Semiconductor chips are seen on a circuit board of a computer in this illustration picture taken February 25, 2022.

Nissan Motor has decided to abandon a plan to build a factory for electric vehicle batteries in Kitakyushu, southern Japan, only months after announcing the project, the Nikkei business daily reported on Friday.

At this point, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said, it isn't clear if the economy will continue its steady pace of growth, or wilt under mounting uncertainty and a possible coming spike in inflation.

SINGAPORE: Japanese rubber futures climbed to a three-week high on Wednesday, driven by optimism surrounding Sino-US trade talks this week and supply concerns from top producer Thailand, but muted demand kept a lid on prices.

At 8 am, the ringgit local note improved to 4.2715/2905 versus the greenback compared to Thursday’s close of 4.2780/2830.

The New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030) and the National Automotive Policy (NAP) 2020 have helped develop Malaysia’s automotive industry to become the second largest in Southeast Asia, and the 23rd largest globally, with a total industry volume (TIV) of almost 817,000 units in 2024, said Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.

The US dollar held steady against the euro on Thursday following its biggest rise in two weeks a day earlier, when the Federal Reserve warned of rising risks to the economy from higher inflation and unemployment.

At 8 am, the local note appreciated to 4.2205/2510 versus the greenback compared to Wednesday’s close of 4.2360/2435.