President Donald Trump said he could punish China with additional tariffs over its purchases of Russian oil, though one of his top advisers played down the likelihood.

China’s export growth unexpectedly accelerated last month in the fastest gain since April.

The Malaysian Rubber Council (MRC) on Thursday launched three key initiatives to reinforce the rubber industry’s commitment to sustainability, and environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices.

Malaysia’s rubber industry must not only meet global standards but set new benchmarks to remain competitive in high-value markets, said Plantation and Commodities Deputy Minister Datuk Chan Foong Hin.

Malaysia is expected to attract direct investments of about RM637 billion in renewable energy (RE) and green technology, in addition to creating 310,000 job opportunities by 2050, according to the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (Petra).

Malaysia’s industrial production index (IPI) increased by a significant 3.0% in June from 0.3% in May 2025, driven by growth momentum in the manufacturing and electricity sectors, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).