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  • The University of Tokyo and Fujitsu launch trial for Japan’s first cloud-connected inter-regional workload shift based on power grid conditions

    The University of Tokyo and Fujitsu launch trial for Japan’s first cloud-connected inter-regional workload shift based on power grid conditions

    The University of Tokyo (UTokyo) and Fujitsu Limited today announced the commencement of a trial on inter-regional workload shifting between data centers. This initiative is part of the Watt-Bit Collaboration Project, which aims to optimize electricity supply and demand by integrating and operating power and communication systems in response to the increasing power consumption of data centers driven by AI demand. The trial will run from January 5, 2026, to March 31, 2026.

    This trial is a technical verification toward the realization of the Watt-Bit Collaboration Project for Green Transformation, which the UTokyo announced with TEPCO Power Grid in October 2025. Moving forward, the partners aim to build a carbon-neutral and sustainable infrastructure and contribute to green transformation by actively utilizing renewable energy to meet electricity demand.

    The two organizations will collaborate with national and related bodies to expand connected locations and plan additional verifications, including the utilization of APN (All Photonics Network), the next-generation communication infrastructure. Through open innovation and collaboration across industry, government, and academia, the organizations will develop technologies to realize a sovereign distributed data center concept ensuring data and operational sovereignty primarily in regions surrounding renewable energy sources, thereby contributing to the development of sustainable public infrastructure.

    UTokyo’s Center for Strategic Promotion of Green Transformation (GX) has previously promoted the introduction of renewable energy, the spatial and temporal understanding of electricity consumption, and conducted trials on workload shifting based on electricity price differences between regions. In addition to these efforts, UTokyo will proceed with the integrated visualization of campus-wide electricity consumption and carbon footprint, the utilization of energy data such as from power grids, and the optimization of electricity consumption within the campus across facilities and equipment, including workload shifting, and further utilization of renewable energy.

    Fujitsu aims to advance the social implementation of the Watt-Bit Collaboration and make the world more sustainable by providing the sovereign cloud solution Fujitsu Cloud Service powered by Oracle Alloy and cloud-native technologies including containers, which are essential for distributed data centers.

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  • Astroglial kappa opioid receptor-mediated reduction of glutamate exchanger xCT in the prelimbic cortex underlies chronic stress-induced depressive-like behaviors

    Astroglial kappa opioid receptor-mediated reduction of glutamate exchanger xCT in the prelimbic cortex underlies chronic stress-induced depressive-like behaviors

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  • S&P hits a new high at close as strong growth lifts tech stocks

    S&P hits a new high at close as strong growth lifts tech stocks

    US share markets finished higher on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 closing at a record level, as fresh economic data showed the US economy is running hotter than expected.

    A wave of reports, led by stronger-than-forecast growth figures, pushed government bond yields higher and helped lift growth stocks, particularly big technology names.

    The US Commerce Department said the economy grew at an annual rate of 4.3 per cent in the September quarter. That was the fastest pace since the September quarter of 2023 and well above the 3.3 per cent forecast from economists surveyed by Reuters. Solid consumer spending did most of the heavy lifting.

    The figures were released late because of the 43-day US government shutdown. Many analysts had expected growth to slow in the December quarter, but the surprise strength has changed how markets see the outlook for interest rates.

    Investors are now less confident the US Federal Reserve will cut rates in January. Short-term bond yields rose in response, according to CME’s FedWatch Tool.

    “The bond market didn’t like this news,” said Stephen Massocca, senior vice president at Wedbush Securities in San Francisco.

    “It seems to me that when we lose this battle, growth does well, and growth’s doing well today,” he said.
    “But if you’re a food company, or you’re a chemical company, or you’re an oil and gas company, or even if you’re like a private credit company, that’s bad news. Unless interest rates go down, it’s bad.”

    Tech leads the market higher

    The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 79.73 points, or 0.16 per cent, to 48,442.41. The S&P 500 gained 31.30 points, or 0.46 per cent, to 6,909.79. The Nasdaq Composite climbed 133.02 points, or 0.57 per cent, to 23,561.84.

    Growth stocks clearly led the way. The S&P 500 growth index rose 0.8 per cent, while value stocks barely moved.

    Artificial intelligence-linked shares added to recent gains after last week’s sell-off, which was driven by worries that valuations had run too far ahead of profits and that heavy spending by AI companies could weigh on earnings.

    Nvidia jumped 3.0 per cent, making it the single biggest driver of gains in the S&P 500. Amazon, Alphabet and Broadcom also rose more than 1.0 per cent.

    Not all good news

    Away from the headline growth number, other data painted a mixed picture of the economy.

