(Feb 27) : Wall Street traders lifted stocks away from session lows as oil erased its gain amid signs of progress in US nuclear talks with Iran. Chipmakers sank as Nvidia Corp.’s results failed to inspire investors seeking reassurances about artificial intelligence. Even after giving a bullish forecast, Nvidia tumbled 5.5%, dragging down almost every company in a key semiconductor gauge. In late hours, Dell Technologies Inc. gave an outlook for sales of its AI servers that exceeded estimates. After soaring for much of the past few years, Nvidia has gone cold amid questions about massive AI spending.

But recent fears about the disruptive potential of artificial intelligence (AI) have battered stock prices and investor sentiment so much that a reality check is warranted. The original post on X has been viewed nearly 10 million times. This followed the nearly 5,000-word piece Something Big Is Happening by Matt Shumer, chief executive officer and co-founder of AI firm Otherside AI, published on Feb 9. If an “AI doom bubble” is growing, perhaps it’s time to deflate it. These prices indicate that either current AI fears are excessive, or the previous blind optimism was overdone.

KLANG: Any decision to arm officers of the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) will be determined by its director-general, says Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. He said the Home Ministry would fully support any move deemed necessary by AKPS leadership. “If the need arises, for example, to arm AKPS officers with firearms, I leave it entirely to the leadership of AKPS director-general Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain to make the necessary arrangements. On Wednesday (Feb 25), a vehicle carrying Bukit Kayu Hitam commander Senior Asst Comm Mohd Nasaruddin Mohd Nasir was shot at in a pre-dawn incident near the Malaysia-Thailand border. Kedah police chief Comm Datuk Adzli Abu Shah said the commander was unharmed in the 5.40am attack, which occurred about 1km from the border.

PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has introduced a new mandatory standard to tighten the registration of prepaid SIM cards, aimed at curbing online scams, identity misuse and fraudulent registrations. The mandatory standard also has several key consumer-focused protection measures, including setting a SIM ownership limit of five cards per individual per service provider for citizens or permanent residents and two SIM cards per individual for each service provider ownership limit for non-citizens. Service providers are also required to notify users of their registration status within 12 hours, while tourist SIM cards will only be valid for a maximum of three months before being automatically terminated. MCMC also reminded service providers and appointed distributors to ensure the Mandatory Standard is fully and promptly implemented, warning that any non-compliance will be subject to regulatory action to create a safer and more secure communications ecosystem. "Consumers are advised to register prepaid SIM cards only through licensed service providers and authorised distributors, and to remain vigilant against unauthorised registration channels," the statement added.

(Feb 27): Norway’s sovereign wealth fund said that since it started using artificial intelligence (AI) to help manage its portfolio, it’s been impressed by the technology’s ability to catch risks overlooked by both the media and external vendors. On Thursday, the fund provided an update on its responsible investing strategy, which included a nod to the impact of AI. The fund is “increasingly finding new use cases for AI across our portfolio risk management,” a spokesperson said before Thursday’s report was released. “We are exploring ways to use AI to strengthen our attribution analysis for explaining changes in the fund’s financed emissions. Norway’s wealth fund is due to publish its 2025 results on Friday.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 26): Gagasan Nadi Cergas Bhd (KL:NADIBHD) has proposed a bonus issue on the basis of one warrant for every two shares held. The exercise involves the issuance of up to 376.5 million warrants, with a five-year tenure, carrying an exercise price of 32 sen apiece, according to a bourse filing on Thursday. The exercise price represents a discount of about 25% to the five-day volume weighted average market price of 42.76 sen as at the latest practicable date. The group also plans to use the proceeds to fund operating expenses for future projects. The bonus issue is subject to approval from Bursa Malaysia Securities and shareholders at an extraordinary general meeting.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 26): Pos Malaysia Bhd (KL:POS) has proposed a perpetual sukuk wakalah programme of up to RM1 billion in nominal value to fund its capital expenditure and refinance borrowings. Proceeds from the programme — which carries no fixed maturity date — will also be used to fund its general working capital. Just three days ago, Pos Malaysia reported a wider net loss of RM209.26 million for its financial year ended Dec 31, 2025, compared to RM202.67 million in the previous year. As at end-December 2025, Pos Malaysia’s financial position remained under pressure, with total borrowings of RM433.22 million, while cash and bank balances amounted to only RM86.72 million. Maybank Investment Bank Bhd has been appointed the principal adviser, lead arranger, and lead manager for the programme, with Maybank Islamic Bhd acting as the shariah adviser.

