<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>LONDON (March 18): Aviva has completed the sale of its stake in Singapore Life Holdings, plus two debt instruments, for a combined £937 million (RM5.6 billion), the British insurer said in a statement on Monday.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Aviva announced in September that its 25.9% stake and the two debt instruments would be sold to Sumitomo Life. The sale was expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of last year.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Aviva chief executive Amanda Blanc said in September that the transaction would simplify the business and put the company in a strong position to build on its trading momentum in the UK, Ireland and Canada.</p></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>The Singlife joint venture contributed £17 million to Aviva's operating profit in 2022, Aviva has said.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>Aviva announced a £300 million share buyback earlier this month, after strong performance in general and health insurance contributed to a 9% rise in 2023 operating profit, sending its shares higher.</p></div>

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Aviva has completed the sale of its stake in Singapore Life Holdings, plus two debt instruments, for a combined £937 million (RM5.6 billion), the British insurer said in a statement on Monday.

Aviva sells Singlife joint venture stake for US$1.2b

Malaysia is considering full tax exemptions on withdrawals from private retirement scheme (PRS) funds for emergency purposes, said Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) chairman Datuk Seri Awang Adek Hussin.

Full tax exemption being mulled for emergency private retirement scheme withdrawals, says SC

FRANKFURT/DUESSELDORF (May 8): Siemens Energy will replace the boss of its troubled wind turbine division after little more than two years in the job, the company said on Wednesday, also flagging job and capacity cuts as it tightens its grip on the loss-making business.

Siemens Energy shakes up management at troubled wind unit, raises outlook

Offshore drilling firm Velesto Energy Bhd (KL:VELESTO) is expected to report that its net profit may more than tripled in the first quarter (1Q) from a year earlier with all of its rigs utilised, Maybank Investment Bank said.

Velesto may report strong 1Q results with rigs fully occupied — Maybank IB

BENGALURU (May 8): Olam Agri on Wednesday increased its offer for Australia's Namoi Cotton, as an international bidding war heated up between the Singapore-based agribusiness and Dutch company Louis Dreyfus Co (LDC).

Olam Agri makes new offer for Australia's Namoi as bidding war escalates

Shell said on Wednesday it has agreed to sell its refinery and petrochemical assets in Singapore to a joint venture between Indonesia's Chandra Asri Capital and Glencore Asian Holdings.

Shell to sell Singapore refinery, petrochemical assets to Chandra Asri and Glencore

Wall Street pared earlier gains on Tuesday after equity markets elsewhere rallied as investors parsed when and by how much the Federal Reserve (Fed) cuts interest rates this year, while a resurgent dollar helped weaken the yen further.

Asian stocks slip, dollar climbs as Fed rate path pondered 

Sentral Real Estate Investment Trust (KL:SENTRAL), or Sentral REIT, posted a 30.29% increase in its net property income in the first quarter ended March 31, 2024 (1QFY2024) to RM38.15 million from RM29.28 million a year ago, on higher contribution from four of its key properties.

Sentral REIT's 1Q net property income rises 30% but finance costs weigh

BMW AG’s earnings fell in the first quarter after rising manufacturing costs weighed on the luxury-car maker’s profitability.

BMW earnings decline on higher carmaking costs

KUALA LUMPUR (May 8): Go Hub Capital Bhd (KL:GOHUB), a provider of information technology (IT) services catering to the transportation sector, said on Wednesday that it has received approval for its listing on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia.

IT services firm Go Hub Capital gets Bursa Malaysia nod for ACE Market listing

The momentum behind one of the world’s biggest stock rallies in China will likely abate, according to Morgan Stanley.

Morgan Stanley sees momentum behind China indexes fading

<p>Former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has been granted a temporary release of his passport to visit a sick family member in Australia.</p>

<p>Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi allowed the Bersatu chief's application and ordered the travel document to be released on Wednesday and for it to be returned to the court on May 28.</p>


Muhyiddin gets temporary release of passport to visit sick family member abroad

<p>Shares in low-cost aviation operators Capital A Bhd (KL:CAPITALA) and AirAsia X Bhd (KL:AAX) rose in early trade on Wednesday, tracking gains at the broader market.</p>


Capital A and AAX active, advance in post-merger trade

<p>Global sales of semiconductors jumped 15.2% year-on-year (y-o-y) to US$137.7 billion (RM653.24 billion) during the first quarter of 2024, according to the US-based Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA).</p>


