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KUALA LUMPUR, JULY 13 -- Pos Malaysia Bhd is targeting up to 70,000 customers for its newly launched Shariah-compliant digital gold service, Pos ArRahnu Gold-i, within the first year. Pos ArRahnu Head Mohammed Zubair Peerpulavar said Pos ArRahnu Gold-i, which was launched in collaboration with Go Capital Growth Sdn Bhd, targets investors as well as the mass market. "We are focusing more on customers in the B40 and M40 groups," he told reporters after the launch of Pos ArRahnu Gold-i here today. In a separate statement, Pos Malaysia announced that the digital gold service combines Go Capital Growth's expertise in gold investment with a simple and secure platform, thus allowing Malaysians to start saving and investing in gold with as little as RM10. According to the company, the service provides a practical and accessible method for Malaysians to start saving gold. "Pos ArRahnu Gold-i meets this demand by lowering the minimum participation value and facilitating access for first-time savers, young workers, families and B40 customers. "Building on over 200 years of trust and a nationwide network, Pos Malaysia continues to expand its services beyond traditional postal and logistics services to meet the ever-evolving needs of Malaysians through simple, practical and value-added solutions," said Pos Malaysia. Pos Malaysia also informed that the gold offered through Pos ArRahnu Gold-i is supported by accreditation and verification from relevant recognized bodies, including the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA), the Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM) and the National Metrology Institute of Malaysia (NMIM), thus providing greater confidence to customers in the purity, quality and transparency of the gold. The service allows customers to buy, sell and accumulate gold digitally at current market prices, enjoy some of the lowest gold spreads in the market, as well as convert digital gold holdings into physical gold or cash as needed. The national postal and parcel service provider announced that Pos ArRahnu Gold-i combines the Pos Malaysia network nationwide with a recognised gold purity guarantee, low minimum participation value and the flexibility for customers to buy, sell or exchange gold via digital channels or at Pos ArRahnu branches nationwide. In conjunction with its launch, Pos ArRahnu also introduced several selected gold products, including a special edition one-gram gold bar "Pos World" which is limited to 500 units. The gold bars will be offered along with other gold products at Pos ArRahnu branches nationwide. Pos ArRahnu Gold-i is available starting today through participating Pos ArRahnu branches nationwide as well as its digital service platform. -- BERNAMA

Pos Malaysia targets 70,000 Pos ArRahnu Gold-i customers in first year

KUALA LUMPUR, JULY 13 — Pos Malaysia Bhd is targeting up to 70,000 customers for its newly launched Shariah-compliant digital gold service, Pos ArRahnu Gold-i, within the first year. Pos .... read more

HONG KONG, July 9 -- Taboola has expanded its partnership with smartphone manufacturers OPPO and its subsidiary realme to extend the availability of Taboola News to millions of additional smartphone users across India and Thailand. The expanded collaboration builds on an existing partnership that began in 2023, under which Taboola News powers personalised content recommendations on millions of OPPO and realme devices in markets including the United Kingdom, the Philippines, Singapore and Argentina. Under the renewed agreement, OPPO and realme will continue integrating Taboola's content recommendations into the lock screens of their smartphones, enabling users to access personalised news and content from publishers within Taboola's global network. Taboola News delivers curated recommendations through mobile devices and web browsers, helping device manufacturers enhance user engagement while creating additional revenue opportunities. The platform also enables publishers to reach wider audiences and provides advertisers with greater access to targeted readers. Taboola Chief Executive Officer Adam Singolda said the company was pleased to strengthen its long-standing collaboration with OPPO and realme, noting that both smartphone brands have consistently focused on delivering innovative user experiences. He said the expanded partnership would allow millions more smartphone users worldwide to access relevant and trusted content through Taboola News. Meanwhile, OPPO Overseas Business Director Tank Zeng said the company remains committed to providing value-added experiences for users through trusted digital content. He said the collaboration with Taboola enables OPPO and realme users to access content from a broad network of reputable publishers while supporting continued innovation in smartphone services. The expanded rollout marks another step in Taboola's efforts to broaden the reach of its content recommendation platform through partnerships with global mobile device manufacturers. -- MINUTESMY -- SOURCE: PRNewswire

