8:00 36Kr Briefing | China Air Transport Association responds to the incident of China Eastern Airlines flight attendant kneeling to apologize; DeepSeek's new round of financing is approaching 100 billion yuan; ANTA Group officially becomes the largest shareholder of PUMA
Today's Hotspot Guide
- SpaceXAI officially announces its name change to SpaceXSI
- OpenAI will add invisible watermarks to the text outputs of ChatGPT and Codex in the European Union
- The 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and the Nobel Prize in Physics are announced
- 7-Eleven convenience stores withdraw from India
- The Apple-1 computer may be auctioned for 800,000 US dollars
TOP 3 Major News
China Air Transport Association Responds to the Incident of China Eastern Airlines Flight Attendant Kneeling to Apologize
On October 7, the China Air Transport Association released a statement in response to the "China Eastern Airlines flight attendant kneeling to apologize" incident. The China Air Transport Association stated that during the cabin service of a China Eastern Airlines flight, the dining cart accidentally touched a passenger. After the on-duty flight attendant and the chief flight attendant apologized many times and took service remedy measures, the passenger still carried out verbal attacks and threats against the flight attendant. At present, China Eastern Airlines has completed evidence preservation and officially filed a report with the public security organ. The China Air Transport Association indicated that the personal dignity and rights and interests of flight attendants in the performance of their duties are protected by law. Passengers who insult and intimidate staff have gone beyond the boundary of normal rights protection, which is suspected of violating the Civil Aviation Law of the People's Republic of China and the Law on Penalties for Administration of Public Security, and called on passengers to take flights in a civilized manner and protect their rights rationally. (The Paper)
DeepSeek's new round of financing is approaching 100 billion yuan
On October 6, according to media reports, Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Basic Technology Research Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "DeepSeek") is close to securing its latest round of financing of at least 80 billion yuan. The final size can reach nearly 100 billion yuan based on the signed term sheet, far exceeding the company's initial fundraising target of around 50 billion yuan. Previous reports stated that DeepSeek's target valuation for this round was approximately 500 billion yuan, but it did not clarify whether the valuation was pre-money or post-money. The fact that the financing size of this round may be close to 100 billion yuan means that DeepSeek's actual valuation level has not seen a significant increase compared with the first round completed earlier. Sources pointed out that the above financing procedures are nearing the final stage, with CATL and Tencent Holdings likely to become the investors with the highest committed investment amount, and the raised funds will pave the way for the company's IPO. (21st Century Business Herald)
ANTA Group Completes Acquisition of 29.06% Stake in PUMA and Officially Becomes Its Largest Shareholder
36Kr has learned that on October 7, Anta Sports Products Limited announced that it has completed the transaction of acquiring 29.06% equity stake in PUMA SE, the parent company of the iconic global sports brand PUMA, from Artémis SAS, the investment firm of the Pinault family, for a cash consideration of 1.5055 billion euros. All relevant regulatory approvals have been obtained and customary closing conditions have been satisfied, making ANTA Group officially the largest shareholder of PUMA.
