PRE-MARKET AUSTRALIAN, JAPANESE AND SOUTH KOREAN STOCKS NEWS: Gold Fields (GFI) is reportedly weighing bolstering its bid for Northern Star Resources (NST AT)

AUSTRALIA Adairs (ADH AT) - Co. CEO Elle Roseby will step down after less than two years in the role following a difficult trading environment and restructuring costs. (AFR) DroneShield (DRO AT) - Co. secured a AUD 716mln US Army contract. (AFR) Liontown Resources (LTR AT) - Co. approved a AUD 389mln expansion of its Kathleen Valley lithium project, targeting a 56% increase in production. (Motley Fool) Metrics Credit Partners - Co. has frozen withdrawals for select investors, effectively halted lending and is seeking to raise AUD 500mln in the debt market after a AUD 170mln write-down. (The Australian) Northern Star Resources (NST AT) - Gold Fields (GFI) is reportedly weighing bolstering its bid for the Co. (Newswires) Perpetual (PPT AT) - Co.’s AUD 2.2bln takeover battle with EQT may still have further to run despite the “best and final” offer language. (The Australian) Qube Holdings (QUB AT) - Co. has withdrawn from the sale process for a freight group valued at around AUD 6bln. (The Australian) Telstra (TLS AT) - Co.’s infrastructure chief warned Australia’s AUD 150bln data centre rollout will face delays that may derail some projects, while still supporting demand for the Co.’s fibre network investment. (AFR) Treasury Wine Estates (TWE AT) - Co. appointed Justin Pipito as CFO following an internal and external search, after he was named interim CFO and Strategy Officer in June; Pipito initially joined the Co. in 2016. (Dow Jones Newswires) JAPAN Asahi Mutual Life Insurance - Co. plans to employ around 1,000 sales staff in Vietnam as it expands following its acquisition of MVI Life. (Nikkei) Daiichi Sankyo (4568 JT) - Co. is reportedly planning a job buyout related to its sales unit, according to Japanese press. (Newswires) Kawasaki Heavy Industries (7011 JT) - Co. is considering a JPY 100bln investment in Shimonoseki Shipbuilding. (Newswires) Mitsubishi Corp. (8058 JT) - Co. and partners including Shell plan to double production capacity at the LNG Canada project to increase energy supplies to Asia. (Nikkei) Nidec (6594 JT) - Co. is in final-stage talks to sell electronic parts subsidiary Nidec Components to Carlyle for more than JPY 100bln and has replaced CEO Mitsuya Kishida with CTO Michio Kaida. (Nikkei) Nissan Motor (7201 JT) - Co. reportedly plans global production of 3.1mln units in FY27. (Newswires) Taiyo Yuden (6976 JT) - Co. agreed with TDK (6762 JT) to jointly develop next-generation electronic components for AI applications, with a capital alliance also under consideration. (Nikkei) TDK (6762 JT) - Co. agreed with Taiyo Yuden (6976 JT) to jointly develop next-generation electronic components for AI applications, with a capital alliance also under consideration. (Nikkei) Robots Fanuc (6954 JT) and Yaskawa Electric (6506 JT) are stepping up their shift from China towards the US as AI-linked factory automation demand rises, with Fanuc investing USD 90mln in a new Michigan plant and logistics centre. (Nikkei) Other News Japan plans to establish an organisation as early as next fiscal year to invest in defence startups and promote exports of advanced dual-use technologies including drones. (Nikkei) SOUTH KOREA Coupang (CPNG) - South Korea’s antitrust chief said the watchdog will work to “restore justice” after a local court cleared the way for it to resume its probe into the Co. (Yonhap) Tech AMD (AMD) CEO Lisa Su is expected to visit South Korea next month to meet semiconductor companies and government officials. (Yonhap) Other News A senior Korea Exchange executive said the KRX will introduce a two-tier segmentation system for the KOSDAQ market next year in an effort to reinvigorate the secondary market. (Yonhap)