Flash News

TREE NEWS reports: UK core consumer prices rose 2.8% year on year in September, in line with expectations and up from 2.6% the previous month. The reading marks an acceleration in underlying inflation from August’s pace.

TREE NEWS reports: The UK retail price index rose 0.1% in September from the previous month, matching the 0.1% expected by economists, following a 0.6% increase in August. The reading offers a gauge of inflation pressure in the UK economy.

TREE NEWS reports: UK public sector net borrowing came in at £24.52 billion in September, exceeding the £24 billion expected and up sharply from £18.3 billion in the prior reading. The figure points to a wider-than-anticipated fiscal gap for the month.

TREE NEWS reports: The UK government’s public sector net borrowing shortfall for September came in at £16.94 billion, up from £10 billion the previous month. The reading points to a sharp widening in the budget gap between spending and revenue for the month. No further breakdown of the figures was provided.

TREE NEWS update: Donald Trump said data centers should sell their surplus electricity back to local power grids, and that companies wanting their data centers to be welcomed should pay a “dividend” to the community. The remarks tie the fast-growing power demands of AI and data-center buildouts to local grid capacity and community benefits.

TREE NEWS update: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on October 21 that President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff is traveling to St. Petersburg, and described Witkoff’s October 20 meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “positive,” with “nothing unexpected” or “surprising” occurring. Rubio said Witkoff can take those ideas to St. Petersburg to exchange views with the Russian side.

TREE NEWS update: Elon Musk confirmed on SpaceX’s Oct. 20 earnings call that Tesla and SpaceX have each formed independent board special committees to discuss a potential merger, with Musk recusing himself due to conflict of interest. No terms have been agreed and completion is not guaranteed, he said, adding that any deal requires approval from holders of 50% of Tesla’s total outstanding shares, with abstentions counting as opposition. Tesla’s annual meeting is set for Dec. 3 with no merger proposal on the agenda.

TREE NEWS update: China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said on Oct. 21 that it was responding to a reporter’s question about U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly mentioning TSMC, after Trump again called the chipmaker the world’s number one semiconductor company and disclosed a recent call with TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei. Spokesperson Zhang Han took the question at a regular press conference in Beijing. The office did not elaborate further in the material provided.

TREE NEWS update: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Oct. 20 that a supertanker sailing illegally struck a mine in the southern Strait of Hormuz and exploded and caught fire. Earlier the same day, the IRGC said two “violating” tankers hit mines laid by its naval forces in the strait, exploded and caught fire, and were forced to stop. The IRGC warned that crossing mined areas is “illegal” and that violators’ assets would be burned, adding that oil companies would pay a heavier price if the US continues such “malicious acts.”

TREE NEWS update: China’s South-to-North Water Diversion East Route Phase I began its 2026-2027 water transfer on October 20, with the Taierzhuang pumping station in Zaozhuang, Shandong, starting operation at noon that day. The plan calls for transferring 1.007 billion cubic meters of water to Shandong province.

TREE NEWS update: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said many people believe measures to counter inflation have not yet fully taken effect, adding that response measures will be strengthened amid global inflationary pressures. She did not specify new policy steps or figures in the remarks.

TREE NEWS update: The China Classification Society released a white paper on onboard carbon capture systems (OCCS) on Oct. 21 at the 2026 North Bund International Shipping Forum’s green and low-carbon session in Shanghai. The paper outlines seven technical routes, including chemical absorption and mineralization, defines engineering application scenarios and proposes a full-chain regulatory framework, offering a “Chinese solution” for the scaled and commercial deployment of OCCS worldwide.

TREE NEWS reports: Shandong’s total imports and exports reached 2.75 trillion yuan in the first three quarters, up 4.8% year on year, with exports at 1.66 trillion yuan (+3.4%) and imports at 1.09 trillion yuan (+6.8%). The province’s trade, export and import volumes all hit record highs for the period, and monthly trade has exceeded 300 billion yuan for seven consecutive months.

TREE NEWS reports: Japan’s government is considering reinstating subsidies for winter electricity and gas bills, a measure aimed at easing household energy costs during the colder months. No timeline or details of the potential subsidy program were immediately disclosed. The consideration comes as energy prices remain a sensitive issue for consumers.

TREE NEWS update: UK September CPI is due at 14:00 Beijing time, followed by ECB Executive Board member Cipollone at 16:00 and a fireside chat with Bank of England Governor Bailey at 21:00. Jensen Huang speaks at the GTC conference in Berlin at 17:00, and ECB President Lagarde speaks at 00:00 the next day. Meta, Tesla, Lam Research, Texas Instruments, IBM and SAP report after the US close, with New Zealand third-quarter CPI at 05:45 the next day.

TREE NEWS update: Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Ryozo Himino said strong artificial intelligence demand is pushing up capital expenditure and exports, with underlying inflation very close to the BOJ’s 2% target and expected to converge toward it. Medium- to long-term inflation expectations are continuing to rise, while financial conditions remain accommodative with low real interest rates and strong bank lending growth. Himino warned that delaying policy adjustments could pose inflation risks and harm the economy.

TREE NEWS update: European Central Bank chief economist Philip Lane said Wednesday the ECB can strengthen the euro’s global standing and extend the reach of its monetary policy by providing liquidity safety nets to foreign countries. He said demand for the ECB’s recently expanded euro liquidity facilities has been strong, with more than 30 central banks expressing interest.

TREE NEWS update: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Steve Witkoff has met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, describing the talks as positive. Rubio did not give further details on the meeting or its outcome.

TREE NEWS update: Japanese Agriculture Minister Shin Takebe apologized on the 21st over allegations of illegally received political donations, saying he will order the funds returned and correct his political funding report once the facts are confirmed. The apology follows the resignation of his predecessor and adds to the scrutiny of the cabinet over funding practices.

TREE NEWS update: The 33rd APEC Finance Ministers’ Meeting was held in Hong Kong on Oct. 20-21, 2026, with Chinese Finance Minister Lan Fo’an chairing and delivering remarks. Vice Minister Liao Min spoke for China, and APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting Chair Chen Xu also addressed the gathering. More than 300 delegates from APEC member economies, observers and international organizations attended, and Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee joined the welcome dinner.