Semiconductor chip stocks fell in early trading

Chinese Restaurant Brands Going Global: What Keeps Customers Coming Back After the Opening?

How long can the queues outside a brand’s first overseas store last? And how many customers drawn in by the novelty will become regulars? For Chinese restaurant brands expanding internationally, opening a store is only the beginning of the challenge of building a local business and retaining customers.

Midea Completes Controlling Acquisition of Italian Medical Imaging Firm Esaote

Midea Group (美的集团) completed its acquisition of a controlling stake in Italian medical imaging company Esaote S.p.A. (百胜医疗) on October 9, the companies said. Esaote will join Midea Healthcare while continuing to operate as an independent business headquartered in Genoa, with research and manufacturing facilities in Italy and the Netherlands.

Pony.ai and Uber Plan London Tests for Gen-7 Robotaxis

Pony.ai (小马智行) and Uber (优步) said on October 8 that they plan to begin testing Pony.ai’s seventh-generation (Gen-7) robotaxis on London streets in the coming weeks. The announcement extends their European partnership, but sets out a testing plan rather than a launch date for passenger service.

Manus Parent Butterfly Effect Raises More Than $500 Million After Meta Deal Unwind

Butterfly Effect, the China-founded company behind AI agent Manus, has completed a funding round of more than US$500 million, the company announced on October 8. Boyu Capital and IDG Capital led the round, with existing investors Tencent, HSG and ZhenFund also participating. The company did not disclose its valuation or how it plans to use the proceeds.

CATL Starts Cell Trial Production at Planned 100 GWh Hungarian Plant

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited（宁德时代，CATL）began trial production on two battery-cell lines at its Debrecen plant in Hungary on September 22, moving its largest planned manufacturing base outside China into equipment and process validation. The company has not announced when series production will begin.