AnewZ Morning Brief - 5th August, 2025
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 5th August, covering the latest developments you need to know....
Honda and Nissan are exploring deeper collaboration, including a potential merger, to address growing competition from Tesla and Chinese EV makers. The move could create the world's third-largest automaker, reshaping Japan's automotive industry.
Honda and Nissan are in discussions to strengthen ties, potentially through a merger, two sources revealed on Wednesday. This move highlights how Japan's auto industry is responding to challenges from Tesla and Chinese competitors.
A merged Honda-Nissan entity would become the world's third-largest automaker, with a market value of $54 billion and annual production of 7.4 million vehicles, trailing only Toyota and Volkswagen.
The two companies established a strategic partnership in March to collaborate on electric vehicle (EV) development. However, Nissan's mounting financial troubles have accelerated the need for closer cooperation.
Last month, Nissan announced a $2.6 billion cost-saving plan, including 9,000 job cuts and a 20% reduction in production capacity, following an 85% drop in second-quarter profits due to weak sales in China and the US.
“This seems like an effort to rescue Nissan, but Honda is also facing challenges,” said Sanshiro Fukao of the Itochu Research Institute. Honda expects weaker cash flow next year and struggles in its EV segment.
Nissan shares surged over 22% on Wednesday, while Honda shares dipped 2.3%.
Mitsubishi shares rose 13%. The talks aim to enhance technological collaboration and could lead to a holding company or even a full merger, sources said. Cooperation with Mitsubishi Motors, in which Nissan owns a 24% stake, is also being explored.
Neither company has announced a deal, though they have acknowledged exploring collaboration opportunities.
“A Honda-Nissan merger could revitalise Japan's auto industry by providing competition to Toyota,” said Seiji Sugiura of Tokai Tokyo Intelligence Laboratory. However, integrating their differing corporate cultures and navigating US trade policies could pose challenges.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will send an upgraded ‘version 3.0’ free-trade agreement to their heads of government for approval in October, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday after regional talks in Kuala Lumpur.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
Tesla has granted Elon Musk a $29 billion share award as part of a new compensation plan to retain him as CEO while the company shifts focus from electric cars to robotaxis and AI. The move revives elements of a controversial 2018 package previously struck down by a Delaware court.
OPEC+ will increase oil production by 547,000 barrels per day in September after eight members of the organisation held a brief virtual meeting on Sunday. They said the company will continue to accelerate its output hikes to regain market share.
McDonald's plans to significantly expand its investments in artificial intelligence by 2027, with India expected to play a central role in data governance, engineering, and platform development, a senior executive said on Friday.
U.S. President Donald Trump has sharply criticised Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell following the central bank’s decision to keep interest rates unchanged.
Microsoft’s market capitalization surpassed $4 trillion in after-hours trading on Wednesday following a stronger-than-expected earnings report for its fiscal fourth quarter, driven by robust growth in its cloud business.
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