PM Edition: Here are the top 10 business articles on LiveNews.co.nz for October 6, 2026 – Full Text
1. Benchmarking Asia’s Global Hubs: Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce Unveils the Asian Cities Internationality Index 2026
October 5, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
Tracking 11 major cities to assess internationality, the index provides data-driven insights to shape urban policy, guide business strategy, and encourage regional exchange
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 5 October 2026 – The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (HKGCC) and independent research firm Ipsos launched the second edition of the Asian Cities Internationality Index (ACII), a comprehensive evaluation of 11 major hubs across seven core dimensions. By assessing cities on Business and Economy, Quality of Life, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Innovation and Ideas, Human Capital Diversity, Cultural Interaction, and Government and Legal System for Business, the multifaceted index equips policymakers and business leaders with actionable strategies to elevate Asia’s standing in the global economy.
This year, Hong Kong continued to be Asia’s top international city and the region’s premier gateway for regional and global operations. Out of a maximum score of 100, Hong Kong ranked first with 74.6 (up from 73.7 in 2025), followed by Singapore and Seoul. Elsewhere across the region, Tokyo adjusted to fourth, while Shanghai retained fifth, leading the region in innovation. Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Taipei each demonstrated their distinct strengths, as Mumbai rose to ninth place, representing its growing emergence as a globally oriented business hub. Jakarta and Ho Chi Minh City rounded out the list at 10 and 11 respectively.
“By launching the ACII 2026, HKGCC provides a vital, data-driven tool to understand the shifting competitive landscape in Asia”, said HKGCC Chairman Jacob Kam. “Hong Kong’s top ranking proves our fundamental resilience and underscores that global businesses continue to view the city as the ultimate bridge between East and West. From a broader perspective, the ACII provides the strategic insights necessary for Asian cities to collaborate and complement one another’s strengths, fostering a formidable regional economic cluster.”
Download the full report at: www.chamber.org.hk
Hashtag: #HKGCC
About Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (HKGCC)
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
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2. Brother “Managed Print Service” Enables Businesses to Reduce Operating Costs and Enhance Efficiency with Flexible Deployment
October 5, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
Most businesses primarily print A4 documents such as contracts, invoices, reports, and administrative paperwork. When A4 printing is sufficient to meet the majority of daily business requirements, investing in larger and more expensive printing equipment may not be necessary. Brother’s Managed Print Service (MPS) allows businesses to flexibly deploy printing resources according to actual operational needs without incurring substantial upfront capital expenditure. The service also provides comprehensive consumables management, maintenance, and professional technical support, making print management simpler and more efficient.
Comprehensive Print Management That Reduces Administrative and IT Workloads
Traditional printer ownership often involves purchasing equipment, replenishing consumables, arranging repairs, and managing technical support, all of which can increase administrative efforts and hidden operating costs, particularly for SMEs without dedicated IT or administrative teams.
Brother’s Managed Print Service includes printer usage, consumables supply, maintenance services, and technical support. This enables businesses to enjoy a reliable printing experience without spending additional time managing day-to-day printing operations, allowing resources to be redirected toward core business development.
Eliminate Large Capital Expenditure and Improve Cash Flow Management
For growing businesses and startups, major investments in office equipment can significantly impact cash flow planning.
Under the monthly subscription model, businesses pay a fixed monthly fee to access professional-grade Brother printing equipment without making a substantial upfront investment. The service also does not impose a fixed monthly print volume limit, enabling organizations to adjust printing usage and device deployment according to operational needs. This flexibility helps businesses control costs more effectively while minimizing resource underutilization and wastage.
Flexible Multi-Device Deployment for Greater Departmental Productivity
For organizations with multiple departments or work teams, relying on a single shared printer can often result in wait times and reduced document processing efficiency.
Brother’s Managed Print Service solution enables businesses to deploy multiple printers according to actual operational requirements. For example, administrative, human resources, finance, and sales departments can each be equipped with printers tailored to their specific needs. This helps minimize waiting time, reduce cross-department disruptions, improve workflow efficiency, and enhance document confidentiality.
The solution is also well-suited for organizations with multiple offices, retail outlets, or distributed business teams, providing centralized management of multiple devices while ensuring consistent technical support and after-sales service.
Proactive Consumables Replenishment Minimizes Business Disruptions
Many businesses have experienced workflow interruptions caused by depleted toner or consumables, potentially delaying important document production, customer service, and internal operations.
Brother’s Managed Print Service automatically monitors printer performance and consumables usage, proactively arranging replenishment before supplies run low. For industries with high printing demands, such as insurance, financial services, logistics, professional services, and education, this not only reduces administrative workload but also minimizes inventory management and procurement-related tasks.
Designed for Hong Kong Offices and Hybrid Work Environments
As hybrid working becomes increasingly common, businesses require more flexible approaches to printer deployment.
Brother offers a range of compact yet feature-rich printers that are particularly suitable for Hong Kong’s space-constrained office environments, departmental workspaces, and shared offices. With a smaller footprint while still meeting everyday business printing requirements, these devices help organizations make better use of valuable office space.
In addition, Brother provides remote technical support services to assist with device setup, network connectivity, and other technical issues, reducing the day-to-day support burden on IT teams.
