid fears about high-flying inflation that sparked a massive sell-off on Wall Street. The won fell against the dollar. The Kospi retreated 33.64 points, or 1.28 percent, to close at 2,592.34 points. Trading volume was moderate at about 663 million shares worth some 9.7 trillion won ($7.6 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 767 to 124. Institutions sold a net 483.4 billion won, and foreigners offloaded 97.9 billion won, while retail investors bought 520.2 billion won. The key stock index faltered below the 2,600-point mark at the opening bell, tracking an overnight plunge on Wall Street. The S&P 500 sank 4.04 percent Thursday, the sharpest drop since June 2020, as … [Read more...] about Stocks drop more than 1 percent after Wall Street plunge
Princess Diana’s Wedding Tiara Headlines Sotheby’s Expansive Tiara Exhibition
Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Tiaras have again regained their popularity in both popular culture and in the more rarified setting of auction sales where collectors throughout the world are paying increasingly higher prices for these objects of royalty and aristocracy. To mark Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebration, Sotheby’s London will open the largest tiara exhibition staged in the UK in 20 years. The exhibition will feature approximately 50 tiaras of aristocratic and royal provenance, with some pieces to be exhibited publicly for the first time. Virtually all the tiaras in the exhibition were made for and owned by British nobility and together they offer a comprehensive review of all major tiara design styles, Sotheby’s said in a statement, including the Napoleonic Empire, Romantic Naturalism, Belle Epoque, Art Deco, Modern and Contemporary designs. The exhibition will be open to the public May 28 – June 15. Several tiaras in the … [Read more...] about Princess Diana’s Wedding Tiara Headlines Sotheby’s Expansive Tiara Exhibition
MIDF Research maintains ‘buy’ call on Cahya Mata on positive construction sector
- A + A KUALA LUMPUR (May 19): MIDF Research has maintained its 'buy' call on Cahaya Mata Sarawak Bhd (CMSB) with an unchanged target price of RM1.62, following its better core earnings in the first quarter ended March 31, 2022 (1QFY22). CMSB's core earnings grew 65.6% year-on-year (yoy) to RM73.9 million, driven mainly by improved performances of its cement and road maintenance divisions, while the group’s share of results from its associates gave it an extra boost. In a note on Thursday (May 19), the research firm said CMSB's results came in above its expectation at 36% of FY22 earnings estimate. "The relaxation of the country’s Covid-19 restrictions allowed activities across various sectors to pick up pace, leading to improved demand for cement which is CMSB’s main revenue generator. "The division saw an improvement of 6.6% yoy for the quarter to RM136.6 million, while its profit before tax came in at RM29.2 million, a growth of 34.1% yoy," it said. Hence, … [Read more...] about MIDF Research maintains ‘buy’ call on Cahya Mata on positive construction sector