AI Frontiers
OpenAI fully rolls out GPT-6 to all ChatGPT users across the world
OpenAI has fully launched GPT-6 for all free and paid ChatGPT users globally, officially replacing GPT-5.6 SOL and GPT-5.6 LUNA. GPT-6 integrates optimized Astra security technology to strengthen protection against misuse in the cyber, biological and violent domains. (CLS)
Elon Musk Takes the Lead in Renaming AI, SpaceXAI Officially Announces Name Change to SpaceXSI
On October 4, Elon Musk officially confirmed on social platform X that his artificial intelligence business SpaceXAI will be renamed SpaceXSI. In response to a netizen's question, he stated directly: "Yes, we will make this change," adding that "it's no longer called AI, it's called SI, which is better." Shortly afterwards, Musk also posted that "SpaceX is a superintelligence company." This means that SpaceXAI will usher in its second brand rename in just a few months. In February this year, SpaceX, Musk's aerospace company, fully acquired xAI, the artificial intelligence company founded by him, through an all-stock transaction, and the Grok large model as well as the social platform X were subsequently incorporated into the SpaceX system. In July, xAI officially completed its brand restructuring, was renamed SpaceXAI, and updated its logo and username on the X platform at the same time. (Sina Finance)
Google's AI image model Nano Banana 2.1 is released, with enhanced performance in visual design, mask editing and subject consistency
According to IT Home's report on October 7, Google officially released Nano Banana 2.1 today, which is an upgraded version of the company's AI image generation and editing model. Google stressed that the new version of Nano Banana 2.1 has achieved all-round improvement, with particularly outstanding progress in visual design, mask-based image editing and subject consistency. The improved subject consistency is very practical for Gemini users, which can ensure that the same character or object maintains a consistent appearance in multiple generation results. Google Nano Banana 2.1 has been gradually deployed and launched, covering the Gemini application, the AI mode of Google Search, Google AI Studio, Google Flow, Stitch, Google Ads and Gemini Enterprise Platform. (IT Home)
OpenAI to Add Invisible Watermarks to ChatGPT and Codex Text Outputs in the EU
IT Home reported on October 5 that OpenAI announced today that to comply with the content transparency requirements of the EU AI Act, it will add machine-identifiable invisible watermarks to eligible ChatGPT and Codex text outputs in the EU region in the coming weeks. As introduced, the text watermark technology named textGrain will embed invisible statistical signals during the model's word selection process. Detectors can identify such signals to determine whether a piece of text carries an OpenAI watermark. It is understood that OpenAI will further promote the text watermark across the EU in the next step. In the coming weeks, the team will only roll out the text watermark feature to eligible ChatGPT and Codex users across all its programs in the EU. It is worth noting that OpenAI will not set text watermarks as the global default at launch. (IT Home)
Major Companies / Key Events
Starbucks Responds to the Allegation That Its "Sugar-Free Drinks" Contain Sugar
On October 6, per reports from China News Finance, a consumer recently filed a lawsuit in the Seattle region of the United States, accusing Starbucks that eight of its protein drinks are labeled as "Sugar-Free" but actually contain varying amounts of sugar, which is suspected of false promotion. Jiemian News checked the official website of Starbucks U.S. and found that the nutrition label of a 16-ounce iced sugar-free vanilla protein latte clearly marks the sugar content as 9 grams; the same size hot sugar-free vanilla protein matcha has a total sugar content of 16 grams, and the total sugar of the larger 20-ounce version even reaches 20 grams. The product ingredient list shows milk and whey protein isolate (derived from milk). In this regard, Starbucks stated that the sugar in the drinks comes from milk, no extra sugar is added to the products themselves, and sugar-free syrup is used for flavoring. A Starbucks spokesperson said, "The company has been continuously and clearly providing product information about its protein drinks, sugar-free options, customization choices and nutritional components on product announcements, menus, marketing materials, official websites and applications, and we intend to mount a firm defense."
The 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry is announced, two scientists are awarded the prize
On local time October 7, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences decided to award the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry to two scientists. The prize is conferred on Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai in recognition of their discoveries on nonlinear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis. The laureates will share the prize of 12 million Swedish krona (about 8.02 million yuan) equally. (China Fund News)
Apple Forces Developers to Adapt to iPhone Duo
Apple's first foldable smartphone iPhone Duo will be officially released on October 23. Apple has introduced relevant mandatory adaptation rules, specifying that starting from April 2027, all applications must provide exclusive screenshots adapted for iPhone Duo, otherwise they will not be allowed to update or go online. At present, this requirement is still in the transition period, and old applications that have not completed the adaptation can still operate normally. If the relevant applications still do not supplement the corresponding adapted screenshots after April 2027, the update operation will not be available. (ifeng Technology)
Porsche: Plans to cut headcount by 25%, targets a 9%-12% net cash flow margin for its automotive business
