(Bloomberg) — Asian stocks advanced after three days of losses, as optimism over a potential Federal Reserve interest-rate cut lifted sentiment and outweighed renewed US-China trade tensions.
MSCI’s regional stock gauge gained 1.3% after Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s concerns about a weakening labor market reinforced expectations for an October rate cut. Futures on the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 rose 0.1% as investors shrugged off trade-war concerns after President Donald Trump said he might stop trade in cooking oil with China.
The offshore yuan extended its gains after China boosted its currency defense on Wednesday amid a trade spat. A gauge of the dollar weakened and gold set a new peak. Treasury two-year yields hovered near their lowest levels since 2022 while crude oil was near a five-month low.
Since the tariff-fueled selloff in April, global stocks have rebounded sharply, buoyed by optimism over artificial intelligence and expectations of further monetary easing following the Fed’s September rate cut. That rally, however, faces headwinds as trade tensions between the US and China resurface, with both sides stepping up rhetoric and signaling possible new restrictions on key technology.
“Macro uncertainty remains the key overhang for risk assets,” said Dilin Wu, a strategist at Pepperstone Group, in a note. “With rate-cut bets and solid earnings underpinning sentiment, I believe the downside for US stocks remains limited.”
In China, the currency gained after the central bank set the so-called yuan fixing at 7.0995 per dollar, stronger than the closely watched 7.1 per dollar level amid mounting trade tensions with the US. It’s the first time since November that the central bank has set the yuan fixing stronger than 7.1 per dollar, after holding that line since late August.
“A fix below 7.10 sends a strong message of strength,” said Fiona Lim, a senior foreign-exchange analyst at Malayan Banking Bhd. in Singapore. “A strong yuan is symbolic of how China is in a position of strength for any negotiations or tit-for-tat escalations.”
What Bloomberg strategists say…
Fed dovishness is driving a fresh bout of dollar weakness, which also clears the path for hedging strategies centered on gold. The theme of buying stocks despite AI bubble fears — and adding to bullion holdings in case those fears become reality — looks to be getting a fresh run.
— Garfield Reynolds, MLIV Team Leader. For full analysis, click here.
Also, China’s deflation eased in September, leaving the country on track for the longest streak of economy-wide price declines since market reforms in the late 1970s.
Earlier, Powell signaled the US central bank is on track to deliver another quarter-point interest-rate cut later this month, even as a government shutdown significantly reduces its read on the economy.
Swap contracts are pricing in roughly 1.25 percentage points of rate cuts by the end of next year, from the current range of 4%-4.25%.
Powell said the economic outlook appeared unchanged since policymakers met in September, when they lowered rates and projected two more cuts this year. Boston Fed President Susan Collins also said the US central bank should continue lowering rates this year to support the labor market.
“Markets viewed Fed Chair Powell’s speech as consistent with continued rate cuts over the coming FOMC meetings this year,” ANZ Group Holdings Ltd. analysts Brian Martin and Daniel Hynes said in a note.
While Powell’s remarks set the tone for trading, investors were also monitoring a series of trade-related developments.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer predicted that heightened tensions with China over export controls would ease, following talks between representatives of the two countries. Trump, too, sounded cautiously optimistic that a positive outcome could be reached.
“We have a fair relationship with China, and I think it’ll be fine. And if it’s not, that’s OK too,” Trump told reporters Tuesday at the White House. “We have a lot of punches being thrown, and we’ve been very successful.”
Elsewhere, the European Union is considering forcing Chinese firms to hand over technology to European companies if they want to operate locally, in an aggressive new push to make the bloc’s industry more competitive.
Attention in Asia is also on Japan. Investors are cautious going into the country’s 20-year government bond auction on Wednesday as the shock collapse of the ruling coalition fuels fresh political uncertainty.
Longer-maturity bonds plunged after Sanae Takaichi’s surprise victory in the Liberal Democratic Party election earlier this month, while prospects for her becoming prime minister diminished after the rupture of the 26-year alliance last week.
