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Quick Summary Nvidia posted a 75.2% adjusted gross margin , among the highest in Big Tech AI hyperscalers plan  US$650B capex in 2026 , much flowing to Nvidia Rivals like  AMD, Alphabet and Amazon  are gaining traction Long-term margin sustainability remains the key investor question Margins Steal the Show While investors already expected strong demand,  NVIDIA Corp  surprised with something even more impressive: Adjusted gross margin of 75.2% , the highest since late 2024 — and management expects similar levels next quarter. For a nearly  US$5 trillion company , that margin signals extraordinary pricing power in AI hardware. AI Spending Wave Still Intact AI hyperscalers are forecasting  ~US$650 billion in capex for 2026 , up roughly 60% from 2025. Nvidia remains the primary beneficiary as demand for data centre GPUs continues to surge. But maintaining 75% margins depends on two big factors: 1️⃣  Supply Constraints Rising memory costs remain a ris...

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia closed lower on Thursday but managed to rebound from its intraday low, weighed down by profit-taking, particularly in financial stocks. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 6.87 points, or 0.39 per cent, to 1,740.94, compared with Wednesday’s close of 1,747.81. The benchmark had opened 1.62 points higher at 1,749.43, and moved between 1,726.92 and 1,749.43 throughout the trading session. The broader market was negative, with decliners outpacing gainers 746 to 367, while 520 counters were unchanged. A total of 1,136 counters were untraded and 165 suspended. Turnover rose to 2.98 billion units worth RM4.07 billion compared to 2.52 billion units worth RM2.93 billion on Wednesday.

Quick Summary Seatrium jumped 3.17% to S$2.28 , leading STI gainers Offshore & marine stocks outperformed UOL plunged 6.07% , biggest decliner Mixed performance across Singapore REITs STI Movers: Offshore Leads, Property Drags On Thursday, the  FTSE Singapore Straits Time Index  (STI)  saw selective strength, led by offshore and marine counters. Top Gainers Seatrium Ltd Close: S$2.28 +3.17% Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Holdings Ltd Close: S$3.92 +1.82% Keppel DC REIT +0.87% Mapletree Logistics Trust +0.78% Frasers Centrepoint Trust +0.44% Key point:  Offshore & marine stocks extended gains, suggesting renewed investor appetite in energy-linked plays. Top Losers UOL Group Ltd Close: S$10.68 -6.07% City Developments Ltd -6.02% Wilmar International Ltd -2.78% SATs Ltd -2.27% Sembcorp Industries Ltd -2.10% Property counters were the biggest drag on the index. REITs Movers Top Gainers Elite UK REIT  +1.41% Keppel DC REIT  +0.87% Centurion Accommodation REIT ...

Market Snapshot (Feb 26, 2026) FBM KLCI:  1,740.94 ( -0.39% ) FBM Mid 70:  -0.40% FBM Small Cap:  -0.90% FBM ACE:  -0.78% Total gainers:  367 Total losers:  746 Total trading value:  RM4.07 billion Market breadth was negative , with losers more than double gainers. Key Index Performance Despite the daily dip, the FBM KLCI remains up  3.62% year-to-date , while: FBM Mid 70:  +5.33% YTD FBM Small Cap:  +0.59% YTD FBM ACE:  -2.22% YTD Top Movers (FBM KLCI) Gainers Sunway Bhd  +1.88% AMMB Holdings Bhd  +1.68% Gamuda Bhd  +1.67% PETRONAS Dagangan Bhd  +1.46% Decliners Malayan Banking Bhd  -2.91% Telekom Malaysia Bhd  -3.74% MR D.I.Y. Group (M) Bhd  -4.35% YTL Corp Bhd  -2.04% Most Active Stocks Malayan Banking Bhd  – 68.6 million shares traded Aquawalk Group – 75.9 million shares Public Bank – 57.4 million shares Top Gainers by Value Sunway Construction Group Bhd  +RM0.35 PETRONAS Daganga...

Quick Summary 4QFY2025 net profit rose 5.7% YoY to RM2.68b Declared  33 sen dividend FY2025 net profit climbed  4.2% to RM10.51b CET1 ratio improved to  15.1% , signalling strong capital buffer Stronger Quarter Backed by Higher Interest Income Malaysia’s largest lender,  Malayan Banking Bhd  (Maybank) , posted a solid finish to 2025, driven by lower provisions and higher interest income. 4QFY2025 Highlights Net profit:  RM2.68 billion ( +5.7% YoY ) Net interest income:  RM5.8 billion ( +7.6% YoY ) Other operating income:  RM1.5 billion ( -23% YoY ) Dividend declared:   33 sen per share Lower impairment charges helped lift bottom-line growth despite weaker fee and trading income. Full-Year FY2025 Performance Net profit:  RM10.51 billion ( +4.2% YoY ) Net interest income:  RM20.23 billion ( +2.7% YoY ) Non-interest income:  RM10.15 billion ( +2.7% YoY ) Operating expenses:  RM14.84 billion ( +2.6% YoY ) Cost discipline impro...

Quick Summary DBS, OCBC, UOB and  CIMB  among bidders HSBC Indonesia retail assets valued at  >US$200m Binding bids reportedly due  mid-March Move reflects Southeast Asia expansion push Major Banks Target HSBC’s Indonesia Exit Some of Asia’s largest lenders are preparing bids for  HSBC Holdings ’s retail assets in Indonesia, according to Bloomberg sources. Potential bidders include: DBS Group Holdings Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp  (OCBC) United Overseas Bank  (UOB) CIMB Group Holdings Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group The assets could fetch  more than US$200 million (RM777m) . Key point: Indonesia’s banking sector is heating up as global lenders retreat and regional giants expand. Why HSBC Is Selling Under CEO  Georges Elhedery , HSBC has: Streamlined operations Cut management layers and jobs Reorganised into four core divisions Conducted targeted reviews in Australia, Indonesia and Egypt HSBC Indonesia: ~2,300 employees 28 branches Serves c...

