NEW YORK: Oil prices gained about 1% on Wednesday, as investors worried about escalating tensions between Iran and the US, which were preparing to resume negotiations, while a weekly report showing a large build in US crude inventories limited gains. Brent crude oil futures settled 60 cents, or 0.87%, higher at US$69.40 a barrel. The date and venue of the next round of US-Iran talks have yet to be announced. Also supporting oil prices, US job growth unexpectedly accelerated in January and the unemployment rate fell to 4.3%, the Labor Department said, signaling a healthy economy. Russian oil production edged down around 0.6% in January from December, per the report.

The Philadelphia semiconductor index rallied 2.3%, while the S&P 500 software index finished down 2.6%. The rate-sensitive S&P 500 bank index finished down 2.6%. Robinhood shares tumbled 8.9%, leading declines in the financial services index, after the retail brokerage missed fourth-quarter revenue expectations. Humana shares fell 3.3% after the health insurer forecast 2026 profit below Wall Street estimates. The S&P 500 posted 99 new 52-week highs and 24 new lows while the Nasdaq Composite recorded 123 new highs and 232 new lows.

(Feb 12) : Air Canada will acquire eight Airbus SE A350-1000 models, with options to double the order, as the carrier seeks to modernize its fleet. The purchase agreement, if all rights are exercised, would be valued at about US$3 billion, based on current aircraft values from analytics firm Ishka Ltd. A first delivery is expected in the second half of 2030, Air Canada said. The A350-1000 is a twin-aisle widebody aircraft that can seat as many as 480 passengers and significantly reduce fuel consumption, according to Airbus’s website. “These aircraft will deliver improved operating economics, enhance our operational reliability, and ensure we remain competitive across our global network.,” Air Canada Chief Financial Officer John Di Bert said in a statement. Air Canada said the purchase will add to an order book of 30 Airbus A321XLRs, 23 Airbus A220s and 14 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners.

(Bloomberg) : Waymo, Alphabet Inc.’s autonomous driving unit, will hit more than one million paid weekly robotaxi rides in the US by the end of this year, according to co-Chief Executive Officer Tekedra Mawakana. In some cases, Waymo can go from mapping a city to the start of paid rides in just a matter of months. Waymo began fully autonomous operations in Nashville earlier this week ahead of a planned commercial launch with Lyft Inc. later this year. Waymo is the top provider of paid autonomous vehicle services in the US, with a pack of well-funded others chasing the market. The company currently provides about 400,000 paid rides per week across the six cities.

(Feb 12): Real estate services stocks sank on Wednesday as investors assessed the companies’ vulnerability to the newest crop of artificial intelligence (AI) applications and tools that threatens to disrupt several industries. Shares of CBRE Group Inc and Jones Lang LaSalle Inc plunged 12%, and Cushman & Wakefield Ltd dropped 14%. For CBRE and Cushman & Wakefield, the moves marked the biggest drop since 2020 in the midst of the Covid-driven market sell-off. The drop in the stocks seems “excessive given limited news flow today,” Barclays’ Brendan Lynch said. The analyst noted that some of the weakness stems from fears that AI will disrupt the job market and commercial real estate demand.

(Feb 12) : A stronger-than-anticipated US jobs report spurred a slide in Treasuries as traders pared bets on Federal Reserve rate cuts in 2026. “If the labor market is indeed stabilizing, that would be constructive for both the economy and the market,” he noted. Overall, this still looks like “low-hire, low-fire” labor market rather than a broad-based reacceleration, said Mark Hamrick at Bankrate. “For the Federal Reserve, a steadier jobs picture reduces the urgency to rush into rate cuts, assuming inflation behaves,” he noted. “The market got the jobs report it needed,” said Brad Smith at Janus Henderson Investors.

BP’s oil and gas production averaged 2.3 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (boed) in 2025, broadly flat year-on-year, supported by the startup of seven new projects, including in the Gulf of Mexico. Shell’s production gapIn many respects, BP is the mirror image of its larger British rival Shell. As a result, Shell’s oil and gas production fell 1% in 2025 to 2.8 million boed. Shell’s oil and gas reserves dropped to a record low 8.1 billion barrels in 2025, from 8.9 billion barrels in 2024. Shell’s production from its current portfolio could fall by as much as 800,000 boed over the next decade, based on Wood Mackenzie estimates.

PUTRAJAYA: Tan Sri Azam Baki says he no longer owns any shares in any company, inlcuding Velocity Capital Partner Bhd. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner said claims that he still holds shares in the company are false. Azam said he sold his shares in Velocity Capital Partner Bhd in July 2025. Addressing the controversy surrounding Velocity Capital Bhd, Azam said he did not profit from the sale of Velocity Capital shares. Azam said any narrative suggesting he still holds shares worth hundreds of thousands of ringgit is defamatory and not supported by official records.