Amid the political uncertainty, the heads of Japan’s main opposition parties are expected to discuss Wednesday whether they can close policy gaps and pick a candidate of their own for the nation’s premiership.
Corporate News:
Asian luxury-goods stocks rose after LVMH sales unexpectedly returned to growth in the third quarter as shoppers splurged on Moët & Chandon Champagne and Dior perfumes, suggesting a persistent slump in luxury demand is easing. Apple Inc. is preparing to expand its manufacturing operations in Vietnam as part of a push into the smart home market and an ongoing effort to lessen its dependence on China. Stellantis NV will invest $13 billion in the US over the next four years, as it seeks to reinvigorate business in the critical market and curb the impact of tariffs. Some of the main moves in markets:
Stocks
S&P 500 futures rose 0.2% as of 11:57 a.m. Tokyo time Japan’s Topix rose 1.3% Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.9% Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 0.9% The Shanghai Composite was little changed Euro Stoxx 50 futures rose 0.9% Currencies
The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index fell 0.2% The euro rose 0.2% to $1.1626 The Japanese yen rose 0.5% to 151.06 per dollar The offshore yuan rose 0.2% to 7.1277 per dollar Cryptocurrencies
Bitcoin fell 0.1% to $112,935.06 Ether was little changed at $4,120.94 Bonds
The yield on 10-year Treasuries declined two basis points to 4.01% Japan’s 10-year yield was little changed at 1.650% Australia’s 10-year yield declined two basis points to 4.21% Commodities
West Texas Intermediate crude fell 0.4% to $58.49 a barrel Spot gold rose 0.8% to $4,174.25 an ounce This story was produced with the assistance of Bloomberg Automation.
Japan Mobility Show 2025 (JMS), to be held at Tokyo Big Sight from October 30, 2025, is an event where visitors can see, touch, and experience the future of mobility. Evolving from the Tokyo Motor Show, JMS operates adopts the concept “Let’s go explore an exciting future!”
Since its founding, Honda has always been driven by the dreams of Honda associates and creating mobility products using its original technologies and ideas. As a comprehensive mobility company, Honda continues to take on challenges to augment possibilities for people and society through its mobility products and services.
Pedestrians pass a Huawei Technologies Co. flagship store in Shenzhen, China, on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025.
Qilai Shen | Bloomberg | Getty Images
China’s consumer prices fell more than expected in September, while the deflation in producer prices persisted, underscoring the impact of sluggish domestic demand and trade worries on consumer and business sentiment.
The consumer price index fell 0.3% in September from a year earlier, National Bureau of Statistics data showed on Wednesday, a sharper decline than economists’ forecast of a 0.2% slide. Prices ticked up 0.1% month-on-month.
Core CPI, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, rose 1.0% from a year earlier, the highest since February 2024, according to data from Wind Information.
China’s producer price index dropped 2.3% from a year ago, in line with economists’ forecast, official data showed.
The producer price downturn has persisted for almost three years, hurting profitability of manufacturers who have had to weather tepid consumer confidence and production disruption stemming from U.S. trade policies.
Weak consumer demand has weighed on the world’s second-largest economy that’s struggling from a prolonged housing downturn and tepid household spending while U.S. tariffs squeeze exports.
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(Bloomberg) — Gold rose to a record high, boosted by an escalation in US-China frictions and bets the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates twice more this year.
Bullion climbed to a peak of $4,185 an ounce. Spot silver advanced after a volatile day on Tuesday that saw prices surge to an all-time high above $53.54 an ounce, before tumbling sharply amid signs a historic squeeze is starting to ease.
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Yields on US Treasuries fell to the lowest levels in weeks on Tuesday, after Fed Chair Jerome Powell signaled the US central bank is on track to deliver another quarter-point cut later this month. Lower yields and borrowing costs tend to benefit precious metals, which don’t pay interest.
Meanwhile, risk-off sentiment swept markets — boosting gold’s haven appeal — after President Donald Trump said he might stop trade in cooking oil with China. The comments injected fresh tensions into the relationship between the world’s two largest economies, with Beijing vowing to retaliate after Washington threatened an additional 100% tariff on China last week.
