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Image: Apple
Wake up to the shifts shaping the future.
From boardroom shakeups and billion-dollar bets to the latest tech breakthroughs rewriting the rules, The Company Brief is your front-row seat to the stories moving markets and mindsets.
We cut through the noise so you can stay ahead of the curve, one bold business move at a time.
Mamdani to become NYC mayor, Democrats win New Jersey and Virginia
The Democrats have swept the first major elections of Trump's term, elevating a new generation of leaders and giving the beleaguered party a shot of momentum ahead of next year's congressional elections. In New York City, Mamdani, a 34-year-old democratic socialist, won the mayoral race, capping a meteoric and unlikely rise. And in Virginia and New Jersey, moderate Democrats Spanberger, 46, and Sherrill, 53, respectively, won the elections for governor with commanding leads. Tuesday's contests offered a barometer of how Americans are responding to Trump's tumultuous nine months in office. The races also served as a test of differing Democratic campaign playbooks ahead of 2026. The biggest practical boost to Democrats on Tuesday came out of California, where voters gave Democratic lawmakers the power to redraw the state's congressional map, expanding a national battle over redistricting that will shape the race for the U.S. House of Representatives.
Stocks tumble as stretched valuation fears grip markets
Asian stocks dived on Wednesday and market volatility surged to levels not seen since April after an overnight tech-led selloff on Wall Street heightened concerns over stretched valuations. Sellers were particularly harsh on both the Japanese and South Korean markets, with Tokyo's Nikkei tumbling 4.6% and down almost 7% from a record high reached on Tuesday. South Korean shares plunged as much as 6.2%, before recovering slightly. "It's probably just time to pause the equity market rally we've had. It's been all one-way for a while," said Jason Wong, senior market strategist at BNZ in Wellington. Around the region, MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 1.2%. The losses over two sessions exceeded 2.3% and are the heaviest since President Donald Trump's Liberation Day tariff announcement roiled markets in early April. U.S. e-mini futures were down 0.3% in Asia after a 1.2% drop overnight. Nasdaq futures fell 0.4% and European futures were down 0.9%.
Apple to enter low-cost laptop market with budget Mac
Apple is preparing to launch a budget Mac in the first half of next year, entering the low-cost laptop market for the first time, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday. The device, aimed to lure customers away from Google's Chromebooks and entry-level Windows PCs, is made for students, businesses and casual users who primarily browse the web, work on documents or conduct light media editing, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Apple is also targeting would-be iPad buyers who might prefer a traditional laptop instead. The iPhone maker aims to sell the laptop, code-named J700, well under $1,000 by using less-advanced components, the report said. It is currently in active testing at Apple and in early production with overseas suppliers.
Big news for DStv clients
Canal+ has moved to aggressively reposition DStv, which has been suffering from subscriber losses and competitive pressure. The company plans to invest almost R2 billion in annual cost savings into growth. Key focus areas for Canal+ will be geared to lowering equipment costs, boosting content, especially sports, and improving distribution and sales capacity.