PRE-MARKET AUSTRALIAN, JAPANESE & SOUTH KOREAN STOCK NEWS: Samsung Electronics (005930 KS) management and labour union reached a tentative wage agreement

AUSTRALIA

Arafura Rare Earths (ARU AT) - Co. approved the Nolans rare earths project and is targeting the start of construction from September. (Dow Jones Newsplus)

Australian Agricultural Co. (AAC AT) - Co. FY (AUD) net AUD 107.3mln (prev. loss AUD 1.1mln Y/Y), operating profit AUD 71.6mln (prev. AUD 58.4mln Y/Y), rev. AUD 422.1mln (prev. AUD 387.9mln Y/Y), expects FY27 impacts from the Middle East conflict and is managing fuel reserves amid expected supply chain impacts. (Dow Jones Newsplus)

Northern Star Resources (NST AT) - Co. Managing Director Stuart Tonkin will step down in Q1 FY27, with the board beginning a formal process to transition to a new managing director. (Dow Jones Newsplus)

Zip (ZIP AT) - Co. will acquire the Zip trade mark in Australia from Firstmac and continue using its eponymous brand name in Australia after reaching a confidential settlement, with the amount payable not material and not impacting guidance. (Dow Jones Newsplus)

Telecoms - Telcos are reportedly reeling from a AUD 7.32bln cost to help plug Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ budget. (The Australian)

JAPAN

Nikkon Holdings (9072 JT) - Co. is reportedly weighing going private, with Blackstone and several other US investment funds expected to take part in an initial bidding round in early June. (Newswires)

Shin-Etsu Chemical (4063 JT) - Co. will conduct a tender offer for own shares at JPY 5,235/shr and spend about JPY 52.8bln on the tender offer. (Newswires)

SoftBank Group (9984 JT) - Co.-backed digital infrastructure firm SB Energy plans to file a confidential draft registration statement for a proposed initial public offering in the US, while Tether acquired the Co.’s stake in Twenty One Capital. (Newswires, The Block)

Sompo Holdings (8630 JT) - Co. FY (JPY) net rose 163% Y/Y to JPY 640.1bln, insurance revenue rose 6.1% Y/Y to JPY 5.373tln and will buy back up to 1.9% of its own shares worth JPY 69bln. (Newswires)

Tokio Marine Holdings (8766 JT) - Co. FY (JPY) net fell 7.1% Y/Y to JPY 980.4bln, ordinary income rose 5.1% Y/Y to JPY 8.872tln and announced a buyback for 130mln shares, representing 6.91%, worth JPY 200bln. (Newswires)

Insurers - Sumitomo Life and Daiichi Life are reportedly planning to expand private credit investment. (Nikkei)

Other News

Japan is reportedly set to unleash green bonds on EV batteries and other new fields. (Nikkei)

SOUTH KOREA

CJ Bioscience (311690 KS) - Co. halted cancer drug trials and shifted to wellness in South Korea. (ChosunBiz)

Samsung Electronics (005930 KS) - Co. management and labour union reached a tentative wage agreement, including a 6.2% wage increase and a special semiconductor performance-based bonus, with the labour union postponing planned strikes and set to hold a vote between May 23rd and 28th. (Yonhap)