In silver, the market has been gripped by a lack of liquidity in London, sparking a worldwide hunt for metal and driving benchmark prices to soar above futures in New York. The gap between the two markets narrowed on Tuesday after London prices fell, while the cost of borrowing silver in the city also started to decline, although both remained at very high levels.
Traders remain on edge ahead of the conclusion of the US administration’s so-called Section 232 probe into critical minerals — which includes silver, as well as platinum and palladium. The investigation has revived fears the metals could be swept up in new tariffs, even after they were officially exempt from levies in April.
The four main precious metals have surged between 58% and 80% this year, in a rally that’s dominated commodity markets. Gold’s advance has been underpinned by central-bank buying, rising holdings in exchange-traded funds, and Fed rate cuts.
Demand for havens has been aided by recurrent US-China trade tensions, threats to the Fed’s independence, and a US government shutdown. Investors have also been seeking safety in precious metals to protect themselves from the threats posed by runaway budget deficits — a phenomenon known as the “debasement trade.”
Meeting Australia’s emissions reduction targets is not going to be simple and the Queensland Liberal National government has gone out of its way to make it much harder.
Its energy roadmap, released on Friday, can’t really be interpreted as anything other than a transparently political document, designed to placate climate deniers that have a stranglehold on significant parts of the state’s governing party. You wouldn’t be heading down this path otherwise.
As previously promised, Queensland’s treasurer and energy minister, David Janetzki, confirmed the government plans to repeal the former state Labor government’s target of 80% of the electricity coming from renewable energy by 2035. That target included a now abandoned commitment to shut state-owned coal power plants by that date.
Instead, Janetzki said, coal would “play a critical role” in the energy system until at least 2046, meaning the dirty fossil fuel “will be part of the state’s generation for decades”. He has pledged $1.6bn to help keep coal plants running longer.
The government also wants to more than double the amount of gas-fired power in the state over the next decade, including building a new 400 megawatt gas plant in central Queensland. It has kicked in $479m to help get there.
Janetzki argued there would also be an expansion of renewable energy, promising $400m to help with the transition. But in reality, the state’s plans for large-scale solar and wind have been dramatically scaled back.
Up to 6.8 gigawatts of new renewable capacity is promised by 2030, but this is just a reiteration of what is already planned by private investors, including developments being underwritten by the federal government’s capacity investment scheme.
After that, the treasurer says expansion of clean energy will slow. Only 4.4GW is expected to be built between 2030 and 2035.
If this happens, it will lead to vast amounts more greenhouse gas than currently forecast being pumped into the atmosphere over the next decade. But you wouldn’t know this from reading the energy roadmap. The phrases “climate change” and “fossil fuels” don’t appear.
This is not just a major step back from what was promised under Labor – parts of which renewable energy supporters quietly believed may have been more ambitious than realistic. It also works against the Australian Energy Market Operator’s blueprint for an optimal future power grid.
Janetzki argued his plan was “pragmatic and realistic” and “founded on economics and engineering, and not on ideology”. The latter is a familiar line used by some other Liberal party figures, notably Malcolm Turnbull and Matt Kean, and usually when making the case for renewable energy with firming support as the cheapest and most flexible electricity solution.
The Queensland treasurer has turned this on its head, claiming unreleased government modelling shows that propping up coal, building gas and injecting less solar and wind into the system will save the average household $1,035 a year.
How, exactly? The view among experts is this seems wildly optimistic. It is at odds with other analyses. And it rides roughshod over an obvious point: the coal plants are going to have to be replaced. Pushing that transition beyond a timeframe when the current leadership will be in government doesn’t change that.
Most analysts say the transition is likely to be cheaper if there is a plan for the fossil fuel’s exit. Big energy investors – who these days are overwhelmingly solar and wind and battery investors – will be better prepared to deliver replacement plants if they know when they will be needed. The LNP is stripping away that certainty and sending a signal that investors may be better off building somewhere else.