Porsche stated in the presentation materials for its Capital Markets Day that the group's medium-term target for operating return on sales is 10%-15%, while the net cash flow margin target for its automotive business is 9%-12%. The long-term target is 15% operating return on sales for the group and 12% net cash flow margin for the automotive business. The group's medium-term revenue target ranges from 41 billion euros to 45 billion euros, and its cash generation capacity is expected to achieve above-proportional growth. The company plans to reduce its break-even point to below 200,000 units through lean operations and cost reduction initiatives. It will cut 40% of management positions in the medium term, slash its total headcount by 25% with a strategic target of reaching a 30% headcount reduction. (Sina Finance)
Apple-1 Computer Could Fetch 800,000 USD at Auction
A rare Apple-1 computer is being auctioned online at Bonhams, with the bidding period running from October 4 to 14 this month, and its estimated value ranges from 500,000 USD to 800,000 USD. According to the auction house, this computer was purchased by its original owner in 1976, and the mainboard is signed by Wozniak, co-founder of Apple. The Apple-1 was the first computer product of Apple Inc., sold in the form of pre-assembled circuit boards at a price of 666 USD back then, and fewer than 75 units are confirmed to be in existence worldwide at present. (CCTV Finance)
The probability that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates unchanged in October stands at 80.6%
According to CME "Fed Watch": The probability that the Federal Reserve will maintain the current interest rate level by October is 80.6%, and the probability of a cumulative 25 basis point rate hike is 19.4%. By December, the probability that the Federal Reserve will hold interest rates steady is 21.7%, the probability of a cumulative 25 basis point rate hike is 64.1%, and the probability of a cumulative 50 basis point rate hike is 14.2%. (CLS)
Member states of the International Energy Agency agree to accelerate the release of 100 million barrels of oil reserves
Local time on the 7th, the International Energy Agency (IEA) issued a statement saying that the governments of its member states have agreed to accelerate the implementation of the oil reserve release plan announced in March this year. If all the previously pledged but not yet released reserves are put into the market, it is expected that about 100 million barrels of oil can be released additionally. The statement also pointed out that in response to the current tight supply in the diesel market, its member states have agreed to give priority to the release of diesel when conditions permit. (CCTV News)
Three major U.S. stock indexes closed lower collectively, with large-cap tech stocks mixed in performance
36kr learned that as of the close on October 8, the three major U.S. stock indexes all posted declines: the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.66%, the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.22%, and the S&P 500 Index fell 0.22%. Large-cap tech stocks saw mixed movements: Netflix and Amazon rose more than 1%, while Apple, Google, Intel, and Microsoft posted slight gains; SK Hynix and Meta dropped more than 2%, with Tesla and NVIDIA seeing minor declines. Popular Chinese concept stocks traded mixed: JD.com rose 2%, NIO and NetEase gained more than 1%, Li Auto and XPeng Inc. edged up slightly; Futu Holdings fell more than 3%, Alibaba and Baidu dropped over 2%, and Tiger Brokers declined more than 1%.
Reserve Bank of India raises interest rates for the first time in nearly four years, hinting at possible further monetary policy tightening
The Reserve Bank of India raised interest rates for the first time in nearly four years. Against the backdrop of rising inflation and currency depreciation, the Reserve Bank of India has joined other Asian central banks to tighten monetary policy. The Monetary Policy Committee of the Reserve Bank of India voted unanimously to raise the benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 5.5%, which is in line with the forecasts of most economists surveyed by Bloomberg. This is the first interest rate hike since Sanjay Malhotra took office as governor in December 2024. The Reserve Bank of India adjusted its monetary policy stance from "neutral" to "calibrated tightening", sending a signal that further interest rate hikes may be implemented in the future. (Sina Finance)
7-Eleven Withdraws From India
According to Xinhua News Agency, Japanese retail giant Seven & I Holdings released a statement on the 6th, saying that all stores of its chain convenience store brand 7-Eleven in India have been closed. Citing the news from the spokesperson of Seven & I Holdings, Agence France-Presse reported that after obtaining the relevant franchise rights, Reliance Retail opened the first 7-Eleven convenience store in India in Mumbai in October 2021, and at its peak development stage, there were about 60 stores across India in total. In the statement, Seven & I Holdings did not specify the reason why 7-Eleven convenience stores withdrew from the Indian market. However, according to reports from Japanese media including the Yomiuri Shimbun, 7-Eleven convenience stores have faced fierce competition from local Indian retailers. (Xinhua News Agency)
The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics is announced
On October 6 local time, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences decided to award the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics to Francis Halzen, in recognition of his decisive contributions to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the discovery of high-energy neutrinos from astrophysical sources. (CCTV News)
Total box office of 2026 National Day film season exceeds 1.1 billion yuan
36 Kr learned from the data of Lighthouse Professional Edition that the total box office of the 2026 National Day film season (October 1 to October 7) has exceeded 1.1 billion yuan. *Detective: Trace*, *What Do You Mean, Couple*, *Resident Evil: Outbreak Night*, *Welcome to Dragon Restaurant* and *Peppa Pig: Perfect Vacation* rank top 5 in the box office of the current schedule.
