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TH Plantations Discloses June Production Figures

TH Plantations (KLSE:THPLANT) reported fresh fruit bunch (FFB) production of 60,383.39 metric tonnes in June.The group produced 12,889 metric tonnes of crude palm oil and 3,303.5 metric tonnes of palm kernel during the month, according to a Thursday Malaysian bourse filing.

KLSE:THPLANT

ASX 200ASX:AMPASX:BHPASX:PPT

Australian Shares Flat; BHP Group Meets Fiscal Year 2026 Production Guidance, Issues Fiscal Year 2027 Outlook

Australian shares were flat on Thursday after major indices on Wall Street posted gains, but the materials sector fell as BHP posted lower fiscal year 2027 copper production guidance.The S&P/ASX 200 Index was little changed to close at 8,840.40.Brent crude oil futures continued to trade around $85 per barrel as the US conducted further strikes inside Iran. The Wall Street Journal reported US President Donald Trump is considering expanding US military operations in Iran.On the domestic front, Australia's consumer inflation expectations fell by 0.8 percentage points in July to 4.7%, according to the Melbourne Institute Survey of Consumer Inflationary Expectations.Australian household spending rose 0.3% in June, with end-of-financial-year sales less impactful than in 2025, as inflation and higher-for-longer interest rates weighed on consumers, according to the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Gains were recorded across 10 of the 12 spending categories, led by utilities and education.In company news, BHP Group (ASX:BHP) reported fiscal year 2026 copper production of 1.95 million tonnes, down 3% from fiscal 2025 but within its guidance range of 1.9 million tonnes to 2 million tonnes. For fiscal year 2027, BHP Group is targeting copper output of 1.65 million to 1.8 million tonnes and iron ore production of 260 million to 272 million tonnes. Its shares fell past 2% on market close.AMP (ASX:AMP) expects the first-half 2026 underlying net profit after tax of AU$170 million to AU$180 million, with the increase driven by stronger contributions from its China partnerships, favorable investment income impacts due to recent interest rate hikes, and the recognition of about AU$13 million of carried interest in relation to the partial sale of certain assets within a legacy fund.Perpetual (ASX:PPT) said it has received a revised non-binding, conditional proposal from EQT-controlled Windflower to acquire all of its shares via a scheme of arrangement for AU$22.07 per share, up 2% from the previous AU$21.64 offer.

Widad Group's Unit Receives Letter of Demand from Hikmat Duta; Shares Plunge 33%

Widad Group's (KLSE:WIDAD) subsidiary, Widad Builders, received a letter of demand from Hikmat Data, according to a Thursday filing with the Malaysian Exchange.The subsidiary is engaging in discussions with Hikmat on a proposed settlement plan to resolve the matter amicably.Shares of the construction company plunged over 33% in Thursday trading.

KLSE:WIDAD

iCents Group's Unit Bags MYR13 Million Renovation Contract

iCents Group's (KLSE:ICENTS) subsidiary, VC Engineering, accepted a letter of award worth 12.9 million ringgit to undertake renovation works as the main contractor for a factory warehouse and ground floor office in the Klang Valley, Malaysia, according to a Thursday bourse filing.The contract was awarded by a Malaysia-incorporated subsidiary of a Netherlands-headquartered technology company.The contract covers the supply, delivery and installation of building works and other associated systems.The project is expected to conclude four months from its commencement date, the company said.Shares of the engineering services company rose 6% in recent trade.

KLSE:ICENTS

Genscript Associate Reports $657 Million in Carvykti Sales Under License Agreement

Genscript Biotech's (HKG:1548) associate Legend Biotech said CARVYKTI generated net trade sales of around $657 million in the quarter ended June 30, according to a Wednesday Hong Kong bourse filing.Shares of the life sciences company were down over 2% in Thursday afternoon trading.The sales have been generated under a license agreement between Legend Biotech and Janssen Biotech, with the sales figure provided by the latter.

HKG:1548

British Monthly Construction Output Down 0.8% in May

Construction output in the UK fell 0.8% month over month in May, following a revised 0.1% decline in April, the Office for National Statistics said Thursday.Analysts expected a 0.3% decline for the month.On a yearly basis, construction output was 1.8% lower, compared with the revised 1.6% decrease earlier and the market forecast of a 1.1% contraction.

UK Monthly Services Output Up 0.3% in May

Britain's services output rose 0.3% month over month in May, following a revised 0.1% drop in April, according to data from the Office for National Statistics published Thursday.On a yearly basis, the index climbed 1.7%, against the revised 1.6% increase earlier.

