Daily Strategic Briefing

Japan’s new space truck is also a temporary space lab, just worked first time

HTV-X capsule is designed to hang around in space after delivering cargo to ISS Japan’s Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is celebrating after its new cargo carrier docked at the International Space Station.…

Amazon juggernaut continues hauling in more cash despite recent bad news

The spending will continue until AI revenue improves Despite a trickle of bad news from Amazon in recent weeks, the company's business is thrumming along, with AWS leading the way.…

Hacking LED Halloween masks is frighteningly easy

No costume idea? We've got you covered Hacking makes the holidays so much more enjoyable, and nothing says trick or treat quite like pwning LED Halloween masks belonging to every neighborhood kid during candy-collection hours.…

Claude code will send your data to crims ... if they ask it nicely

Company tells users concerned about exfiltration to 'stop it if you see it' A researcher has found a way to trick Claude into uploading private data to an attacker's account using indirect prompt injection. Anthropic says it has already documented the risk, and its foolproof solution is: keep an eye on your screen.…

Suspected Chinese snoops weaponize unpatched Windows flaw to spy on European diplomats

Expired security cert, real Brussels agenda, plus PlugX malware finish the job Cyber spies linked to the Chinese government exploited a Windows shortcut vulnerability disclosed in March – but that Microsoft hasn't fixed yet – to target European diplomats in an effort to steal defense and national security details.…

Nvidia is reportedly investing up to $1B in Poolside 

Summary:

Nvidia is an existing investor in the AI company and participated in its $500 million Series A round in 2024.

Bevel raises $10M Series A from General Catalyst for its AI health companion

Summary:

Bevel’s AI health companion unifies data from wearables and daily habits across sleep, fitness, and nutrition into personalized insights.

Google partners with Ambani’s Reliance to offer free AI Pro access to millions of Jio users in India

Summary:

U.S. tech giants increasingly view India as the next big frontier — a place to gather diverse data, refine models, and test AI use cases that could later scale across other emerging markets.

Figma acquires AI-powered media generation company Weavy

Summary:

Figma said that Weavy will exist as a stand-alone product for now and that, in the future, it will be integrated with the Figma Weave brand, along with the rest of the Figma platform.

Cluely’s Roy Lee on the rage-bait strategy for startup marketing

Summary:

Cluely’s Roy Lee has a message for startup founders: You should be thinking harder about how to go viral.

BII invests $75M in Blueleaf Energy to help scale clean energy infrastructure in India

The financing is expected to help renewable energy platform Blueleaf Energy support nearly 2 GW of utility-scale solar, wind, and energy storage capacity in India.

Biotech startup Helex raises $3.5M to advance gene therapies for kidney diseases

Hyderabad- and Cambridge-based biotech startup Helex will use the capital to advance its gene therapy platform and develop targeted treatments for inherited kidney disorders.

Mem0 raises $24M to power long-term memory for AI

AI startup Mem0 will use the fresh capital to grow its engineering team, extend memory capabilities to meet enterprise needs, and shore up partnerships with major AI platforms and frameworks.

Verlinvest invests $75M in Coimbatore-based The Eye Foundation

Headquartered in Coimbatore, The Eye Foundation runs over 25 hospitals across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka, treating over a million patients annually.

Jupiter Money raises Rs 115 Cr from Mirae Asset, BeeNext, 3one4 Capital

Fintech company Jupiter aims to achieve operational breakeven within 24 months while doubling its user base over the next 2-2.5 years, it said.

Bandhan Bank Falls 4% on Q2 Miss, CLSA Downgrade

Bandhan Bank shares drop over 4% after Q2 results and CLSA downgrade. Source: ScoutQuest

Vedanta Q2 Boosted by LME Gains, Demerger Timeline Key

Vedanta's Q2 results could gain from strong LME prices despite lower volumes. Focus remains on the timeline for Vedanta's planned demerger. Source: ScoutQuest

Mphasis Flags Varied Furloughs in Oct-March

Mphasis notes October-March furloughs may vary from last year as per earnings call. Source: Livesquawk

Mphasis Sees BFS Growth Oct-Mar on Strong Demand

Mphasis projects growth in Banking & Financial Services sector from Oct-Mar. Positive outlook suggests strong demand for Mphasis services in this segment. Source: Livesquawk

Mphasis Expects Logistics Margin Boost in Q3

Mphasis anticipates a notable rise in logistics margin Oct-Dec. The update was shared during a recent conference call. Source: Livesquawk

Silver Holds Advance

Country: Commodity, Description: Silver hovered above $48.5 per ounce on Friday and was poised to finish the week slightly higher as rising market volatility lifted demand for safe-haven assets. US stocks pulled back from record highs overnight amid a selloff in tech shares, while the Federal Reserve’s latest rate cut and the Trump-Xi meeting offered little fresh support. The Fed delivered a widely anticipated quarter-point reduction earlier this week, though Chair Jerome Powell cautioned that another cut in December is not guaranteed. The meeting between Presidents Trump and Xi also concluded with some trade concessions from both sides, but there were no major developments that surprised the market. Meanwhile, silver lease rates in London eased from record highs, suggesting improved market liquidity. Earlier this month, silver hit all-time highs during a short squeeze and liquidity crunch in London before retreating on profit-taking.

