AM Best Upgrades Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating Of Hanoi Re

KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 (Bernama) -- AM Best has upgraded Hanoi Reinsurance Joint Stock Corporation (Hanoi Re) long-term issuer credit rating (Long-Term ICR) to “bbb+” (Good) from “bbb” (Good) and affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of B++ (Good) and the Vietnam National Scale Rating (NSR) of aaa.VN (Exceptional).

Foreign Investors Record US$12.13 Bln Outflow Across Eight Asian Markets Last Week

KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 (Bernama) -- Foreign investors extended a five-week streak of net selling across eight Asian markets, with net outflows totalling US$12.13 billion, according to MBSB Investment Bank Bhd.

OSV Operators Set To Gain As Oil Firms Shift Focus From West Asia

By Nurunnasihah Ahmad Rashid

KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 (Bernama) – The decision by oil companies to shift away from West Asia and support offshore crude oil exploration in Southeast Asia could potentially benefit offshore support vessel (OSV) operators.

Gold Falling Due To Market Misreading Monetary “Endgame” -- Analyst

KUALA LUMPUR, March 21 (Bernama) -- Gold prices are currently under pressure due to market liquidation, rising real yields and temporarily delayed physical demand, rather than a breakdown in the long-term macroeconomic outlook, according to an analyst.

Gold Prices See Biggest Weekly Drop Since 1983

ISTANBUL, March 21 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- The price of gold saw the biggest weekly drop since 1983, decreasing more than 10 per cent to below US$4,500 threshold on Friday.

European Central Bank Leaves Rates Unchanged Amidst Heightened Geopolitical Tensions

FRANKFURT, March 20 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- The European Central Bank (ECB) on Thursday kept key interest rates unchanged as heightened geopolitical tensions weigh on the outlook of inflation and economy in the euro area, reported Xinhua.

Indonesia To Boost Coal Output As Oil Prices Surge

JAKARTA, March 20 (Bernama) -- Indonesia plans to increase coal production in response to rising global oil prices, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said.

Attack On Qatar's LNG Facility Raises Risk Of Wider Supply Disruptions In Asia

KUALA LUMPUR, March 20 (Bernama) — Asia-Pacific economies now face rising risks of physical shortages, not only of energy, following the latest Iranian attack on Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG facilities, including oil and gas but also of fertilisers and, by extension, potentially food later in the year.

Gold Futures End Lower As US Fed Hold Rates

By Danni Haizal Danial Donald

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- Gold futures on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives ended lower on Friday, in line with the weaker US COMEX gold market. 

Ringgit Eases Against Greenback After US Fed Keeps Interest Rates Unchanged

By Danni Haizal Danial Donald

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- The ringgit eased against the US dollar at Thursday’s close following the United States Federal Reserve’s (Fed) decision to keep interest rates unchanged, providing support to the greenback.

Prolonged West Asia Conflict Could Disrupt Malaysia’s Fertiliser Market -- FIAM

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- The ongoing conflict in West Asia, if prolonged, could lead to severe structural disruptions in the Malaysian fertiliser market, says the Fertiliser Industry Association of Malaysia (FIAM).

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.