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It’s been doing this for a while, including by cancelling windfarms that had been approved and changing environment laws to make it harder to build them.
Queensland is Australia’s biggest polluting state. It has huge amounts of sun and land, but the lowest proportion of electricity from renewable energy in the country. Even Western Australia, which has no climate targets and is famously in the thrall of fossil fuel companies, performs better.
Over the past year, just 32% of Queensland’s power came from solar, wind and hydro, while 64% came from coal. Strip out booming rooftop solar and the proportion from large-scale big generators was less than 18%.
Compare this with the entire nation, where 42% of electricity was from renewables and 53% from coal. Or compare it with the global picture where, according to the thinktank Ember, renewable energy in the first six months of 2025 surpassed coal generation for the first time, largely thanks to solar generation growing by a third.
The sunshine state could choose to be a leader in this shift but is instead opting to crawl while others sprint.
Meanwhile, its coal plants are often failing – 78 times last summer alone, according to Renew Economy.
Perhaps this is why the premier, David Crisafulli, can keep a straight face while arguing he is still committed to meeting targets of cutting state emissions by 75% by 2035 (compared with 2005 levels) and net zero. Without coal shutdowns and a corresponding surge in renewable energy, he has no plan to get there.
Nationally, the same can be said of the Albanese government’s recently announced 62-70% emissions target range for 2035. The backslide up north ultimately means there will need to be a bigger drive in Canberra to cut pollution – and sooner, rather than later.
Sapiens International (NasdaqGS:SPNS) has quietly advanced over the past three months, gaining attention from investors interested in its steady performance and growth in the insurance software sector. The company’s recent track record has outpaced broader benchmarks.
See our latest analysis for Sapiens International.
Sapiens International’s share price has surged nearly 65% year-to-date and climbed 44.5% over the last three months, highlighting strong momentum. This stands in contrast to a steadier long-term total shareholder return of 23% over the past year and 143% over three years. Investors appear to be rewarding its consistent growth, indicating renewed optimism about its future prospects.
If Sapiens’ rise has you considering what’s next in tech, now is the perfect time to explore other potential standouts with our See the full list for free.
But with shares now trading well above analyst targets and recent gains reflecting strong sentiment, investors may wonder whether Sapiens remains undervalued or if markets have already priced in all its future growth.
Sapiens International’s last close at $43.09 stands notably above the most widely followed fair value estimate of $37.25, sparking debate around the company’s premium and what underpins this ambitious target.
The expansion of Sapiens’ insurance platform, especially with successful contract wins and platform implementations, is expected to drive revenue growth by enhancing their market position and adding new customers. Increasing cloud adoption, with a goal to transition over 60% of customers to their SaaS model within five years, can lead to higher margins and increased recurring revenue, positively impacting net margins and ARR.
Read the complete narrative.
Want the full playbook behind this high sticker price? The narrative’s valuation hinges on aggressive tech adoption, platform dominance, and a margin growth story. The biggest surprise is how these fast-moving drivers add up, so don’t miss the calculations behind the hype and see which assumptions could tip the scales.
Result: Fair Value of $37.25 (OVERVALUED)
Have a read of the narrative in full and understand what’s behind the forecasts.
However, modest projected revenue growth and challenges during the SaaS transition could limit Sapiens’ upside if these headwinds persist longer than anticipated.
Find out about the key risks to this Sapiens International narrative.
If you have your own view or want to dig deeper, you can analyze the numbers and shape your own narrative in just a few minutes. Do it your way
A great starting point for your Sapiens International research is our analysis highlighting 2 key rewards and 1 important warning sign that could impact your investment decision.
Don’t risk missing tomorrow’s winners by only watching one stock. Instantly energize your watchlist and see which fast-rising opportunities could strengthen and diversify your portfolio right now.