OPPO, realme Expand Global Partnership with Taboola to Bring News Content to More Smartphone Users

HONG KONG, July 9 — Taboola has expanded its partnership with smartphone manufacturers OPPO and its subsidiary realme to extend the availability of Taboola News to millions of additional smartphone .... read more

SINGAPORE, July 9 -- Allianz Partners has appointed Carsten Staat as Regional Managing Director for Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APAC & MEA), effective Aug 1, 2026. In his new role, Staat will report to Chief Markets Officer Jacob Fuest and oversee the company's operations across the APAC and MEA regions. Staat succeeds Vinay Surana, who has led the region for the past six years. Surana will assume the role of Senior Advisor to Allianz Partners Chief Executive Officer Tomas Kunzmann from Aug 1 until the end of the year. Staat joins the regional leadership role after serving as Managing Director of Allianz Partners Germany, where he led the business for four years. During his tenure, he delivered strong business growth, improved customer satisfaction and secured strategic partnerships that strengthened the company's position in the market. A member of the Allianz Group since 2001, Staat has held a range of leadership positions across the organisation, gaining extensive experience in business development and management. Commenting on the appointment, Chief Markets Officer Jacob Fuest said the Asia Pacific region remains one of Allianz Partners' fastest-growing markets, offering significant opportunities across travel, student health, mobility and roadside assistance services. He expressed confidence that Staat's leadership experience, ability to build high-performing teams and track record in forging long-term partnerships would support the company's continued growth across the APAC and MEA regions. Fuest also thanked Surana for his leadership over the past six years, saying his contributions had strengthened Allianz Partners' market position and laid a solid foundation for future growth. -- MINUTESMY -- SOURCE: PRNewswire

Allianz Partners Appoints Carsten Staat as Regional Managing Director for APAC and MEA

SINGAPORE, July 9 — Allianz Partners has appointed Carsten Staat as Regional Managing Director for Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APAC & MEA), effective Aug 1, 2026. In his .... read more

KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 -- Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd. has received the Social Empowerment award at the Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards (AREA) 2026 in recognition of its long-term efforts to improve child nutrition and community well-being through its "Smiles & Health for Children" initiative in Vietnam. The award, presented by Enterprise Asia, recognises the company's environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitment through a programme that combines nutrition expertise with community development to enhance the physical and mental well-being of children. Guided by its corporate philosophy, "For Ever Brighter Smiles", Morinaga Milk launched the initiative to promote children's sustainable development and strengthen community resilience. The programme focuses on improving nutrition, supporting emotional well-being, and fostering self-reliance through school meal assistance, nutrition education, and infrastructure improvements. Implemented in partnership with an international non-governmental organisation and approved by the Vietnamese government, the initiative brings together Morinaga Milk's headquarters, local subsidiaries and on-the-ground teams to deliver practical, community-based solutions tailored to local needs. The programme also places emphasis on building the capacity of parents and teachers, improving school meal environments, enhancing basic facilities, and strengthening communication between schools and families to encourage lasting behavioural change. As of May 2026, the initiative had reached seven kindergartens and one primary school, benefiting about 900 children, 130 teachers and staff, and 800 parents. Entering its fourth year this month, the programme will expand its impact through additional infrastructure upgrades, enhanced capacity-building activities, and the introduction of a peer-learning study tour initiative to encourage knowledge-sharing among teachers and local communities. The AREA 2026 recognition reflects Morinaga Milk's continued commitment to delivering measurable social impact through sustainable ESG practices while contributing to improved child health and long-term community development. -- MINUTESMY -- SOURCE: PRNewswire