Five Key Benefits of Choosing Brother “Managed Print Service”
- Reduce large upfront procurement costs and adapt flexibly to changing business needs
- Proactive consumables replenishment to minimize inventory management and purchasing efforts
- Maintenance and professional technical support to reduce equipment downtime risks
- Automated usage monitoring to lower administrative and management workload
- Compact printer design ideal for Hong Kong’s limited office space
Focus on Growing Your Core Business
Through its monthly subscription model, flexible device deployment, automated consumables management, and professional technical support, Brother’s Managed Print Service helps businesses simplify print management, reduce overall operating costs, and improve productivity across departments and locations.
When most printing requirements consist primarily of A4 documents, businesses can select the most suitable device configuration based on their actual operational needs without allocating additional resources to infrequent printing demands. By adopting a more flexible and streamlined print management approach, organizations can focus on growing their business, serving customers, and driving innovation, ultimately strengthening their competitive advantage.
Learn more about Brother “Managed Print Service” and limited-time offers:
Website: https://www.brother.com.hk/en/solutions/mps
WhatsApp Enquiries
Email: mpssales@brother.com.hk
Information contained in this release is accurate at the time of publication and is subject to change without prior notice.
https://www.brother.com.hk
https://www.facebook.com/brother.hk/?locale=zh_HK
https://www.instagram.com/brother_hongkong/?hl=en
Hashtag: #BrotherHK #BrotherMPS #BusinessSolutions #OfficeSolutions #PrintManagement #PrinterRental #OfficeSolutions #Sustainability
About Brother International (HK) Limited
Founded in Japan in 1908, Brother has over 110 years of history. It has developed into an international brand with 16 production facilities and 51 sales points worldwide, spanning 44 countries. Brother produces high-quality and innovative products for the printing and imaging, labelling, and sewing markets, maintaining a leading position in the industry. Its main products include a variety of inkjet and laser printers, multifunction printers, fax machines, scanners, label printers, and a range of home sewing machines and commercial embroidery machines.
As a trusted brand, Brother adheres to a “customer-first” philosophy in all aspects of its business, continually meeting diverse customer needs and market challenges with comprehensive and high-quality solutions.
Brother International (Hong Kong) is one of the leading suppliers of home, office, and industrial products in Hong Kong. Established in 1994, it has been serving customers in Hong Kong and Macau for over 30 years. According to IDC’s Global Hardware Peripheral Tracker report, Brother’s A3 multifunction colour inkjet printer has been the number one in shipment volume in the world for 18 consecutive years from 2008 to 2025, reaffirming Brother’s business success in the region.
For more information about Brother Hong Kong, contact our WhatsApp at (852) 3187 0505 or visit the website www.brother.com.hk。
NOTE: All brand and products names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
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3. “Future Resonance — ShanghaiEye Night” Brings Shanghai to Washington, Fosters People-to-People Exchange Across the Pacific
October 5, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
“Future Resonance — ShanghaiEye Night” China-U.S. people-to-people exchange events held in Washington D.C. Photo: Shanghai Media Group
The event, held by Shanghai Media Group, brought together nearly 100 prominent figures from China and the United States across the political, business, technology, cultural and arts sectors. Song Jiongming, President of Shanghai Media Group, and Susan Lee, Secretary of State of Maryland, attended the event and delivered remarks. Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng was also in attendance.
In the afternoon, the National Mall was transformed into a “mini Shanghai” carnival. The carnival featured 50 stalls showcasing international cuisine, a “Shanghai Charm” themed exhibition area and displays of China’s intangible cultural heritage.
Visitors got a glimpse of Shanghai’s cutting-edge technological innovation through a model of the C919 passenger jet, explored the city’s latest trends through a model of the Oriental Pearl Tower and popular Chinese cultural and creative IPs, and took a virtual journey through Shanghai’s past and present with VR headsets provided by the Shanghai Museum. Time-honored brands such as White Rabbit candy, Hero fountain pens and Lao Feng Xiang Jewelry offered visitors a taste of Shanghai’s iconic homegrown brands. Meanwhile, an IP SHANGHAI lenticular art exhibition brought the city to life through dynamic images that changed as visitors moved around the displays.
From such an immersive experience showcasing Shanghai as a first stop for international visitors entering China to distinctive IPs spanning culture, commerce, tourism, sports and exhibitions, the carnival offered Americans and international visitors a glimpse of the city and a chance to experience Shanghai firsthand at one of Washington’s most iconic landmarks. Many visitors said they hoped to visit Shanghai in person and explore the city on foot through a “city walk.”
As the sun began to set, its golden glow fell over the Capitol dome. Against an iconic backdrop featuring the two cities, the “Future Resonance” outdoor concert got underway.
Young performers from China and the United States took the stage alongside renowned artists from both countries. The One Voice Children’s Choir from the United States and the Manhattan Philharmonic joined forces to perform “We Are Together,” a song created in Shanghai to celebrate friendship between the two countries.
The program featured a rich mix of symphonic works, traditional Chinese music, Chinese opera and anime music. Footage from Shanghai’s city image film “UP! SHANGHAI” played on the large screen behind the stage throughout the concert.
Later that evening, nearly 100 guests from China and the United States, including prominent figures from politics, business, technology, culture and the arts, took part in the ShanghaiEye Night dialogue session.
