US job growth slowed marginally in April, but the outlook for the labour market is increasingly darkening as President Donald Trump's aggressive tariff policy heightens economic uncertainty.

US job growth slows marginally in April; unemployment rate steady at 4.2%

Almost like clockwork since mid-November, Tesla Inc board chair Robyn Denholm has been selling the company’s stock. During that time, shares whipsawed and the company’s sales slowed — and then cratered — around the world.

Tesla board in spotlight after cashing in US$1.2b with Musk

President Donald Trump is asking Congress for deep cuts to domestic agencies and a boost to the military in a preliminary outline of his 2026 budget request to be released Friday.

Trump budget seeks 23% domestic spending cut, 13% defence hike

(May 2): The US banking system’s reserves, a key factor in the Federal Reserve’s decision to keep shrinking its balance sheet, tumbled to the lowest in nearly four months.

Bank reserves at Fed drop to US$3 tril, lowest since Jan 1

(May 2): Lacklustre quarterly results from consumer-facing companies including McDonald's and Harley-Davidson are the latest sign that American shoppers are curbing spending amid shifting US trade policies.

Gloomy retail earnings show consumers are feeling the pinch of US tariffs

US manufacturing contracted further in April while tariffs on imported goods were straining supply chains, keeping prices paid for inputs elevated.

US manufacturing sectors slump deepens in April

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the US Treasury market is telegraphing that the Federal Reserve (Fed) ought to lower interest rates.

Bessent says two-year Treasuries signalling Fed should cut

Applications for US unemployment benefits rose to the highest level since February during the week that followed Easter and spring recess at New York City public schools.

US jobless claims jump on spike in New York during spring recess

Janet Yellen warned that the risk of a US recession has “gone way up” after Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs rattled financial markets, consumers and businesses.

Yellen warns US recession risk is ‘way up’ after Trump’s tariffs

Billionaire Elon Musk said he is considering sending his government efficiency team to the Federal Reserve (Fed), citing a costly renovation of the central bank’s Washington, DC, headquarters as an example of potential government waste.

Musk says DOGE ‘should definitely’ examine Fed costs

Federal Reserve (Fed) policymakers have signalled that short-term interest rates will remain unchanged, as they wait for clearer signs that inflation is nearing the US central bank's 2% goal, or until there is a whiff of a deteriorating job market.

Fed signals rates will remain unchanged despite market bets on looming cuts

Donald Trump was elected on a pledge to fix all kinds of problems confronting the US economy, from stubborn inflation to a long-term decline in manufacturing jobs. He’s already declared that he’s off to the greatest start of a presidential term ever. The numbers don’t back him up.

Trump says he's off to best start as president. The economy says something else

US consumer spending jumped in March while a key measure of inflation decelerated, a welcome reprieve before tariffs are expected to broadly drive up prices.

Inflation-adjusted consumer spending climbed 0.7% last month, according to Bureau of Economic Analysis data out on Wednesday.

US consumer spending jumps while key inflation gauge slows down

Pending sales of previously owned US homes rose in March by the most in more than a year as a brief dip in mortgage rates and a rising supply of houses brought out spring shoppers.

US pending sales of existing homes increase by most since 2023

Nominations for the 2025 PKR central leadership posts involving elections for the Central Leadership Council (MPP), Angkatan Muda Keadilan (AMK) and Central Women, which was scheduled for Saturday until Sunday, has been postponed to May 8 to 9.

Nominations for 2025 PKR central leadership posts postponed to May 8-9 — Zaliha

A weekly round-up of tanker and dry bulk market (May 2, 2025)

Baltic Exchange shipping updates: May 2, 2025

Copper rose after China said it was evaluating having trade talks with the US, raising optimism that negotiations could reduce tariffs between the world’s two largest economies.

Copper rises as China says it’s weighing trade talks with US

Genting Malaysia Bhd (KL:GENM) is going to gain full control of loss-making Empire Resorts Inc in a US$80.7 million (RM348.01 million) deal that includes absorbing US$39.7 million worth of debt that Empire Resorts owes the Lim family's Kien Huat Realty III Ltd.

Genting Malaysia takes full control of Empire Resorts, including debt, from Lim family in US$80.7 mil deal

Iran's Foreign Ministry said Tehran rejects "threats and pressure" after US President Donald Trump said all purchases of Iranian oil or petrochemicals products must stop, state media reported on Friday.

Iran rejects US 'threats' after Trump demands halt to purchases of its oil

Farm Price Holdings Bhd (KL:FPHB) has proposed to undertake a bonus issue of up to 225 million warrants, on the basis of one warrant for every two shares held by shareholders.

Farm Price plans one-for-two bonus issue of warrants

Ramssol Group Bhd (KL:RAMSSOL) saw its net profit rise 40% to RM5.84 million for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025 (1QFY2025), from RM4.17 million a year ago, driven by higher sales of human capital management (HCM) solutions — namely PeopleTech and AITech solutions — in Malaysia and HCM technology applications in Thailand.

Ramssol’s 1Q net profit climbs 40% on strong demand for human capital management solutions

Sunway Real Estate Investment Trust (KL:SUNREIT), partially owned by Sunway Bhd (KL:SUNWAY), announced the sale of Sunway University and college campus to Sunway Education Group’s Sunway College (KL) Sdn Bhd for RM613 million in cash.

