(Dec 31): Copper headed for its biggest annual gain since 2009, fuelled by bets that demand for the key metal in electrification will outpace supply. The red metal has notched a series of all-time highs in an end-of-year surge, rallying over 40% on the London Metal Exchange this year. They pointed to Federal Reserve easing, a boom in technology industries and the reshaping of global supply chains because of US tariffs as bullish for the red metal. Copper slipped 0.4% to US$12,515 (RM50,773.35) a tonne on the London Metal Exchange as of 12.01pm in Shanghai (same time as Malaysia). Iron ore futures rose 0.1% to US$105.75 a tonne on the Singapore Exchange, up 5% this year.

The White House said immediately after talks between US President Donald Trump and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that China had pledged to buy at least 12 million tonnes of US soybeans by the end of this year. The return of Chinese buyers is welcome news for US exporters, and a reminder that buying patterns can change fast — but it is not yet a full reset. “We cannot confirm from China’s side that anything beyond the 12 million tonnes has been pledged,” said Ben Buckner, grains and dairy analyst at AgResource Co. The brokerage wrote in a note this week that China was seeking shipments and could reach a “soft target” of 10 million tonnes in 2025, with an additional two million tonnes in January. “From our vantage point, once you quantify that they’re going to buy 12 million tonnes, you need something in excess of that to get everyone excited,” Bennett, co-founder of farm advisory AgMarket.Net, said in a phone interview.

While these partnerships have helped ease the government’s fiscal burden, concerns over the affordability and long-term financial sustainability of PPP projects are mounting. Rising fiscal commitments and budgetary strainOne of the main affordability issues surrounding PPP projects in Malaysia stems from their financial structure. Cost overruns and renegotiationsCost overruns have further exacerbated affordability concerns in Malaysian PPP projects. The way forward: Enhancing PPP affordabilityTo address these challenges, policymakers must carefully assess the financial feasibility of PPP projects before implementation. Some potential measures include:Strengthening cost-benefit analyses: Ensuring that all PPP projects undergo rigorous affordability assessments to prevent long-term fiscal burdens.

Several key infrastructure projects finally got off the ground, with construction of the RM16bil light rail transit (LRT), a cornerstone of the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), commencing in January. It centralised various government agencies including the National Registration Department (JPN), Immigration Department (JIM), Road Transport Department (JPJ), Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) and the police under one roof. Penang Island City Council (MBPP) enforcement personnel operating the Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system in George Town. Errant motoristsBoth Penang Island and Seberang Perai city councils rolled out the Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system for roadside parking in April. Thomas Cup winner Datuk Yew Cheng Hoe (left) posing for a photo during the Penang Badminton Association’s centenary celebration in Penang.

KOTA TINGGI: An Indonesian worker was killed in a landslide in front of a factory that is still under construction. “We reached the site to find two plumbing workers buried in the landslide. “A 32-year-old local man managed to escape, while the 52-year-old Indonesian worker was buried in soil estimated to be about 3m deep,” he said in a statement on Wednesday (Dec 31). He added that the Indonesian was extricated using ropes, an excavator and digging equipment. Khairul Sufian said that after the area was declared safe, the machinery and firemen returned to the station and the operation ended at 4.25pm.

From star-studded concerts and cultural bazaars to dazzling fireworks displays, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor are transforming into a massive celebration hub. In collaboration with Tourism Malaysia, Pavilion Group has a series of programmes to welcome visitors to Kuala Lumpur and promote the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign. At Pavilion Bukit Jalil, a VM2026-­­­themed bazaar runs until today, featuring a mix of street food, artisanal goods, and cultural performances. Those seeking a livelier atmosphere should head to the VM2026 Arts and Culture Showcase at Fahrenheit 88 in Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, tonight. These events will culminate in a grand countdown across the street at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has issued a severe alert for continuous rain in several areas of Sarawak, starting on Wednesday (Dec 31) and continuing until Thursday (Jan 1). MetMalaysia director-general Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip announced that severe continuous heavy rain is expected to occur in Kuching, Serian (Serian) and Samarahan, while the alert level is in Serian (Tebedu), Sri Aman and Betong. The public can get the latest weather information via the department's official website, the myCuaca application and MetMalaysia's official social media pages or call 1-300-22-1638 for any further enquiries.- Bernama

(Dec 31): South Korea’s consumer inflation stayed above the central bank’s target for a fourth straight month, even as price growth cooled slightly on slower increases in food and broader living costs. Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy items, advanced at a 2% pace, matching the 2% clip in November, the data showed. Authorities warned earlier this month that strength in food prices could help push inflation above the projected path next year, even as underlying price pressure remains largely contained. The slowdown was led by easing costs for telecommunication, alcoholic beverages and tobacco products. What Bloomberg Economics says... “We expect CPI to stay elevated in the near term as a weaker won lifts import costs and keeps underlying pressures firm.

