News

On Wednesday, October 21, the NI225 index opened 744.29 points higher, or 1.16%, at 64,819.71.

Japan's merchandise imports rose 18.9% year-on-year in September, below the expected 19.6% and the previous month's 28.00%.

Japan's merchandise exports rose 16.7% year-on-year in September, below the expected 20.10% and the previous month's 19.30%.

Japan's seasonally adjusted merchandise trade balance for September was -703.967 billion yen, compared to -840.6 billion yen in the previous month.

Japan's unadjusted merchandise trade balance for September was -¥536.5 billion, compared to a forecast of -¥181 billion and a revised previous figure of -¥1,111.9 billion (originally -¥1,105.6 billion).

1. SpaceX and Tesla are considering a merger: Musk stated that, at the request of shareholders, both companies have established special committees to discuss a potential merger. However, he emphasized that a merger is not a done deal. 2. SpaceX has achieved profitability: The world's largest rocket company reported a profit of $4.4 billion in the third quarter. Artificial intelligence drove rapid growth, while space and networking businesses also saw growth. 3. Revenue is expected to grow significantly: Musk predicts that SpaceX's annual recurring revenue will exceed $500 billion by the end of 2027, and could even reach $1 trillion. The company's third-quarter revenue was $14.6 billion. 4. Musk is currently based in Memphis: Musk stated that he is currently spending four days a week at SpaceX's Memphis facility to push forward with the commissioning of SpaceX's supercomputing cluster. 5. Starport, Louisiana, is expected to begin rocket launches in 2029: Musk stated that SpaceX's planned launch site in Louisiana is "very likely" to be operational within three years. The site is currently a duck hunting ground.

According to The Information, Nvidia is in talks to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in Firmus, an Australian AI cloud service provider.

According to Axios: Following his meeting with Zelensky, U.S. Presidential Envoy Witkov will present a peace plan to Russian President Putin.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index opened 17.20 points higher, or 0.20%, at 8834.10 on Wednesday, October 21.

According to Iranian media Fars News, Iranian Foreign Minister Araqchi stated, "The nuclear issue is merely a pretext. What the Americans truly oppose and cannot accept is the ideology of Iran's political system and the mindset of the Iranian people. The United States completely rejects Iranian ideology because it emphasizes opposition to American hegemony and refusal to submit to American power. It is precisely this ideology that has fostered the formation and rise of resistance forces in our region. We reached an agreement with the international community on the nuclear issue, and the entire world welcomed this agreement. However, the United States withdrew from the agreement without providing any evidence and abandoned it. The same thing was later repeated in Islamabad."

According to Iranian media outlet Fars News, Iranian Foreign Minister Araqchi stated, "The United States and Israel may launch another war against Iran. We are fully prepared to deal with a possible new round of war. We are fully capable of defending ourselves and protecting our people, and we will hold out until the very end. They have tested us before, and they can try again. When I say we are prepared for war, it does not necessarily mean that we want war to happen. On the contrary, we announce our readiness to send a signal to the other side, urging them to carefully weigh the pros and cons and avoid being drawn into the same war again. I want to emphasize again that we are prepared not only for war but also for resolving issues through diplomatic channels."

Reserve Bank of Australia Deputy Governor: September labor market report slightly weaker than expected. Unemployment remains low, but the labor market is softening.

Reserve Bank of Australia Deputy Governor: We cannot target current inflation, but it is still important.

Reserve Bank of Australia Deputy Governor: Capacity constraints are more severe than expected.

A Reuters poll showed that 69% of economists expect the Bank of Japan to raise its benchmark interest rate to 1.50% in April (up from 36% in the September poll).

A Reuters poll found that 72% of economists surveyed said dissenting votes against the Bank of Japan's interest rate hike could weaken the yen.

A Reuters poll showed that 65% of economists surveyed believe the Japanese government will issue less than 40 trillion yen in new debt in fiscal year 2027.

Nasdaq futures rose 1% in early trading on Wednesday, boosted by SpaceX (SPCX.O) earnings and news of a merger with Tesla (TSLA.O) in after-hours trading.

Reserve Bank of Australia Deputy Governor: Economic forecasts are still being finalized, and it is uncertain what decision the central bank committee will make.

Reserve Bank of Australia Deputy Governor: Businesses cite cost pressures as their primary concern.