General

Electric cars, lies and the metaverse. As far as Mattsplained is concerned, it’s all you need to know about 2023.

Photo Credit : Kulturpop | MidJourney

Five decades ago, people were using bamboo or heavier aluminium poles which is less efficient for harvesting and pruning tall oil palms and coconuts. To solve this problem, TenAsia was born and became the pioneer in the development of carbon fibre composite telescopic pole technology to harvest oil palm. Casey Teh, the president of TenAsia and also one of the nominees for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Malaysia joins us today to share the story behind this unique technology.

Photo Credit : Facebook | TenAsia Corporation Sdn Bhd

重温 1 月头『财今对话』：开年新篇，总体经济、商业趋势、民生就业，一览无遗！

2023 年份首场线上直播论坛，我们请经济学者、商务与理财专家，为我们回顾「后疫情时代」的 2022 年；展望「衰退近在咫尺」的 2023 年。马来西亚历经后疫情的通货膨胀，会否在新年面临「经济衰退」危机？

在阴霾未退的大环境下开年，至关重要的大概是 Q1 的综合表现。那么，本场线上直播论坛中，嘉宾们又是如何解读产业面貌、判断马来西亚的经贸和民生议题的呢？让我们一同回顾！

In this episode of WTF or What’s the Focus, our weekly round-up show of the top stories this week and other news tidbits you may have missed, features all the big stories of 2022 both local and international.

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Gloves were the darling sector in 2020, where every company involved in its manufacturing saw its share prices jump by multiple times, no thanks to the pandemic that created a global shortage. Fast forward two years later, the sector is plagued by overcapacity, falling average selling prices with even the larger players in the red. What then does the future hold for the glove sector and is it time for investors to perhaps be taking a more contrarian view on the sector? For insights, we speak to Sophie Chua, Equity Analyst at Hong Leong Investment Bank.

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The tragic landslide at Batang Kali last month highlighted the dearth of regulatory oversight on campsites and recreational venues in the country. With landslides becoming increasingly common especially after heavy rains, what should be included in these guidelines and how can the government better regulate outdoor activities without restricting business and leisure? 

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2022 started with such promise, the world was coming out of Covid hibernation and economies were reopening but that optimism proved short-lived. Most markets ended in negative territory but will 2023 prove to be a better year? Anand Pathmakanthan, Head of Regional Equity Research, Maybank Investment Banking Group and Patrick Chang, Chief Investment Officer for ASEAN Equities, Principal Asset Management give us their equity market outlook and which stocks will make money this year.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is set to meet the Sarawak Premier and the Sabah Chief Minister in their first meeting of the MA63 Implementation Action Council. But what is the federal government’s commitment to resolve MA63 issues? Ariff Adi Putera Anwar, Research Officer, Institute for Development Studies tells us whilst reminding us what the pending issues are.

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The appointment of the Speaker of the US House of Representatives is typically a formality; the party with majority seats in the house votes for their chosen candidate with relative ease. Yet, although Republicans have a slim majority in the House, holding 222 seats vs Democrats’ 212, they have been unable to build consensus around the party’s Speaker candidate, Kevin McCarthy. Public opinion pollster John Zogby explains the impasse in the Republican party, and the implications for US politics and policymaking.

Image credit: EPA-EFE

US markets are off to a rocky start as the Fed remains firm in its commitment to bring down inflation to 2%. This is in spite of the Fed Funds Futures pricing a rate cut this year. Should investors now be positioning for value stocks given the long standing underperformance and only switch to growth once a Fed pivot is clearer? For insights we speak to Walter Todd, President and Chief Investment Officer, Greenwood Capital.

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