(Jan 9): Alibaba Group Holding Ltd shares jumped on optimism that the tech giant can benefit if Nvidia Corp’s H200 chips are made available in China. The stock climbed as much as 4.8% in Hong Kong, the most since Nov 24, after China’s plans to approve some imports of the H200 chips as soon as this quarter. The shares are boosted by the expectation that China may allow domestic players to use H200 chips, which should bode well for firms like Alibaba, said Vey-Sern Ling, managing director at Union Bancaire Privee. Access to these AI semiconductors would help Chinese firms upgrade and run their models as they seek to compete with the likes of OpenAI and other US rivals. Alibaba has been the biggest spender among Chinese firms to power AI-related businesses, and a secure chip supply is expected to boost its cloud segment.

(Jan 9): Singapore lawmakers are poised to debate if Pritam Singh should remain leader of the Opposition when Parliament meets next week after his conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee. The Workers’ Party said it will address the matter during the parliamentary sitting, declining to comment further. Earlier this month, the opposition party formed a disciplinary panel to assess whether Pritam breached its constitution. Pritam was named the leader of the Opposition after his party made unprecedented gains in the 2020 election by grabbing 10 seats. He retained his seat in the 2025 election where his party won nearly 60% of the votes in his constituency.

PUTRAJAYA (Jan 9): The Royal Malaysian Customs Department recorded revenue collections of RM76.18 billion in 2025, exceeding the initial annual projection of RM67.25 billion by RM8.93 billion. Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Customs Department director general Datuk Anis Rizana Mohd Zainudin said the 2025 figure marked a 16.18% increase, or RM10.61 billion, from RM65.57 billion collected in 2024. She noted that revenue performance from 2022 to 2025 showed a consistent and high-impact upward trend, culminating in a record high in 2025. “JKDM (Customs Department) would continue to play a strategic role in supporting national fiscal reforms and ensuring the sustainability of federal government finances through improved revenue performance and enhanced enforcement,” she said. “Despite human resource transition challenges, JKDM has maintained strong revenue performance through process optimisation, operational restructuring, and strategic use of technology,” she said.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 9): The utilities sector remains a key beneficiary of Malaysia’s accelerating data centre roll-out, underpinned by resilient electricity demand growth and long-term recurring income streams. Kenanga Investment Bank Bhd (Kenanga IB) maintained its 2026 demand growth forecast of 3.5%, supported by rising commercial load and rapid data centre capacity additions, in a note on Friday. “Data centre load utilisation rose sharply to 710 megawatt (MW) in September 2025 from 503MW in June 2025. In addition, with no new coal-fired plants planned, gas-fired generation remains the key swing capacity to support demand growth. Meanwhile, rising gas demand underpins positive earnings prospects for PETRONAS Gas Bhd (KL:PETGAS) and Gas Malaysia Bhd (KL:GASMSIA), the house added.

BENGALURU (Jan 9): Vodafone Idea laid out a repayment schedule for its adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues, capping annual payments at US$13.79 million (RM56.04 million) for the next six years, easing near-term cash flow pressure without reducing headline liabilities. On Dec 31, the Indian government approved a partial moratorium on the telecoms company's dues, freezing US$9.76 billion in payments and deferring repayments to the 2030s. At the time, Vodafone Idea had said it had not received any communication about the measure. The telecom operator, in which the Indian government holds a 49% stake, said in a statement on Friday that after the initial six years, the annual payout will be capped at one billion rupees for the following four years through March 2035, with the remaining balance to be paid in equal annual installments over the subsequent six years. Telecom operators, including Vodafone Idea, have long contested the Indian government's method of calculating AGR, which determines the licence fees and other dues.

PETALING JAYA: A 14-year-old girl is believed to have gone missing with her 17-year-old boyfriend, after leaving her home in Section 33, Shah Alam, on Monday (Jan 5). Shah Alam OCPD Asst Comm Ramsay Embol said the two teenagers are believed to have left on a motorcycle and have been unreachable since. The boy has been identified as Shaswin Perialagan, 17, while the girl is Jesitha Arul, 14. Checks revealed that the pair were last seen at Block 40, Taman Alam Megah, at about 10.30am, riding a motorcycle and carrying backpacks, he said. Asst Comm Ramsay said the boy works in Alam Megah, while the girl is a Form Two student.

SEOUL (Jan 9): Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will visit South Korea between Jan 17 and 19 for a summit with President Lee Jae Myung, South Korea's Blue House said in a statement on Friday. Her visit, at Lee's invitation, is the first state visit by an Italian leader to South Korea in 19 years, the presidential office said. The leaders, who will hold their summit on Jan 19, plan to discuss areas of bilateral cooperation including trade, artificial intelligence and defence, as well as broader international affairs, it said. Italy is one of South Korea's four largest trading partners in the European Union, the office said.