Paramount Skydance Completes Acquisition of Warner Bros.
After months of bidding battles and legal wrangling, Paramount Skydance announced on October 6 that it has completed its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery for a value of approximately 110 billion US dollars, creating a new super media group spanning the Hollywood and news industries. This is one of the largest M&A transactions in the history of the U.S. media industry. (Xinhua News Agency)
China's central bank raises its gold reserves for the 23rd consecutive month
China's gold reserves were registered at 77.47 million ounces (about 2409.59 tons) at the end of September, up 740,000 ounces (about 23.02 tons) month on month, compared with the 76.73 million ounces (about 2386.57 tons) of gold reserves at the end of August. The People's Bank of China has increased its gold holdings for 23 consecutive months. (CLS)
Samsung Electro-Mechanics plans to invest nearly 5 billion US dollars to expand its semiconductor substrate production capacity in South Korea and Vietnam
According to reports, Samsung Electro-Mechanics plans to invest nearly 5 billion US dollars in South Korea and Vietnam by 2028 for semiconductor substrate production, further elevating Vietnam's status in the production of key components for artificial intelligence servers and high-performance computing. One of the investments, worth 4.27 trillion won (3.2 billion US dollars), is allocated to the company's Sejong plant in South Korea, which is the largest investment the company has ever made for a single product. The other investment, amounting to 2.51 trillion won (1.87 billion US dollars), will be used for its Vietnamese subsidiary. The company announced in 2022 that it would test FC-BGA substrates in Thai Nguyen Province, northern Vietnam. The expansion of the facility now shows that the trial production results have met expectations, and the company is ready to enter the mass production phase. (CLS)
Fuel Surcharges for Domestic Routes Will Be Increased
According to the latest notice from airlines released by Flight Butler DAST on October 6, starting from October 10, the fuel surcharges for domestic routes will be raised: 90 yuan will be charged for flight segments over 800 kilometers, 20 yuan higher than that in August and September; 50 yuan will be charged for segments under 800 kilometers, 10 yuan higher than that in August and September. (Yicai)
The global share of new pure fuel vehicle sales has fallen below 50% for the first time, with the proportion of pure gasoline vehicles dropping to 49% in the first half of the year
According to the report from The Financial Associated Press, the latest data from Mobility Global shows that in the first half of 2026, pure gasoline models accounted for 49% of global new car sales. This is the first time in history that the sales proportion of pure gasoline vehicles has fallen below 50%, marking a sharp 24% drop from the 73% recorded in 2021. The data also shows that the overall size of the automotive market shrank by about 5% in the first half of this year, while the decline in pure gasoline vehicle sales was twice that of the overall market. Industry insiders attribute the accelerated market shift to oil prices. Affected by the conflicts in the Middle East, fuel prices have surged significantly, prompting consumers to seek vehicle models with lower usage costs. (The Financial Associated Press)
SpaceX reportedly plans to raise $40 billion to purchase Nvidia chips
Media reports citing people familiar with the matter state that SpaceX under Elon Musk is seeking to raise $40 billion to purchase Nvidia chips, highlighting that the demand for artificial intelligence (AI) computing power remains strong. The report notes that SpaceX is seeking around $10 billion in bank loans and plans to issue $30 billion in investment-grade bonds to finance chip procurement. Apollo Global Management is expected to lead this transaction and assist in selling SpaceX bonds to investors. The transaction is expected to be completed in 2027. (Sina Finance)
Russia refutes pneumonic plague rumors
