Category: 3. Business

The c-TRAK TN Trial , presented at the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS), reported results from a tissue-free circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis, providing new evidence that methylation-based, tumor-agnostic assays detect minimal residual disease earlier and in more patients with high-risk early triple-negative breast cancer than tumor-informed approaches.

Background and Rationale

Detection of ctDNA after completion of curative-intent therapy is a powerful prognostic marker for recurrence in early breast cancer. To date, most supporting evidence has come from tumor-informed assays, which require sequencing of the primary tumor to design personalized mutation panels. While analytically sensitive, these approaches are limited by the need for archival tissue, sequencing turnaround time, and logistical complexity.

Tissue-free ctDNA assays, which do not rely on prior tumor sequencing, offer a potential alternative if sufficient accuracy and prognostic performance can be demonstrated. The current analysis aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of tissue-free ctDNA detection in early TNBC and to directly compare its performance with tumor-informed digital droplet PCR (ddPCR).

c-TRAK TN Trial’s Study Design

The analysis utilized plasma samples from c-TRAK TN, the first prospective ctDNA surveillance study in early-stage TNBC. In c-TRAK TN, patients at moderate to high risk of relapse underwent serial ctDNA testing every three months following completion of standard therapy, using ddPCR to track tumor-specific mutations.

Archived plasma samples from this cohort were retrospectively analyzed using a tissue-free, methylation-based ctDNA assay, enabling a direct comparison between approaches within the same well-characterized population.

Tissue-Free ctDNA Assay Methodology

The tissue-free assay exploits differentially methylated regions (DMRs) between cancer and non-cancer DNA. Cell-free DNA was extracted from 2–4 mL of plasma, partitioned by methylation status, and enriched using a targeted capture panel covering approximately 20,000 DMRs, including 3,000 breast-specific regions. Tumor methylation fraction was reported in ctDNA-positive samples and correlated with tumor purity.

Importantly, this approach eliminates the need for tumor sequencing while maintaining biological specificity for breast cancer–derived ctDNA.

Patient Cohort and Follow-Up

A total of 1,026 plasma samples from 159 patients were analyzed using the tissue-free assay, with a median of 10 samples per patient. Quality control pass rates were high (98.6%). Median follow-up from the first surveillance blood draw was 33.9 months.

The cohort was representative of high-risk early TNBC, with the majority of tumors being high grade and most patients having received neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant chemotherapy.

ctDNA Detection and Risk of Recurrence

Detection of ctDNA at any time point during serial surveillance was strongly associated with recurrence risk. Patients with detectable ctDNA had a median recurrence-free survival (RFS) of 14.9 months, whereas median RFS was not reached in patients without ctDNA detection.

The association was robust, with a time-dependent hazard ratio of 28.7 (p < 0.001), underscoring the powerful prognostic value of ctDNA detection in this high-risk population.

Tissue-Free Assay Versus Tumor-Informed ddPCR

When directly compared with ddPCR, the tissue-free assay demonstrated 95.4% concordance at the sample level. Among 42 patients with ctDNA detected by both methods at any time point, two-thirds were detected simultaneously by both assays. Notably, 33.3% were detected earlier by the tissue-free assay, while no patients were detected earlier by ddPCR.

At 12 months, the estimated ctDNA detection rate was 29.0% with the tissue-free assay compared with 23.7% with ddPCR, indicating that the tissue-free approach identified ctDNA in more patients.

Clinical Lead Time to Relapse

The tissue-free assay also showed a trend toward a longer clinical lead time between ctDNA detection and overt relapse. Median time from first ctDNA detection to recurrence was 7.8 months with the tissue-free assay versus 5.8 months with ddPCR. Although this difference did not reach conventional statistical significance (HR 0.63, p = 0.07), the numerical advantage suggests earlier molecular detection may be achievable without tumor sequencing.

Conclusions and Implications

This SABCS 2025 presentation demonstrates that tissue-free ctDNA detection can anticipate relapse with high accuracy in patients with high-risk early TNBC. Compared with tumor-informed ddPCR, the tissue-free assay detected ctDNA more frequently and at earlier time points, while maintaining strong prognostic discrimination.

Ongoing comparisons with whole-exome sequencing–based tumor-informed assays will further clarify relative performance. While these findings establish strong analytical and prognostic validity, prospective interventional studies will be required to determine whether tissue-free ctDNA surveillance can guide treatment decisions and improve clinical outcomes.

For more information click here. 

This collaborative planning effort included shipboard visits, risk assessments, technical workshops and repeated sessions with Carnival’s technical teams in Miami, Southampton, Marseille and at the Carnival training centre. The aim was to build a shared and granular understanding of system conditions, survey requirements, and the operational profile of each vessel. 

