FBMKLCI 1551.89 DJ-19.15 CRUDE OIL 99.30 RM 2.9825

UOA’s institutional price has been fixed at RM2.60 and the final retail price at RM2.52. At RM2.52, this was below the indicative retail price of RM2.90.

Hap Seng Consolidated has allocated RM460 million as capital expenditure for its six divisions this year, said its group managing director, Datuk Edward Lee Ming Foo. The divisions are PLANTATION []s, property investment and development, credit financing, trading of fertilisers and automotive, as well as building materials and stone quarries. Bernama quoted Lee as saying the company planned to reduce its dependence on the plantation division as it hoped to grow other core businesses -- fertiliser trading, building materials, automotive and property holdings and development. He said the plantation division accounted for 50% to its profit.

Boustead Holdings Bhd, which holds a 97% stake in Pharmaniaga Bhd, will pare down its stake to 75% or below but will continue to be the pharmaceutical company's controlling shareholder. “Pharmaniaga will be maintained as a listed entity and we will have to fulfil the public shareholding spread,” Boustead deputy chairman and group managing director Tan Sri Lodin Wok Kamaruddin said after Pharmaniaga's AGM yesterday.

Zecon has received a letter of intent (LOI) from the Public Works Department to build the Petra Jaya Hospital in Kuching. Zecon said it had received the letter informing it that the company would be appointed to build the hospital by the Ministry of Finance by way of direct negotiation on the "design & build" basis.

In Faber Group Bhd, Lembaga Tabung Haji has emerged as a substantial shareholder with a 9.92% stake or 36 million shares. It acquired the shares in an off-market deal from Universal Trustee (M) Bhd on June 2.

Contrary to speculation, PLUS Expressways Bhd, the country’s largest toll operator, will not likely be paying out its dividends sooner than usual as the distribution of proceeds from the disposal of its assets will likely happen only in late September. It was previously reported that PLUS might be paying out a dividend sooner than the normal timeline to assuage shareholders who had a relatively long wait for the returns from the pending sale of the company’s assets and liabilities.

FBMKLCI 1561.93 DJ-17.26 CRUDE OIL 110.30 RM 2.993

MRCB expects to reap about RM300 million from a proposed mixed development project in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur. It proposed to acquire a company, 59 iNC Sdn Bhd, which has the rights to develop 27.41 acres of land in Setapak here, from RM110 million. It planned to undertake a mixed development project, comprising commercial and residential PROPERTIES [], with a gross development value (GDV) of RM1.5 billion. “At a total development cost of approximately RM1.2 billion, the expected profits to be derived from the said development amount to about RM300 million representing 20% of the GDV,” MRCB said.

The Edge FinancialDaily reports Nippon Steel Corp, the world's fourth largest steelmaker, says it intends to raise its stake in Tatt Giap subsidiary Nippon EGalv Steel Sdn Bhd, which manufactures electro-galvanised steel.

Boustead Holdings has set aside RM1 billion in capital expenditure this year to expand the businesses it recently acquired, PHARMANIAGA BHD [] and MHS Aviation Bhd, to boost group earnings.

Lion Corp is seeking the approval from the lenders to defer the repayment of its bonds and the coupon on loan stocks from April 30 to July 31. The deferment involved the redemption of the outstanding nominal value of the Lion Corp B(a) bonds, class B (b) bonds amounting to RM54.35 million; repayment of the outstanding nominal value of the B debts amounting to US$100,000.

Sozo Global Limited has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Halal Industry Development Corporation Sdn Bhd (HDC) to co-operate towards promoting and developing the Halal market.

FBMKLCI 1492.44 DJ-242.12 CRUDE OIL 98.56 RM 3.02

Top Glove Corp Bhd’s net profit fell 63.9% to RM25.4mil for the second quarter ended Feb 28 against RM70.5mil a year ago due to persistently high latex prices and the continued weakening of the US dollar. The glove maker said the time lag in passing on the higher costs to its customers had also affected the group’s profit margins. “The decline in performance compared with last year was also due to the exceptionally high sales volume experienced last year during the H1N1 virus outbreak,” Top Glove said in the notes accompanying its financial results.

Pharmaniaga Bhd’s wholly owned subsidiary Pharmaniaga Logistics Sdn Bhd has entered into a concession agreement with the Government for the right and authority to purchase, store, supply and distribute approved products to public sector customers.

SEGi has been appointed by the government to lead the development of integrated early child care education (ECCE) in Malaysia under the education National Key Economic Area (NKEA). With the appointment, SEGi will lead the initiative in training and developing high quality early childhood and childcare practitioners.