Themed “Invest in China for a Win-Win Future,” the dialogue highlighted the China International Import Expo and Shanghai’s development as an international economic, financial, trade, shipping and technological innovation center. It also showcased the city’s world-class business environment and provided a platform for high-level dialogue and practical cooperation between Chinese and U.S. companies.
The dialogue also featured a “Shanghai Charm” city image reception area. On one side, twenty selected historical photographs capturing key “Shanghai moments” in China-U.S. relations were displayed, including the signing of the Shanghai Communiqué, the launch of the first China-U.S. air route, the opening of Apple’s first store in China, the Tesla Gigafactory and the 10th anniversary of Shanghai Disney Resort.
On the other side, 20 photographs from the IP SHANGHAI platform, under the theme “Chasing Dreams in Shanghai,” showcased Lujiazui Financial City, Yangshan Deep-Water Port, Shanghai Grand Opera House, the North Bund shipping hub, and the Huangpu River and Suzhou Creek. Together, the displays offered guests a visual introduction to the city and created lasting memories of Shanghai.
With the support of the Information Office of the Shanghai Municipal Government and co-hosted by Shanghai Media Group, the World Intangible Cultural Heritage Conservation Center and the Washington Chinese Community Alliance, the event brought together guests from a range of sectors in China and the United States.
The event brought Shanghai closer to American audiences and the international community through city promotion, cultural performances, interactive experiences and high-level dialogue. It also provided a platform for people-to-people and cultural exchange between China and the United States.
Hashtag: #ShanghaiEye
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
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4. Mobile billing transparency hits five-year low despite new guidelines
October 5, 2026
Source: Consumer New Zealand
5 October 2026
Consumers NZ’s fifth annual review of mobile phone provider transparency has found standards at their lowest level since the reviews began.
With providers going backwards despite new Commerce Commission guidelines, Consumer NZ says voluntary measures are not delivering the change consumers need.
Why transparency matters
In November 2025, the Commission published its Mobile Transparency Guidelines, setting out expectations for how mobile providers should give customers clear information about their usage and spending.
Consumer NZ’s Nick Gelling says this information helps people identify whether they’re on the right plan.
“Heaps of people stay on plans that don’t suit them because they don’t know how much data they actually use or what they’re spending. Providers already hold that information. They should be making it easy for customers to compare their options and find a better deal.”
Gelling says the latest results show providers are moving in the wrong direction.
“After five years of reviews and ongoing engagement, 2degrees, Spark and One NZ are going backwards. That’s especially disappointing after the Commission spelled out its expectations in new guidelines.
“Customers shouldn’t have to keep waiting for basic information that could save them money. These results show the voluntary approach isn’t working.”
Provider results
The worst at 46%: 2degrees
“2degrees didn’t send customers an annual summary of their usage and spend between July 2025 and July 2026, while it fixed data issues stemming from a new IT platform,” Gelling says.
Because customers received no annual summary during that time, there was nothing for Consumer to assess in that part of the review, and it pulled 2degrees’ overall score right down to 46%.
“Annual summaries are a crucial part of keeping customers informed about whether they could be getting a better deal – and a bare minimum expectation according to the guidelines – so skipping them for an entire year is not a good look.”
2degrees has since resumed its annual summaries, which Consumer is happy to see.
Second place at 67%: One NZ
One NZ’s annual “your year in review” email gives useful information and meets most of the Commission’s expectations. But its mobile app still shows only 2–3 months of historical data – well short of the 12 months called for in the guidelines.
“One NZ’s app displays 12 months of information for broadband customers, so it’s clearly possible – they just need to present that for mobile customers, too,” Gelling says.
Best of a bad bunch at 69%: Spark
Spark topped the rankings because of its excellent app experience, but its annual email summary has deteriorated. It used to include a best-plan recommendation and information about usage, but it now contains little more than a prompt to open the app or website.
“If 69% is enough to win, that’s a clear sign there’s something not working here,” Gelling says.
Commission signals stronger action
Telecommunications Commissioner Tristan Gilbertson says the findings underline the need for stronger action.
“Consumers should be able to see what they’ve spent, what they’ve used and whether a different plan would save them money. Getting this information should be a basic part of good customer care.
“When consumers can easily identify a better deal, providers have to compete harder to win and retain their business. Poor transparency leaves consumers paying more than they need and weakens competition.”
“The three largest mobile providers have had years to get this right. These results show that things are getting worse rather than better. Voluntary action has not delivered the progress consumers need, so we will now need to reach into our regulatory toolkit to drive change.”
Note to editors
This review is conducted in partnership with the Commerce Commission, which regulates New Zealand’s telecommunications market.
About Consumer NZ and the Commerce Commission
Consumer NZ is an independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to championing and empowering consumers in Aotearoa. Consumer NZ has a reputation for being fair, impartial and providing comprehensive consumer information and advice.
The Commerce Commission [https://www.comcom.govt.nz] is New Zealand’s competition, consumer and regulatory agency. It plays a crucial role in ensuring New Zealand’s markets are competitive, consumers are well informed and protected, and sectors with little or no competition are appropriately regulated.
The Commerce Commission’s vision is that New Zealanders are better off because markets work well and consumers and businesses are confident market participants.
