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Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Asian stocks retreated for a second day and Treasuries edged lower as rising oil prices fueled concerns that inflation may stay elevated and nudge central banks to raise interest rates. MSCI's Asia Pacific equities index fell 0.9%, with nine of its 11 industry groups in the red. Benchmarks in Japan, South Korea and Singapore declined, along with mainland China as trading resumed after a holiday. We speak to Bloomberg MLIV Strategist Mark Cranfield. And -  Samsung Electronics Co. reported a nearly nine-fold rise in quarterly operating profit, though that was still just shy of sky-high expectations elevated by relentless spending on the AI infrastructure buildout. The world's largest memory chipmaker posted a record preliminary operating profit of 107.4 trillion won ($80.1 billion) for the quarter through September. But even those record results still fell short of the average analyst's forecast. Revenue came to 195 trillion won, also lower than expectations. Shares were flat during early morning trading in Seoul Thursday.  Bloomberg TV host Haidi Stroud-Watts spoke to Sanjeev Rana, CLSA Head of North Asia Semiconductors Research.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Asian stocks failed to join a rally on Wall Street that took it to record highs on optimism over earnings outlook. Treasuries dropped as oil climbed. MSCI's Asia Pacific equities gauge fell 0.4%, with the regional benchmark now about 2% from its peak. Stocks dropped in Japan and South Korea, while they rose in Taiwan. The All Country World Index — a key barometer of global stocks — is about 0.5% away from its peak hit in August. Earlier, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 Index closed at record highs ahead of the US earnings season next week. Artificial intelligence-related stocks led the advance, with Nvidia Corp.'s market value approaching $6 trillion. Tech remained in focus as Elon Musk's SpaceX was in talks with banks and investors to raise $40 billion of debt to buy chips from Nvidia Corp., people familiar with the matter said. We speak to Lianting Tu, Bloomberg's Managing Editor for Asia Equities. Former Canadian Minister of International Trade Mary Ng told Bloomberg TV's Avril Hong Wednesday that Canada must protect its industries from "unjustified" U.S. tariffs before returning to the negotiating table. Speaking at the Milken Institute Asia Summit, Ng highlighted an aggressive pivot to diversify exports toward Asian markets. She pointed to accelerated energy and critical mineral exports, alongside ongoing trade talks with ASEAN and India aimed at doubling market access. Ng also noted an "encouraging" alignment with China to shield Canada's vital agrifood sector. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Asian shares rose after a tech-led rally sent the Nasdaq 100 Index to a record as equity investors shrugged off concerns about elevated oil prices and multi-decade high bond yields. Treasuries extended losses. MSCI's Asia Pacific equity index added 0.3%, with shares advancing in Hong Kong, Japan and Australia. Earlier, Wall Street benchmarks climbed as gains in large-cap companies including Nvidia Corp. and Microsoft Corp. helped the S&P 500 Index close near an all-time high. US equity-index futures also edged up in Asian trading. We speak to Bloomberg MLIV Strategist David Savage. Jim Chalmers, Australian Treasurer, says higher global bond yields will put pressure on the Australian budget as the widespread selloff pushes debt refinancing costs higher. He speaks with Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn on Bloomberg: The Asia Trade. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Asian stocks rose after softer US jobs data reduced pressure on the Federal Reserve to keep raising interest rates. Oil erased early gains, while bonds crept higher. MSCI’s Asia Pacific equities index gained 1.1%, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 Stock Average rallying 2.5% as technology shares advanced. Chip bellwether Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. jumped 3% on a potential collaboration with Elon Musk’s Terafab. Tech sentiment remained buoyant, with Nasdaq 100 futures gaining 0.4% after the underlying gauge closed at a record high Friday. Following Friday's economic data in the US, markets have repriced and the chance for a rate hike has decreased. For an outlook at a potential Fed rate hike, we heard from Qian Wang, Chief APAC Economist at Vanguard Group, and she spoke with Bloomberg's Paul Allen. Speaking with foreign media for the first time since his appointment, Indonesian Finance Minister Suahasil Nazara signaled that his focus would be on managing the state budget and keeping its deficit within the legal limit of 3% of gross domestic product, and he spoke with Bloomberg's Haslinda Amin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. In the US – a look ahead to U.S Mortgage data, along with a focus on 3 stocks for the week ahead. In the UK – a look ahead to this year’s Nobel Prize decisions. In Asia – a look ahead to China’s Golden Week Holiday. