Friday, November 26, 2010

Muhibbah sees profit rise to RM21m in Q3 Read more: Muhibbah sees profit rise to RM21m in Q3


Muhibbah Engineering (M) Bhd posted a higher pre-tax profit of RM21.3 million for its third quarter ended Sept 30,2010 compared to RM5 million in the previous corresponding quarter.

Despite an increase in profit, revenue fell to RM289.13 million from the RM610.94 million recorded previously. In a filing to Bursa Malaysia today, the group said its shipyard and cranes division continues to be the main earnings contributor to the group.

It currently has a total outstanding secured order book of RM2.78 billion which can last until 2013.

For its nine-month period ended Sept 30, 2010, it achieved a lower pre-tax profit of RM49.57 million, compared to RM53.01 million recorded previously.
Revenue declined to RM1.162 billion from RM1.572 billion previously.

The group expects to achieve a satisfactory performance for its current fiscal year on the back of an improving sentiment in the global oil and gas industries.-- Bernama

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Landed property prices to rise further

Property prices will continue with the uptrend despite speculation of a bubble building up in the property market, said SP Setia Deputy President and Chief Operating Officer, Datuk Voon Tin Yow.

"The market is still very strong. In terms of the uptrend in landed property prices, it is just a matter of catching up, with the higher income individuals are receiving, and other factors related to society," he added, after speaking as a panelist at the launch of the Bursa Malaysia Business Sustainability Programme today.

He added the uptrend seen is due to the supply shortage in landed properties and is an adjustment, rather than a bubble.

"If we analyse the price of a RM1 million landed property, it would be very expensive. But if we analysed in terms of built-up area, it would be worth the price.


"Of course, the uptrend, cannot go on for the next 10 years at this rate," he quipped.

He added the increase in prices are mostly in landed properties, but not strata title developments.

"The trend will continue for sometime but in the foreseeable future, there would not be any bubble forming in the property market," Voon said. - Bernama

Read more: 'Landed property prices to rise further' http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/20101123165445/Article/index_html#ixzz167CX7EcW

Saturday, November 20, 2010





Thursday, November 18, 2010

IOI Corp 1Q net profit up RM19.7 million

PETALING JAYA: IOI Corp Bhd saw its first quarter net profit increase by 4.13% to RM498.13 million from a year ago while pre-tax profit was 6% higher at RM661.7 million due to higher profits from its plantation unit and higher unrealised translation gain on foreign currency denominated borrowings.

The company told Bursa Malaysia on Thursday that it expects satisfactory performance for its present fiscal year due to strong crude palm oil (CPO) prices and a resilient property market.

For the three-month period ended September 30 2010, the plantation segment recorded a 38% gain in operating profit to RM345.3million from a year ago due to higher CPO prices realised and a marginal increase in fresh fruit bunches production.

Average CPO price realised for the first quarter was RM2,598/MT compared to RM2,294/MT from the previous corresponding period.

IOI Corp's first quarter revenue grew by 7.4% to RM3.52 billion.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Most Malaysians cannot afford the high price of property

In Kuala Lumpur, land prices have appreciated even more sharply and the recent sale of a piece of land for over RM7,000 per sq ft has raised alarm among some consumer groups and industry players.

They worry that the high price transacted for the land will be used as the bargaining power for other land owners to push their land prices upwards in the surrounding areas.

This will inevitably be an unhealthy prelude to an overheating in the property market as land is the basic commodity in a property development process. When the price paid for a piece of land escalates way beyond the market norm or the last transacted price, it has actually moved ahead of market fundamentals.

The question is who then will have to bear the high cost at the end of the day. Certainly it will not be the developers as they will factor into their total project costing and recoup the cost by pricing the property they build higher.

And if the property is not for sale but for leasing, the rental rates can also be expected to be higher. Although property buyers are not directly or immediately affected by the high land cost, they will also have to share part of the burden when the prices of goods and services are fixed higher (as the business operators who rent the space will factor the high rent into their pricing.)

The Government’s plan to redevelop the 160ha Sungei Besi airport and the 1,320ha Rubber Research Institute land in Sungei Buloh should help to ease the land-scarcity problem.

The initiative should be accorded a top priority and, if possible, a dedicated agency is set up to oversee the whole planning and development process for these large parcels of land, taking into account the real needs of the people.

This will ensure better integration of public transport services and other infrastructure, housing and other commercial property needs that are more long-term and sustainable.

Given the huge need for more affordable housing in the Klang Valley, especially homes priced between RM200,000 and RM350,000, this will be the golden opportunity to plan for such housing projects. Hopefully at least 30% of the land for housing development will be allocated to affordable housing for all eligible Malaysians.

It is indisputable that real estate is an important economic sector, accounting for 50% of the country’s wealth. But the cap on the sector’s growth could be the relatively lower earning and purchasing power of Malaysians compared with those in other high income countries. For the industry to leapfrog to another level of growth, the people’s purchasing power has to grow faster or at least in tandem with the rising property prices as we will need investors who can afford to pay for the high-end properties that are to be built.

The Government’s iniatitives to turn Malaysia into a high income economy will create the platform for the people to earn higher per capital income to support their higher purchasing power.

Expanding the pool of buyers who have the means to absorb the high-end property that are being churned out by developers now will hopefully create a more sustainable property market – one where demand matches supply.

THE STAR

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