Morinaga Milk Honoured at AREA 2026 for Vietnam Child Nutrition Initiative

KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 — Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd. has received the Social Empowerment award at the Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards (AREA) 2026 in recognition of its long-term efforts .... read more

KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 — Malaysia and France have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral economic cooperation, with both countries exploring greater collaboration in strategic sectors including rare earths, semiconductors, aerospace, artificial intelligence (AI) and clean energy. The discussions took place during a courtesy meeting between Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Johari Abdul Ghani and France's Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness, Nicolas Forissier, at the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. Also present was French Ambassador to Malaysia Marc Abensour. In a statement, MITI said the meeting focused on strengthening bilateral relations in trade, investment and cooperation across strategic industries. Both ministers welcomed the progress of negotiations on the Malaysia-European Union Free Trade Agreement (MEUFTA) and exchanged views on expanding collaboration in high-value sectors, including rare earth and critical minerals development, aerospace, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, innovation, AI and quantum technologies, clean energy and other high-technology industries. The two sides also underscored the importance of promoting an open, transparent and rules-based multilateral trading system while enhancing resilient global supply chains through closer cooperation among like-minded countries. Following the bilateral meeting, Johari held an engagement session with representatives from 22 French companies operating in Malaysia, as well as firms interested in exploring new opportunities in investment, technology transfer, innovation and high-value industrial collaboration. MITI said the engagements reflected the continued commitment of Malaysia and France to strengthen economic ties for mutual prosperity. France is Malaysia's fourth-largest trading partner among European Union member states. Bilateral trade is projected to increase by 11.4 per cent to RM17.77 billion by 2025, reflecting the strong momentum in economic relations between the two countries.  -- MINUTESMY  -- Kementerian Pelaburan, Perdagangan dan Industri, Malaysia 

Malaysia, France Strengthen Trade and Investment Ties, Explore Strategic Industry Cooperation

KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 — Malaysia and France have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral economic cooperation, with both countries exploring greater collaboration in strategic sectors including rare earths, semiconductors, .... read more

KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 -- The crude palm oil (CPO) futures contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives closed mixed on Tuesday on caution ahead of the release of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board's (MPOB) monthly data at the end of the week. Fastmarkets Palm Oil Analytics managing editor and senior analyst Sathia Varqa noted that CPO futures retreated from earlier highs after trading within a wider intraday range during the afternoon session. "Palm oil futures initially rallied on strength across the vegetable oils complex. However, gains were pared ahead of the release of the key MPOB data on July 10, with the market sentiment turning cautious as traders opted for a temporary pullback," he told Bernama. He added that the strengthening of the ringgit against the US dollar also reduced the competitiveness of Malaysian palm oil for overseas buyers, putting additional pressure on prices. At 6 pm, the local currency strengthened to 4.0685/0735 against the US dollar from Monday's close of 4.0825/0875. At the close, the spot month July 2026 contract dipped RM2 to RM4,483 per tonne, while August 2026 declined RM7 to RM4,516 and the September 2026 note lost RM3 to RM4,547. The October 2026 contract added RM1 to RM4,573 per tonne, while November 2026 rose RM7 to RM4,601, and the December 2026 note gained RM9 to RM4,625. The trading volume increased to 77,606 lots from 59,610 lots on Monday, while open interest inched up to 289,701 contracts from 288,418 contracts previously. The physical CPO price for July South was down by RM15 to RM4,505 per tonne. -- BERNAMA 

CPO Futures Pare Gains, Close Mixed On Cautious Sentiment Ahead Of MPOB Data

KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 — The crude palm oil (CPO) futures contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives closed mixed on Tuesday on caution ahead of the release of the Malaysian Palm .... read more