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Under the shadow of Beijing's single-minded focus on artificial intelligence, China's consumer stocks are trapped in a lost decade. The industry is showing a stark contrast with the high-flying tech sector. MSCI China's consumer goods sub-indexes plunged roughly 18% over the past six months to near 10-year lows, while the AI-heavy technology gauge surged to more than double its 2016 level. During the latest earnings season, consumer staples firms in the MSCI gauge missed profit expectations by nearly 50%.  We speak to Winnie Hsu, Asia Equities Reporter. Plus - Yukio Kani, Global CEO and Chair at Jera, discusses the company's partnership with Dell and UK-based AI infrastructure developer RHAELM on a $15 billion AI infrastructure project in Japan. He speaks with Shery Ahn on Bloomberg: The Asia Trade. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Confidence among Japan's largest firms remains elevated with sentiment among manufacturers rising to the highest level in more than eight years, a result that suggests the Bank of Japan can continue raising interest rates without buckling corporate optimism. The sentiment index climbed to 24 in September from 22, improving for a sixth straight quarter, the BOJ's quarterly Tankan business survey showed Thursday. Economists in a Bloomberg survey had forecast a rise in the gauge to 25. The survey is one of the bank's most closely watched data sets. We speak to Bloomberg's FX and Rates Strategist David Finnerty. And - Micron Technology Inc. gave an upbeat forecast for the current quarter, fueled by the AI building frenzy, though the chipmaker warned that rising compensation would weigh on profit margins. Revenue will be about $61.5 billion in the fiscal first quarter, which runs through November, the company said in a statement Wednesday. Analysts estimated $56.8 billion on average. Excluding some items, profit will be about $38.15 a share, compared with a projection of $36.02. Bloomberg's Shery Ahn spoke to Futurum Head of Semiconductors & Infrastructure Rolf Bulk. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Asian stocks gained for the first time in three sessions and bonds steadied after a bruising selloff as traders awaited a crucial US inflation reading for clues on the path of interest rates. The dollar was set for its best month since June. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index gained 0.8%, led by technology shares after a key gauge of US semiconductor stocks advanced. SoftBank Group Corp., an investor in OpenAI, rose 6% after the artificial intelligence startup aimed to raise at least $30 billion in fresh funding at a $1.4 trillion valuation, according to people familiar with the matter. We spoke to Lianting Tu, Bloomberg's Managing Editor for Asia Equities. And - President Donald Trump shot down the idea of new federal regulations on artificial intelligence after meeting at the White House with top industry executives amid growing global concerns over threats posed by the technology. In lieu of new rules, Trump and the executives agreed on a framework where they would partner with outside auditors to conduct safety assessments of models and implement stronger internal controls over their systems, according to a copy of an accord signed by the president and Silicon Valley leaders following a White House lunch on AI risks Tuesday. The luncheon brought together nearly two dozen Silicon Valley leaders, including Anthropic PBC Chief Executive Officer Dario Amodei and Nvidia Corp. CEO Jensen Huang. After the event, Trump said existing laws would be enough to safeguard Americans from AI's potential risks, despite a growing nationwide backlash to the technology. Bloomberg's Avril Hong spoke to Flint Global Partner Ewan Lusty.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Bond investors got a respite in Asian trading from a bruising selloff after surging oil prices and mounting bets on further Federal Reserve interest-rate hikes drove Treasury yields to multi-year highs. Asian stocks fell. The US 10-year yield held at 5.23% after climbing as much as 11 basis points Monday to the highest since 2007. Two- and 30-year yields were steady as traders braced for the Fed to keep tightening policy to rein in inflation. We speak to Paul Dobson, Bloomberg's Executive Editor for Asia Markets. And - Climbing oil prices, stronger US business activity and concerns over elevated government debt have fueled the biggest Treasury selloff since President Donald Trump's April 2025 tariff rollout. Bloomberg TV host Shery Ahn spoke to Capital.com Senior Market Analyst Kyle Rodda. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Bonds resumed their decline after a brief reprieve as Middle East tensions flared following President Donald Trump's rejection of Iran's latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Oil rose and Asian stocks fell. Oil remains a key driver for markets as elevated energy costs add to inflation pressures and bolster expectations for further rate increases. Bloomberg's Shery Ahn spoke to Nomura International Wealth Management North Asia CIO Julia Wang. And - Australia's central bank is poised to resume raising interest rates on Tuesday as policymakers lose patience with persistently strong inflation, with debate mounting over whether a follow-up hike will be needed. Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts spoke to Westpac International Economist Illiana Jain.