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Investment & Market Trends

Nissan Announces 900 Job Cuts In Europe

Nissan Motor plans to cut around 900 jobs in Europe, or about 10% of its regional workforce, as part of a broader global restructuring effort aimed at improving profitability and efficiency. The Japanese automaker said the job cuts will mainly affect white-collar and warehouse roles, with its European headcount currently at about 9,300 employees. As part of the plan, Nissan will also streamline production at its Sunderland plant in the UK, reducing operations from two production lines to one to improve plant utilisation. The company confirmed that the changes will not impact production-line workers at the facility. The move is part of a wider turnaround strategy launched last year under CEO Ivan Espinosa, which aims to restore profitability following recent losses, reduce Nissan’s global manufacturing footprint, and cut its total workforce by 15% worldwide. Nissan said it is taking steps to build a leaner and more resilient business, including operational changes across Europe. These include the partial closure of a warehouse in Barcelona and a shift to a new distribution model in Nordic markets, where importer partners will take on a larger role. In Spain, around 500 employees work in functions affected by the proposed cuts, although the final number will be determined through discussions with labour unions and is expected to be lower. Nissan said it will provide further updates on its restructuring progress when it announces its full-year financial results later this month, with additional strategic plans to be revealed later in the year.

Energy & Technology

Bina Puri Buys Water Firm In Sarawak

Bina Puri Holdings Bhd is acquiring full control of Enforture (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd, a water treatment engineering company, for an upfront cash payment of RM100,000, along with additional payments tied to the company’s future performance. In a filing with Bursa Malaysia, Bina Puri said the acquisition is expected to be completed by the end of the month and will enhance its capabilities in water treatment, water supply, and related infrastructure works. Enforture Sarawak has ongoing and pipeline projects with a combined estimated value of RM192.82 million, and is projected to generate RM52.86 million in pre-tax profit and RM40.17 million in net profit over the next two years.

News

FWD Takaful And MBSB Bank Sign 10-Year Bancatakaful Partnership

FWD Takaful Berhad (“FWD Takaful”) announced the strategic bancatakaful partnership with MBSB Bank Berhad (“MBSB Bank”), a full-fledged Islamic bank dedicated to offering innovative and Shariah-compliant products and services in Malaysia. The preferred alliance provides FWD Takaful access to leveraging its capabilities to meet the diverse needs of MBSB Bank’s customers with takaful solutions, enabling the Islamic bank to expand its product offering in delivering greater value for its customers. [L-R] Sean Lee, Head of Partnership FWD Malaysia; Chong Wen Han, Country Chief Partnership Distribution Officer FWD Malaysia; Aman Chowla, Country Chief Executive Officer FWD Malaysia; Datuk Ahmad Hizzad Baharuddin, Chairman FWD Takaful; Dato’ Wan Kamaruzaman bin Wan Ahmad, Chairman, MBSB Berhad; Rafe Haneef, Group Chief Executive Officer, MBSB Berhad; Usman Ghouse, Group Chief Consumer Banking Officer, MBSB Berhad; Vivian Chee, Head of Takaful & Legacy Solutions, MBSB Bank Berhad. FWD Takaful and MBSB Bank have entered a bancatakaful service agreement to promote and market takaful products offered by FWD Takaful. Aman Chowla, Country Chief Executive Officer of FWD Malaysia, said,“We are pleased to announce our strategic partnership with MBSB Bank, a meaningful step towards expanding access to inclusive and customer-centric takaful solutions. By combining our digital innovation and protection expertise with MBSB’s strong ecosystem, we aim to deliver simple, affordable, and relevant protection to more Malaysians. Together, we are committed to empowering individuals and families to secure their financial future with confidence, while contributing to a more resilient and protected community.” Present at the strategic partnership ceremony were Aman Chowla, Country CEO of FWD Malaysia, and Rafe Haneef, Group Chief Executive Officer of MBSB Berhad. Datuk Ahmad Hizzad Baharuddin, Chairman of FWD Takaful, and Dato’ Wan Kamaruzaman bin Wan Ahmad, Chairman of MBSB Berhad were also present. Rafe Haneef, Group Chief Executive Officer of MBSB Berhad, said,“This partnership brings together FWD Takaful’s product strength and MBSB Bank’s customer reach in a way that strengthens the overall customer offering. It reinforces the wealth and protection proposition we are building at MBSB Bank, while giving FWD Takaful a stronger platform to extend its solutions through a growing consumer franchise. The outcome is a more complete proposition for customers across wealth, protection and long-term planning.” The partnership launch ceremony of the bancatakaful service agreement was held on Tuesday, 5 May 2026, at the St. Regis Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. FWD Takaful and MBSB Bank also announced the launch of Takaful SmartGain, a family takaful savings plan that helps you accumulate wealth over time, while protecting what you’ve built at the same time.