Vincenzo Prinzi, Technical Operation Director, CCL, reflects: “The preparation for this project was extensive, and it allowed us to engage in meaningful discussions and work together with determination. Our strong communication played a key role in reaching a consensus on everything we planned.”

John Waters, LNG Inspection Project Manager, CUK, says: “The recent inspection of the LNG fuel system on Iona marked a first for Carnival UK and the collaboration with LR was important in its success. The communication and constructive approach helped navigate this new ground with confidence. Working closely together allowed us to address challenges quickly, maintain high safety standards and strengthen our capabilities in this emerging area.”

The inherent complexity of LNG fuel systems shaped every decision. Both Iona and Mardi Gras feature three fuel tanks and dual fuel trains designed for full redundancy, supported by sophisticated control logic and an extensive cryogenic piping network.  

“Managing the inspection, testing and recommissioning of these systems within the confines of a passenger ship’s operational profile required not only expert knowledge but tight integration between the shipboard team, the technical office and the attending class surveyors,” says van Ee.  

“We had to define a very detailed Inspection and Test Plan for these vessels, down to the smallest valve which required overhaul well in advance of the actual surveys.”

In Swedish, SMAKFEST means “taste feast,” and for the first time in its 80-year history, the IKEA store was transformed into an artistic installation built around food, culture, and imagination. More than 30 sensory moments unfolded across the space, blending Swedishness with global influences, which is a true reflection of modern Swedish society.  

Inside the event, guests were welcomed by pantomimes and a full gospel choir singing from the long escalator that led to the top floor. A giant FRAKTA bar, built solely for the night and shaped like the iconic IKEA blue bag, served the first drink of the evening. Across the store, installations and roomset exhibits created a series of surprising moments: a human kaleidoscope, eating in the dark, and spoon-fed tastings delivered through a tiny peep hole. Live music performances were woven directly into the installations and appeared throughout the entire space, elevating the energy and the experience. The music stars of the night were headlined by Cherrie, the Stockholm-based R&B artist with a fast-growing global audience, alongside Diaspora, the creative collective known for connecting local and international talent through music, as well as Mike Näselius, Hatami Siamak, Chez Ali, Diana Emerita, and DJ Majk. 

The highlight of the night was an entire floor dedicated to the IKEA meatball’s 40-year birthday. The milestone was celebrated with a meatball birthday cake, gravy fountains, and a rich and diverse showcase of meatballs from around the world, from Eastern Europe to Latin America to Oceania to South Asia. True to the IKEA food experience, plant balls, veggie balls, fish balls, and chicken balls were also part of the menu. 

Part feast and part art installation, SMAKFEST was an exploration of a new kind of IKEA experience that reflects the deep curiosity that lives in the brand’s DNA. And this is only a glimpse of what’s to come. 

About Ingka Group 

With IKEA retail operations in 32 markets, Ingka Group is the largest IKEA retailer and represents 87% of IKEA retail sales. It is a strategic partner to develop and innovate the IKEA business and help define common IKEA strategies. Ingka Group owns and operates IKEA sales channels under franchise agreements with Inter IKEA Systems B.V. It has three business areas: IKEA Retail, Ingka Investments and Ingka Centres. Read more on Ingka.com.

Cultura Bank, a Norwegian ethical savings bank with approximately NOK 1.4 billion in assets and more than 4,500 customers, is joining Lokalbanksamarbeidet (the Local Bank Collaboration), a consortium of 16 independent Norwegian savings banks. This provides access to competitive and modern solutions in line with the strategic partnership entered with Tieto Banktech in May 2025. 

“Through the Local Bank Collaboration and our long-term technology agreement with Tieto Banktech, we are laying a solid foundation for sound banking operations going forward. Modern technological solutions enable us to be a positive driving force for growth and development for our customers. This strategic move represents a major step towards becoming Norway’s leading bank in sustainable finance,” says Karoline Bakka Hjertø, acting CEO of Cultura Bank. 

Overall, the partnership with Tieto Banktech strengthens the competitiveness of the entire 16-bank collaboration. 

“Together with the other banks in the Local Bank Collaboration, Cultura Bank will operate on a unified technology platform that streamlines operations. In close collaboration with Tieto Banktech, we are developing digital processes and user-friendly tools that will free up employees for proactive advisory and sales activities. Combined with a modern digital customer interface, this delivers a superior customer experience,” says Bent R. Eidem, CEO of Lokalbanksamarbeidet. 