    US consumer confidence fell in December, as households grew more anxious about jobs and incomes. Factory output was flat in November after falling the month before.

    Even so, markets remain on a strong footing. All three major US share indexes are on track for a third straight year of gains. The S&P 500 and the Dow are also heading for an eighth consecutive monthly rise.

    That recent momentum has fuelled hopes of a so-called “Santa Claus rally” – a seasonal pattern where the S&P 500 often rises in the final five trading days of the year and the first two sessions of January, according to the Stock Trader’s Almanac. This year, that period runs from Wednesday through to 5 January.

    Holiday slowdown begins

    Trading was already quieter than usual and is expected to thin out further as Christmas approaches.

    US share markets will close early at 1.00pm ET on Wednesday and will be shut on Thursday for Christmas. About 14.01 billion shares changed hands during the session, below the recent 20-day average of 16.67 billion.

    Company moves to watch

    Shares in ServiceNow fell 1.5 per cent after the software company agreed to buy cybersecurity startup Armis for US$7.75bn (A$11.58bn) in cash.

    US military shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls edged up 0.3 per cent after President Donald Trump announced plans for a new “Trump class” of battleships, which he said would be larger, faster and “100 times more powerful” than existing vessels.

    Miner Freeport-McMoRan climbed 2.5 per cent to a 15-month high of US$52.29 (A$78.13), helped by record copper prices and a higher price target from Wells Fargo.

    Market breadth

    Falling stocks slightly outnumbered those that rose. On the Nasdaq, declines were more widespread.

    The S&P 500 recorded 35 new 52-week highs and five new lows. The Nasdaq Composite logged 70 new highs and 178 new lows.

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  • Shoppers tipped to splash cash in Boxing Day spree

    Shoppers tipped to splash cash in Boxing Day spree

    A $1.6 billion Boxing Day

    Australians are expected to splash $1.6 billion on Boxing Day sales alone, as budget-conscious shoppers gravitate towards a bargain despite growing cost-of-living pressures.

    Sales are tipped to rise by 4.3 per cent, delivering strong end-of-year momentum for retailers according to data from the Australian Retailers Association and Roy Morgan.

    The spending surge is expected to continue into the coming week, with shoppers projected to spend $3.8 billion through to the new year.

    Solid pre-Christmas spending

    Early Christmas purchasing and a solid build-up through December have created a strong platform for Boxing Day trading, the association’s chief executive Chris Rodwell said.

    “Retailers are finishing the year on solid footing,” he said.

    “The growth we’re seeing highlights both the resilience of the sector and the enduring appeal of Boxing Day as a premier discount event.”

    The products expected to drive the numbers

    Household goods are expected to be the most popular items on Boxing Day, with $476 million in sales forecast, followed by clothing, footwear and accessories at $226 million.

    Hospitality spending is tipped to increase by 6.8 per cent from last year to $141 million.

    Supporting local business

    Bargain shoppers are being urged to support local retailers during the festive spending period, with Mr Rodwell noting every purchase helps fund local jobs, training, wages and community investment.

    “Ultra low-cost offshore platforms like Temu and Shein cannot match that contribution and are not held accountable to the same standards,” he said.

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  • Homes fit for heroes: 1,000 military homes upgraded in time for Christmas

    Homes fit for heroes: 1,000 military homes upgraded in time for Christmas

    • Completion of Consumer Charter pledge to transform 1,000 worst homes ahead of schedule
    • Hundreds more military properties to be upgraded by the spring.
    • The major upgrades show early delivery of the Defence Housing Strategy – a generational renewal of military homes.

    Military families across the UK will celebrate Christmas in homes fit for heroes as improvements to fix 1,000 of the worst forces houses have completed ahead of schedule.

    The ambitious programme of works to urgently fix 1,000 military homes has also now been extended, with a further 250 military properties to receive priority upgrades over the coming months – a 25% increase on the target set out by Defence Secretary John Healey when launching the Consumer Charter only eight months ago.

    The programme of housing improvements, known as Raising the Minimum Standards, has seen significant works take place at service family homes across the UK, with upgrades made to almost 700 properties in England, over 150 properties in Northern Ireland, over 100 in Wales and over 50 in Scotland.

    Works in England include improvements to more than 200 military homes in Wiltshire and Windsor, as well as homes in Bassingbourn, Swanton Morely, Woodbridge and Uxbridge.

    Homes across the country have received a complete makeover including new flooring and other improvements such as replacing unreliable boilers and heating systems, repairing hundreds of leaky roofs and installing new bathrooms, kitchens, windows and doors.