Australian Consumer Spending Rises 1.2% in June, Up 6.8% Year-on-Year, Says NAB

Australian consumer spending rose 1.2% in June and 6.8% over the year, with spending excluding fuel up 1.4% in the month and 7.1% annually, according to a Thursday report by National Australia Bank.The bank said spending rose for a second consecutive month, led by discretionary spending, which increased 1.9% in June across all categories except hospitality, while non-discretionary spending remained flat, with higher health, education, and food spending offset by lower fuel spending.Despite June's lift, spending growth slowed slightly in the June quarter to 1.5% from 1.7% in the March quarter, with growth over the year driven by essential spending, particularly utilities and telecoms, as energy bill rebates ended, while discretionary spending grew 6.6% over the year, the report added.NAB Chief Economist Sally Auld said the June data suggested consumer spending had held up better than expected, with the next few months important in assessing the underlying trend, while NAB expects spending growth to ease over the rest of the year as momentum in the broader economy moderates.

ASX 200

Neo-Neon's Chair Steps Down; Successor Named

Neo-Neon's (HKG:1868) Chair Zhang Yuanyuan resigned effective Wednesday due to a change of job, according to a same-day Hong Kong bourse filing.The company, on the same day, named Zhang Xiaoming as its new chair.Zhang is currently the general counsel (chief compliance officer) of Tsinghua Tongfang (SHA:600100).

HKG:1868SHA:600100

ITC Properties Appoints Joint Chairman

ITC Properties (HKG:0199) appointed He Xuechu as an executive director and joint chairman of the board, effective July 15.He previously served as an executive director and chairman of Geely Automobile Holdings (HKG:0175) and Honbridge Holdings (HKG:8137), according to a Wednesday Hong Kong bourse filing.

HKG:0199

UK Trade Deficit Expands in Quarter to May

Britain's goods and services trade deficit rose by 4.4 billion pounds sterling to 9.1 billion pounds in the three months to May, the Office for National Statistics said Thursday.The UK's goods trade deficit increased by 3.1 billion pounds to 60.9 billion pounds, while the services trade surplus declined by 1.3 billion pounds to 51.8 billion pounds.

Gamuda Seeks Bourse's Nod for Dividend Reinvestment Share Issuance

Gamuda (KLSE:GAMUDA) has applied to Bursa Malaysia Securities for the listing of new shares to be issued under its existing Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRP) for the second interim dividend for the financial year ending July 31.The application follows the board's declaration of a second interim dividend of 0.05 ringgit per share on June 25, with the DRP applying to the entire dividend, according to a Thursday Malaysian bourse filing.Gamuda's authority to issue new shares under the DRP was renewed by shareholders at the company's annual general meeting in December 2025.

KLSE:GAMUDA

UK's Monthly Manufacturing Output Edges Up 0.1% in May

The UK's monthly manufacturing production was up 0.1% in May, following a revised 0.5% gain in the prior month, the Office for National Statistics said Thursday.Analysts expected a 0.2% dip for the month.On a yearly basis, British manufacturing output rose 2.3%, compared with the 1% growth earlier and the consensus estimate of a 1.9% increase.

Goldpac Group Warns of Up to 130% Drop in H1 Profit

Goldpac Group (HKG:3315) expects a 110% to 130% year-over-year decline in attributable profit for the six months ended June 30 from 24 million yuan a year prior, according to a Wednesday Hong Kong bourse filing.The secure payment product provider's shares were down nearly 2% in Thursday afternoon trading.Revenue is expected to fall by 5% to 10% from 458 million yuan in the year-ago period.The company attributed the forecast to intensified market competition and foreign exchange losses.

HKG:3315

Focus Media's Overseas Subsidiaries Raise Credit Facility to US$50 Million

Focus Media Information Technology's (SHE:002027) overseas subsidiaries agreed to raise their total credit facility to $50 million from $30 million, according to a Thursday disclosure on the Shenzhen bourse.Focus Media Development and Focus Media Overseas Investment III, and their units, Goldsun Focus Media Joint Stock and Target Media Hong Kong, first signed the facility agreement with HSBC (HKG:0005) in December 2025.The credit will supplement the subsidiaries' business development needs.The Chinese advertising company's shares rose 2% during the afternoon trade.

HKG:0005SHE:002027

British Monthly Industrial Production Falls 0.5% in May

The UK's monthly industrial production declined 0.5% in May, after a revised 0.2% uptick in April, the Office for National Statistics said Thursday.Analysts expected a 0.1% drop for the month.On a yearly basis, UK industrial output was up 1%, against the revised zero growth earlier and the consensus estimate of a 1.2% gain.

HG Metal Manufacturing Extends Long Stop Date to Acquire Singapore Property

HG Metal Manufacturing (SGX:BTG) has agreed to extend the long stop date for acquiring a property at 47 Tuas View Circuit in Singapore to Sept. 16, according to a Wednesday filing with the Singapore Exchange.The long stop date has been extended to facilitate the fulfilment of the required conditions for the acquisition, including obtaining approval from the government agency JTC.The company can extend the long stop date further by around a month if the Sept. 16 deadline is not met.

SGX:BTG

UK's Monthly GDP Rises 0.1% in May

The UK's gross domestic product expanded 0.1% month over month in May, following a 0.1% dip in April, the Office for National Statistics said Thursday.Analysts expected zero growth during the month.On a yearly basis, the British economy grew 1.3%, against the prior revised 1.1% expansion and the market forecast of a 1.4% growth.