SINGAPORE (Dec 31): Professor Tan Cheng Han, founding chairman of SGX RegCo, will be stepping down after nearly nine years on the board. Sung Cheng Chih, a former chief risk officer of GIC, will be taking over with effect from Jan 1. Tan, a former dean of the NUS Faculty of Law, was in the news recently for taking on the president role at the Law Society of Singapore.

Selected sectoral indices – such as plantation, financial services and real estate investment trusts (REITs) – emerged as outperformers amid a challenging macroeconomic backdrop. “We opine that the finance and consumer sectors could see this momentum continue in 2026. As of Monday, we observed that the only sectors in the positive territory y-t-d are REITs, plantation and finance. Yong also noted that the plantation sector remains a top performer, with crude palm oil prices trading between RM3,900 and RM4,100. Meanwhile, on key themes for 2026, Tan believes Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) will play a key role in supporting the economy and equity market.

Washington, United States (AFP): Nearly 12 years after Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 vanished with 239 people on board, the search for answers to one of aviation's most haunting riddles resumed Tuesday (Dec 30) in the remote southern Indian Ocean. MH370 took off from Kuala Lumpur just after midnight on March 8, 2014, bound for Beijing on what should have been an uneventful six-hour flight. A Beijing court ordered Malaysia Airlines on December 8, 2025 to pay compensation to the families of eight passengers from flight MH370, more than a decade after the plane disappeared. In this picture taken on December 10, 2025, Jiang Hui, whose mother was on board the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, is seen showing items commemorating the accident at his home in Beijing. Jiang Cuiyun, then a 72-year-old retiree, was one of 239 people aboard flight MH370 when it vanished from radar screens on March 8, 2014, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

LONDON (Dec 30): Britain said on Tuesday that China's military exercises around Taiwan increased the risk of escalation, and reiterated a call for restraint. "China's military exercises around Taiwan this week increase cross-strait tensions and the risk of escalation," a foreign office spokesperson said in a statement. We do not support any unilateral attempts to change the status quo or any activity that risks destabilising it." "We continue to call for restraint and the avoidance of any further actions that risk undermining peace and stability." The Chinese embassy in Britain said the foreign office remarks were "a misrepresentation of the facts, a manipulation of the truth".

Compiled by KHOO JIAN TENG, C.ARUNO and R. ARAVINTHANMARTIAL arts superstar Jackie Chan regrets being a strict father which led to an estranged relationship with his son Jaycee, Sin Chew Daily reported. “In the past, whenever I saw my son Jaycee, I scolded him. Jackie said over time, his son grew increasingly fearful of him as a father and would only call him once a year to say happy birthday. However, even the birthday phone calls stopped after Jackie chided his son and ordered him to stop calling. He said he now realised that he had been overly strict as a parent and that he no longer imposed expectations on his children.

THE US ‌Geological Survey’s (USGS) updated critical minerals list now encompasses 60 different materials, representing around 80% of all the mined commodities on the periodic table. Many critical minerals are “spice metals” – used in only tiny quantities but with a transformative impact. These are two of the oldest metals used by humans; in combination they defined the Bronze Age. That’s nearly 78% of all US weapons and just five out of 60 critical minerals. The West’s pressing need to escape China’s chokehold on critical minerals supply has thrust these previously obscure elements to the center of world politics.

PETALING JAYA: New Year’s Eve celebration for medical staff like Najmuddin Mazelan means catching a glimpse of fireworks from a window, if he’s lucky. Our night duty is about attending to patients, documentation, and moving from one case to another. Dr Muhamad Hazim Moktar, who works in a private clinic, said that Dec 31 would be like any other working day for him. He would be on double shift duty from 4pm until 8am the next day. As for Dr Muhammad Hazril Abdul Rahman Raja, 30, who will be working the night shift for the first time on Dec 31, he said: “It’s a typical on-call day for me.