PRE-MARKET AUSTRALIAN, JAPANESE & SOUTH KOREAN STOCK NEWS: Sigma Healthcare (SIG AT) is reportedly among potential bidders looking at UK health and beauty retailer Boots

AUSTRALIA

Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (CLW AT) - Co. refinanced its debt arrangements, extending weighted average debt maturity to 4.3 years with maturities staggered from FY29 through FY32, greater covenant headroom and weighted average credit margin down around 20bps, while reaffirming FY26 EPS and distribution guidance of AUD 0.255/security and continuing to target gearing of 25-35%. (Dow Jones Newsplus)

GQG Partners (GQG AT) - Co. reported funds under management of USD 163.3bln at May 31 versus USD 166.9bln at April 30, with May outflows of USD 1.9bln. (Dow Jones Newsplus)

Sigma Healthcare (SIG AT) - Co. is reportedly among potential bidders looking at UK health and beauty retailer Boots, which is up for sale for USD 14bln. (FT)

Woolworths Group (WOW AT) - Co. is reportedly offshoring hundreds of corporate jobs affecting staff in finance, human resources and IT as it seeks to simplify operations and cut costs amid rising competition. (AFR)

JAPAN

JGC Holdings (1963 JT) - Co. opened what it says is the world's first research facility for exploring mass production of bioplastics from bacteria that feed off carbon dioxide. (Nikkei)

Mitsubishi HC Capital (8593 JT) - Co. plans to acquire renewable energy power plants in Europe with Brookfield as AI drives up electricity demand. (Nikkei)

Toyota Motor (7203 JT) - Co. formed a capital and business alliance with Japanese self-driving startup Tier IV as part of a global autonomous driving development push. (Nikkei)

Other News

BoJ is reportedly prepared to raise rates by 25bps at its June meeting, while a hike is to prepare for the risk of an upward revision of inflation, and the central bank is also to begin discussions around the discontinuation of its quarterly reduction in government bond purchases from April 2027 onwards. (Nikkei)

SOUTH KOREA

Hanwha Solutions (009830 KS) - Co.’s Hanwha Qcells began production of solar cells in the US, debuting the country’s first integrated supply chain plant for the clean energy technology. (Nikkei)

Hyundai Motor (005380 KS) - Co. said Tucson sales rose sharply in Europe during the first four months of the year, driven by strong demand for the hybrid variant of the compact SUV. (Yonhap)

Samsung Electronics (005930 KS) - Co. and SK Hynix (000660 KS) are reportedly weighing chip investments in Honam and Chungcheong, while it was also reported that Samsung considers building a chip packaging plant. (ChosunBiz/Korea Economic Daily)