(Jan 9): China’s consumer price growth accelerated last month thanks largely to higher food costs, as deflationary risks stalk the world’s second-biggest economy in the absence of more forceful stimulus measures. Producer prices slipped slightly less than forecast and fell 1.9% — their 39th straight month of declines but the smallest decrease in over a year. China’s core CPI, which excludes volatile items such as energy, grew 1.2% for the third straight month and non-food inflation remained unchanged at 0.8%. Dong Lijuan, an NBS analyst, acknowledged that the pickup in the CPI last month was mainly driven by faster increases in food prices. Progress has been limited in part because of government concerns over the risk of job losses and weaker economic growth.

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 9): Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) Research expects Malaysia’s oil and gas (O&G) sector to remain supported by resilient earnings among selected downstream and offshore production players in 2026, despite an expected global supply glut driving oil price lower. However, it noted that China’s aggressive crude stockpiling, underpinned by the Energy Law enacted in January 2025, may help absorb excess supply and cushion downside risks. HLIB expects floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) activity to re-accelerate in 2026 following a moderation in awards last year, supported by improving tender visibility and the structural attractiveness of offshore developments. Meanwhile, the bank cautioned in its note that upstream drilling activity may remain subdued amid lower oil prices, rising costs and capital discipline. HLIB added that the petrochemical sector remains under pressure due to persistent global overcapacity and weak product spreads.

The 32-year-old male suspect arrived at the court compound at 9.45am. -- NSTP/GHAZALI KORIKUALA TERENGGANU: The driver of a Honda Jazz involved in a horrific accident that claimed the life of a Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) student on Jalan Kemajuan, Bukit Kecil, here on Monday, was remanded for four days at the Kuala Terengganu magistrate's court today. Meanwhile, Kuala Terengganu district police chief, Deputy Commissioner Azli Mohd Noor, said initial investigations found the accident occurred while the victim had stopped at the traffic lights at the scene. The Honda Jazz driver, also aged 32 and from Kampung Bukit Cempaka, Tepoh, Kuala Nerus, was reportedly returning home from Jalan Kemajuan. Following the accident, the man sustained severe injuries, including a fractured left arm and neck injuries, and was treated at Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital.

Some defence ⁠stocks fell in ‍the ​prior session, after Trump threatened to block defence contractors from paying dividends or buying back shares until they ⁠speed up weapons production. The S&P ‍500 climbed 0.01% to end the session at 6,921.45 points. The Nasdaq declined 0.44% to 23,480.02 points, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose ‌0.55% to 49,266.11 points. Advancing issues outnumbered falling ones within the S&P 500 by a 2.4-to-one ratio. The S&P 500 posted 43 new highs and 13 new lows; the Nasdaq recorded 133 new highs ‍and 51 new lows.

Living with prediabetes, he has spent the past six years closely monitoring his blood sugar levels, a habit shaped by both family history and a health scare during the Covid-19 pandemic. When I went for a check-up, ­doctors found my blood sugar was high and I had to start medication,” said the consultant. “I get tired easily and urinate frequently when my sugar levels rise. “It’s challenging because I have to be very mindful of what I eat and how it affects my blood sugar,” he said. I watch my portion sizes and only drink water so my blood sugar doesn’t spike,” he said, adding that supplements also form part of his routine.

MELAKA: Activist Badrul Hisham Shaharin is promising to release "classified" military files allegedly containing information on misappropriation in the supply and procurement processes of the Armed Forces on Thursday (Jan 8) night. Badrul Hisham, better known as Chegubard, said the disclosure would take place at a housing estate near the Terendak Army Camp in Sungai Udang here. "I do not care what happens to me for revealing these files, but I am willing to take the risk,” he said outside the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Melaka headquarters in Alai here. He also said he welcomed action taken by the MACC against a senior Malaysian Army officer over alleged bribery. He was remanded for seven days, while one of his wives was remanded for six days and the other for three days.

Foreign embassies in Venezuela are beginning to arrange visits for next week that will include representatives forUS and European oil companies, two sources told Reuters, following Washington's announcement ‌of a US$2 billion oil deal and the supply of US goods to the South American country. The Trump administration has invited the bosses of commodity trading houses Vitol and Trafigura to the White House on Friday for talks on ‍marketing Venezuelan oil, four sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. India's Reliance ‍Industries, operator of the world's largest refining complex, said it will consider buying Venezuelan oil if permitted for sale to non-US buyers. Venezuela produces about 1% of the world's oil supply. But depending on how the situation evolves, Iranian oil exports – equating to 2% of global supply – could be at risk," said Pavel Molchanov, investment strategy analyst ‍at Raymond James.

RESIDENTS of Taman Kanagapuram in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, want action taken against businesses flouting the rules in their neighbourhood. “While no lives were lost, the incident raised concerns over fire risks posed by unregulated commercial operations in residential neighbourhoods. Dr Kishore said many commercial establishments such as warehouses, vehicle storage and other types of businesses were unsuitable for residential areas. He called on MBPJ to suspend all commercial activities without valid licence, pending a full compliance review. When contacted, Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohamad Zahri Samingon said he would look into the matter.