BUSINESS

South Korea's KOSPI fell 2.7% to 6,889.74 after the Chuseok holiday, led by declines in Samsung Electronics and SK hynix as foreign investors sold shares.

Chipotle's first Asian restaurant has attracted long queues in Seoul, but competition, pricing and repeat demand will determine whether its Korean expansion becomes a scalable regional model.

Ingenia Communities shares rose after Warburg Pincus increased its non-binding takeover proposal to A$5.25 per stapled security, although the board has not yet recommended the conditional offer.

Meta's Muse AI agent has quickly climbed the US App Store rankings, attracting attention with autonomous tasks while raising questions about privacy, trust, shopping access and long-term demand.

Meta's Muse AI agent has passed 3.4 million downloads and topped the US App Store, but questions over consumer trust, retailer access and sustained usage remain.

Minerals 260 shares fell 10.64% to A$0.84, below the recent A$0.88 placement price, despite stronger gold-sector sentiment and continued development of its Bullabulling project.

Northern Star Resources rejected Gold Fields' A$38.7bn unsolicited proposal, sending its shares higher as investors assessed whether the South African miner might return with an improved offer.

The ASX 200 gained 0.33% as Northern Star Resources rejected Gold Fields' A$38.7 billion takeover proposal, while gold prices and corporate developments supported market sentiment.

Australian equities opened flat as traders priced a 90% chance of an RBA rate hike to 4.60%, while investors assessed inflation, employment and sector pressures.

Climate advocates and investors are urging Australia to remove electricity generation's Safeguard Mechanism exemption, potentially imposing carbon costs on coal plants and reshaping power-market economics.

Victorian trailer builder Gorski Engineering and JOST Australia are expanding their 25-year supply partnership, including locally supported axle, suspension, telematics and other heavy-vehicle components.

South Korea's four largest entertainment agencies have seen their shares fall over six months despite strong global K-pop activity, highlighting concerns about artist concentration and profitability.

An analysis of Elon Musk's $25 trillion Optimus forecast finds the figure far exceeds current robotics market projections and would require unprecedented growth over decades.

Nvidia, TSMC, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have surged on AI demand, but differ significantly in valuation, supply-chain position, growth prospects and exposure to semiconductor cyclicality.

Microsoft shares rose 3.15% to $513.60 as easing Treasury yields, optimism over Strait of Hormuz negotiations and a recent Stifel upgrade supported a broader technology-market rebound.

Akamai shares rose sharply after Anthropic committed $11.6 billion over seven years for cloud capacity, with a possible $9 billion expansion, despite major capital spending requirements.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 99 points on Friday as easing Treasury yield pressure and hopes for a phased Strait of Hormuz deal supported US stocks.

South Korea's KOSPI gained 0.9% to 7,080.92, led by Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, as investors adjusted positions before the four-day Chuseok holiday break.

Musk's companies are pursuing major 2026 projects involving brain implants, Starship, humanoid robots, autonomous vehicles, semiconductor manufacturing and AI infrastructure, despite significant uncertainty around delivery timelines.

The ASX 200 fell 0.44% on Friday, extending losses as rising global bond yields, elevated oil prices and mixed Australian economic data clouded the outlook before the RBA's rate decision.

Dunkin' will offer 1 million free hot or iced coffees on Thursday, with a code released on social media, as part of promotions for National Coffee Day.

CareDx shares rose nearly 8% after BTIG maintained its Buy rating and raised its price target to $74, while investors weighed clinical progress, acquisitions and valuation risks.

Twist Bioscience shares rose 10.27% to $174.78, extending a near-493% annual rally after an Eli Lilly partnership, higher revenue guidance and improving operating trends.

Everpure shares climbed 17.44% after the former Pure Storage outlined strong fiscal 2028 growth targets, extending a rally fuelled by AI demand, earnings and S&P 500 inclusion.

LeBron James has invested in Mike's Red Tacos ahead of the birria chain's Pasadena opening, adding another consumer brand to his extensive portfolio as he approaches a possible final NBA season.

BSP Financial Group shares climbed 8.07% to $7.97 on the ASX, extending recent gains despite no specific company announcement being identified as the immediate catalyst.

The ASX 200 fell 0.76% as rising oil prices linked to uncertainty over a US-Iran peace deal outweighed stronger Australian employment data and hopes of easing rate pressure.

Australia's dependence on imported refined fuel and limited domestic reserves leave essential industries vulnerable to maritime disruptions, prompting calls for greater storage, refining capacity and energy self-reliance.

Moore Australia has appointed former Deloitte and EY tax executive Dmitri Filippov as Director of Tax Advisory in Melbourne, strengthening its international and corporate tax capabilities.