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. In the US – a look ahead to the September jobs report with a focus on 3 stocks for the week ahead. In the UK – a look ahead to UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham's plans ahead of his first conference as Labour Party leader. In Asia – a look ahead to the coming decision from the Reserve Bank of Australia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. The surge in Treasury yields has pushed yield gaps with emerging Asia bonds toward record levels, raising the risk of capital outflows from the region, according to strategists. A selloff in US government bonds deepened this week, with the 30-year yield surging to its highest level since 2004 on Thursday and the benchmark 10-year yield hitting its highest since 2007. Bloomberg's David Ingles and Rebecca Choong-Wilkins spoke to Quadratic Capital Management Founder and CIO Nancy Davis. And - Donald Trump and Xi Jinping addressed their intense competition over artificial intelligence on Thursday during a summit aimed at keeping ties between the world's largest economies on track. How the leaders are handling AI is one of the key questions looming over the state visit, with the US president arguing for unfettered development to keep his nation's edge. China, meanwhile, has criticized American export controls on semiconductors and other inputs that it argues constrains its companies. Bloomberg's Stephen Engle spoke to Former US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission in Beijing Sarah Beran. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country won't allow freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz while sanctions and a US blockade remain in place, underscoring the difficulty in reaching a peace deal with Washington despite efforts to revive talks this week. Even so, oil fell as the US suggested that major volumes of crude are getting through the Strait of Hormuz despite risks to shipping. We speak to Stephen Stapczynski, Bloomberg's Asia Energy Team Leader. And - Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the US and China have sealed a two-month extension to their trade truce, as Xi Jinping landed in America for his first state visit in eleven years. Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan, a celebrated soprano, touched down at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington shortly before 6 p.m. local time on Wednesday. Donald Trump shook hands with the couple, becoming the first US president in six decades to receive a foreign counterpart at that airport, excluding visits by the Pope. Bloomberg's Stephen Engle speaks to AmCham Shanghai President Eric Zheng.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Asian equities started the day stronger after a rally in US chipmakers drove the Nasdaq 100 Index to its first record since June. Meta Platforms Inc.'s new Muse AI agent was again in the spotlight, with Shopify Inc. shares jumping 7.1% after the companies struck a partnership. Meanwhile, concerns that AI could erode margins and fees at financial brokerages drove US financial stocks lower. We spoke to Sunny Bangia. He covers Asia Equities for Bloomberg. And - President Trump is set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington on Thursday. Trade will be a key focus. Both sides are seeking to extend their tariff truce reached last year. Ahead of the summit, US negotiators are signaling that rare earth flows and critical minerals remain a sticking point. Bloomberg's Shery Ahn spoke to Former US Department of Energy Deputy Director for Batteries and Critical Minerals Ashley Zumwalt-Forbes.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Global AI stocks rallied as early signs of success for Meta Platforms Inc.'s new personal agent revived optimism over chip demand, bolstering the sector after a recent rough patch driven by calls for slower AI development. The rally followed Meta's Muse AI Agent climbing to the top of rankings on Apple Inc.'s free applications list after its launch earlier this month. Lower oil prices, amid hopes for diplomatic progress in the Iran war, further supported risk appetite. The moves are also offering reprieve for the hot AI trade, which had come under pressure from rich valuations and, more recently, concerns among tech leaders over the existential threat posed by advanced models. Muse's early traction is easing some of those fears by offering fresh evidence that AI demand remains robust. We speak to Bloomberg's MLIV Strategist Mark Cranfield And -  US and Chinese officials offered upbeat assessments of their talks on artificial intelligence, trade and investment, signaling a mutual desire to steady ties ahead of this week's summit between leaders Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. China's top trade negotiator, Li Chenggang, said the talks were held in a "good atmosphere" as he left JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s headquarters in New York on Sunday, while US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent lauded "very successful" discussions. China's official Xinhua News Agency called the exchange "candid, in-depth and constructive." Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts spoke to Geoff Raby, Former Australian Ambassador to China for a lookahead. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.