Glove manufacturers with higher exposure to natural latex (NL) gloves could benefit temporarily amid the West Asia conflict as customers seek cheaper substitutesfor nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) gloves.

Oil prices rose sharply in Asian trading on Thursday, reversing earlier losses, as U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. will strike Iran "extremely hard" over the next two to three weeks.

The U.S. dollar weakened on Wednesday, slipping to a one-week low, as hopes for a potential end to the Middle East conflict sapped the currency’s recent safe haven appeal.

Asian stocks fell on Thursday, reversing course after a strong start to April as U.S. President Donald Trump flagged an escalation in the Iran war over the coming two-three weeks. 

The effectiveness of Malaysia's current policies is reflected in a projected economic growth of between 4.0 and 5.0 per cent for 2026, with headline inflation expected to remain moderate at 1.5 to 2.5 per cent, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.