Xiaomi Stock Price Hits 27-week Low

Country: Hong Kong, Description: Xiaomi shares decreased to 43.48 HKD, the lowest since April 2025. Over the past 4 weeks, Xiaomi lost 21.97%, and in the last 12 months, it increased 59.49%.

China Adds Bonds Quota to Stimulate Local Investment

Country: China, Description: China has allocated 200 billion yuan (USD 28 billion) in local government special bond quotas to support investment in certain provinces, a spokesperson for the National Development and Reform Commission, Li Chao, said on Friday, as reported by Reuters. This move is part of a broader 500 billion yuan fund aimed at replenishing local finances. “We are confident and capable of achieving the full-year economic growth and social development targets,” Li said, adding that the government will roll out policy measures promptly as circumstances demand. A day earlier, Xinhua reported that China has allocated a total of 500 billion yuan (USD 70.56 billion) through a new policy-based financial instrument to boost investment. The China Development Bank, the Export-Import Bank of China, and the Agricultural Development Bank of China allocated 250 billion yuan, 100 billion yuan, and 150 billion yuan, respectively.

Hong Kong Shares Set to Close Month on Weak Note

Country: Hong Kong, Description: Hong Kong equities fell 200 points, or 0.8%, to 26,078 in early trade on Friday, retreating for the third consecutive session as most sectors declined. Weak official PMI data from China in October weighed on sentiment, with factory activity contracting at the fastest pace in six months while the services sector remained subdued. Traders also remained cautious over the temporary U.S.-China trade truce, which leaves some structural issues unresolved. Meantime, investors vigilantly anticipate Hong Kong’s Q3 GDP report later today. On Wall Street, stocks closed lower overnight after Fed Chair Powell signaled that a December cut “is not a foregone conclusion” after a second rate reduction this year. Notable losses included SMIC (-4.5%), PICC Property & Casualty (-3.2%), Pop Mart Intl. (-2.8%), and Tencent Holdings (-1.5%). For the week, markets are on track for a slight decline, down around 0.3% so far, potentially marking the first monthly drop in six months, with losses nearing 3%.

China Stocks Struggle Amid Weak Factory Data

Country: China, Description: The Shanghai Composite fell 0.2% to below 3,980, while the Shenzhen Component dipped 0.05% to 13,525 on Friday, extending losses from the previous session as disappointing manufacturing data weighed on sentiment. Weaker factory activity reflected renewed Sino-US trade tensions, sluggish domestic demand, and a prolonged property downturn. Meanwhile, Presidents Xi and Trump met on Thursday, with Washington agreeing to lower tariffs on Chinese imports and Beijing pledging to curb fentanyl exports, boost US soybean purchases, and suspend rare earth export controls. However, the outcomes were largely expected, offering limited market lift. Profit-taking also pressured mainland shares, with tech and AI-related stocks retreating, including Zhongji Innolight (-4.8%), Eoptolink Technology (-5.4%), Foxconn Industrial (-5.1%), Victory Giant (-6.6%), and Cambricon Technologies (-1.8%).

China commits to buy 25M tons of US soybeans yearly

Summary: The three-year deal includes an immediate purchase of 12 million tons, providing relief to farmers after months without Chinese demand., Description: China has agreed to purchase at least 25 million metric tons of US soybeans annually for the next three years, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Thursday, providing crucial relief to American farmers who have endured months without Chinese purchases. The commitment follows a meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea that aimed to ease escalating...

Scientists confirm 3I/ATLAS is natural interstellar comet

Summary: The Manhattan-sized object sparked alien speculation but exhibits classic comet characteristics, including a green tail and emissions of carbon dioxide and water vapor., Description: The scientific community has reached unanimous consensus that 3I/ATLAS, the mysterious interstellar visitor that completed its closest approach to the sun on October 29, is definitively a natural comet despite weeks of speculation about potential alien origins. The Manhattan-sized object, discovered on July 1 by the ATLAS survey telescope in Chile, sparked widespread debate when Harvard...

Netflix explores bid for Warner Bros Discovery studio

Summary: The streaming giant has hired Moelis & Co to evaluate acquiring the studio and streaming operations amid competing bids from Paramount Skydance., Description: Netflix has engaged investment bank Moelis & Co to evaluate a potential acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery's studio and streaming operations, marking the streaming giant's entry into what could become one of Hollywood's most significant bidding wars in recent years. The streaming company has gained access to a data room containing critical financial information necessary to formulate a bid,...

Trump picks former DOGE staffer to head Navy research

Summary: Rachel Riley, 33, replaces a decorated rear admiral despite lacking naval experience, drawing criticism from lawmakers over her qualifications., Description: President Donald Trump has replaced a decorated rear admiral with a 33-year-old former Department of Government Efficiency staffer to lead the Navy's premier research organization, in what experts call a highly unorthodox personnel decision that breaks with decades of tradition. Rachel Riley, a former McKinsey & Company partner who spent months at the Department of Health and Human Services...

Tanzania deploys military amid deadly election protests

Summary: At least two people died as protests erupted over disputed elections where main opposition candidates were barred from running., Description: Violent protests entered their second day across Tanzania on Thursday following disputed general elections, with Amnesty International confirming at least two deaths and the government deploying military forces while cutting internet access nationwide. The protests erupted on Wednesday during voting for presidential and parliamentary elections that critics have denounced as a "sham" after the...