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5. Patience Is Being Repriced as Government Borrowing, AI And Energy Compete For Long-Term Capital: GIC CEO Lim Chow Kiat
October 5, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
Fifth WMI Global-Asia Family Office Summit examines portfolio resilience and next-generation readiness as WMI research identifies meaningful participation as a key marker of preparedness
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 5 October 2026 – Government borrowing, the artificial intelligence (AI) build-out and the overhaul of energy systems are all competing for the same pool of long-term money at a time when lenders demand more compensation to commit for long, WMI Chairman and GIC CEO Mr Lim Chow Kiat said today at the fifth WMI Global-Asia Family Office Summit.
Mr Lim said: “There is no shortage of capital in the world. What is shorter is patience, and patience is being repriced.” He added:”The advantage of long-term capital—whether it is a family’s wealth or a country’s reserves—is that we do not have to predict the outcome. We have to be prepared for it, selective in what we own, and ready to move when others cannot.”
In his opening keynote, Mr Lim encouraged investors to look beyond the level of bond yields to what is driving them: stronger growth and investment, or doubts about inflation and public finances. He noted that AI has become a credit story as well as an equity one, with more of the build-out funded by debt. As outcomes widen across AI and energy, he said granularity matters more than ever, with GIC looking at assets one at a time rather than buying a broad theme.
Family offices navigate a new era of disruption and opportunity
Held under the theme Legacy in Action: Capital for the New Horizon, the two-day Summit will welcome close to 650 participants from across the family office ecosystem to discuss investing, family office governance, leadership and social impact.
The opening-day Single Family Office Forum brings together more than 240 participants, comprising families and their family office teams from Asia, Australia, Europe and the United States, at different stages of building, stewarding and carrying forward their family enterprises and legacies.
Over five years, the Summit has grown alongside Singapore’s family office ecosystem into a trusted community where families, investors and professionals connect, learn from one another and explore opportunities together.
Preparing the next generation for stewardship
Alongside discussions on the investment landscape, the Summit examined how families can prepare the next generation to assume responsibility for capital, enterprise and legacy.
In her welcome address, Ms Foo Mee Har, CEO of WMI, launched Stewardship by Design: Preparing Asia’s Next Generation for Leadership and Impact, a study conducted jointly with academics from Harvard Business School and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
The research draws on responses from about 150 family offices, primarily in Asia. It compares their responses with those of family offices worldwide, with the majority from the Americas.
According to the study, 49% of Asian respondents consider the next generation prepared, compared with 52% in the comparison group. The figures are close, but they also reveal a shared challenge: only about half of respondents see the next generation as ready.
Ms Foo said: “Our study found that when next-generation members have the opportunity to contribute alongside senior family members on consequential decisions, families are almost seven times more likely to see them as ready.”
“The next generation does not develop judgement by waiting on the sidelines for responsibility to arrive, yet many families face a practical challenge. They want to prepare the next generation, yet they are not ready to hand over major decisions. Nor do they have to.”
Ms Foo added: “But there is no single structure that every family should follow. Asian families differ in size, history and complexity. What matters is having a clear path for development that fits the family’s circumstances.”
Translating research into practical support
To put these findings into practice, Ms Foo announced two distinct new WMI programmes to help prepare the next generation.
The first is PATH: Purpose, Aspiration, Trust and Heritage, a new programme for next-generation members of business-owning and wealth-owning families.
PATH will help participants explore their values and aspirations, deepen their understanding of enterprise, ownership and governance, and consider the different roles they can play as family stewards. They will identify practical next steps towards making a meaningful contribution to their families.
Connecting family offices with innovation
Ms Foo also shared with participants that WMI is working to connect family offices with globally leading innovation ecosystems.
Through learning journeys and direct engagement with founders, investors, researchers and technology leaders, family offices and next-generation members will get firsthand exposure to emerging technologies and business models, helping them understand the latest developments and where new opportunities may lie.
Insights from global business and technology leaders
Day One also features Dr David K. Lam, Founder of Lam Research and Chairman and CEO of Multibeam Corporation; Mr Mark Lee, CEO of Singlun; and Ms Cindy Karim, Principal of the Karim Family Foundation, alongside other prominent family principals, investors and technology leaders.
Discussions span emerging technologies and investment judgement, next-generation leadership, family enterprise, governance and long-term impact.
Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry (Trade), and Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore will attend the Summit as Guest of Honour later today.
The WMI Global-Asia Family Office Summit continues on 6 October 2026 with the Partners Forum, bringing together financial institutions, advisers and other professionals supporting families across investments, governance, succession, philanthropy and legacy.
For Mr Lim Chow Kiat’s full speech, click here.
For Ms Foo Mee Har’s full speech, click here.
To download the report, click here.
Hashtag: #WMI
About WMI
WMI provides a comprehensive suite of practice-based certification and diploma programmes and collaborates with leading universities for master’s degrees. With over 20,000 annual enrolments, WMI serves a diverse community of professionals across Asia—including wealth and asset managers, family offices, and professionals in tax, legal, compliance, and financial regulation across more than 160 programmes. WMI is recognised as Singapore’s lead training provider for private banking and wealth management.