Sunway REIT sells university campus to Sunway College for RM613m, proceeds to be reinvested

The Taiwan dollar surged the most in nearly four decades as a combo of upbeat growth data, bets on easing trade tensions and strong US tech earnings turbocharged currency gains.

Taiwan dollar soars most since 1988 on bets trade war will ease

The family of Datin Seri Pamela Ling Yueh has made a public appeal for information after she went missing on April 9, the day she was supposed to meet the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in Putrajaya.

Family seeks help to find woman missing for over 20 days after heading to MACC

Capital A Bhd (KL:CAPITALA) said on Friday its auditors gave an unqualified report on its 2024 accounts, but raised doubts about its ability to keep operating due to uncertainty over the sale of its stakes in AirAsia Aviation Group and AirAsia Bhd.

Auditors flag going concern risk, but Capital A stays confident in restructuring plan

The Sarawak government has accused Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd, the main upstream arm of national oil company Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas), of breaching a state law on gas distribution, Utusan Malaysia reported on Friday.

Sarawak accuses Petronas’ main upstream arm of breaching state gas law — report

Shares of Eco World International Bhd’s (KL:EWINT) rose on Friday to its highest in two months following its planned pivot from foreign markets to the Malaysian market.

Eco World International surges on pivot to Malaysia

The High Court on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit filed by six house buyers of a project in Bangi, who were seeking damages from a subsidiary of UEM Sunrise Bhd (KL:UEMS) over the late delivery of their properties.

Court dismisses house buyers' late delivery claim against UEM Sunrise unit, cites precedent

Almost like clockwork since mid-November, Tesla Inc board chair Robyn Denholm has been selling the company’s stock. During that time, shares whipsawed and the company’s sales slowed — and then cratered — around the world.

KUALA LUMPUR (May 2): Foreign investors returned to Malaysian bonds in April this year, bringing in RM2.8 billion in net inflows to the capital markets, even as they pulled RM4.7 billion from equities, according to MARC Ratings Bhd.

Foreign investors returned to Malaysian bonds with RM2.8b inflows in April 2025

Malaysia’s manufacturing conditions deteriorated further in April as firms scaled back production amid subdued demand, latest data showed.

Malaysia's manufacturing health weakens further in April, PMI data shows

Genting Malaysia Bhd (KL:GENM) is going to gain full control of loss-making Empire Resorts Inc in a US$80.7 million (RM348.01 million) deal that includes absorbing US$39.7 million worth of debt that Empire Resorts owes the Lim family's Kien Huat Realty III Ltd.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said there are no arising issues regarding Economy Minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, who is reportedly on long leave.

No issue with Rafizi on long leave, says Anwar

Small-value packages shipped to the US from China will no longer be exempted from tariffs starting Friday, when President Donald Trump’s move against an exception he called a “big scam” takes effect.

China shipping loophole closed by Trump, raising prices for US consumers 

(May 2):&nbsp;Singaporean prosecutors secured eight more weeks to deepen a probe and potentially bring more charges against three men accused of fraud in shipping servers likely containing Nvidia Corp&nbsp;chips banned from China.

Prosecutors may widen charges in Singapore Nvidia fraud case

KUALA LUMPUR (May 2): Newly listed telecom services firm Reach Ten Holdings Bhd (KL:REACHTEN) said its fibre optic segment may be its next big business amid rising infrastructure demand across Sarawak.

While the satellite-based services segment currently accounts for nearly 90% of reven...

Reach Ten sees fibre business as next leg of growth

KUALA LUMPUR (May 2): Seal Incorporated Bhd (KL:SEAL) announced that its 30%-owned associate, MSR Green Energy Sdn Bhd (MSRGE), overseeing the development of Sabah’s first energy storage facility, has secured RM408.2 million in funding from AmBank Group.

Seal Inc unit secures RM408m funding from AmBank for Sabah’s first energy storage facility

Jentayu Sustainables Bhd (KL:JSB) said on Friday it has re-designated chairman Datuk Beroz Nikmal Mirdin as managing director effective immediately as part of a management restructuring exercise.

Beroz Nikmal will now oversee both project delivery and corporate matters, the company said in an exchange filing. Baevinraj Thiagarajah meanwhile stepped down as chief executive officer but he will continue to contribute to the company as an internal advisor, the company said.

Jentayu Sustainables reshuffles management as key project approaches financing close

The Sarawak government has accused Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd, the main upstream arm of national oil company Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas), of breaching a state law on gas distribution.

Sarawak accuses Petronas of breaching state gas law; Petronas defends rights under federal authority

UDA Holdings Bhd has appointed real estate veteran Johari Shukri Jamil as its new president and chief executive officer effective immediately.

UDA Holdings names Johari Shukri Jamil as president and CEO

BYD Co posted its best month of sales yet for 2025, a further sign the Chinese carmaking juggernaut is on track to hit its full-year target of 5.5 million deliveries.

BYD posts best month of sales yet in 2025 with pure EVs a hit

KUALA LUMPUR (May 2): Planning consent has been granted for the next phase of Battersea Power Station’s regeneration in London, a key milestone in the 16.99-hectare (42-acre) development.

Battersea Power Station secures approval for next regeneration phase

KUALA LUMPUR (May 2): Sentoria Group Bhd (KL:SNTORIA) is at risk of a trading suspension after failing to submit its 2024 annual report by the April 30, 2025 deadline. &nbsp;

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