Shareholders Telefónica and Liberty Global are reportedly considering measures including dividend and spending cuts to address Virgin Media O2's £22 billion debt following a sharp sell-off in the company's bonds.
The Japanese automaker's global sales and output declined in the first half of the year, a first in two years, primarily driven by a sharp 17.1% drop in demand from the Chinese market.
Despite the Federal Reserve holding rates, a divided vote and persistent inflation have analysts eyeing financial giants like JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, and BlackRock, which are seen as structurally positioned to benefit from a higher interest rate environment.
Shares of the Japanese conglomerate fell after its key holding, chip designer Arm, saw its stock drop on a forecast for weaker smartphone royalty revenue, which overshadowed strong quarterly earnings.
The chipmaker's stock recovered some losses after a sharp two-day decline, as dip buyers emerged despite investor concerns over moderating AI demand that followed its record earnings report.
South Korea's KOSPI index rebounded sharply, lifted by a 250-fold surge in Samsung's chip profit, while other Asian markets were mixed as investors assessed a cautious U.S. Federal Reserve and mixed signals from U.S. tech giants.
A 7.1-magnitude earthquake in southern Japan has killed at least 17 people and forced major manufacturers including Toyota, Sony, and TSMC to suspend operations, disrupting a vital hub for the automotive and semiconductor industries.
Shares in Samsung Electronics surged after the company confirmed a record quarterly operating profit, driven by strong demand for its artificial intelligence memory chips. The results provided a catalyst for a rebound following a steep market selloff earlier in the week.
Australian engineering firm Worley has won a major contract from Pembina Infrastructure and Logistics to build the Heartland Extraction Plant in Alberta, a project valued at approximately C$570 million and set to begin operations in late 2029.
