KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia closed lower on Friday amid mixed regional market performance as investors turned cautious over a possible rate hike by the Bank of Japan (BOJ) and upcoming US economic data that may influence the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) interest rate decision next week. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) pared most earlier losses to settle 4.55 points easier, or 0.28 per cent, to 1,616.52 from Thursday’s close of 1,621.07. The benchmark index, which opened 0.37 of-a-point lower at 1,620.70, moved between 1,609.67 and 1,621.25 throughout the day. The broader market was negative, with decliners outpacing advancers 604 to 439. A total of 550 counters were unchanged, 1,151 untraded, and 18 suspended. Turnover declined to 3.17 billion units worth RM2.24 billion from 4.48 billion units worth RM2.75 billion yesterday. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice-presiden...
Key Takeaway: Alibaba is making a renewed bid to expand AliExpress internationally by targeting Amazon-listed brands with cheaper shipping and lower fees, hoping to challenge US rivals despite geopolitical headwinds and stiff competition from Temu and Shein.
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. is stepping up its overseas e-commerce push by trying to lure well-known Amazon sellers to its global shopping site, AliExpress. The strategy centers on lower shipping costs and reduced commission fees, which Alibaba claims could cut selling expenses by as much as half compared with Amazon.
AliExpress aims to strengthen its foothold in Europe, Latin America, and the US, offering brands more traffic support and promotional tools. The company is also looking to leverage existing partnerships from its domestic platform, Tmall, to encourage global expansion.
The move underscores Alibaba’s determination to compete on Amazon’s home turf, even after its first US push a decade ago faltered. Rivals such as PDD Holdings’ Temu and Shein have proven that Chinese platforms can scale rapidly abroad, likely spurring Alibaba to double down.
Despite being central to Alibaba’s long-term growth story, its international e-commerce unit is still unprofitable, though it posted 19% revenue growth and narrower losses last quarter. The company has also pledged up to 50 billion yuan (RM29.5 billion) in subsidies to defend its position against JD.com in China, showing that retail remains its lifeblood despite new priorities in artificial intelligence.
Challenges loom, however. The timing of this renewed US push comes as President Donald Trump raises tariffs on Chinese small-parcel imports, forcing Temu and others to slash prices to stay competitive. Alibaba may face the same dilemma if it wants to win over price-sensitive Western shoppers while balancing brand appeal.
Bottom Line: Alibaba’s effort to woo Amazon brands highlights its ambition to scale AliExpress globally. But with tariffs, stiff competition, and profitability still out of reach, the battle for international e-commerce dominance is only getting tougher.
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