Quick Summary Nvidia guides Q1 sales at  US$78 billion , above consensus Shares  fell ~1%  despite strong numbers China revenue excluded from outlook AI spending sustainability still questioned Upbeat Forecast, Lukewarm Reaction Nvidia Corp  projected fiscal Q1 revenue of  US$78 billion , beating Wall Street’s average estimate of US$72.8 billion. However, some bullish analysts had expected numbers closer to  US$80 billion  — and the stock slipped about  1%  after the announcement. Key point: Nvidia is still growing fast — but expectations are even higher. Q4 Results Still Massive For the quarter ended Jan 25: Revenue surged  73% to US$68.1 billion EPS:  US$1.62  (vs US$1.53 expected) Adjusted gross margin:  75.2% Data-centre revenue:  US$62.3 billion  (above estimates) Nvidia remains the dominant supplier of AI accelerator chips powering global data centres. China: Still a Big Unknown The company: Excluded  ...

Quick Summary Trump convenes  Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft and others Firms to pledge covering electricity costs for AI data centres Move aims to prevent  higher consumer power bills Pledge is  non-binding , critics call it “toothless” Big Tech Called to the White House US President  Donald Trump  will host technology executives on March 4 to sign pledges committing their firms to fund electricity supply for energy-intensive AI data centres. Expected attendees include: Amazon Alphabet Meta Platforms Microsoft xAI Oracle OpenAI Key point: Tech firms will be asked to build, buy or secure their own power supply for new AI facilities. Why This Matters AI data centres: Consume massive amounts of electricity Increase strain on power grids Contribute to rising electricity prices US electricity prices have climbed  6% year-on-year , reaching  17.24 cents per kWh in December . With mid-term elections approaching, Trump faces mounting political pressure over ...

Quick Summary Bank of Korea keeps benchmark rate at  2.50% New  dot-plot chart shows majority see no change for 6 months 2026 growth forecast raised to  2.0% Chip export boom supports economic outlook Rate Decision: Pause Confirmed The  Bank of Korea  kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at  2.50% , in line with expectations. All 34 economists polled by Reuters had predicted no move. Key point: Policymakers are signalling stability — not easing, not tightening. Dot Plot Debut: Clear Message of No Hike For the first time, the BOK introduced a  Federal Reserve-style dot plot , showing rate expectations over the next six months. Out of 21 dots 16 pointed to 2.50% Suggesting  no change until at least August This indicates a strong consensus for a  prolonged pause . Growth Outlook Improved The BOK raised its 2026 growth forecast to  2.0%  from 1.8%. The upgrade reflects: Strong semiconductor exports Chip boom led by: Samsung Electr...

Quick Summary Amazon may invest  up to US$50 billion in OpenAI US$15b upfront , US$35b tied to IPO or AGI milestone SoftBank & Nvidia reportedly eye  US$30b each OpenAI IPO valuation could reach  US$1 trillion Deal Structure Still Conditional According to  The Information ,  Amazon  is negotiating a massive funding deal with  OpenAI  that could total  US$50 billion . The proposed structure: US$15 billion immediate investment US$35 billion contingent  on: OpenAI achieving  artificial general intelligence (AGI) Or pursuing a  public listing (IPO) Key point: The majority of Amazon’s capital is milestone-based, reducing upfront risk. AI Funding War Intensifies Other major players reportedly joining the round: SoftBank Group  – US$30 billion (in stages) Nvidia Corp  – US$30 billion (in stages) Backed by existing partner  Microsoft If finalized, Amazon could become  the largest single contributor  in Open...

Quick Summary S&P 500 +0.8%, Nasdaq +1.4% , led by tech rebound Nvidia beats sales estimates , shares up after hours Bitcoin jumps near  US$69,000 Investors shrug off recent AI disruption fears Nvidia Restores Confidence in AI Narrative Shares of  Nvidia Corp  climbed about  1.5% after hours  after forecasting fiscal Q1 sales of  US$78 billion , well above the  US$72.8 billion consensus . Key point:  Nvidia’s guidance reinforces confidence that AI demand remains robust despite recent doubts over spending sustainability. Market watchers see Nvidia as the  bellwether of the AI boom , and its strong outlook helped lift a  US$700 billion S&P 500 ETF  in late trading. Tech Leads Second Straight Day of Gains During regular trading: S&P 500:  +0.8% Nasdaq 100:  +1.4% Dow Jones:  +0.6% MSCI World Index:  +0.8% The rebound followed earlier volatility sparked by a report warning about AI disruption risks across...

Quick Summary Wall Street tech stocks rebounded , led by Nvidia optimism Bursa Malaysia slipped for a second day , lagging regional peers Sunway’s Q4 net profit surged 50% despite revenue decline Ringgit strength seen as  manageable for export competitiveness Wall Street Recap: Tech Leads the Comeback US markets extended gains as tech stocks recovered from earlier AI-driven fears. Nasdaq:  +1.26% S&P 500:  +0.81% Dow Jones:  +0.63% The rally was driven by: Strength in enterprise software names like  Salesforce ,  IBM  and  Oracle Strong after-hours reaction to results from  NVIDIA   Investors are treating Nvidia’s demand guidance as the key signal for 2026 market direction. Bursa Malaysia: Still on the Back Foot FBM KLCI:  1,747.81 ( -0.35% ) Top Gainer:  PETDAG (+2.62%) Top Loser:  TM (-4.79%) USD/MYR:  3.891 Bursa ended lower for a second straight session as: US tariff uncertainties weighed on sentiment Regional...