PRE-MARKET JAPANESE AND SOUTH KOREAN STOCKS NEWS: Panasonic (6752 JT), Murata (6981 JT), Mizuho (8411 JT) and Goldman Sachs (GS) are reportedly set to join the Softbank (9984 JT)-led consortium for a US gas power project

Itochu (8001 JT) - Co. takes stake in used-book seller Bookoff. (Nikkei)

SoftBank (9984 JT) - Panasonic (6752 JT), Murata (6981 JT), Mizuho (8411 JT) and Goldman Sachs (GS) are reportedly set to join the Softbank-led consortium for a US gas power project. (Nikkei)

Sompo Holdings (8630 JT) - Co. received regulatory approvals to complete the acquisition of Aspen Insurance Holdings. (Newswires)

Automakers - Mazda (7261 JT) and Hino Motors (7205 JT) unions are among Japanese labour groups pushing for record pay raises, while Toyota Motor (7203 JT) union lowered annual bonus demand to 7.3 months of pay from 7.6 months amid US tariff concerns, Honda Motor (7267 JT) union calls for monthly wage hike of JPY 18,500, down JPY 1,000 from prior demand and Nissan Motor (7201 JT) union calls for monthly wage hike of JPY 10,000, down JPY 8,000 from prior demand. (Newswires/Nikkei)

FOMC Minutes noted that in the days leading up to the January meeting, the dollar had depreciated markedly after reports that the Desk had made requests for indicative quotes, known as "rate checks," on the dollar–yen exchange rate, while these rate checks were conducted solely on behalf of the US Treasury and there were no intervention operations in foreign currencies for the System's account during the intermeeting period. (Newswires)

Hyundai Motor (005380 KS) - Co. and affiliate Kia (000270 KS) are poised to roll out new and redesigned models to bolster EV, gasoline and hybrid lineups this year. (Yonhap)

Korea Electric Power (015760 KS) - South Korea reaffirms support for the smooth completion of the Czech nuclear power plant project led by a South Korean consortium involving Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. (Yonhap)

SK Telecom (017670 KS) - Co. gained over 340,000 customers via mobile number portability last month after KT Corp (030200 KS) waived early termination fees following a data breach. (Yonhap)

Samsung Electronics (005930 KS) - Co. upcoming Galaxy S26 is expected to see first price hike in three years, while it was also reported that Co. is said to negotiate HBM4 unit price at around USD 700. (Newswires/Yonhap)

Geopolitical - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said fresh military and construction targets will be unveiled at this month’s major party congress. (KCNA)