KUALA LUMPUR,  July 8 --  Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) is expected to maintain the overnight policy rate (OPR) at 2.75 percent at its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, supported by resilient external sector performance, moderate domestic demand and manageable inflation risks, economists said. The MPC is scheduled to announce its latest monetary policy decision on Thursday.     External Resilience Supports the Status Quo Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd Chief Economist, Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the current policy rate was still appropriate following the initial easing last year to mitigate the impact of external shocks. "Malaysia's highly diversified external sector really contributes to economic resilience," he told Bernama. He said exports grew at a strong rate of 45.3 percent year-on-year in May 2026, supported by 70.5 percent growth in the electrical and electronics sector, while liquefied natural gas exports surged 111 percent. Higher exports of information and communication technology services have also increased the services account surplus, contributing to the current account surplus, which increased to 3.0 percent of Gross Domestic Product in the first quarter of 2026, he said. Mohd Afzanizam said, however, private consumption grew by 4.7 percent in the first quarter of 2026 and was below the previous average growth of 6.0 percent while the unemployment rate increased slightly to 3.0 percent in April from 2.9 percent previously. "The move to maintain a stable OPR is a strategic priority to enable the Malaysian economy to grow at a good pace in the second half of 2026," he said. Limited Justification for Rate Increases Meanwhile, Director and Investment Strategy and Economic Analyst of IPPFA Sdn Bhd, Mohd Sedek Jantan said that currently there is no urgent need for BNM to adjust monetary policy unless major central banks, including the United States Federal Reserve (Fed), Bank of Japan, European Central Bank or People's Bank of China, make cumulative interest rate changes of more than 0.5 percent. He said the threshold for an OPR hike remains high because higher energy prices stemming from geopolitical tensions may result in supply-driven inflation rather than demand-driven inflation. "BNM is expected to be more inclined to examine temporary energy price shocks while assessing their impact on underlying inflation and economic growth," he said. He said the OPR was likely to remain at 2.75 percent for the rest of this year. If BNM and the Fed each maintain their policy rates, the ringgit's performance will largely depend on interest rate differentials and Malaysia's trade momentum, which will remain supportive in the second half of 2026. Possible Rate Hike If Growth Beats Expectations Co-founder and Group CEO of Juwai IQI, Kashif Ansari said that although the baseline projection is for the OPR to remain unchanged throughout 2026, stronger than expected economic growth could prompt BNM to raise the benchmark rate by 25 basis points to 3.0 percent at the September or November MPC meeting. He said such a move could be driven by stronger-than-expected economic activity or persistently higher oil prices causing inflation. “We still believe the MPC will maintain the current policy rate for the rest of 2026. If the MPC were to raise the rate by the end of the year, it would likely be driven by a much stronger economic performance than most analysts currently expect. "Apart from strong economic growth, the single biggest factor that could cause BNM to raise the rate by the end of 2026 is oil prices as they have a significant impact on inflation," he said. He said the conflict in the Gulf had driven up energy prices, which in turn led to inflation. "Headline inflation reached 2.0 percent in May, the highest in almost two years, however, if lasting peace in the Gulf can be achieved, inflation could ease." "This will open up space for efforts to restore subsidized fuel quotas, cheaper diesel for businesses and farmers, and lower shipping costs for Malaysian export and import goods," he said. -- BERNAMA 

BNM expected to maintain OPR at 2.75 percent – Economist

KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 — Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) is expected to maintain the overnight policy rate (OPR) at 2.75 percent at its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, supported by .... read more

KUALA LUMPUR. July 7 -- Sime Darby Property Bhd has purchased Wisma Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (UNIRAZAK) from Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) for RM160 million. The company plans to redevelop the site as a premium mixed-use development that is expected to have an estimated gross development value (GDV) of RM900 million.     In a statement to Bursa Malaysia on Monday, the property developer said its wholly-owned unit, Sime Darby Property (KLGCC Resort) Sdn Bhd, had received a binding offer letter from PNB for the proposed purchase of the 0.59 hectare freehold property along Jalan Tun Razak. "The proposed development is targeted to be launched in 2028 and is expected to be completed within five years from the launch date," said Sime Darby Property. Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Seri Azmir Merican said the purchase of Wisma UNIRAZAK was a significant achievement for the group, marking their entry into the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) market. “Located within the Jalan Tun Razak-KLCC corridor, it strengthens the group’s position in a prime urban area and provides a rare opportunity to unlock long-term potential value from a highly strategic site and limited land,” he said. -- BERNAMA

