PRE-MARKET AUSTRALIAN, JAPANESE AND SOUTH KOREAN STOCK NEWS: Fast Retailing and Seven & I raises guidance after positive earnings, SK Hynix gets ready for US listing

Amcor (AMC AT) - Co. has begun an expansion project at its flexible packaging solutions facility in Dongguan, China. (Amcor)

NextDC (NXT AT) - Co. signs AUD 2.3bln of new senior debt facilities to support capex required for recent customer contract wins and ongoing data centre developments. (NextDC)

Sigma Healthcare (SIG AT) - Co.’s co-founders of Chemist Warehouse have signalled they may sell up to 20% of their combined near AUD 8bln stake in Sigma. (AFR)

Adairs (ADH AT) downgraded to Accumulate from Buy at Morgans.

James Hardie (JHX AT) downgraded to Trim from Buy at Morgans.

Qantas Airways (QAN AT) initiated with Accumulate at Morgans.

Silver Mines (SVL AT) initiated with Speculative Buy at Morgans

ANA Holdings (9202 JT) - Co. is overhauling its struggling domestic operations after debuting a domestic fare system in May that lets passengers buy tickets at discounted prices, even at the last moment, if many seats remain unsold. (Nikkei)

Asics (7936 JT) - Co.’s Onitsuka Tiger opened its newest and biggest flagship store featuring a video arcade with retro game “Street Fighter II X” to boost customer traffic and enhance the brand’s image. (Nikkei)

Fast Retailing (9983 JT) - Q3 2026 (JPY): Net income 146.7bln (exp. 118.9bln, prev. 105.5bln Y/Y), Revenue 1.01tln (prev. 0.83tln Y/Y). Co. sees FY operating income at JPY 730bln (prev. guided 700bln), citing strong overseas results, including North America and Europe. (Fast Retailing)

Mitsubishi Motors (7211 JT) - Co. agreed to explore mass-producing humanoid robots with Tokyo-based startup Highlanders. (Nikkei)

Mizuho (8411 JT) - Co. executive says they are expanding its corporate and investment business in South Korea, India and Australia. (Bloomberg)

Nitto Denko (6988 JT) - Co. is reportedly boosting HDD circuit board output, according to Nikkan Kogyo. (Nikkan Kogyo) 

Seven & I (3382 JT) - Q1 2026 (JPY): Net profit 60.6bln (exp. 42bln, prev. 49.0bln Y/Y), Operating profit 105bln (exp. 68bln, prev. 62.1bln Y/Y), Revenue 2.38tln (prev. 2.78tln Y/Y); raises its FY operating profit to 425bln (prev. 405bln), revenue to 10.4tln (prev. 9.5tln) and net profit to 278bln (prev. 270bln), while cutting its ​overseas convenience store profit forecast ​by 24bln due to economic uncertainty. Co. changed its USD/JPY assumption to 157 (prev. 150), with a weaker yen to boost income repatriated from abroad. (Seven & I)

Taisei (1801 JT), Fanuc (6954 JT) - Cos developed an automated warehouse equipped with AI-powered industrial robots that can store twice as much cargo as conventional warehouses. (Nikkei)

• Nikkei announces that it will revise the rules governing the Nikkei 225 to create a new “information and communications” sector for constituent selection.

Hanwha Systems (272210 KS) - Co. launched a 30-ton-class unmanned surface vessel in Busan for sea trials to evaluate operational capabilities. (Yonhap)

HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (009540 KS) - Co. secured a KRW 469.9bln contract from a Middle Eastern client to build six petroleum carriers for delivery by H1 2029. (Yonhap)

Hyundai Motor Group (005380 KS) - Co. completed South Korea's first resource-circulating clean hydrogen production facility using biogas extracted from sewage sludge. (Yonhap)

LG Energy Solutions (373220 KS) - Co. is to increase cylindrical battery production in China, driven by increased demand from Tesla (TSLA). (The Lec)

Samsung Electronics (005930 KS) - Co. is developing GAIA, an AI accelerator for AI PCs. Co. has supplied prototypes to firms including Lenovo (0992 HK) and HP (HPQ) for validation with mass production potentially beginning in 2027. (Citrini)

SK Hynix (000660 KS) - Co. has reportedly set to guide the US offering at USD 149/shr as it approaches USD 200bln in demand, Bloomberg reports. (Bloomberg)

SK Hynix (000660 KS), Samsung Electronics (005930 KS) - US Commerce Secretary Lutnick has called on the 2 Cos to step up efforts to expand memory chip production in the US. (Bloomberg)

• South Korea’s Labour Minister says they plan to use part of the expected tax windfall from its chip sector to support young people, referring to a new investment fund.