WMI helms the Global-Asia Family Office (GFO) Circle, a trusted network platform that builds capabilities and fosters community within the family office sector. The GFO Circle is supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). WMI also leads the Asia Centre for Changemakers (ACC), supported by Temasek Trust and the Philanthropy Asia Alliance (PAA). The ACC aims to build capacity and nurture a strong pipeline of active and informed changemakers with a focus on Asia.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
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6. NAMAA Revolutionizes Food Delivery in the Middle East with the Launch of Future Foods and Picnic
October 5, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
Future Foods Opens New Revenue Opportunities for Restaurant Operators
Born out of the Kitchens business, Future Foods was created to help restaurant operators generate additional revenue through virtual delivery brands. Today, it is the largest virtual brand company in the restaurant space, with more than 1,500 live locations.
The Future Foods model allows restaurants to launch established delivery brands from their existing kitchens without investing in another location or major infrastructure. With their existing kitchens, operators can optimise food costs, reach more customers and increase delivery sales.
Future Foods also provides support with storefront setup, delivery platform integration, marketing and operations, allowing restaurant teams to focus on preparing great food while strengthening their delivery business.
Restaurant partners can choose from a portfolio of nationally recognised brands across a range of cuisines, including Pasta Glory, Brooklyn Calzones, Sunny & Fine’s, Poke Picnic and Brekkie Bagels, fulfilling customer demand in the market.
Picnic Brings a Simpler Workplace Dining Experience
Alongside Future Foods, NAMAA has introduced Picnic, a workplace dining platform built around the idea of “food at work, simplified.” By combining CloudKitchens with local brick-and-mortar restaurants, Picnic gives employees a wide variety of lunch options through a digital food court experience.
Orders are delivered to a designated Picnic shelf on each office floor within a 20 to 30-minute delivery window, making lunchtime easier while reducing the need to manage individual food deliveries.
Picnic also offers a more cost-effective approach to workplace dining. With no delivery fees, tips, administrative charges, nor minimum order requirements, both employers and employees benefit from greater convenience at no extra cost.
The platform offers flexible corporate solutions, including subsidised lunch programmes, non-subsidised daily deliveries, group ordering and fee-free catering for larger corporate events, allowing businesses to tailor to their employees’ needs.
Together, Future Foods and Picnic reflect NAMAA’s commitment to supporting restaurant growth while making workplace dining easier. As food delivery continues to evolve across the Middle East, both platforms give restaurants, businesses and consumers more flexibility and choice.
Hashtag: #NAMAA
About NAMAA
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
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7. Pre-COP31: World leaders must show up for the Pacific through action, not just speeches
October 5, 2026
Source: Amnesty International
4 October 2026
- Australia must turn its claim to Pacific climate leadership into concrete action
- Governments urged to end fossil fuel era and deliver scaled up grants-based climate finance
- Amnesty International launches campaign spotlighting environmental human rights defenders
As Pacific leaders, communities and civil society gather in Fiji and Tuvalu for the Pre-COP31 meetings, the expected absence of many world leaders must not become another excuse for climate inaction, Amnesty International said today.
The meetings come after an unusually hot European summer, with August 2026 becoming the joint-hottest month on record. Against the looming threat of a powerful El Niño, widespread wildfires, droughts, and floods, the new UN warning of the world rapidly breaching warming thresholds adds urgency to the need for decisive climate action.
“World leaders have spent years talking about the climate threats facing the Pacific. Now they must come to Fiji and Tuvalu, listen to Pacific communities and act. Rising seas are already eating away at people’s lands, livelihoods and cultures. Concern without action will not hold back the tide,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.
“Those who do not show up in person cannot evade their responsibilities. Their absence will not stop the seas from rising or erase the obligations of high-emitting countries towards communities paying the highest price for a crisis they did least to cause.
“An empty seat is not the greatest failure. The greater failure is an empty promise. Pre-COP31 must turn years of rhetoric into concrete commitments and action that deliver the climate ambition the world needs at COP31 in November.”
Fiji’s Environment Minister has said that the Pacific-led summit will proceed “with or without” major world leaders.
The Pacific is sounding the alarm
Amnesty International has documented how climate change is already harming human rights in Tuvalu, Kiribati and other Pacific Island countries. Rising seas, extreme heat, droughts and saltwater intrusion are threatening people’s rights to water, food, health, adequate housing and a safe future. Tuvalu contributes less than 0.003% of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet it faces some of the climate crisis’ most severe consequences.
During her visit to Tuvalu in 2025, Agnès Callamard witnessed efforts by communities and the authorities to reclaim land from the advancing sea and enable people to remain in their homeland.
“To any world leader who hesitates to confront the biggest crisis of our time, I say this: come to Tuvalu. Speak to people living with rising seas and extreme heat. Witness their daily struggle to adapt, protect their rights and push back against the impacts of a climate crisis they did not cause. The reclaimed land in Tuvalu is not a tourist backdrop. It represents a country fighting for its survival,” said Agnès Callamard.
Students from the Pacific took the fight against climate change to the world’s top court, leading the International Court of Justice to issue a landmark Advisory Opinion in July 2025, which made it clear that governments have a legal obligation to protect human rights from climate change impacts.
“The Pacific should not have to plead for the world’s attention. Climate action is no longer simply a political choice. It is a legal and moral imperative,” said Agnès Callamard.
“Governments must end fossil fuel use and expansion through just transitions that leave no one behind, tax big polluters and deliver scaled up grants-based climate finance, providing climate reparations and ensuring communities on the front lines of the climate crisis have the resources and power to determine their own futures. The Pacific is sounding the alarm. If the world fails to act here, it will fail everywhere.”