Modern technology platform 

Tieto Banktech will deliver an end-to-end core banking platform based on industry-standard technology that is scalable and adapted to Norwegian conditions and regulatory requirements. The agreement includes mobile and online banking solutions, card and payment solutions, and effective tools for combating financial crime. 

“We’re honored that Cultura Bank has chosen Tieto Banktech as its strategic partner through the Local Bank model. We will now migrate Cultura Bank, together with the entire collaboration, to our modernized core banking system in a well-tested and controlled manner. We are intensifying our work on innovation and renewal of customer-centric solutions with increasing integration of responsible AI that streamlines internal work processes and enhances customer engagement and relevance for Cultura Bank and the entire Local Bank Collaboration,” says Mario Blazevic, Managing Director Tieto Banktech. 

For more information, please contact:
Geir Remman, Head of Communication and Marketing, Tieto Banktech, geir.remman@tietoevry.com
Tietoevry Newsdesk: +358 40 5704072 

Tieto is a leading software and digital engineering services company with global market reach and capabilities. We provide customers across different industries with mission-critical solutions through our specialized software businesses Tieto Caretech, Tieto Banktech and Tieto Indtech as well as Tieto Tech Consulting business. Our around 15 000 talented vertical software, design, cloud and AI experts are dedicated to empowering our customers to succeed and innovate with latest technology.  

Tieto’s annual revenue is approximately EUR 2 billion. The company’s shares are listed on the NASDAQ exchange in Helsinki and Stockholm, as well as on Oslo Børs. www.tieto.com 

In the third quarter of 2025, the employment rate of people aged 20-64 in the EU stood at 76.2%, stable compared with the second quarter of 2025. 

Labour market slack – all persons who have an unmet need for employment, including unemployed people – stood at 11.0% of the extended labour force aged 20-64 in the third quarter of 2025, also stable compared with the second quarter of 2025. 

This information comes from data on the labour market in the third quarter of 2025, published today by Eurostat. This article presents only a handful of findings from the more detailed Statistics Explained article.

Source datasets: lfsi_emp_q and lfsi_sla_q

Between the second and the third quarter of 2025, Malta (+1.2 percentage points (pp)), Estonia (+0.8 pp), as well as Croatia, Portugal and Romania (+0.6 pp each) registered the highest increases in the employment rate among the 15 EU countries where employment rose. The employment rate remained stable in Denmark and the Netherlands, and decreased in 10 EU countries, with the biggest decreases recorded in Belgium (-0.7 pp), Luxembourg and Ireland (-0.5 pp each).

Source dataset: lfsi_emp_q

• The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) and the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) today published a report that reviews the implementation of margin requirements for non-centrally cleared derivatives.
• The report concludes that the framework has been effectively implemented and finds no evidence of material issues. No changes to the framework are proposed.
• The BCBS-IOSCO Working Group on Margining Requirements (WGMR) recommends ongoing monitoring through supervisory information exchange and the sharing of experiences among member authorities.

The BCBS and IOSCO today published a report that reviews the implementation of margin requirements for non-centrally cleared derivatives. The assessment marks a milestone in the ongoing monitoring of the standard introduced in response to the 2011 G20 call to enhance the resilience of financial markets.

The standard, first published in September 2013, establishes a framework for margin requirements for non-centrally cleared derivatives. The final phase of implementation occurred in September 2022, and implementation has now reached a steady state. The WGMR assessed the framework’s implementation, drawing on a 2024 quantitative impact study, a survey of WGMR members and recent international margin-related work.

The assessment found no material issues with the framework. The amount of margin exchanged for non-centrally cleared derivatives has increased materially since 2012, contributing to greater financial system resilience. The framework has been effective in supporting the intended functioning of capital and centrally cleared margin frameworks, including during recent episodes of market stress.

The BCBS and IOSCO do not propose changes to the framework, but recommend continued monitoring in the form of supervisory information exchange and the sharing of experiences among their members to address evolving market practices.

The full report is available on the BCBS and IOSCO websites.

Note to editors:

The Basel Committee is the primary global standard setter for the prudential regulation of banks and provides a forum for cooperation on banking supervisory matters. Its mandate is to strengthen the regulation, supervision and practices of banks worldwide with the purpose of enhancing financial stability. The Committee reports to the Group of Central Bank Governors and Heads of Supervision and seeks its endorsement for major decisions. The Committee has no formal supranational authority, and its decisions have no legal force. Rather, the Committee relies on its members’ commitments to achieve its mandate. The Group of Central Bank Governors and Heads of Supervision is chaired by Tiff Macklem, Governor of the Bank of Canada. The Basel Committee is chaired by Erik Thedéen, Governor of the Sveriges Riksbank.

More information about the Basel Committee is available here.