Sime Darby Property buys Wisma UNIRAZAK for RM160 million

KUALA LUMPUR , July 7 — Sime Darby Property Bhd has purchased Wisma Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (UNIRAZAK) from Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) for RM160 million. The company plans to .... read more

KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 -- Local institutions extended their net buying streak on Bursa Malaysia to 12 consecutive weeks, recording net inflows of RM474.6 million last week.  MBSB Investment Bank Bhd (MBSB Research) said in its fund flow report for the week ended July 3, 2026 that the sustained buying came as foreign institutions remained net sellers for an eighth consecutive week, with net outflows of RM391.1 million.  “Foreign investors were net sellers on three of the five trading days last week, with the highest outflows recorded on Tuesday at RM183.0 million, followed by Thursday (RM144.9 million) and Wednesday (RM130.3 million). The largest inflows were recorded on Monday at RM55.4 million, followed by Friday at RM11.7 million,” it said.  MBSB Research said the technology sector recorded the highest net foreign inflows at RM41.6 million, followed by transportation and logistics (RM26.0 million) and construction (RM22.2 million). The largest net foreign outflows were from the financial services sector at RM252.2 million, followed by consumer products and services (RM60.0 million) and healthcare (RM59.3 million), it said.  The average daily trading volume declined across all investor groups, falling 12.7 per cent among retailers, 23.4 per cent among local institutions and 5.9 per cent among foreign investors. -- BERNAMA 

Local Institutions Extend Net Buying Streak To 12 Consecutive Weeks – MBSB Research

KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 — Local institutions extended their net buying streak on Bursa Malaysia to 12 consecutive weeks, recording net inflows of RM474.6 million last week. MBSB Investment Bank .... read more