News

CIMB Niaga To Spin Off Islamic Banking Unit In Q4

PT Bank CIMB Niaga Tbk, the Indonesian subsidiary of CIMB Group Holdings Bhd, is set to spin off its Islamic banking business into a standalone bank in the fourth quarter of this year. CEO Lani Darmawan said the timeline is based on recent discussions with regulators, adding that the move is aimed at meeting regulatory requirements and allowing the Islamic business greater room to grow. The new entity, to be named Bank CIMB Niaga Syariah, will have about IDR70 trillion (RM16 billion) in assets and will start with around 30 branches nationwide. CIMB Niaga currently holds about 7% of Indonesia’s Islamic banking market, making it one of the largest players, though still behind Bank Syariah Indonesia (BSI). Indonesia requires Islamic banking units with assets above IDR50 trillion or significant scale to be spun off into standalone banks, as part of its regulatory framework to strengthen the sector. Following the spin-off, CIMB Niaga Syariah will operate independently but remain a 100%-owned subsidiary of CIMB Niaga. The bank said it is also exploring growth through mergers and acquisitions and may consider an initial public offering in the future, although no timeline has been set. Management added that the Islamic banking arm will focus on retail and SME segments, with a stronger push toward digital banking rather than branch-based services.

Investment & Market Trends

IQ Group To Shut Penang Factory, Retrench 37 Staff As Orders Fall

IQ Group Holdings Bhd is closing its manufacturing operations in Penang that produce motion sensors and lighting products due to declining orders. The company said in a Bursa Malaysia filing that 37 employees will be retrenched, while a small team will remain to manage third-party supply and external manufacturers. It added that no alternative roles will be offered to affected staff. IQ Group said the closure will not impact its other manufacturing operations in China, or its offices in Taiwan, Japan and the UK. The Penang plant, operated by its wholly-owned subsidiary IQ Group Sdn Bhd, has seen a sharp drop in orders over the past three years as customers shift production to China for lower costs, while US tariffs also affected volumes. The company said production in Malaysia is no longer commercially viable, with the final production batch completed in April and no new orders received since. IQ Group added it has been coordinating with customers to manage inventory for remaining product needs, while some products have been redesigned for lower-cost manufacturing in China. It said the closure affects about 5% of group revenue. One-off costs of RM2.9 million will be recorded for write-offs and retrenchment compensation. The shutdown is expected to be completed by September and generate annual savings of about RM1.81 million. For the financial year ended March 31, 2025, IQ Group posted a net profit of RM490,000, while revenue fell nearly 14% to RM110.35 million. Revenue has declined 17% over the past three years.

Energy & Technology

Uzma Signs MOU With Mara To Explore Energy Transition And Tech Investments

Uzma Bhd has partnered with Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) to explore opportunities in renewable energy, aerospace and defence maintenance, marine engineering, and strategic investments linked to energy transition and technology development. The petroleum engineering company said the collaboration is formalised through a three-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed on May 3. Uzma said the partnership will also focus on developing talent pipelines through academic and executive programmes under Institusi Pendidikan Mara (IPMA), including leadership and artificial intelligence (AI) training, as well as industrial training and apprenticeship opportunities. The initiative aims to provide Mara graduates, particularly from technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, with industry exposure and support the growth of Bumiputera vendors in the energy and technology sectors. Group CEO Kamarul Redzuan Muhamed said the collaboration will help align training with real industry needs and strengthen vendor development across key sectors including oil and gas and renewable energy. He added that closer industry–institution cooperation is key to ensuring talent development remains relevant, practical and future-ready. Uzma shares closed 0.5 sen lower at 44.5 sen on Monday, giving the group a market capitalisation of RM269 million.

