Flash News

TREE NEWS reports: The London Metal Exchange reported inventory changes across its base metals on Tuesday: zinc stocks rose 1,050 tonnes, nickel gained 36 tonnes, while tin fell 110 tonnes, copper dropped 800 tonnes and lead declined 1,975 tonnes. Aluminium inventories were unchanged.

TREE NEWS reports: Geely and Renault may extend their Latin America cooperation beyond Brazil, executives from both companies said. Geely Holding Group senior vice president Yang Xueliang said the companies are currently focused on Brazil but are also exploring other opportunities, while Renault chief growth officer Fabrice Cambolive said they are examining opportunities in Argentina and Colombia.

TREE NEWS reports: The euro area’s seasonally adjusted current account surplus narrowed to €27.628 billion in July, down from €35.1 billion in the previous month. The July reading marks a decline of roughly €7.5 billion from June’s revised figure.

TREE NEWS reports: European Central Bank Governing Council member Kaasik said further policy tightening would be required if inflation risks materialize, adding that the exact level of the neutral rate is not a major issue. He said the ECB must prevent second-round effects from inflation.

TREE NEWS update: Vietnam’s Sun PhuQuoc Airways and its official GSA for East and North China, Beijing Xianghe International Transport Services, announced three direct routes from Shanghai to Vietnam. The Shanghai–Ho Chi Minh City service is scheduled to launch on October 15, 2026 with seven weekly flights. Shanghai–Hanoi is planned for November 2026 and Shanghai–Phu Quoc for March 2027.

TREE NEWS update: South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s approval rating fell to 37%, a record low since taking office and a fourth straight weekly decline. On the same day, Lee held a press conference at the Blue House and apologized to the public over the current political situation.

TREE NEWS update: Yunnan province issued four tranches of local government bonds totaling 26.83 billion yuan. The 10-year general bond raised 8.40038 billion yuan at a 1.7400% coupon with a 1.50x bid-to-cover; the 7-year general bond raised 9.18 billion yuan at 1.5700% with a 1.03x cover. The 10-year special bond raised 6.28 billion yuan at 1.7400%, and the 7-year special bond raised 2.97 billion yuan at 1.6100%.

TREE NEWS reports: The dollar rose nearly 1% against the Japanese yen to 157.48, following a press conference by the Bank of Japan governor. The move extended the greenback’s gains versus the Japanese currency.

TREE NEWS reports: The onshore and offshore yuan both strengthened past the 6.7 level against the US dollar on the 8th, hitting their highest since January 2023. Dongfang Jincheng chief macro analyst Wang Qing attributed the move to the dollar index retreating after the Federal Reserve’s rate-hike effects played out, and to the yuan’s daily fixing being guided firmer. He said the currency is supported by a stable trade environment, sustained export growth and steady domestic macro conditions.

TREE NEWS update: China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said it will implement an “AI plus manufacturing” action to accelerate next-generation smart manufacturing, following a party leadership meeting and a staff conference. The ministry also pledged a new round of high-quality development action for key manufacturing supply chains, energy-saving and carbon-reduction programs, and green factory expansion, aiming to build world-class advanced manufacturing clusters.

TREE NEWS update: China’s Foreign Ministry said a Philippine government vessel deliberately rammed a Chinese Coast Guard ship near Sabina Shoal in the Nansha Islands on the morning of the 18th, calling the move a serious violation of international law. Spokesman Guo Jiakun demanded Manila immediately stop provocative and infringing actions at sea and stop spreading false narratives, saying Beijing will firmly defend its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea.

TREE NEWS update: China’s State Administration of Cultural Heritage received two batches totaling 64 artifacts and paleontological fossils from US authorities in Washington and New York on the 16th and 17th, all seized by US law enforcement. Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said more than 20 batches comprising over 700 pieces of Chinese cultural relics have been returned from the US under a bilateral memorandum of understanding. He called the handover the latest outcome of the two leaders’ Beijing meeting.

TREE NEWS update: China’s foreign ministry said the EU has called on Beijing to limit Chinese hybrid vehicle exports to Europe to 15% of the market, with spokesman Guo Jiakun telling a regular briefing that the bloc should honor its free-trade commitments. Guo said China-EU economic ties are mutually beneficial rather than zero-sum, and that Beijing will closely monitor EU moves and take necessary steps to protect Chinese firms’ lawful rights.

TREE NEWS update: China’s Foreign Ministry urged Japan to squarely face and deeply reflect on its history of aggression, stating that a revival of Japanese militarism will never be permitted. The ministry made the demand in a statement carried by CCTV.

TREE NEWS update: China’s foreign ministry said on September 18 that Beijing and Washington are maintaining communication on arrangements for a heads-of-state interaction within the year. Spokesperson Guo Jiakun made the remark at a regular press briefing in response to a reporter’s question about a possible meeting between the Chinese and US presidents.

TREE NEWS update: South Korean President Lee Jae-myung apologized to the public on Friday and pledged to be more humble, after a new poll released before his remarks showed his approval rating falling to a record low of 37%. Speaking at an impromptu press conference, Lee said he was caught off guard by the sudden surge of public disappointment. He also ruled out sending troops to the Strait of Hormuz despite pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump.

TREE NEWS update: Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said overseas interest-rate movements can influence prices through multiple channels, and that a slow pace of rate hikes is not always a good thing. Ueda said the BOJ is in close communication with the government at all levels and will act preemptively to prevent inflation from overshooting its target, aiming to avoid an overshoot that would require a sharp rate increase.

TREE NEWS update: Japan’s finance minister Satsuki Katayama said US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent holds a high opinion of “Takaichi economics,” the economic policy line associated with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The remark was made on September 18 and relayed by Katayama, without further detail on the context of the exchange or any policy commitments.

TREE NEWS reports: European equities opened lower on the day, with the Euro Stoxx 50 down 0.2% at the open. Germany’s DAX fell 0.4%, while the UK’s FTSE 100 slipped 0.2% and France’s CAC 40 dropped 0.4%.

TREE NEWS reports: China’s ChiNext Index closed up 2.25% and the Shenzhen Component Index rose 1.72%, while the Shanghai Composite added 0.94%, with combined turnover across the Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing markets reaching 2.09 trillion yuan. Newly listed stocks surged, with C Shenyang Piston rising nearly 300% intraday and C Sinnovi gaining more than 90%. Semiconductor and consumer shares led gains, and over 4,200 stocks advanced.