Australia must turn partnership into action
As President of Negotiations at COP31, Australia has a particular responsibility to stand with its Pacific neighbours and secure an ambitious, human rights-centred outcome. Australia cannot credibly claim climate leadership while continuing to support fossil fuel expansion that deepens the harms facing Pacific communities.
Based on Amnesty International’s recommendations ahead of COP31, Australia and other governments must use pre-COP31 to advance three priorities:
- Stop the climate crisis at its source by ending fossil fuel expansion and accelerating a full, fast, fair, funded and human rights-compliant transition away from fossil fuels with states most responsible going further and faster. Renewable energy is less expensive than fossil fuels; governments must stop supporting their allies in the fossil fuel industry with tax-payer funded subsidies.
- Support communities to thrive by ensuring the Just Transition Mechanism is operational and accountable and can help deliver funding and support to affected communities, including Indigenous Peoples.
- Scale up finance from high income high emitting countries where it is needed most by significantly increasing public, grants-based funding for mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage, without pushing lower-income countries further into debt.
“Pacific leadership has helped keep the fight for 1.5°C alive, but Pacific communities cannot carry the burden of global climate leadership alone,” said Agnès Callamard. “Australia must use its presiding role to turn Pacific demands into COP31 outcomes, starting with stopping the crisis at source through a just transition away from fossil fuels.”
No climate justice without environmental defenders
Governments cannot deliver climate justice while excluding affected communities or silencing those who challenge harmful projects. Across the world, Indigenous Peoples, environmental human rights defenders and communities on the front lines of the climate crisis are resisting fossil fuel expansion and fighting for fairer, more sustainable futures. Yet many face harassment, surveillance, criminalization, violence and restrictions on peaceful protest.
Australia’s treatment of peaceful climate activists will be an important test of its climate leadership. There are also concerns about restrictions on freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly in Fiji.
Ahead of COP31, Amnesty International is launching a global campaign “Protecting our Future: Environmental Human Rights Defenders Powering Just Transitions” spotlighting environmental human rights defenders and the alternatives they are fighting for around the world. This includes the First Nations people in Australia, who are challenging offshore oil and gas exploration affecting their lands and waters.
The campaign will show what resistance, dignity and a people-powered just transition can look like when communities refuse to see their lands, waters and futures sacrificed for fossil fuel profits.
Australia and Fiji must ensure that civil society, Indigenous Peoples, affected communities and environmental defenders can participate, speak out and protest peacefully without discrimination, intimidation or reprisals.
“Environmental defenders are protecting our shared future. Governments must listen to them, protect them and ensure they have a meaningful say in climate decisions,” said Agnès Callamard.
“COP31 must deliver more than promises. Anything less would betray our shared responsibility to uphold human rights and secure climate justice.”
Background
The Pacific-led pre-COP31 meetings will take place in Nadi, Fiji, and Tuvalu from 5 to 8 October 2026. COP31 will take place in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9 to 20 November 2026.
Official release: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2026/10/pre-cop31-pacific/
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8. Hong Kong Residential Market Sentiment Turns Cautious as Interest Rate Outlook Shifts
October 5, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
Grade A Office Availability Rate Drops Further, High Street Leasing Activities Focus on Kowloon
- Residential Market: Market sentiment turned more cautious in Q3, with total residential transaction numbers slipping by 40% q-o-q and 21% y-o-y to record around 13,240 cases. Home prices softened by 0.8% between July and August, yet, supported by stronger 1H performance, still recorded a cumulative rise of 7% in the first eight months of 2026.
- Grade A Office Market: Citywide net absorption reached 412,400 sq ft in Q3, mainly driven by expansion activities by the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector. Rents in Greater Central continued to pick up, while rental level declines in non-core submarkets narrowed. The overall office market rental level is expected to rise by +5% to +7% in 2026.
- Retail Market: Overall retail sales growth remained resilient on the back of growing tourist arrivals and stronger economic fundamentals supporting local consumption sentiment. The overall high street vacancy rate remained broadly stable in Q3, with leasing activities concentrated in Mongkok and Tsimshatsui.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 5 October 2026 – Global real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield today held its Hong Kong Property Markets Q3 2026 Review andOutlook press conference. The Hong Kong residential market entered a consolidation phase in Q3 amid a shift in the U.S. Federal Reserve’s interest rate outlook, increased stock market volatility, and tighter cross-border capital controls in the Chinese mainland. Against this backdrop, residential transaction numbers dropped by 40% q-o-q to record around 13,240 cases in Q3, while home prices declined by 0.8% during July and August. In the Grade A office market, the total new leased area for Q3 reached 1.4 million sq ft, the highest quarterly level since 2019, supported by expansion activities from the BFSI sector. Citywide net absorption reached +412,400 sq ft for the quarter, bringing the overall availability rate to trend further downward, while YTD rental growth recorded +6.1%. In the retail sector, total retail sales remained resilient in Q3. The overall high street vacancy rate remained broadly stable during the quarter, chiefly supported by more active leasing commitments in Mongkok. Leasing activity in Hong Kong Island districts moderated somewhat.
