Business

Taiwan's automotive sector demonstrated remarkable resilience in March 2020, registering 37,279 new car sales and achieving a 15.1% year-on-year increase. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, consumer confidence remained strong, driving quarterly sales past 100,000 vehicles.

Amazon removed millions of products that were price gouging essential health items like face masks and respirators during COVID-19, with prices dramatically increasing from $41 to $128 for basic protective equipment.

Malaysia has maintained its Crude Palm Oil (CPO) export tax at 8% for July 2021, reflecting the commodity's market price above RM3,450 per tonne. As the world's second-largest palm oil exporter, the country's tax structure varies based on market rates.

Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific Airways was fined nearly $1 million for a significant data breach that compromised personal details of 9.4 million passengers. The security lapse exposed sensitive information including names, passport details, and travel history after a password-guessing attack in 2018.

Malaysia's Department of Statistics reports a significant rise in total trade for December 2022, reaching RM236.0 billion. Exports increased by 6.0% to RM131.9 billion, while imports grew 12.0% to RM104.1 billion. The annual trade milestone of RM2.8 trillion was achieved, with states like Johor and Sarawak contributing to the export performance.

Telecommunication giant Axiata Group Bhd is confident in achieving its dividend target of 20 sen per share by 2024. CEO Datuk Izzaddin Idris highlights the company's strategic shift towards becoming a high-profit organization, supported by robust financial foundations and focus on digital transformation.

U.S. chipmaker Intel announces an ambitious €80 billion investment across Europe to expand semiconductor manufacturing and research. CEO Pat Gelsinger highlights the global demand for chips, with planned production sites and R&D centers in Germany, Ireland, France, and Italy over the next decade.

South Korea's semiconductor inventory jumped 28% in January, marking the fastest increase in 27 years. The spike reflects a prolonged tech downturn affecting the nation's export-driven economy, with chipmakers contributing 12% of total exports and facing declining global demand amid geopolitical tensions.

Norwegian Telenor and Malaysian Axiata Group have secured regulatory clearance to merge their local telecommunications units Celcom Axiata and DiGi.Com. The proposed tie-up aims to create a stronger market leader in Malaysia's competitive telecom landscape, with an estimated enterprise value of $15 billion and potential to reshape the industry's competitive dynamics. - EXCERPT: Provides context, highlights main parties, deal value, and strategic intent within 100 words

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has launched an investigation into Amazon and Flipkart, following allegations by a New Delhi trade group. The companies are accused of giving preferential treatment to certain sellers, promoting in-house brands, and offering substantial discounts to merchants they have a stake in or control.