He Jiaolong rides her horse dressed in a festive outfit across a snowy expanse in Xinjiang. Photo: nfnewsHe Jiaolong rides her horse dressed in a festive outfit across a snowy expanse in Xinjiang. He also once sat on a bed suspended 100 metres above the ground to promote Xinjiang cotton. Some people commented on the neijuan phenomenon among the officials that promote tourism online. Others performed rap, spoke English and played instruments to attract audiences while promoting local tourism.

PETALING JAYA: Four people have been arrested by police after they allegedly destroyed part of an illegal temple based in Rawang without authorisation from the authorities. Selangor police chief Comm Datuk Shazeli Kahar said that part of the building was torn down without permission or notice from the local authorities. Follow-up investigations led to the arrest of four local suspects, aged between 26 and 39 years old. "The public is urged to not speculate on the issue, to remain rational and not issue any statements that could lead to racial and religious tensions and disturb public peace. "The police assure all that investigations will be conducted professionally, honestly and based on the laws at hand," he said in a statement on Wednesday.

PETALING JAYA: Outgoing US Ambassador to Malaysia Edgard D. Kagan visited Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Putrajaya on Wednesday (Feb 11). The visit, according to Anwar, was an opportunity for him to voice his appreciation of Kagan's efforts in strengthening the strategic relationship between Malaysia and the United States. "The close ties between both countries are vital in driving economic growth and expanding cooperation to benefit the people," Anwar said on Facebook. Kagan is set to end his tenure in February as he retires from the U.S. Foreign Service. US President Donald Trump has nominated Nick Adams to succeed Kagan as the next US ambassador to Malaysia.

MELAKA: The mother of the young girl who went viral wearing a ‘Spiderman’ superhero costume and soliciting sympathy from the public at a petrol station here recently, denied that her child is a beggar, and claimed to be unaware of the matter. Nor Hafika Mohd Shamsul, 30, said she had no idea that her eldest child was taken out by her foster father, whom she had known for almost 20 years, until she was informed by the Melaka Social Welfare Department (JKM). The woman said her seven-year-old child had only followed her foster father, known as "Uncle Awe," wearing the costume a few times. "I thot she was just sitting behind my foster father, I didn't know she was there as a mascot (wearing the costume to elicit sympathy). Nor Hafika, who hails from Masjid Tanah and works as a caregiver, said her child likes the Spiderman character and the costume was found at a second-hand clothing collection centre in Tangga Batu in December.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has attracted RM2.75bil in foreign investment through the Film in Malaysia Incentive (Fimi) between 2013 and 2025, creating over 31,000 job opportunities, said Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching. Wan Saiful had asked the ministry to explain Fimi’s impact and the efforts taken to help local creative content reach global streaming platforms. She said the United States, China, India and Australia were the top sources of foreign investment in Malaysian film projects during the same period. Teo added that Finas continues to promote Malaysian films internationally through participation in film markets and festivals, while reviewing Fimi requirements to encourage foreign productions to hire more local crew. “Our local productions have also earned international recognition, with films such as Abang Adik, Mechamato and Ejen Ali The Movie 2 receiving positive reception, including overseas,” she added.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 12): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim emphasised that no one has the right to take matters into their own hands outside the framework of the law in issues related to houses of worship. He said that Malaysia is a country founded on the rule of law and that all parties must respect this principle. "This country is a nation that must abide by the law, [it is] a nation of laws. The prime minister reiterated that all parties must comply with the laws and regulations regarding the construction of houses of worship and sensitive issues in the country to ensure harmony and stability are maintained. Referring to issues related to houses of worship built not according to regulations and the proposal to build a pig farm in Selangor, Anwar said these matters need to be handled properly and respectfully by all parties.

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 12): The federal government will hold negotiations with the Sarawak state government this year to review the amount of the special grant under Article 112D of the Federal Constitution, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said. On the special grant for Sabah, the federal government continued negotiations with the state government on Nov 17, 2025 and Jan 28, 2026, to review the amount under Articles 112C and 112D of the Federal Constitution. The MOF was responding to a question from Rodiyah Sapiee (GPS-Batang Sadong) on the latest status of finalising the new special grant formula for Sabah and Sarawak under Article 112D of the Federal Constitution. It added that the Sabah state government and the federal government are committed to concluding the negotiations within the stipulated timeline. The discussions also include the implementation schedule and the federal government’s commitment to the principle of fiscal equity as provided under the Malaysia Agreement 1963.