Flash News

TREE NEWS reports: The Bank of Japan will recognize that inflation has reached its 2% target, Kyodo News reported. The acknowledgment marks a shift for the central bank, which has kept ultra-loose monetary policy in place while prices rose. No further details on the timing or policy implications were provided in the report.

TREE NEWS update: European Central Bank chief economist Philip Lane said broader international use of the euro could help the central bank control inflation. The remark ties the currency’s global role to the ECB’s price-stability mandate. Lane did not announce new policy measures or specify a timeline.

TREE NEWS update: China launched the Ceres-1 sea-launched Y8 rocket from waters near Rizhao, Shandong, at 11:39 a.m. Beijing time on Oct. 21, 2026, the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center said. The Xiguang-4 01 satellite carried on board entered its planned orbit, and the flight test mission was a complete success. The mission marked the 24th flight of the Ceres-1 launch vehicle.

TREE NEWS update: Tianjin’s housing provident fund will allow withdrawals to cover residential property management fees and home renovation costs under a policy issued by the city’s housing fund management committee, the Tianjin Housing Provident Fund Management Center said. The policy takes effect on Oct. 21, 2026.

TREE NEWS update: Shenzhen’s housing authority has relaxed eligibility rules for its talent housing program, allowing applicants with just one year of cumulative social insurance contributions and no homeownership record in the past three years to apply. Under the new batch, units under 90 square meters are divided into five queues instead of four, widening access for newer residents and upgrade buyers who previously owned property.

TREE NEWS update: China’s Ministry of Finance issued a 91-day bond of 60 billion yuan at a 1.1222% yield, with a marginal rate of 1.1666% versus an expected 1.1100%, and a bid-to-cover ratio of 2.86 times. It also sold a 7-year bond of 120 billion yuan at 1.4241%, with a marginal rate of 1.4425% against an expected 1.4300%, and a bid-to-cover ratio of 3.63 times.

TREE NEWS reports: Vietnam’s benchmark VN Index rose 1%. The move marks a gain for the index, though no further details on the session’s drivers or constituent performance were provided.

TREE NEWS update: China’s total electricity consumption reached 899.7 billion kilowatt-hours in September, up 1.2% from a year earlier, the National Energy Administration said. The figure covers nationwide power use across all sectors for the month.

TREE NEWS reports: The ChiNext Index fell more than 1% on the day, reversing an earlier gain of nearly 1%, as heavyweight constituent CATL tumbled almost 11%. The sharp drop in the battery giant weighed heavily on the growth-focused board, dragging the index into negative territory after a positive start.

TREE NEWS reports: The overnight Shanghai Interbank Offered Rate (SHIBOR) fell 0.10 basis points to 1.2610%, while the 7-day SHIBOR rose 0.40 basis points to 1.3240%. The 3-month SHIBOR declined 1.19 basis points to 1.4110%. The rates are the latest daily fixings of China’s benchmark interbank lending rates.

TREE NEWS update: Starbucks China will begin enforcing a purchase requirement for in-store seating nationwide starting October 22. The policy means customers will need to make a purchase to use the coffee chain’s seating areas across the country. The change applies to all Starbucks locations in China from that date.

TREE NEWS update: China’s national carbon emissions trading market has surpassed 1 billion tonnes in cumulative quota trading volume, Vice Minister of Ecology and Environment Li Gao said at a State Council Information Office press conference on Oct. 21. The market, launched more than five years ago, now regulates about 8.3 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions, covering over 65% of the country’s total, making it the world’s largest carbon market by volume.

TREE NEWS update: French President Emmanuel Macron met UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi on May 19 to discuss deepening strategic ties, expanding trade and technology cooperation, and the situation in the Middle East. The talks were confirmed by the UAE’s state news agency on May 20.

TREE NEWS update: China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment is working with relevant departments to strengthen top-level design aimed at reducing climate change risks and losses, Vice Minister Li Gao said at a State Council Information Office briefing on the 21st. Li said the ministry is coordinating with other agencies on the effort. No further details or figures were disclosed.

TREE NEWS update: CATL said its inventory turnover days have remained relatively stable over recent quarters, with no signs of sluggish sales or shipments, responding to a question about the quarter-on-quarter rise in third-quarter inventory. The company attributed the larger inventory amount to business growth, noting the increase was mainly in goods shipped but not yet recognized as revenue, which will gradually appear as revenue. In energy storage, CATL is shifting from selling cells and DC-side products to AC-side and system products, extending delivery and revenue recognition cycles.

TREE NEWS update: CATL said it began actively adjusting payments to suppliers from the third quarter, prioritizing partners with R&D capabilities and innovation that support its capacity expansion. The measures include shortening payment cycles, paying advances and providing R&D funding support. The company said the support may continue for some time and could have a phased impact on operating cash flow, but will not affect long-term cash profitability, which should return to a relatively healthy level.

TREE NEWS update: CATL said its capacity utilization was fully saturated in the first half of the year and will remain at a high level going forward. The battery maker said it has accelerated capacity construction based on market demand, easing tight capacity as new plants come online this year, while demand continues to grow.

TREE NEWS update: CATL said 2027 demand across the new-energy sector remains worth anticipating, responding to investor concerns about next year’s demand. The battery maker pointed to a fast-rising electrification rate in China’s passenger-car market and higher battery capacity per vehicle, which kept growth in domestic new-energy passenger-car batteries positive despite an overall sales decline this year. It also cited rising electrification of China’s new-energy commercial vehicles, continuous momentum in Europe and underestimated potential in other markets.

TREE NEWS reports: Japan’s Nikkei 225 closed the morning session up 1.2%, while the broader Topix index gained 1.1%, as of the morning close. The two benchmarks moved higher in tandem during the first half of the trading day.

TREE NEWS reports: The MMLC battery-grade lithium carbonate midpoint price stood at 102,050 yuan per tonne in early trading, down 100 yuan per tonne from the previous day’s 16:30 level. The move marks a marginal decline in the benchmark used to track battery-grade lithium carbonate pricing.