Flash News

TREE NEWS reports: HSBC raised its year-end target for the pan-European STOXX 600 index to 680 points from 670, its first upward revision this year, citing improved corporate earnings growth prospects, a rebound in business confidence and a more solid economic outlook. The new target implies roughly 6.3% upside from the index’s current level.

TREE NEWS reports: BofA Global Research said it expects the Bank of England to raise interest rates in November 2026 and February 2027, abandoning its earlier view that rates would not rise. The bank cited higher energy costs that could keep inflation elevated. The revised call marks a shift from its previous no-hike forecast.

TREE NEWS reports: Global debt rose by more than $10 trillion in the first half of 2026 to a record above $365 trillion, the Institute of International Finance said, with emerging markets driving the increase. The IIF’s tally puts total global borrowing at an all-time high as the first half closed.

TREE NEWS reports: Combined margin financing balances on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges fell 1.059 billion yuan to 2.6168 trillion yuan as of September 23. The Shanghai exchange’s balance slipped 15 million yuan to 1.340782 trillion yuan, while Shenzhen’s dropped 1.044 billion yuan to 1.276028 trillion yuan, both versus the prior trading day.

TREE NEWS update: Xi Jinping arrived at Andrews Air Force Base in the United States and issued a written statement upon arrival. The arrival marks the start of his visit to the United States, with the written statement released at the base.

TREE NEWS reports: Japan’s preliminary composite PMI for September came in at 52.5, down from 53.5 in the prior reading. The reading still sits above the 50 mark that separates expansion from contraction in private-sector activity.

TREE NEWS reports: Japan’s Ministry of Finance will discuss reducing the issuance size of liquidity-enhancement auctions for medium-term Japanese government bonds, people familiar with the matter said. The move would scale back a debt-management tool used to support trading liquidity in the JGB market.

TREE NEWS reports: Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose as much as 1.2% on the day, extending its advance. The index’s gains widened to that level in the latest session, with no further details immediately available on the drivers behind the move.

TREE NEWS reports: Japan’s Nikkei 225 opened up 0.6% on Thursday, while South Korean stock markets were shut for a public holiday. Trading in Seoul was suspended for the day, leaving the Tokyo benchmark as the main gauge of regional equity direction in Asia. No further details on the session were given.

TREE NEWS update: China is preparing to issue or is currently issuing government bonds and policy financial bonds. The offerings cover both sovereign debt and policy bank debt. No further details on size, pricing or timing were provided.

TREE NEWS reports: Japan’s 30-year government bond yield climbed 6 basis points to 4.13%. The move extends upward pressure on long-dated Japanese sovereign debt, with the yield now at 4.13%.

TREE NEWS reports: Nikkei index futures gained 1.4% in pre-market trading, with Japanese equities returning from a three-day market holiday. The move marks the first pricing signal for Japanese stocks since trading was suspended for the consecutive holiday period.

TREE NEWS update: Argentina and the United States have launched the Andes-Atlantic Economic Corridor. The two countries announced the initiative, which is named for the geographic span between the Andes mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. No further details on the corridor’s scope, participating agencies or timeline were immediately provided.

TREE NEWS reports: The US 5-year Treasury yield broke above 5% for the first time since 2007 and the 10-year climbed past 5.1% after September flash composite PMI came in far above expectations at a five-year high, deepening a bond selloff. A weak 5-year note auction added to the pressure, and the Nasdaq ended a four-day winning streak as the dollar rose and gold and silver fell sharply.

TREE NEWS update: India has lifted its wheat export ban, prompting Bangladesh to resume purchases from its western neighbour. Since the ban was eased in late August, importers have ordered more than 200,000 tonnes of Indian wheat, the first large-scale sales since 2022. The move comes as Black Sea trade disruptions, driven by repeated attacks on ports and terminals, push up global grain prices and force buyers in Asia, Africa and Europe to seek alternative suppliers.

TREE NEWS reports: Light rare earth prices rose sharply in mid-September, led by praseodymium-neodymium. On Sept. 22, praseodymium-neodymium oxide gained 5,000 yuan per ton in a single day, while praseodymium-neodymium metal rose 7,500 yuan per ton. Prices edged lower on Sept. 23 but remained near recent highs. SMM analyst Yang Jiawen attributed the rally to fewer low-priced spot resources and firm offers from upstream smelters.

TREE NEWS update: Yemen’s Houthi movement said 408 merchant vessels transited the Bab el-Mandeb strait between September 11 and 21, including container ships, with 196 heading north into the Red Sea and 212 south into the Gulf of Aden. The group said international shipping is continuing normally and safely through the strategic waterway, with the exception of Saudi vessels.

TREE NEWS update: HSBC has relocated a board meeting from Dubai to London because of security concerns, the bank confirmed. The venue change moves the gathering to the lender’s home market in the UK. No further details on the nature of the security concerns or the meeting’s timing were given.

TREE NEWS reports: The US 10-year Treasury yield rose 15.29 basis points to 5.1142% at Wednesday’s New York close, trading between 4.9307% and 5.1329% intraday and approaching the 5.1412% intraday high of July 13, 2007. The two-year yield climbed 14.73 bps to 4.8973%, while the 30-year yield added 9.94 bps to 5.3989%. The 10-year TIPS yield gained 13.35 bps to 2.7664%.

TREE NEWS update: SoftBank Group is raising approximately $11.1 billion through the issuance of senior notes with maturities spanning 2030 to 2034. The Japanese conglomerate disclosed the bond financing plan covering the four-tranche maturity window. No further terms of the offering were given.