PRE-MARKET AUSTRALIAN, JAPANESE AND SOUTH KOREAN STOCKS NEWS: Toyota (7203 JT) plans to deploy 400k in-house-developed humanoid robots at production sites worldwide as factories are upgraded

AUSTRALIA Abacus Storage King (ASK AT) - Co. launched an AUD 121mln block trade in Storage King through Barrenjoey Capital Partners. (AFR) Cochlear (COH AT) - Co. appointed Ian Meredith as a nonexecutive director; Meredith was previously Boston Scientific's Global Chief Medical Officer. (Dow Jones Newswires) Ingenia Communities Group (INA AT) - Major Co. shareholders have threatened activist action at the upcoming AGM over its proposed AUD 1bln acquisition of residential developer Peet. (The Australian) Macmahon Holdings (MAH AT) - Co. agreed to acquire Aspect Engineering for up to AUD 90mln. (AFR) Myer Holdings (MYR AT) - Co., alongside Brand Collective and Oroton Group, has emerged as a potential buyer of Cue Clothing following its collapse. (AFR) National Australia Bank (NAB AT) - Co. has emerged as a suspected suitor for HSBC’s Australian deposit book, with banks understood to be conducting due diligence on the operation. (The Australian) Qantas Airways (QAN AT) - Co. faces potential school holiday disruption as ground crews plan a 24-hour strike despite an eleventh-hour hearing before the Fair Work Commission. (The Australian) Washington H. Soul Pattinson (SOL AT) - Co. has joined EQT and Carlyle in the AUD 1bln auction for facilities management company Programmed. (The Australian) Broker Ratings/Price Target Charter Hall Group (CHC AT) positive at Citi following the Tokyo Tatemono deal. JAPAN Canon (7751 JT) - Co. was overtaken by Eastman Kodak as Japan's largest camera brand by sales volume in FY2025, ending Canon's more than 20-year run in the top position. (Nikkei) Honda Motor (7267 JT) - Co. plans to accelerate mass production of next-generation hybrid vehicles by several months, with production of a hybrid CR-V in North America to begin as early as February 2027. (Nikkei) Toyota Motor (7203 JT) - Co. plans to deploy 400k in-house-developed humanoid robots at production sites worldwide as factories are upgraded. (Nikkei) Other News Japanese PM Takaichi retained key ministers in her first cabinet reshuffle, emphasising continuity in areas including diplomacy and trade. (Nikkei) Japan and the US are in talks to build a semiconductor plant in the US as part of Japan's USD 550bln investment commitment under its tariff agreement with Washington, with the project potentially valued at USD 19bln and GlobalFoundries expected to operate the plant. (Nikkei) SOUTH KOREA Other News South Korea will extend its fuel tax cut scheme by another two months through November to ease price burdens amid prolonged tensions in the Middle East. (Yonhap) Foreign investors became net buyers of South Korean stocks in August, ending seven consecutive months of net selling, according to Bank of Korea data. (Yonhap)