BUSINESS

Vaxcyte shares surged after its experimental VAX-31 pneumococcal vaccine met the main goals of a late-stage trial, though regulatory approval and commercial manufacturing remain years away.

Novig reported sharp increases in trading volume, new depositors and app downloads after Sydney Sweeney's ad launched, but the figures do not separate its impact from the NFL season.

Elon Musk says he plans to rename SpaceXAI SpaceXSI after backing Donald Trump's "Super Intelligence" terminology, but no company statement or filing has confirmed the change.

Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 2.4% and briefly topped 70,000 as weaker US jobs data eased Federal Reserve rate-rise expectations and lifted semiconductor and AI-related shares.

GenusPlus shares climbed 5.4% after conditions were cleared for work on Atmos Renewables' Parron Maam Marang substation, adding to the contractor's growing renewable-energy backlog.

The RBA is widely expected to raise rates to 4.60%, pushing mortgage repayments higher, reducing borrowing capacity and intensifying financial pressure on Australian households.

PepsiCo says it will continue spending about A$150 million annually on Australian-grown crops, supporting local manufacturing while its Smith's brands face rising private-label competition.

KPMG Australia is considering a $100 million credit facility from KPMG International as client losses, regulatory scrutiny and restructuring pressures intensify after a whistleblower scandal.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers will visit Japan for more than 20 meetings focused on attracting investment in artificial intelligence, renewable energy and critical minerals while reinforcing bilateral economic ties.

Capital Haus is pursuing a broader institutional model, combining investment, research, technology, education and international expertise while assessing growth through capability, cultural fit and long-term client value.

Nvidia has increased the Shield TV Pro's price to $299.99, citing higher memory and component costs, despite the seven-year-old streaming box receiving no hardware refresh.

CXMT shares fell 1.4% before China's National Day break, but remain far above their IPO price as investors assess DRAM production, expansion costs and valuation risks.

ChipMOS shares rose nearly 10% to NT$127 on heavy volume, extending a sharp rally as investors focused on recovering margins, stronger memory demand and planned capacity expansion.

ON Semiconductor shares climbed after it replaced its proposed all-stock Synaptics acquisition with a $5.7 billion cash offer, reducing consideration and avoiding shareholder dilution.

Investors are looking beyond major technology companies for potential beneficiaries of AI spending, with 10 stocks spanning memory chips, infrastructure, networking and services.

US employers added 29,000 jobs in September, well below forecasts, while unemployment rose to 4.2%, prompting investors to reduce expectations of another Federal Reserve rate rise.

DailyPay users reported problems accessing the earned-wage app on Friday, according to Downdetector, with the company yet to explain the disruption or its potential impact.

Synaptics shares surged after onsemi agreed to acquire the chipmaker for about $5.7 billion in cash, replacing an earlier all-stock deal amid interest from an unnamed bidder.

Macmahon Holdings shares fell 9.91% to A$1 on Friday, despite record annual results and a contract pipeline worth more than A$5 billion.

EQ Resources shares fell 11.24% to 39.5 Australian cents as speculative resources stocks remained under pressure, despite a broader ASX rebound and the company's strong annual gains.

Meghan's lifestyle brand As Ever has launched a $148 Advent calendar featuring 24 handcrafted Compartés chocolates, personalised numbering and flavours linked to its existing product range.

Australian shares recovered on Friday as technology and energy stocks advanced, while easing bond yields helped stabilise markets after the ASX 200's sharp Thursday decline.

Nike has launched Caitlin Clark's first signature shoe as the sportswear giant seeks renewed momentum amid falling shares, weak sales and investor scrutiny of its turnaround strategy.

Cognizant shares rose nearly 8% after Accenture reported strong earnings and bookings, easing concerns that generative AI could weaken demand for traditional IT services.

Meta is expanding its Muse AI agent to small businesses while considering transaction fees and subscriptions, as the company competes to make AI-powered commerce and services profitable.

Accenture shares surged after the company exceeded quarterly earnings and revenue expectations, reported strong bookings and issued an outlook that eased concerns about artificial intelligence disruption.

T.J. Maxx has closed stores in Boston and Silver Spring, affecting nearly 180 workers, as parent company TJX reports growth and plans hundreds of additional locations.

Corteva shares fell about 83% after the company completed the spinoff of its seed business, Vylor. Shareholders received Vylor stock, while Corteva continues as a crop protection company.

The Dow fell in early trading as Treasury yields reached their highest levels in more than two decades and oil prices rose, offsetting gains in technology stocks.