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Companies discussed in this article include SPNS.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
Striving to help people through its mobility products and services and continue to offer new value that will surprise and inspire people, Honda has been developing new technologies across its wide range of businesses. In the area of power products, Honda has been pursuing enhanced application of autonomous and intelligent technologies to its products to deliver new value that enables people to make their daily lives more enjoyable, while addressing various societal challenges.
In particular, in the lawn care and landscaping industry in advanced countries, where an aging workforce and human resource shortage have become a concern, there is growing demand for products that increase the efficiency of landscaping work. Since the market launch of its first robotic lawn mower, the Miimo HRM500, in Europe in 2012, Honda has continued to offer products that contribute to making mowing and trimming more efficient and less labor-intensive.
Against such a backdrop, Honda is introducing the ProZision series of riding lawn mowers that combine advanced mowing technologies Honda has amassed through years of research and development of various types of lawn mowers, with the latest autonomous and intelligent technologies. ProZision series models will deliver outstanding terrain handling capability that stands up to difficult landscaping conditions, as well as outstanding cutting performance with Honda MicroCut® Twin Blades.
The ProZision Autonomous is capable of operating in autonomous mode by memorizing and accurately following mowing routes and patterns pre-set by the operator, while recognizing its accurate location using GNSS*. During operation, onboard radar and LiDAR sensors provide 360-degree sensing of the surroundings to detect changes in terrain and obstacles to enable the ProZision Autonomous to automatically determine the appropriate mowing route. This makes it possible for the ProZision Autonomous to operate safely and achieve a high-quality lawn finish without needing a human operator on board.
The ProZision Autonomous will contribute not only to addressing labor shortage and cost reduction challenges facing the lawn care and landscape maintenance industry, but also to mitigating worker burden in harsh work environments, such as rough terrain and dusty conditions.
In addition to electrification, Honda will continue to expand application of autonomous and intelligent technologies to offer products that help people in their daily lives.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, presides over a symposium on the economic situation, and listens to opinions and suggestions from experts and entrepreneurs on the country’s economy and relevant work, Oct. 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
BEIJING, Oct. 14 — Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Tuesday presided over a symposium on the economic situation, and listened to opinions and suggestions from experts and entrepreneurs on the country’s economy and relevant work.
Since the beginning of the year, despite a complex external environment and challenges in economic operations, China has made continued efforts to sustain its economic recovery and advance high-quality development, Li said after hearing the speeches of experts and entrepreneurs.
Li highlighted the importance of maintaining confidence and facing problems squarely, remaining focused on managing China’s own affairs well, and striving to accomplish the country’s annual economic and social development targets.
He urged continued efforts to remove bottlenecks through reform, expand domestic demand, and strengthen domestic circulation. Greater efforts should be made to boost effective investment, stimulate market vitality, and address disorderly and irrational competition, he noted.
Li also stressed the need to accelerate the application of scientific and technological achievements, stabilize foreign trade and foreign investment, and enhance the system of comprehensive overseas services.
The premier expressed the hope that entrepreneurs will focus on innovation and make greater contributions to high-quality development. He also encouraged experts and scholars to offer valuable insights and advice to help improve China’s economic work and contribute to the country’s development in the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) period.
BRISBANE (October 15 2025) — AECOM, the trusted global infrastructure leader, today announced it has recommitted to its partnership with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and will provide in-kind advisory and technical consulting services aimed at finding tangible Reef restoration and resilience solutions over four more years. This builds on AECOM’s long-standing commitment to the Reef, which began in 2018 when work for the Foundation commenced. It led to a formalised partnership in 2022 and AUD$1 million of in-kind support provided over the three successful years since.
AECOM has supported several projects for the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, including its Resilient Reefs Initiative, Roads to Reef Initiative, Reef Islands Initiative and Blue Carbon Program.
“It’s an honour to recommit AECOM to another successful four years of using our specialist water and environmental advisory skills for good; delivering practical solutions to help sustain our Reef ecosystems for generations, a commitment to our purpose of delivering a better world,” said Mark McManamny, chief executive of AECOM’s Australia and New Zealand region. “The goal of AECOM’s Sustainable Legacies strategy is straightforward; leave a lasting positive impact on our communities and our planet, and this continued partnership is the embodiment of that ambition.”
