PRE-MARKET AUSTRALIAN, JAPANESE & SOUTH KOREAN STOCK NEWS: KKR is understood to be joining the consortium pursuing a AUD 6.7bln takeover of Steadfast (SDF AT)

AUSTRALIA

Coronado Global Resources (CRN AT) - Co. appointed Barrie van der Merwe as Chief Executive Officer effective August 1, with current interim Chief Executive Officer Gerry Spindler remaining on the Board and Sandeep Deoji appointed Interim Chief Financial Officer. (Dow Jones Newsplus)

Genesis Minerals (GMD AT) - Co. agreed to merge with Vault Minerals in a deal valuing Vault Minerals at AUD 5.6bln, with Genesis shareholders to own 59.8% of the combined group following completion. (Dow Jones Newsplus)

oOh!media (OML AT) - I Squared has reportedly emerged as the highest bidder for the Co., which has attracted three competing takeover offers potentially valuing it at nearly AUD 900mln. (The Australian)

Steadfast Group (SDF AT) - KKR is understood to be joining the consortium pursuing a AUD 6.7bln takeover of the Co. (The Australian)

Telstra Group (TLS AT) - The Co.’s Chief Executive Officer and several executives are set to appear before the Senate on Friday over last week’s national network outage. (The Australian)

Vault Minerals (VAU AT) - Co. agreed to merge with Genesis Minerals, with shareholders to receive 0.7629 new Genesis shares and AUD 0.475 in cash per Vault share, while the Board unanimously recommended the transaction. (Dow Jones Newsplus)

Broker Ratings/Price Target

Bravura Solutions (BVS AT) - Price target raised 2.6% to AUD 2.34/shr at Macquarie.

FleetPartners (FPR AT) - Price target raised 0.6% to AUD 3.43/shr at Macquarie.

GQG Partners (GQG AT) - Price target cut 3.6% to AUD 1.35/shr at Macquarie.

JAPAN

Bookoff Group Holdings (9278 JP) - Co. guides FY (JPY) revenue of JPY 139.0bln, operating profit of JPY 4.7bln, net profit of JPY 2.8bln and EPS of JPY 159.52. (Newswires)

Create SD Holdings (3148 JP) - Co. guides H1 (JPY) net profit of JPY 8.25bln, operating profit of JPY 11.6bln, revenue of JPY 262.8bln and EPS of JPY 127.70; guides FY net profit of JPY 17.0bln, operating profit of JPY 25.3bln, revenue of JPY 541.0bln and EPS of JPY 263.15. (Newswires)

Eisai (4523 JP) - Co. and Biogen (BIIB) announced the FDA approved LEQEMBI IQLIK subcutaneous injection as an initiation dose for patients with early Alzheimer's disease. (Dow Jones Newsplus)

Mitsubishi Motors (7211 JP) - Co. signed an MoU with the University of Tokyo startup Highlanders to collaborate on establishing an industrial framework where humans and robots work together. (Newswires)

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (8306 JP) - Co. became Japan’s largest listed company by market capitalisation for the first time. (Nikkei)

Suntory Beverage & Food (2587 JP) - Suntory PepsiCo opened its largest Asian factory in southern Vietnam following a USD 300mln investment, targeting growing demand for healthier beverages. (Nikkei)

Tomy (7867 JP) - Co. is relaunching its Licca-chan dolls in North America and aims to sell them through 1,000 stores across the region this year. (Nikkei)

Automakers - Honda Motor (7267 JP) and Toyota Motor (7203 JP) are increasingly adopting Chinese electric-vehicle components and technology to accelerate development and reduce costs in China. It was separately reported that Japan plans a nationwide communications infrastructure to support 10,000 autonomous vehicles by FY30. (Nikkei)

Other News

JCB plans to test a USDC stablecoin payment service for international visitors to Japan, with transaction fees expected to be lower than those for credit cards. (Nikkei)

SOUTH KOREA

Hyundai Motor (005380 KS) - Co.’s workers began a three-day partial strike over a pay dispute, with daytime and evening shifts each stopping work for two hours from Monday through Wednesday. (Yonhap)

Nuclear/Energy - South Korea, US and Japan are strengthening cooperation on small modular reactors to address rising power demand and geopolitical competition. (Yonhap)