First-quarter global semicon sales jump 15.2% y-o-y to US$137.7b, says SIA 

<p>China has extended the visa-free policy for short-term visits to China for Malaysia and 11 other countries until the end of 2025, <em>Xinhua </em>reported, citing Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian.</p>


China extends visa-free travel policy for Malaysia until end of 2025

<p>Shares in Sime Darby Plantation Bhd [KL: SIMEPLT] rose to their highest in two years following its announcement to develop the Tali Ayer estate in Perak into a green industrial park.</p>


Sime Darby Plantation shares surge to a two-year high following proposed solar project in Perak

<p>Former National and Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) skipper Safiq Rahim became the third National footballer to be attacked within a week, although the JDT player’s attack seemed more of a warning than personal harm.</p>


Two suspects on motorcycles break Safiq Rahim's car windscreen in third attack on footballers 

<p>United Overseas Bank (M) Bhd (UOB Malaysia) has launched a programme to assist businesses in understanding and preparing for the European Union's (EU) carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), a carbon border tax that is set to take effect in 2026 and affect some 75% of Malaysian exports to the region.</p>


UOB Malaysia introduces masterclass to prepare businesses for EU’s carbon border tax

<p>Shares of CTOS Digital Bhd (KL:CTOS) rose to their highest in nearly two months as analysts flagged a pickup in earnings ahead, following the seasonally weaker first-quarter results.</p>


CTOS rises to near two-month high; analysts see stronger quarters ahead

<p>The US has revoked licences that allowed companies including Intel and Qualcomm to ship chips used for laptops and handsets to sanctioned Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei Technologies, three people familiar with the matter said.</p>


US revokes Intel, Qualcomm's export licences to sell to China's Huawei — Reuters

<p>The FBM KLCI was little changed in early trade on Wednesday although it held firm above the 1,600-point level.</p>


KLCI little changed in early trade, hovers above 1,600 resistance level

<p>The head of Saudi Arabia’s new investment fund for semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) technology said the country would divest from China if it were asked to do so by the US.</p>


Saudi Arabia AI fund would divest from China if US asked, CEO says

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (May 8): Petronas Dagangan Bhd (KL:PETDAG) faces a threat from Saudi Aramco’s possible entry into Malaysia’s fuel retailing market, on top of the impending withdrawal of fuel subsidies, CGS International warned.</p>


Petronas Dagangan faces twin share de-rating threats — CGS

<p>Hospital operator IHH Healthcare Bhd (KL: IHH) on Wednesday said it has invested in Belun Technology Company Ltd that makes devices tackling sleep apnea and other sleep disorders.</p>


IHH Healthcare invests in Belun Technology for devices to tackle sleep disorders

<p>As Malaysia aims to achieve high-income status, it needs to improve its human capital outcomes to match those of high-income countries.</p>


Aspiring to high-income status: Education matters

<p>Wall Street pared earlier gains on Tuesday after equity markets elsewhere rallied as investors parsed when and by how much the Federal Reserve (Fed) cuts interest rates this year, while a resurgent dollar helped weaken the yen further.</p>


<p>KUALA LUMPUR (May 8): Shares of Bursa Malaysia Bhd (KL:BURSA) extended their gain on Wednesday, after MIDF said it foresees a good prospect for trading activities on Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd&nbsp;this year, as Malaysian stocks hit a historical high of RM2 trillion in market capitalisation on Tuesday (May 7).</p>


Bursa Malaysia shares rise as MIDF sees better prospects on local trading

<p>The S&amp;P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average both clung onto gains to ended slightly higher on Tuesday, extending recent winning streaks fueled by renewed expectations that the Federal Reserve (Fed) will cut interest rates this year.</p>


S&P, Dow end slightly up, extend closing streaks despite Disney drag

<p>Among the facts TikTok’s lawsuit against the US government surfaced: billionaire ByteDance Ltd founder Zhang Yiming is living in Singapore while keeping Chinese citizenship.</p>


TikTok places ByteDance founder among China moguls in Singapore

<p>Shell said on Wednesday it has agreed to sell its refinery and petrochemical assets in Singapore — Asia's main oil hub — to a joint venture between Indonesia's Chandra Asri Capital and Glencore Asian Holdings.</p>


<p>IJM Land Bhd has achieved 55% take-up rate for serviced apartment Daffodil Residency since its launch on March 1, according to a press statement on May 7.&nbsp;</p>