Grade A office leasing market:BSFI expansion demand fuels leasing momentum
The Q3 2026 period marked another active quarter for Hong Kong’s Grade A office market. Total new leased area reached 1.4 million sq ft in Q3, the highest quarterly level since 2019. The banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) sector, and consumer products / manufacturing sectors, were the key demand drivers, with BFSI occupiers largely expansion-led. Citywide net absorption reached +412,400 sq ft in the quarter. This performance helped pull down the overall availability rate 0.4 percentage point q-o-q to 19.1%. Core district rents continued to outperform non-core areas. Greater Central rents continued to climb by a further 3.0% q-o-q in Q3, while non-core area rental level declines further narrowed. Rents in Hong Kong East and Hong Kong South edged up slightly in Q3. The overall citywide rental level rose by 1.7% q-o-q in Q3, bringing YTD rental growth to +6.1%.
John Siu, Managing Director, Hong Kong, Cushman & Wakefield,said, “Rents in Greater Central grew by 13% YTD, reflecting strong demand for prime offices. However, mid-priced Grade A offices, particularly those with net effective rents of around HK$45-60 psf, are expected to continue facing headwinds, as abundant existing space and forthcoming supply across multiple submarkets within this price range is likely to sustain intense competition.”
Siu added, “Looking ahead, positive market momentum is likely to partly offset the scheduled 1.2 million sq ft of new supply in Q4, keeping the availability rate broadly stable at 19% to 20% at the year-end. With a decelerating supply pipeline beyond 2026, availability may have passed its cyclical peak in 2025, but non-core areas will continue to face absorption pressure. Full-year rental growth in Greater Central is now projected to grow by +12% to +14%, supporting the citywide Grade A office rental level to rise by +5% to +7% in 2026.”
Retail leasing market: Retail sales growth remains resilient, with Mongkok leading high street leasing activities
Hong Kong retail sales growth remained resilient in Q3, driven by growing tourist arrivals and stronger economic fundamentals supporting local consumption sentiment. The city’s overall retail sales for the January to August 2026 period reached HK$266 billion, up 8.5% y-o-y. Among key retail categories, the Jewellery & Watches sector recorded the strongest performance, recording y-o-y sales growth of 22.6%. Other sectors, such as Medicines & Cosmetics (+5.0%) and Fashion & Accessories (+3.2%), recorded more modest low single-digit growth.
The overall high street vacancy rate remained broadly stable at 5.4% in Q3, chiefly supported by more active leasing commitments in Mongkok, with the district’s vacancy rate dropping to 4.8% from 8.6% in Q2. In Tsimshatsui, although the vacancy rate moved up to 9.5%, notable new transactions were also recorded during the quarter. On Hong Kong Island, vacancy rates in Causeway Bay and Central increased in Q3, rising to 5.1% and 1.4%, respectively, after remaining at 0% for two consecutive quarters. With prime retail spaces in both districts fully occupied in previous quarters, leasing activity moderated in Q3.
High street retail rents in both Causeway Bay and Tsimshatsui remained unchanged in the quarter. In Mongkok, stronger leasing momentum supported a 0.4% q-o-q rise in rental levels. As for Tsimshatsui, a slowdown in the luxury segment combined with relatively high vacancy weighed on the district’s rental performance, resulting in a fall of 1.1% q-o-q. In the F&B sector, rents remained under pressure amid high availability, dropping within a 1% range q-o-q across the four key districts.
John Siu commented, “We have observed stronger leasing demand from Japanese, South Korean and Thai brands in recent months. Looking at the first-stores recorded so far this year, approximately 36% originated from Japan, South Korea and Thailand, similar to the share accounted for by Chinese mainland brands, while exceeding the 29% recorded for 2025 full-year. We expect this trend to continue through the remainder of the year. Looking ahead, the Hong Kong retail market is expected to remain supported by resilient local consumption resulting from stronger economic fundamentals, together with greater tourist spending underpinned by a stronger RMB, and a pipeline of planned mega-events. These factors will bring continued momentum to the city’s retail market. We also expect local and non-local retailers to remain selective, with demand focused on well-located retail spaces in core districts offering attractive rental packages. In turn, the city’s retail market is likely to maintain a gradual recovery trajectory. We forecast high street retail rents in Causeway Bay and Central to pick up by 2% to 3% y-o-y in 2026, with Tsimshatsui and Mongkok recording modest rental growth of 1% to 2% y-o-y.”
Residential Market: Home prices consolidate as transaction numbers cool in Q3, rate hikes remain key
The Hong Kong residential market consolidated somewhat in Q3 following the strong momentum recorded in 1H. After the sustained release of purchasing power over the past year, coupled with the shift of the U.S. Federal Reserve rate direction, increased stock market volatility and heightened uncertainties, some prospective buyers reverted to a wait-and-see stance. This resulted in a noticeable slowdown in transaction activity from July onwards. The monthly transaction number, which averaged more than 7,000 cases in Q2, fell back to around 4,000 deals between July and September. A total of 13,242 residential transactions were recorded in Q3, down 40% q-o-q, bringing cumulative transactions to reach 54,052 cases for the first nine months of the year, representing an 18% increase y-o-y.