HONG KONG, July 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, the Hong Kong Hotel Playbook Seminar, jointly organized by Xiaohongshu and the Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners, focusing on sustainable business growth for Hong Kong's hotel industry was held at Xiaohongshu's Hong Kong office. The cross-border business team of Xiaohongshu Business held in-depth discussions with participating representatives on how Hong Kong hotels can seize growth opportunities amid the new wave of Hong Kong-bound tourism. Xiaohongshu Business Partners with Hong Kong Hotel Industry to Explore New Opportunities for Hong Kong-bound Tourism From Decision-Making Hub to Transaction Hub: New Strategies for Hong Kong Hotels to Attract China Mainland Tourists Xiaohongshu boasts over 400 million active users every month, including more than 130 million monthly active outbound travel users. Over 90% of users actively search for travel-related content, with YOY growth of 38% in travel-related search volume. The platform has become the top destination for outbound travel decision-making, supporting users' full journey of "browsing guides → searching content → finalizing travel plans". As an increasing number of cultural and tourism consumption decisions are made on Xiaohongshu, the platform's unique value for the hotel industry has become increasingly prominent. (Data source: Xiaohongshu Lingxi Platform data from January 2025 to December 2025; all data has been desensitized) Currently, Hong Kong's hotel industry faces three structural challenges: high OTA commission costs, steep labor and customer service costs, and difficulties in building long-term branding recognition. Meanwhile, the customer base in hotel sector is increasingly dominated by international and China Mainland independent travelers, who heavily rely on content-driven seeding to make travel decisions, which perfectly aligns with Xiaohongshu's core user's logic, laying a solid foundation for the platform to deeply fuel sustained growth for Hong Kong's hotel industry. Dodo KWONG, Regional Head of Xiaohongshu Commercial Cross-border Asia & Middle East Addressing these challenges and opportunities, Dodo KWONG, Regional Head of Xiaohongshu Commercial Cross-border Asia & Middle East, stated at the seminar: "Demand for Hong Kong-bound travel is booming, with shopping, city walks, short getaways and other travel topics surging in popularity. However, cross-border merchants face longer conversion funnels and greater hurdles when trying to understand Xiaohongshu's users and drive bookings, requiring consistent content refinement and ad testing. Xiaohongshu will always grow alongside brands across all industries. Moving forward, we will continue to launch market and industry-exclusive campaigns to empower cross-border merchants to deepen their presence in the outbound travel sector, boost conversion efficiency and scale up revenue." Precision Segmentation and Targeted Approach: The Two-Way Engagement of Content Seeding According to HKTB's FY24 report related to visitor source, independent travelers account for 74.5% of all guests at Hong Kong hotels. Mainland overnight leisure travelers make up 60% of this group, while North Asian visitors represent 78% of high-value content-driven customer segments. (Data sources: HKTB FY24 Report, HKTB Visitors' Purpose of Visit by Major Market Areas Jan-Mar 2026) Combining HKTB visitor data with Xiaohongshu's travel user profiles, the platform divides Hong Kong hotels' core target audiences into three key groups: 1. young mainland travelers from tier-one cities with medium-to-high spending power, willing to pay for unique travel experiences; 2. business travelers prioritizing prime locations and administrative amenities; 3. families and concert-goer groups with women aged 30–45 as primary decision-makers. (Data source: Xiaohongshu Lingxi Platform data from January 2025 to December 2025 (desensitized); Xiaohongshu Data Center, June 2026) Xiaohongshu has developed a three-step decision funnel to precisely capture each audience segment: 1. Browsing: Grab attention with visually striking cover images and short videos to spark travel interest; 2. Searching: Capture active user inquiries with guide-style and review-style notes; 3. Deciding: Secure final bookings through authentic user recommendations and pinned posts on official brand accounts. Precise alignment between audience segments and content touchpoints creates a complete closed loop from initial interest to confirmed bookings, significantly lifting conversion rates from brand exposure to actual reservations. Yingu, Platform Expert of Xiaohongshu Commercial Cross-border, commented: "Rising travel demand has extended users' decision-making cycles, with travelers adopting more comprehensive evaluation criteria when selecting hotels. To adapt to this shift, merchants must build content strategies around four core user pillars: travel milestones, target audiences, travel scenarios and unique experiences. Premium content acts as a bridge, while targeted advertising amplifies reach—together, they open up the full conversion funnel of 'seeding → consultation → lead generation' to drive sustained revenue growth." From Brand Hub to Word-of-Mouth: Building Xiaohongshu Business Ecosystem for Hong Kong Hotels Based in-depth market research on Hong Kong's hotel industry, Xiaohongshu shared a complete end-to-end operational framework at the seminar, covering official brand account setup all the way to private message conversion support. This operational model has delivered verifiable results for multiple Hong Kong hotel brands, offering replicable practical strategies for more hospitality operators. Caspar TSUI, Executive Director, The Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners Caspar TSUI, Executive Director of The Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners, remarked in his speech: "Through this seminar, we aim to help member hotels fully grasp the latest travel trends among Xiaohongshu users and learn how to leverage the platform to boost marketing performance and attract ideal visitors. As Hong Kong-bound tourism continues to heat up, the Xiaohongshu content-driven growth model will unlock new business streams for more Hong Kong hotel brands and facilitate deeper, long-term brand collaboration between both sides." Source: Xiaohongshu 

Xiaohongshu Business Partners with Hong Kong Hotel Industry to Explore New Opportunities for Hong Kong-bound Tourism

HONG KONG, July 6 — Recently, the Hong Kong Hotel Playbook Seminar, jointly organized by Xiaohongshu and the Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners, focusing on sustainable business growth for .... read more

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