A team of Chinese scientists has unveiled the world’s smallest and most energy-efficient transistor in a breakthrough poised to anchor the next generation of high-performance AI hardware. In conventional semiconductor chips, data storage and computation occur in separate areas, creating efficiency bottlenecks for communication “across the wall”. According to Qiu Chenguang of Peking University, the “in-memory computing capability of FeFETs aligns closely with the future evolution of AI chips”. Qiu, with Peng Lianmao, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, led the team that developed the world’s smallest and most energy-efficient ferroelectric transistor. “Such a transistor can be used both to build highly energy-efficient data centres and to assemble next-generation high-performance AI chips.” – South China Morning Post

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 26): UEM Sunrise Bhd (KL:UEMS), the property arm of Khazanah Nasional Bhd’s UEM Group Bhd, saw its net profit for the fourth quarter plummet 82.3% on non-operational adjustments. UEM Sunrise said it recognised “certain non-operational and non-cash adjustments” amounting to RM59 million during the quarter. Despite the drop in quarterly earnings, UEM Sunrise declared an interim dividend of 0.84 sen per share and a special dividend of 0.59 sen per share, both payable on May 15. Excluding the adjustments, FY2025 net profit would have stood at RM122 million, UEM Sunrise noted. Looking to FY2026, UEM Sunrise has pegged a sales target of RM1.3 billion and a gross development value launch target of RM2.2 billion.

Senator Michael Mujah Lihan wants the government to bolster national housing policy with stronger price controls and more targeted tax incentives to address the widening gap between house prices and public income growth. – NSTP file picKUALA LUMPUR: The government should bolster national housing policy with stronger price controls and more targeted tax incentives to address the widening gap between house prices and public income growth, urged Senator Michael Mujah Lihan. He said property prices in major cities had soared to levels that were increasingly unaffordable. "Although construction costs and property values have risen, average wage growth has not kept pace. For young people and the M40 group, the challenge is not only the sale price.

PETALING JAYA: National men's singles shuttler Leong Jun Hao's hopes of building momentum for next week's All-England suffered an early setback after he was knocked out in the first round of the German Open. 27 Jun Hao lost 18-21, 21-5, 20-22 to world No. It was also the end of the road for Justin Hoh as he fell 17-21, 21-12, 8-21 to world No. 33 Yew Sin-Ee Yi defeated Donovan Wee-Howin Wong of Singapore 21-15, 21-14 while Sze Fei-Izzuddin ousted France’s Mael Cattoen-Lucas Renoir 21-17, 21-19. Ling Ching defeated India’s Tanvi Sharma 21-19, 17-21, 21-16 in 56 minutes and will play Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand next.

WELLINGTON: Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her family are relocating to Australia, becoming the most high-profile addition to a growing wave of Kiwis moving across the Tasman. After spending much of her time overseas since her 2023 resignation, Ardern and her family now plan to base themselves in Australia, a spokesman said. Ardern is one of hordes of Kiwis who have moved to Australia in recent months. In 2018 she became just the second world leader to give birth in office, after former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. "I have given my absolute all to being prime minister but it has also taken a lot out of me,” she said at the time.

KULAI: Three more schools have been instructed to close temporarily due to the fire at a rubber and plastics storage warehouse in Sengkang here, bringing the total to five. Bukit Batu assemblyman Arthur Chiong Sen Sern said after the closure of SJKC Sengkang and SJKC Kulai Besar earlier on Wednesday (Feb 25), SK Taman Kota Kulai, Sekolah Agama Taman Kota Kulai and SK Taman Kota Kulai 2 have also been instructed to close. “In SK Taman Kota Kulai, 56 students displayed symptoms of illness while SK Taman Kota Kulai 2 had 12 students with similar symptoms. “They were told to return home on Wednesday and classes were switched to online,” he said in a Facebook post. He added that the online Home-based Teaching and Learning would go on until Friday (Feb 27).

Malaysian actress Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh recently pulled off a sweet birthday surprise for her French husband Jean Todt. In an Instagram post on Wednesday (Feb 25), the 63-year-old said she had waited patiently at an airport in France to surprise her “love” with a bouquet of white roses on his 80th birthday. It’s worth mentioning that white roses are popularly associated with new beginnings, innocence, respect and remembrance. Happy birthday Jean, my love,” Yeoh wrote in the caption. “Happy birthday Jean.

TENOM: Tenom is facing its worst flood disaster in more than a decade, with extensive efforts underway to assist affected residents and ensure their safety. Sabah Rural Development Minister Datuk Rubin Balang said that in view of the current situation and with public safety as the top priority, Tenom District Officer Alexander Liew had declared a disaster status for the district on Wednesday (Feb 25). "I understand this is among the worst floods Tenom has experienced. I also chaired a special meeting at the Disaster Operations Room at the Tenom District Office to discuss follow-up actions, logistical requirements and immediate assistance for affected residents," he said when contacted Thursday (Feb 26). Retail shop owner Rita Erin Kating, 38, described the experience of seeing strong currents inundate her premises in Pekan Tenom as terrifying and unforgettable.