“The Great Barrier Reef Foundation has worked with AECOM to build the resilience of coral reefs across four iconic world heritage sites, improve water quality outcomes on the Great Barrier Reef, and explore nature-based solutions such as blue carbon,” said Anna Marsden, managing director of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. “We are delighted to continue this powerful partnership, which in this next phase will focus on prioritising large-scale coastal ecosystem protection and restoration. AECOM’s specialist skills and industry expertise will be vital in helping us achieve our future aims and address the most complex and challenging problems facing the Great Barrier Reef’s survival.”
Roads to Reef Initiative
Roads to Reef has been the primary initiative over the past three years of partnership. AECOM road and water engineers, along with resilience advisors, have been working with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and Local Government Association Queensland. The aim has been to develop decision-support tools to identify areas at high risk of unsealed road erosion within the Reef catchment, thereby helping to minimise water quality impacts. AECOM specialists have undertaken hydrologic and GIS modelling across thousands of kilometres of unsealed roads and drainage paths throughout the entire Reef catchment.
Key outcomes:
Developed the first comprehensive model estimating how much fine sediment runoff from the entire unsealed road network is draining into the Great Barrier Reef lagoon.
Delivered the first model demonstrating that unsealed roads can contribute a significant portion of fine sediment runoff per unit area.
Created a framework to test future interventions, including nature-based solutions, aimed at reducing sediment runoff from unsealed roads, supporting local governments and other road management authorities in securing funding for these interventions.
Reef Islands Initiative
Reef Islands Initiative is the primary initiative within the recommitted partnership. AECOM environmental advisors are supporting the Great Barrier Reef Foundation to develop a prioritisation process that would action multi-habitat restoration activity on and around the Great Barrier Reef islands. Advice is being provided on terrestrial and marine ecosystem restoration opportunities, supporting increased biodiversity and resilience, and First Nations and community partnerships.
Resilient Reefs Initiative
AECOM’s partnership with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation builds upon its successful foundational collaboration on the Resilient Reefs Initiative that commenced in 2018. AECOM helped build reef resilience across UNESCO World Heritage-listed coral reefs, working with stakeholders on actionable resilience strategies. AECOM environmental advisors provided support for the release of the Ningaloo Coast, Rock Islands of Palau, Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System and the Lagoons of New Caledonia reef resilience strategies.
Key outcomes:
Delivered the first fully integrated and transferable model, with priority actions and funding allocations, for building resilience of both coral reefs and the communities that depend on them, from planning to implementation.
Blue Carbon Program
AECOM and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation are developing a white paper to discuss unlocking existing regulatory barriers that prevent blue carbon projects in the Great Barrier Reef catchments. Blue carbon projects refer to conservation, restoration and management efforts that enhance coastal and marine ecosystems like mangroves, seagrass and saltmarsh to sequester and store carbon. The paper is intended to advocate for blue carbon-focused, nature-based solutions within regulatory frameworks as legitimate alternatives to traditional engineering solutions. It seeks to streamline the approvals process for these efforts and provide evidence of their value.
About AECOM
AECOM is the global infrastructure leader, committed to delivering a better world. As a trusted professional services firm powered by deep technical abilities, we solve our clients’ complex challenges in water, environment, energy, transportation and buildings. Our teams partner with public- and private-sector clients to create innovative, sustainable and resilient solutions throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm that had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2024. Learn more at aecom.com.
About the Great Barrier Reef Foundation
The Great Barrier Reef Foundation is creating a future for the world’s coral reefs by restoring reefs and coastal habitats and helping them adapt to the impacts of climate change. We’ve built a collaborative organisation to raise funds, invest in innovative ideas and design real-world, scalable conservation programs that are delivering breakthroughs in marine and terrestrial restoration. Walking in step with First Nations people and front-line communities, the Foundation is fast-tracking and deploying solutions around the world.