According to reports from media including AFP cited by Global Times on the 6th, after reports claimed that a laboratory technician in Russia's Irkutsk region died of suspected pneumonic plague infection, the Russian side denied that it was implementing epidemic prevention measures for pneumonic plague and made clarifications on the rumors spread on social media. It is known that recent local Russian media reports said the deceased might have been infected with pneumonic plague due to a test tube rupture, and 200 people who may have had contact with her have been quarantined. Kobzev, Governor of Irkutsk Oblast, stated that the inspection by the Russian Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing found that the woman died of pneumonia, but the specific cause of the disease is "undetermined". (Global Times)
Hang Seng Tech Index to Expand Its Constituents to 50
Hang Seng Indexes Company has announced the consultation results for the Hang Seng Tech Index, noting that six reforms will be carried out on the Hang Seng Tech Index and take effect in December. First, the requirement that eligible candidate companies must fall into five designated sectors of the Hang Seng Industry Classification System will be abolished. Second, existing themes will be integrated and expanded, with a new cutting-edge technology theme added. The revised six major technology themes are: digital platforms and solutions, artificial intelligence, advanced hardware, robotics and automation, cloud computing, and cutting-edge technology. Third, the number of technology sub-themes will be raised from 16 to 24 to match the revisions of the six aforementioned major technology themes. Fourth, a grouped stock selection mechanism will be introduced, which adjusts the stock selection scope from listed companies on the main board to the constituents of the Hang Seng Composite Large & Mid Cap Index. Fifth, a dual-group stock selection mechanism will be applied, taking market capitalization ranking and revenue growth ranking as the respective criteria for stock selection. Non-existing constituents shall additionally meet the requirement of a minimum average daily turnover of HK$100 million in the past three months; constituents selected by revenue growth ranking shall record an annual revenue of no less than HK$500 million in the two most recent consecutive fiscal years. Sixth, the number of constituents will be increased from 30 to 50, of which the top 40 are selected by market capitalization ranking, and the remaining 10 are selected by revenue growth ranking over the past 12 months. (CLS)
Ongoing Listings
Kuaishou's Keling AI plans to go public in Hong Kong as early as next year, raising at least 1 billion U.S. dollars
It is learned that Keling AI, the video generation large model under Kuaishou, plans to be listed in Hong Kong as early as next year, with a financing amount of at least 1 billion U.S. dollars. (CLS)
Investment and Financing
Moonshot AI is reportedly to have completed pre-IPO financing, with its latest valuation standing at around 50 billion US dollars
According to people familiar with the matter, Moonshot AI has completed the last round of private placement financing at a valuation of about 50 billion US dollars, and is pushing forward the plan for its Initial Public Offering (IPO) in Hong Kong in the first quarter of next year. (Sina Finance)
Multiple UAE funds and BlackRock are reportedly in talks to participate in OpenAI's latest $30 billion financing round
People familiar with the matter said that a number of UAE investment funds including MGX are in discussions with OpenAI and may participate in the latest $30 billion financing round of this artificial intelligence giant. One of the insiders said these funds will form a consortium to participate in this OpenAI financing round. Another person said the total investment amount discussed by these UAE funds could reach up to 10 billion U.S. dollars. Insiders revealed that BlackRock is also in talks to participate in this financing round. The financing process is still ongoing and the specific terms are subject to change. These insiders requested anonymity as the information involved is not public. (Zhitong Finance)
Cool Products
Apple and LG Jointly Develop Doorbells, Door Locks and Other Products
It is reported that Apple is about to step into the smart home device sector, and its new products will include doorbells, thermostats and other accessories co-developed with LG Electronics. These products will be integrated into a device ecosystem that not only supports Apple's new smart home hub, but also can be used with the upgraded HomePod mini and the brand-new TV set-top box. According to the report, the products co-developed with LG Electronics also include smart door locks, indoor security cameras, outdoor security cameras and floodlight cameras, and these products will be sold under the LG brand. (CLS)
Edited by Chang Yi