    These are the first steps of delivery under the MOD’s mission to transform military family housing, with £9 billion of investment allocated for a generational renewal of defence housing over the next ten years. The Defence Housing Strategy will see the modernisation, refurbishing or rebuilding of more than 40,000 service family homes and has been enabled by the landmark deal made just 12 months ago to bring 36,000 military homes back into public ownership.

    Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said:

    Our Armed Forces and their families sacrifice so much for our country, the least they deserve are safe and decent homes. The work we’ve done to upgrade the 1,000 worst homes means that more families can now enjoy Christmas together in homes that are fit for heroes.

    This is just the start of our ambitious work to upgrade tens of thousands of homes across the country, made possible by our landmark deal to bring 36,000 homes back into public ownership and backed by £9 billion investment. We are ending the decades of neglect and giving our dedicated Armed Forces families the homes they deserve.

    Cpl Jack Crean, his partner Nina and their one-year-old son Charlie have just moved into one of the newly refurbished homes at Bassingbourn Barracks in Cambridgeshire.

    Cpl Crean said:

    We are really pleased to be in our new home for Christmas. Everyone is a lot happier here, especially Charlie. It’s nice to live in an up-to-date house, it works so much better for the whole family and if I was to go away, I know that my family is in a clean, modern house.

    David Brewer, Chief Operating Officer for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation said:

    I am very proud of the improvements our teams have made to a 1,000 of our worst homes. This is just the start of a generational renewal which will see 9 out of 10 homes improved. We are already seeing the results of the changes we are making through our charter commitments and are determined to do even more to improve the homes and deliver the experience our armed forces deserve.

    The refurbishment of the 1,000 worst homes was just one the Consumer Charter commitments made by the Secretary of State to improve the experience of service families. All the Charter Commitments made in April 2025 are on course to be achieved by the end of this year, including the implementation of robust standards, ensuring service families can be confident they are moving into clean and functional homes, modernised policies making it easier to personalise homes, and the introduction of a named Housing Officer for every family to provide greater support.

    These improvements are already being reflected in the results of monthly surveys of Service personnel, which show a clear upward trajectory in overall levels of satisfaction.

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  • why Australian canola matters more than you think

    why Australian canola matters more than you think

    Australia is set to grow enough canola this year to “fill just over six MCGs”, according to CommBank Agriculture and Sustainability Economist Dennis Voznesenski. Yet very little of that crop stays at home.

    “Most of our canola is sent to Asia, the Middle East and Europe,” Voznesenski said.

    Once offshore, the oilseed has two main uses. One is familiar – cooking oil. The other surprises many people.

    “It’s either eaten as cooking oil or, believe it or not, turned into fuel,” he said.

    Why canola is part of the fuel conversation

    The idea of crops powering vehicles isn’t new, but it has gained momentum as governments and industries look for ways to cut emissions.

    “A while ago scientists found that biofuels, when burnt in a car, truck or plane, produce fewer emissions than conventional fossil fuel,” Voznesenski said.

    Biofuels are particularly relevant for sectors where cutting emissions is difficult. Aviation is one of them.

    “You can make cars electric but not planes, at least not yet,” he said. “In the case of plane transportation, it helps reduce emissions in a hard to abate sector.”

    That makes sustainable aviation fuel a growing focus globally – and a potential opportunity for Australian agriculture.

    The missing piece: local production

    Despite Australia’s large canola harvests, the country currently has limited ability to turn crops into fuel.

    “As of today, there’s very limited capacity to create biofuel in Australia for road-based vehicles, and none for planes,” Voznesenski said.

    The main barrier is cost.

    “The cost of biofuel far outstrips conventional diesel,” he said.

    That price gap has slowed investment locally, even as overseas markets scale up production and demand.

    More than an emissions story

    While emissions reduction is often the headline, Voznesenski said local biofuel production could deliver broader economic and strategic benefits.

    One is supply security.

    “Last year Australia imported over 95 per cent of its fuel,” he said. “That’s a scary stat for any industry.”

    Producing more fuel domestically could reduce Australia’s exposure to global supply disruptions and geopolitical shocks.

    Another benefit is for farmers.

    “Creating local demand for crops reduces the risk of economic coercion being used against the farming sector,” Voznesenski said, pointing to recent tariff disputes that have affected agricultural exports over the past five years.

    A domestic biofuels industry could provide growers with another major buyer for their crops, helping to diversify income streams and reduce reliance on a small number of export markets.

    What it could mean for canola growers

    If Australia were to establish a sustainable aviation fuel industry, the scale of demand would be significant.

