Markets, investing, economic data, and financial news
The Office for National Statistics reported that UK gross domestic product expanded by 0.1% in August. Production output rose, led by manufacturing, while consumer-facing services fell and the reading arrives before Chancellor John Healey’s October 28 Budget.
The Nikkei 225 fell 5.39% to a session low of 64,092.74 as a global sell-off in technology shares and a higher-than-expected U.S. inflation reading hit Tokyo markets. The downturn followed U.S. declines in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq and coincided with large drops in Japan chip-related names including Advantest, Tokyo Electron, SoftBank Group and Kioxia.
CoreWeave shares fell sharply while the yield on its unsecured 2032 bond rose above 15%, Pluang reported. Pluang said investors flagged the company’s $4.2 billion convertible debt and projected negative cash flows as drivers of concern.
Junko Koeda, a Bank of Japan board member, said the BOJ should not become overly cautious about raising interest rates because upside risks to inflation are considerable. She added that financial conditions remain accommodative, wages are rising steadily and there is little sign higher borrowing costs are hurting household and business activity.
Protesters in Bangkok demonstrated against the IMF and the World Bank, saying the institutions promote "destructive capitalism." Euronews filmed the demonstrations on October 15, 2026, showing placards, speeches and street scenes.
India told Starlink it must build domestic base stations and meet security requirements before the government will clear the service. The government said it has no objection to Starlink offering services once it addresses those security concerns and establishes local infrastructure.
The US Labor Department reported that consumer prices rose 0.6% in September, pushed mainly by a jump in gasoline. Markets raised the probability of a Federal Reserve rate increase at its Oct 27-28 meeting after the report and consumer sentiment surveys showed further deterioration.
U.S. consumer prices rose 0.6% in September and 3.7% over the past 12 months, the aggregated report says. West Tennessee residents, including Kathryn Vaughn, said higher gasoline and insurance costs are forcing them to juggle basic expenses.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said wholesale price inflation rose to 11.39% in September from 9.92% in August, driven by higher prices for fuel and power, food articles and manufactured products. The All India WPI index increased to 112.5 in September from 110.8 in August and the ministry described the September figures as provisional.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management said an administrative error at the Deportation Depot in Sanderson led to two detainees being mistakenly released on bond. FDEM said both individuals were quickly located and returned to custody and that there is no ongoing threat to the public.
Payward signed a definitive agreement to acquire Saldo Finance Oy, the holding company that owns Lithuania-licensed Saldo Bank. The deal, announced on October 14 and subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions, is expected to close in 2027 and would let Payward offer deposits, lending, card issuance and banking-as-a-service across European markets.
NDTVProfit reports that hotter-than-expected U.S. consumer inflation strengthened bets on a Federal Reserve interest-rate increase this month. The outlet says that pushed the dollar and Treasury yields higher and sent spot gold to a one-week low, falling about 1.6%.
The consumer price index rose 3.7% year-on-year in September, the Department of Labor said. Gasoline costs drove more than half of the monthly CPI increase, surging 9.1% in September.
India's Commerce Department is compiling a list of trade restrictions in China that affect Indian services exporters and has asked industry for feedback. The review covers licensing, data rules, visa and work-permit procedures, recognition of professional qualifications, taxation, payments and remittances, and notes India exported about $8.95 billion in services to China in 2024.
Singapore's Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry said the economy grew 5.4% year-on-year in the third quarter, down from 6.2% in the second quarter. METI said quarter-on-quarter seasonally adjusted growth was 1.1% and that its advance estimates use July–August data and may be revised.
