MONEY MASTER

Renewable energy player  Verdant Solar Holdings Bhd (KL:VERDANT)  surged  19% in its maiden trading session  on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia on Wednesday, underscoring strong investor enthusiasm for the solar sector. The company’s shares  opened at 37 sen , above its  IPO price of 31 sen , and climbed as high as  38.5 sen  before stabilizing at  38 sen at 9:10 a.m. , with more than  49 million shares traded  in the opening minutes. Strong Demand Fuels Stellar Debut Verdant’s debut follows a  heavily oversubscribed IPO , where retail investors snapped up shares nearly  40 times over the available amount , reflecting optimism in Malaysia’s accelerating clean energy transition. Managing director  Lim Tzer Haur  highlighted the company’s mission to make solar energy more accessible: “Every step of our mission has been clear — to reduce the burden of electricity bills through world-class solar solutions that enabl...

President Trump’s newly signed  One Big Beautiful Bill Act  is sending shockwaves through America’s energy landscape—and  cheaper electricity could be a thing of the past . Instead of boosting renewables, the sweeping law  pulls back green-energy incentives , prioritizes fossil fuel production, and leaves clean tech in limbo—just as AI-driven data centers are gearing up to consume  massive amounts of power . 1. Energy Transition in Reverse? The law  rolls back tax credits  introduced by the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), stalling momentum in solar, wind, and other renewable sectors. According to experts,  this could slash new power-generation capacity by 340 gigawatts  over the next decade—nearly one-third of what was expected. That means  less new energy , more pressure on aging infrastructure, and eventually,  higher bills for you . 2. AI's Power Hunger = Higher Costs AI isn’t just consuming headlines—it’s  devourin...

  Sweeping Deregulation to Ease Corporate Burdens The  European Commission plans to reduce corporate reporting requirements by 25% , potentially saving  €40 billion (US$42.06 billion)  for businesses. The  "Simplification Omnibus" package aims to loosen rules on sustainability reporting (CSRD) and supply chain due diligence (CSDDD)  to  help European companies compete with the U.S. and China . Key Changes in the Proposal 1. Looser Environmental & Supply Chain Rules The  CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) will now apply only to companies with over 1,000 employees and €450 million in turnover ,  excluding 85% of previously covered firms . This reduces  reporting obligations from over 50,000 companies to fewer than 7,000 . The  CSDDD (Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive) will now apply only to direct suppliers , easing supply chain transparency requirements. 2. Clean Industrial Deal & Energy Plan N...

China and Indonesia have agreed to significantly enhance cooperation in several key sectors, including lithium , new energy vehicles (NEVs) , green energy , and tourism . This development follows a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto , who is currently on a visit to China, marking the first country he has visited since assuming office last month. President Prabowo, who won the Indonesian presidential election in February, chose China as his first destination as president-elect, underscoring Indonesia's strong commitment to deepening its strategic ties with Beijing. Key Agreements and Cooperation According to a joint statement released on Saturday (Nov 9) , both nations have outlined a framework for collaboration in areas crucial for future global development. The two countries aim to boost their partnership in new energy vehicles , lithium batteries , and photovoltaic energy (solar power) , while also capitalizing on opportunit...