Edgar Lai, Senior Director, Valuation and Consultancy Services, Hong Kong, Cushman & Wakefield, commented, “Housing price growth momentum decelerated in Q3 2026. Rating and Valuation Department data suggests that the overall residential price index softened by 0.8% in the two months from July to August, yet still achieved 7.0% growth for the first eight months of 2026. Meanwhile, our Cushman & Wakefield mid-and-small size units price index shows that home prices mildly dropped 0.1% q-o-q, yet still registering a cumulative increase of 7.7% year to date. Our tracking of popular housing estates shows that prices softened in Q3 across different market segments. Prices at City One Shatin, representing the mass market, declined by 5.7% q-o-q, while prices at Taikoo Shing, representing the mid-market, dropped by 0.6% q-o-q. Residence Bel-Air, representing the luxury segment, retreated by 3.8% q-o-q. Following the sustained release of purchasing power over the past year, coupled with tighter cross-border capital controls from the Chinese mainland, and the U.S. Fed rate hike of 0.25% in September, our September Verbal Enquiry Index declined by 35% compared with the peak seen in May.”
Rosanna Tang, Deputy Managing Director, Head of Research, Hong Kong, Cushman & Wakefield, added, “The city’s residential market consolidated in Q3, with monthly transactions retreating to around 4,000 cases. The slowdown reflects a more cautious stance among homebuyers amid shifting interest rate expectations and heightened external uncertainties. Looking ahead, the frequency and pace of rate hikes, together with whether local banks will follow suit, will be the key factors affecting homebuyers’ purchasing decisions and affordability. Given the slower pace of transactions in Q3, we have revised our full-year residential transaction forecast to around 67,000 to 68,000 cases.
“As for pricing, should the U.S. Fed rate further increase in Q4, the residential market is expected to remain in a consolidation phase, with 2026 annual home prices likely to fluctuate in a narrow range near +7%. The rental market, however, will be more resilient underpinned by rental demand brought by the inflow of talent, non-local students, and new entrants to the city. With rental growth of 4.9% recorded in the first eight months of the year, we project a 5% to 7% y-o-y increase for the full year of 2026.”
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9. Huawei and Qualcomm Announce Broad Patent License Agreement
October 5, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
“Huawei’s decades of sustained investment in fundamental R&D have driven innovation and progress in mobile communications and other technology fields. Huawei’s broad contributions to the 4G/5G standards, such as the near-physical-limit signal transmission technology using polar codes, have established Huawei’s leadership in the mobile communications industry, and continuously transformed the way people communicate and live,” said Alan Fan, Huawei’s Chief Intellectual Property Officer. “This agreement not only demonstrates the value of Huawei’s innovations, but also recognizes Qualcomm’s foundational contributions to modern communication technologies.”
“Qualcomm has invested in foundational wireless technologies that have enabled successive generations of mobile innovation and earned broad recognition across the global wireless industry. This agreement reaffirms industry recognition of Qualcomm’s 5G technology leadership and the success of Qualcomm’s 5G SEP licensing program,” said John Han, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Qualcomm Technology Licensing. “This agreement likewise reflects Qualcomm’s recognition of Huawei’s continued innovation and intellectual property in 5G and other technology fields.”
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About Qualcomm
Qualcomm Incorporated includes our licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of our patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of our engineering and research and development functions and substantially all of our products and services businesses, including our QCT semiconductor business. Snapdragon and Qualcomm branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Qualcomm patents are licensed by Qualcomm Incorporated. Qualcomm, Snapdragon, Qualcomm Dragonwing and Qualcomm Dragonfly are trademarks or registered trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated.
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10. Chubb Wealth Q4 2026 Investment Outlook: A Less Synchronized World
October 5, 2026
Source: Media Outreach
According to Chubb Wealth, the global economy remains resilient despite ongoing uncertainty in the Middle East, but that resilience is not uniform. The U.S., Europe, Japan and China are each facing different growth drivers and constraints. Energy uncertainty, trade restrictions, fiscal spending and large infrastructure requirements may keep inflation more volatile than in the decade before the pandemic.
Ben Rudd, General Manager of Chubb Wealth, says: “As investors assess their portfolios going into 2027, the answer is not to retreat to cash in the face of uneven growth and continued investment uncertainty. The opportunity set is broader than it has been for years, so the focus should be on building portfolios that can earn returns from multiple sources, including alternatives.”
Chubb Wealth remains generally constructive on risk assets and highlights four investment priorities for Q4 2026:
- Income matters again: Starting bond yields allow fixed income to contribute meaningfully to total portfolio returns.
- Follow the artificial intelligence (AI) investment dollar: The opportunity is moving from chips into data centers, cooling, power, grids, software and ultimately productivity.
- Tap into Asia’s diversified investment cycles: China, Japan, Korea/Taiwan, India and Southeast Asia offer different policy, valuation, earnings and currency drivers.
- Give alternatives a portfolio role: Private credit, infrastructure, hedge funds and private equity should each address a specific portfolio objective.
Chubb Wealth remains neutral on global equities and bonds. In fixed income, we prefer higher starting yields, including high-yield, Asian and USD emerging market bonds, and believe bonds can once again be owned primarily for income. We believe a weaker U.S. dollar will remain a key theme, supporting greater geographic and currency diversification.
In alternatives, infrastructure remains the favored allocation, supported by electrification, energy security, renewable generation, grid modernization and digital infrastructure.
For the full report, please visit: https://www.chubbwealth.com/hk-en/wealth-insight/q4-2026-outlook.html
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About Chubb Wealth
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