(Bloomberg) — Global stock gauges have record highs in their sights after a week in which affirmation that the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate easing cycle remains intact helped clear the way for a year-end rally.

Europe’s Stoxx 600 rose as much as 0.5% to a fresh peak. A measure for Asia advanced to less than 2% from its all-time high. S&P 500 futures were slightly lower after the benchmark posted a new closing milestone in the previous session, when gauges for blue-chip and small-cap US stocks also pushed into record territory.

Stocks pared some gains after China said it will implement export-license management for certain steel products starting next year, a reminder of the lingering trade friction that has fueled bouts of volatility throughout the year.

Friday’s advances came even as tech gauges lagged, signaling a broadening of the rally that has put a global equity index on track for a third successive year of gains. Shares of Broadcom Inc., which is vying with Nvidia Corp. for artificial-intelligence computing revenue, fell 4.8% in premarket trading after its sales outlook failed to meet lofty expectations. Nasdaq 100 futures slid 0.4%.

“Everyone is convincing themselves that there will be a Christmas rally, so it looks like there will be one, and to be honest, there’s no negative catalyst visible until the end of the year,” said Karen Georges, a fund manager at Ecofi Investissements in Paris. “Investors are keen to buy this year’s laggards, it’s a good time to diversify your portfolio at the moment.”

Delivering a third consecutive rate reduction on Wednesday, Fed Chair Jerome Powell voiced optimism that the US economy will strengthen as the inflationary impact from tariffs fades. While officials kept their outlook for just one cut in 2026, traders have stuck to bets for two such moves.

Bloomberg’s index of the dollar traded near a two-month low on Friday and was on track for a third weekly loss. Treasury 10-year yields advanced one basis point to 4.17%.

In commodities, copper climbed to a fresh record as most other industrial metals firmed after the Fed move. Gold rose for a fourth day while silver extended its all-time high. Oil rallied from its lowest close in almost two months.

Corporate News:

Shares in UBS Group AG soared to the highest intraday level since early 2008 as a group of influential lawmakers proposed watering down the capital demands that Switzerland wants to impose on the bank. SoftBank Group Corp. is studying potential acquisitions including data center operator Switch Inc., people with knowledge of the matter said, underscoring billionaire founder Masayoshi Son’s growing ambitions to ride an AI-fueled boom in digital infrastructure. Broadcom Inc., a chip company vying with Nvidia Corp. for AI computing revenue, slumped after its sales outlook for the red-hot market failed to meet investors’ lofty expectations. Some of the main moves in markets:

Stocks

The Stoxx Europe 600 rose 0.5% as of 8:54 a.m. London time S&P 500 futures were little changed Nasdaq 100 futures fell 0.2% Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.3% The MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose 1.3% The MSCI Emerging Markets Index rose 1% Currencies

The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index was little changed The euro was little changed at $1.1734 The Japanese yen fell 0.1% to 155.78 per dollar The offshore yuan was little changed at 7.0524 per dollar The British pound was little changed at $1.3383 Cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin fell 0.7% to $92,274.78 Ether fell 0.1% to $3,246.64 Bonds

The yield on 10-year Treasuries was little changed at 4.16% Germany’s 10-year yield advanced one basis point to 2.86% Britain’s 10-year yield was little changed at 4.48% Commodities

Brent crude rose 0.5% to $61.57 a barrel Spot gold rose 0.7% to $4,308.43 an ounce This story was produced with the assistance of Bloomberg Automation.

–With assistance from Shikhar Balwani.

©2025 Bloomberg L.P.

In this China Value Added Tax (VAT) Q&A, we provide clear guidance on invoicing, input tax credits, deemed sales, and cross-border transactions.

VAT compliance in China involves complex rules and interpretations that can significantly affect daily business operations. To help companies navigate these challenges, this Q&A compiles frequently asked questions based on official announcements and prevailing regulations, aligned with the principles of the new VAT Law taking effect on January 1, 2026. The answers aim to clarify practical issues such as invoice issuance, deemed sales, input tax credits, and cross-border transactions, enabling businesses to maintain compliance while optimizing tax management.

FAQs on VAT management in China

Q1. Does issuing an invoice before receiving payment or delivering goods constitute false issuance?

Answer:​ No. The parties have an actual transaction; the invoice is simply being issued in advance. According to the Interpretation of the Announcement of the State Taxation Administration on Issues Concerning Taxpayers’ Issuance of Special VAT Invoices to External Parties, as long as there is a subsequent actual transaction, issuing an invoice in advance based on the agreement does not constitute false issuance.

Q2. Can a special VAT invoice be issued externally for transactions under the simplified tax calculation method?