    “If a sector for sustainable aviation fuel production is created in Australia, our numbers show that roughly a million tonnes of canola would be needed,” Voznesenski said.

    That level of demand would represent a substantial share of current production and could reshape how and where canola is sold.

    It would also keep more value onshore, linking regional farming communities more closely to domestic energy and transport supply chains.

    The key takeaway

    Canola may look like just another crop, but it sits at the intersection of agriculture, energy security and emissions reduction.

    You can explore the economics and implications of canola in more detail in the report Refuelling Australian Aviation.

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  • Gold Climbs Above $4,500/oz for First Time Amid Rising Geopolitical Tensions – The Wall Street Journal

    1. Gold Climbs Above $4,500/oz for First Time Amid Rising Geopolitical Tensions  The Wall Street Journal
    2. Gold, silver and platinum sparkle at all-time peaks  Reuters
    3. Gold and silver hit records as investors hunt for safety  BBC
    4. Gold hits record high on US rate cut bets; silver joins rally to hit all-time peak  Dawn
    5. Gold tops $4,500, Japan stabilizes, U.S. data in focus— what’s moving markets  Investing.com

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  • PSX extends losses in PIA-driven cautious trade – Dawn

    1. PSX extends losses in PIA-driven cautious trade  Dawn
    2. KSE-100 Index closes marginally lower as all eyes on PIA sale  Business Recorder
    3. Investors tread cautiously in rollover week  The Express Tribune
    4. Stock market sheds 200 points, closes at 171,204 points  The Nation (Pakistan )
    5. PSX Closing Bell: Stayin’ Alive  Mettis Global

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  • PSX extends losses in PIA-driven cautious trade – Dawn

    1. PSX extends losses in PIA-driven cautious trade  Dawn
    2. KSE-100 Index closes marginally lower as all eyes on PIA sale  Business Recorder
    3. Investors tread cautiously in rollover week  The Express Tribune
    4. Stock market sheds 200 points, closes at 171,204 points  The Nation (Pakistan )
    5. PSX Closing Bell: Stayin’ Alive  Mettis Global

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  • Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia chair appointed

    Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia chair appointed

    • Experienced mining executive to
      lead State’s premier minerals research body
    • Vanessa Torres succeeds Miriam
      Stanborough in role
    • Appointments drive innovation and
      research excellence in Western Australia

    Mines and Petroleum
    Minister David Michael today announced the appointment of Dr Vanessa Torres as
    the new chair of the Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia (MRIWA).

    Dr Torres will assume the
    role on 1 January 2026 for an initial three-year term.

    She succeeds Miriam
    Stanborough AM, who has led the MRIWA Board since January 2020.

    Dr Torres joins MRIWA
    following a distinguished career of more than 25 years across the global
    resources industry, including senior leadership roles.

    She is a current director
    of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia and the Minerals Council
    of Australia.

    Dr Torres holds a
    Doctorate in Minerals Engineering along with executive education from INSEAD, Massachusetts
    Institute of Technology, and London Business School and was the winner of the
    2025 AFR Women in Leadership Award.

    A number of other changes
    will be made to the MRIWA board in the new year with:

    • existing
      board member Mr Gerard Danckert assumes the role of Deputy Chair on 1 March
      2026, replacing Dr Linda Tompkins in the role;
    • Dr
      Michelle Carey being appointed for a three-year term from 1 March 2026; and
    • Mr Rylee
      Campbell and Ms Michele Spencer each being re-appointed for three-year terms
      from 1 February 2026.

    These appointments come
    as MRIWA continues to support minerals research while legislation to expand its
    research scope to include clean energy and emissions reduction research is
    currently before Parliament.

    Comments attributed to
    Mines and Petroleum Minister David Michael:

    “I congratulate Dr Torres
    and the other board members on their appointment and look forward to working
    with them as MRIWA continues to drive innovation and research excellence in
    Western Australia.

    “Dr Torres brings exceptional leadership experience across operations,
    strategy, technology and business development that will be invaluable as MRIWA
    navigates the opportunities presented by the global energy transition and
    critical minerals boom.

    “I would also like to
    express my sincere gratitude to Miriam Stanborough for her outstanding service
    as MRIWA chair over the past six years.

    “Miriam has been
    instrumental in strengthening MRIWA’s collaborative partnerships between
    industry, academia and government and her leadership has positioned the
    Institute to support Western Australia’s transition to a clean energy future.

    “Her contribution to the
    minerals sector was rightfully recognised in 2023 when she was appointed a
    Member of the Order of Australia for her significant service to the mining
    industry and the community.”

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