Malaysia Hot Stocks - Factors to watch

KUALA LUMPUR, April 25 (Reuters) - Here are news stories that may affect the Malaysian stock market on Friday.

MALAYSIA, THAI LEADERS IN FOOD SECURITY TALKS

- Thailand has no plans to restrict rice exports and the country will meet all export commitments, Wichianchot Sukchotrat, a Thai government spokesman, said in the Malaysian capital on Thursday.

For details, please double-click on [ID:nKLR33816]

MALAYSIA'S DRB-HICOM TO ISSUE 549M NEW SHARES

- Malaysian autos-to-property group DRB-Hicom will issue 548.7 million new shares to pay for its agreed purchase of a 70 percent stake in Bank Muamalat Malaysia, DRB-Hicom said on Thursday.

For details, please double-click on [ID:nWNA5451]

HOLCIM NOT BIDDING FOR MALAYSIA CEMENT-MAKER TASEK

- Swiss cement-maker Holcim Ltd is not in talks to buy Malaysian cement manufacturer Tasek Corp Bhd , Tasek said on Thursday. A Malaysian newspaper had reported that Holcim would make a bid for Tasek. Tasek has annual production capacity of 2.3 million tonnes of cement and Holcim currently makes about 1.2 million tonnes a year in Malaysia, according to the websites of both firms.

MALAYSIA'S SAUJANA SHARES SUSPENDED FROM TRADE

- Malaysian leisure firm Saujana Consolidated Bhd has suspended trade in its shares pending an announcement, the stock exchange said on Thursday.

SOLID Q1 FOR SE ASIA TELECOMS, PRICE CUTS MAY BITE

- Most Southeast Asian telecom companies look set to post buoyant quarterly profits, thanks to a surge in mobile subscribers and as users send more text messages and surf the Web on their phones.

For details, please double-click on [ID:nSIN72330]

MALAYSIA TO TACKLE DIESEL SUBSIDIES AS PRIORITY

- Malaysia plans to tackle diesel subsidies as its first priority in dealing with an energy-subsidy bill that is costing the government about $17 billion a year, the domestic trade minister said on Thursday.

For details, please double-click on [ID:nKLR36049]

INDONESIA NATRINDO CONFIDENT OF 1 MLN MOBILE USERS IN '08

- Indonesia's PT Natrindo Telepon Selular, the latest entrant into the country's rapidly growing telecoms sector, said it is confident of signing on more than one million mobile phone users by the end of the year. Malaysia's biggest mobile phone operator, Maxis Communications Bhd, holds a 44 percent stake in Natrindo.

For details, please double-click on [ID:nJAK236886]

MALAYSIA AIRLINES SAYS EYEING MERGERS AS FUEL SOARS

- Flag carrier Malaysian Airline System is considering possible mergers, as the industry struggles to cope with soaring fuel prices and softer demand, Chief Executive Idris Jala said on Thursday.

For details, please double-click on [ID:nKLR330358]

MALAYSIA CAR DISTRIBUTORS IN MERGER TALKS - PAPER

- Malaysian car-maker Proton Holdings Bhd is set to enter talks over a possible merger of its distribution arm with rival Edaran Otomobil Nasional Bhd (EON) , a local newspaper said on Friday.

A merger would allow state-controlled Proton to focus solely on manufacturing and create a distribution business with annual sales of more than 2 billion ringgit ($637 million), the Business Times said, quoting unidentified bankers.

($1=3.141 Malaysian Ringgit) (Reporting by Clarence Fernandez and Naveen Thukral) ((jalil.hamid@reuters.com; +603-2333-8046; Reuters messaging: naveen.thukral.reuters.com@reuters.net; areuters@gmail.com)) ($1=1.359 Singapore Dollar)