Answer:​ Yes. Items under the simplified tax calculation method are not within the scope of transactions for which Special VAT Invoices are prohibited from being issued.

Q3. Can an invoice be issued for a business activity outside the company’s registered business scope?

Answer:​ Yes. Issuing an invoice is not related to the business scope; invoices should be issued based on actual business activity. If such activities are conducted regularly, it is recommended to add them to the company’s business scope.

Q4. If a company’s employees book air tickets through a travel agency and obtain an electronic general VAT invoice for brokerage agency services, can the input tax be credited?

Answer:​ If the electronic general VAT invoice is issued specifically for brokerage agency services, the input tax cannot be credited. If it is an electronic general VAT invoice for domestic passenger transport services and meets the relevant conditions, the input tax can be credited.

Q5. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, a company gives shopping cards purchased from a supermarket to employees. Does this need to be treated as a deemed sale?

Answer:​ No. A shopping card is essentially a form of currency, not a good. It does not meet the conditions for a deemed sale, so it is not treated as one.

Q6. If a company’s R&D department uses inventory goods for R&D purposes, does this need to be treated as a Deemed Sale for VAT purposes?

Answer:​ No, it does not need to be treated as a deemed sale.

Q7. A company lends money externally. The interest payment date specified in the original loan agreement was later changed by a supplementary agreement. When does the VAT liability arise for this loan interest, based on the original agreement or the supplementary agreement?

Answer:​ The VAT liability arises based on the date stipulated in the supplementary agreement. According to Article 45 of Appendix 1 of Cai Shui [2016] No.36, if a written contract specifies a payment date, the VAT liability arises on that specified payment date.

Q8. A company purchases machinery equipment, and the seller is also responsible for installation and debugging. Should the seller issue a single special VAT invoice for the equipment sale, or separate invoices for the equipment and the installation?

Answer:​ If the seller manufactures the machinery and also provides installation services, the goods and the construction service should be accounted for separately, applying different tax rates or levy rates: 13 percent for the sale of goods, and nine percent or three percent for the installation service. If the equipment is purchased externally and the seller has already separately accounted for the sales of the machinery and the installation service according to the rules for concurrent operations, then the installation service can, under the “Supplier-Provided Equipment Project” provision, be subject to the simplified tax calculation method.

Q9. When a company’s employees travel abroad on business and incur expenses for accommodation and car rental, must the company withhold and remit VAT on these payments?

Answer:​ No. Accommodation and car rental expenses incurred by employees on business trips abroad are consumed overseas; they qualify as services entirely supplied outside China. This is because a) the service provider is an overseas entity or individual, b) the domestic company receives the service outside China, and c) the service starts and ends entirely outside China. Therefore, it does not fall within the scope of China’s VAT, and the company does not need to withhold and remit VAT.

Q10. When a company pays an exhibition fee to attend a trade fair overseas, does it need to withhold and remit VAT and corporate income tax (CIT)?

Answer:​ The exhibition organizer is not considered to be supplying services within China, so no VAT liability arises. Since the labor service is performed outside China, it does not constitute income sourced within China, and there is no need to withhold and remit CIT.

Q11. A company invites an expert to give a lecture and agrees to cover their round-trip airfare. If the company obtains an air transport electronic ticket itinerary with the expert’s identification information, can the company credit the related input VAT?

Answer:​ No. The expert is not an employee of the company. Even with an air transport electronic ticket itinerary containing identity information, the related input VAT cannot be credited. According to State Taxation Administration Announcement [2019] No. 31, creditable input VAT for “domestic passenger transport services” is limited to services used by employees who have signed a labor contract with the company or laborers dispatched to the company.

Q12. A company’s employee travels abroad on business and submits an air ticket with their identity information for reimbursement. Can the company credit the related input VAT?

Answer:​ No. Travel by an employee from within China to a foreign country constitutes an international transport service, not a domestic passenger transport service. Therefore, the input VAT cannot be credited.

Key takeaway

VAT compliance in China requires careful attention to invoice issuance, input tax credit eligibility, and the treatment of special scenarios such as deemed sales and cross-border transactions. While the current rules remain in force, businesses should also prepare for the new VAT Law effective January 1, 2026, which aims to enhance clarity and legal certainty. Maintaining accurate documentation and aligning practices with official interpretations will be critical for minimizing tax risks and ensuring smooth compliance during this transition.

Our tax advisory teams include experienced tax accountants, lawyers, and former tax officials who deliver deep insight into Asia’s tax environments—providing clients with comprehensive advisory and compliance support tailored to regional requirements. To arrange a consultation, please contact China@dezshira.com.