Iran Action May Send Oil To US$120 A Barrel, Asia To Bear The Brunt -- Rystad Energy

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- Oil prices could hit US$120 (US$1=RM3.93) per barrel if Iranian authorities act on their implied threat to strike on five facilities across Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar, with Asia bearing the brunt given its dependence on Qatari volumes, according to an analyst.

Rubber Market Ends Mixed As West Asia Conflict Drives Profit-taking

By Muhammad Fawwaz Thaqif Nor Afandi

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- The Kuala Lumpur rubber market ended mixed on Thursday, as the West Asia conflict influenced crude oil prices, prompting profit-taking activities, a trader said.

Asian Shares Plunge As Iran Conflict Worsens

BEIJING, March 19 (Bernama-dpa-AFX) -- Asian stocks nosedived on Thursday as rising oil prices following attacks on key energy infrastructure in West Asia rekindled concerns about inflation, interest rates, and the regional growth outlook, reported dpa-AFX.

Bursa Malaysia Ends Lower Due To Late Selling, Tracking Regional Weakness

By Durratul Ain Ahmad Fuad

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia ended lower today due to late selling in selected heavyweights, particularly in the healthcare, utilities and financial services sectors and was also in sync with regional market weakness.

Bursa Malaysia Stays Positive At Mid-Afternoon On Selected Buying

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia stayed in positive territory at mid-afternoon, supported by continued buying in selected heavyweights, particularly in the industrial products and services as well as plantation sectors.

PAAB Establishes Malaysia’s First Sustainable Islamic Finance Framework With Blue Finance Elements

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- Pengurusan Aset Air Bhd (PAAB) has established Malaysia’s first sustainable Islamic finance framework that incorporates blue finance elements, with Maybank Investment Bank Bhd (Maybank IB) serving as the sole sustainability structuring adviser.

CPO Prices To Stay Above RM4,450 Per Tonne In Near Term Amid Geopolitical Uncertainties - MPOC

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- Crude palm oil (CPO) prices are expected to remain above RM4,450 in the near term, supported by elevated energy prices and a favourable palm oil-gasoil (POGO) spread, according to the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC).

Malaysia’s Macro Position Is Stronger To Weather Shock Compared To Pandemic Era, Says World Bank's Apurva

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s stronger ringgit is helping to ease the impact of rising global import prices, although the country’s import cover has declined, compared with pre-COVID 19 pandemic levels, said the World Bank's lead economist for Malaysia, Dr Apurva Sanghi.

Bursa Malaysia Opens Lower As Wall Street Weakness Weighs

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia opened lower on Thursday, with the benchmark index tracking overnight weakness on Wall Street.

Oil May Rise On Conflict, Fall To US$80-US$90 If War Ends By Mid-April

By Rosemarie Khoo Mohd Sani

KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 (Bernama) -- Crude oil prices can go even higher than current levels of US$100-US$103 per barrel if the war in West Asia continues affecting passageway in the Strait of Hormuz and supply tightness becomes more acute, Kpler senior crude oil analyst Muyu Xu said today.

Ringgit Extends Gains Against Greenback Amid Softer Oil Prices

KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 (Bernama) -- The ringgit made further gains today, closing slightly higher against the US dollar amid softer crude oil prices following strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) releases.

Bursa Malaysia Ends Higher Tracking Regional Gains, CI Up 1.10 Pct

By Durratul Ain Ahmad Fuad

KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia ended higher today, in line with upbeat regional market performance and supported by the strong debut of Sunway Healthcare.