FBMKLCI: 1513.70 DJ: -73.94 CRUDE OIL: 87.56

Khazanah Nasional has sold 6% of its shareholding in Malaysia Airports Holdings (MAHB) for RM396m. The exercise cuts Khazanah Nasional's holding in MAHB to 54%, maintaining its controlling stake. The statement did not identify the buyers of the placed out shares. HSBC and Nomura Singapore Ltd were agents of the deal too. MAHB's shares were sold for RM6 a piece, representing a 2.9% discount to the three-day volume weighted average price. (BT)

Proton offers Mitsubishi platform to widen tie-up. It is understood that the Japanese carmaker will then use the platform to build and sell cars for its export markets. While the Persona and Exora were among several models built from ground up by Proton, the national carmaker is developing a brand new car to replace the current Persona. Mitsubishi was the strategic foreign partner for Proton when the national car project was set up in the mid-1980s. (BT)

Boustead Holdings plans to sell for RM189.23m its Sabah’s Sutera estate, Taiping rubber plantation and Trong oil mill to Al-Hadharah Boustead REIT, and then lease back these assets. The move will result in a cash inflow for the group and its subsidiaries, which will be used to reduce bank borrowings by the group and potentially save RM9.5m interest expense per annum for the group. This exercise will expand the fund’s plantation assets by 3,580ha to 19,984ha with a gross asset value of more than RM1bn. (Starbiz)

MBMR earnings rose 52% to RM34.2 million from a year ago, underpinned by stronger vehicle sales. Revenue rose 30.3% to RM388.7 million on-year.