Astro eyes Indonesia as next target market
ASTRO’S next stop is Indonesia. After its resounding success in Malaysia and Brunei, Astro All Asia Networks plc is believed to be eyeing Indonesia as its next target market for regional expansion.

Prospects for shipping, logistics stocks good with higher rates
PROSPECTS for shipping and logistics stocks are looking up, backed by higher freight and charter rates. The global economic recovery is also expected to boost the companies\' earnings.

YTL targets 20% growth rate
YTL Corp Bhd has set a target of achieving a compounded annual growth rate of 20% until the year 2020 given the steady income stream from the regulated assets it manages around the world, said managing director Tan Sri Francis Yeoh.

CPO players looking at windfall
SIGNS of crude palm oil (CPO) prices hitting RM2,000 per tonne this week may be greeted with glee by plantation players expecting a big windfall this year, but long-term industry players seem to prefer seeing prices stabilise at around RM1,400 to RM1,600 per tonne.

Ho Hup shares at 3-year high
SHARES of Ho Hup Construction Co Bhd surged to their highest level since May 2000 on speculation that the company could see changes in its major shareholders and that the new owners would inject the RM1.02bil Penang Outer Ring Road (PORR) project into Ho Hup.

Higher DiGi profit
DIGI.COM Bhd recorded a higher pre-tax profit of RM120.1mil for the first nine months ended Sept 30, representing an improvement of 7.6% over the RM111.6mil reported in the corresponding period last year.

Car ads rise as market improves
CAR makers are likely to spend more on advertising given the encouraging motor vehicle sales figures released recently as well as in anticipation of more intense competition among industry players in the near future.

Proton seen to take up the challenge
PERUSAHAAN Otomobil Nasional Bhd (Proton) appears to be in a bind - sales are falling and it seems unable to do anything about it. Perhaps not for now, but it does look like the national car maker is already laying the groundwork to address the situation, analysts said. 

Weak governance penalised
COMPANIES with weak corporate governance practices could soon be penalised by having to pay more for their borrowings. The country’s largest rating agency will be linking a company’s performance in the soon-to-be-introduced corporate governance ratings to its credit rating that determines its cost of finance. 

TPC to raise RM18mil
EGG producer TPC Plus Bhd is expects to raise RM17.7mil from its proposed flotation on the KLSE second board.scheduled for by the end of the year-end.