LATEST NEWS   PM Anwar, Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedov witnessed the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement between Petronas and Turkmenistan authorities-- PMO | At 6 pm, the ringgit eased to 4.1340/1395 versus the US dollar from Thursday's close of 4.1145/1195 | The collaboration opens up space for more strategic engagements in future, including exploring the great potential of Turkmenistan's natural gas sector, which has among the world's largest gas reserves - PMO | Gabungan Kelab Media Malaysia (GKMM) state affiliates receive RM10,000, GKMM receive RM30,000 from Communications Ministry - Fahmi | The achievement comes as Malaysia and Turkmenistan mark 30 years of cooperation in the energy sector, which has been a key pillar of bilateral relations between the two countries -- PMO | 

O&G Related Stocks Higher At Early Trade As Crude Oil Prices Surge

KUALA LUMPUR, March 12 (Bernama) -- Oil and gas-related stocks were trading higher at the open after crude oil prices surged following tanker attacks in Iraqi waters amid the US-Iran conflict.

At 10.50 am, shares of Petronas Dagangan Bhd rose 12 sen to RM22.02 on 348,600 shares traded; Hengyuan Refining Company Bhd’s shares climbed 14 sen to RM1.70 on 23.30 million shares traded; Dialog Group Bhd’s shares firmed 10 sen to RM1.99 on 7.09 million shares traded; and Petron Malaysia Refining & Marketing Bhd’s shares widened 13 sen to RM4.78 on 157,900 shares traded.

At the time of writing, Brent crude had risen 7.44 per cent to US$98.82 per barrel.

Apex Securities Bhd said global sentiment was likely to remain cautious as the US-Iran conflict continued to raise concerns over disruptions to global energy supply.

“The Strait of Hormuz remains largely impassable amid ongoing attacks on three vessels.

“Although the International Energy Agency approved a record release of 400 million barrels from strategic reserves to stabilise markets, oil prices remain volatile as supply risks persist,” it said in a note today.

Apex Securities said oil prices had hovered near the US$90-per-barrel level, keeping inflation concerns elevated.

“Against this backdrop, markets are likely to trade with heightened volatility as investors continue to monitor geopolitical developments and their implications for global growth and inflation,” it added.

-- BERNAMA