News

UAE’s Lulu Hypermarket To Buy US$100m Halal Products From Mara entrepreneurs: Zahid

Global retail chain Lulu Hypermarket has committed to purchasing and marketing halal products from Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) entrepreneurs worth US$100 million (about RM470 million) for the international market starting July 1. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the commitment was conveyed by Lulu Group owner Yusuff Ali during a meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim last week. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Zahid said he has directed Mara’s management to coordinate products from its entrepreneurs to meet global demand, particularly in the Middle East through Lulu’s retail network. He said Yusuff Ali agreed to begin marketing the products from July 1 this year. Zahid also said he is targeting more than RM1 billion in international halal sales from Mara entrepreneurs next year, as the group has already recorded potential sales of RM819 million this year. He added that at least 300 more entrepreneurs are expected to obtain halal certification this year. The initiative was announced during the launch of the Mara Halal Ecosystem, which aims to strengthen training, certification, financing and infrastructure to help Bumiputera entrepreneurs expand globally. Zahid also set a target to produce more halal executives and auditors within Mara to support industry growth. Separately, Mara signed a memorandum of understanding with Maybank Islamic to enhance entrepreneur development, financing access and market expansion, and exchanged a letter of intent with Jakim to strengthen halal training and certification.

Investment & Market Trends

GIIB Considers Healthcare Investment After UMA Query

GIIB Holdings Bhd said it is evaluating a potential investment in a healthcare-related business following a query from Bursa Malaysia over unusual trading activity in its shares. In a filing on Monday, the group said the proposal is still at a preliminary stage, with key terms and details yet to be finalised. The stock surged despite the group’s auditor recently flagging a material uncertainty related to its ability to continue as a going concern, citing losses, negative operating cash flow and a mismatch between short-term liabilities and assets. “The board wishes to inform that the company is currently in the midst of considering a potential investment in a healthcare-related business,” it said, adding that any material developments will be announced accordingly. GIIB, whose core businesses include rubber compounding, tyre retreading, rubber trading and property development, said it is not aware of any other corporate developments or rumours that could explain the recent share price movement. The clarification came after Bursa issued an unusual market activity (UMA) query, following a sharp spike in GIIB’s share price on Monday. The stock rose as much as 50% intraday before closing 45.45% higher at 16 sen, its highest level in over four years, with 56.8 million shares traded. It was also the fifth most actively traded stock on the exchange. The surge came despite auditors recently flagging uncertainty over GIIB’s ability to continue as a going concern, citing losses, negative cash flow and a mismatch between short-term liabilities and assets. Auditors also issued a qualified opinion on its FY2025 accounts due to issues including the deconsolidation of its glove unit and recoverability of receivables.

Investment & Market Trends

Sarawak Consolidated Industries Wins Approval For RM151m Asset Sale

Sarawak Consolidated Industries Bhd said shareholders have approved its RM151.2 million divestment exercise at an extraordinary general meeting on Monday. The deal involves the sale of its entire stake in SCIB Concrete Manufacturing Sdn Bhd for RM113 million, as well as seven parcels of land worth RM38.19 million. In a statement, the group said the disposal is part of its strategic reset to unlock value from its manufacturing assets and landbank, while shifting focus towards its engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) business. SCIB added that the move is expected to strengthen its balance sheet by improving liquidity and generating cash inflows. Proceeds from the sale will be used to fund ongoing and future construction and EPCC projects, support property development activities, and boost working capital. Executive chairman Chong Loong Men said the exercise marks a reset for SCIB on a stronger and more focused foundation. As at end-December 2025, SCIB’s accumulated losses widened to RM103.9 million, while total liabilities rose to RM201.9 million. Cash stood at RM22.2 million against borrowings of RM38 million. SCIB shares closed up 0.5 sen or 3.7% at 14 sen on Monday, giving the group a market value of RM99.52 million.

Investment & Market Trends

AGX Plans Share Swap To Restructure Regional Logistics Operations

AGX Group Berhad said it is restructuring its regional logistics business through a share swap involving its Philippines and Singapore units. In a Bursa Malaysia filing, the third-party logistics provider said it will transfer its stake in All-Link Philippines to its Singapore associate as part of a corporate restructuring exercise aimed at consolidating regional operations. Following the exercise, AGX’s effective stake in All-Link Philippines will fall to 31% from 47.99%, while its holding in All-Link Singapore will be reduced to about 23.2% from 30%. The transaction, valued at RM856,048 (S$276,689), will be settled through the issuance of 1,447 new shares in All-Link Singapore to AGX Logistics (S) Pte Ltd. AGX said the move will help unlock value in its investment, strengthen the associate’s capital base, and support its regional expansion. Group CEO Ponnudorai Periasamy said the exercise marks a key step in crystallising the value of its investment in All-Link, while improving governance, transparency, and access to capital for future growth. On Monday, AGX shares closed 0.5 sen lower at 42.5 sen, giving the group a market value of RM183.79 million.

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