Platform innovations give enterprises governed access to their data and predictable AI costs as they move AI from pilot to production.

LONDON, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Everpure (NYSE: P), the company revolutionizing storage and data management, today announced new platform capabilities designed to simplify enterprise data management, advancing its Data Primacy vision. Introduced at Pure//Accelerate in June, Data Primacy is the principle that data—not applications—must be the core driver of enterprise architecture in the AI era. Today's updates continue to advance the modern data management capabilities required to solve bottlenecks stalling enterprise AI at scale: fragmented context, unpredictable inference costs, and slow, complex deployments.

"Enterprise AI is hitting a wall not because the models are lacking, but because data is not ready for real-time, autonomous agents," said Prakash Darji, General Manager, Data & Digital Experience at Everpure. "We are eliminating that friction. By making enterprise data continuously governed, automated, and instantly accessible, we're giving organizations the foundation to move AI out of the lab and into production with the necessary confidence."

Making Enterprise Data Management Simple and Secure

Enterprises deploying AI agents often struggle to give them reliable, governed access to data across the business, limiting how much those agents can actually achieve. Everpure Data Intelligence solves this by discovering, classifying, and contextualizing enterprise information at its source—spanning the Everpure Platform, public clouds, SaaS applications, and third-party storage. Building on this, new capabilities give autonomous agents and administrators direct, secure access to live enterprise context without custom API work:

- Native MCP Integration: Implements the open Model Context Protocol (MCP) so AI agents and security tools can query live data catalogs using natural language. Agents can now find relevant data and understand its sensitivity class as an input to AI, Agent Workflows, and Analytics.

- Turn-Key Deployment: Streamlines deployment without complicated professional services engagements through the existing Pure1 console and accelerates time-to-value without the operational overhead of setting up separate management servers.

- Privacy-First File Intelligence: Shows who can access each file share and how stale it is, without ever reading file content, so teams can fix exposure and reclaim capacity before opening shares to AI agents.

Delivering AI Performance, Next-Gen Efficiency, & Cost Predictability

In order to support growing workloads from archive to AI, Everpure is expanding the bounds of performance and capacity efficiency in a non-disruptive way. The new capabilities bring high-performance AI execution directly to data at the source and deliver production speed without ever moving data from its system of record:

- Accelerated LLM Inference via PureKVA (Key-Value Accelerator): Everpure FlashBlade now pre-stages context directly into GPU memory to deliver up to 20x faster Time to First Token (TTFT). Supports enterprise multi-tenancy with zero dataset relocation, eliminating GPU idle time, increasing token throughput, and decreasing response lag for real-time apps.

- Always-On DeepReduce Data Compression: Scans storage blocks continuously across FlashBlade systems to find sub-block data similarities that traditional deduplication misses, even on pre-compressed content. Usable storage capacity expands automatically without impacting write performance or requiring manual scheduling, significantly reducing hardware footprint and cross-cloud expenses.

- Intelligent Token Optimization Reference Architecture: Given the need for enterprises to own their own data and optimize AI spend, Everpure now delivers a reference architecture using open weight models. This allows more control over data and predictable AI costs, cutting overall API token usage from external providers.

Individually, these capabilities close specific gaps in simplicity, security, performance, and cost. Together, they give enterprises a single, continuously updated foundation for managing their data and running AI in production, built to keep pace as agentic workflows scale. Because these capabilities classify what data is sensitive and who touches it, they also strengthen cyber resilience, since the same context that makes data safe for AI to use is what determines how it gets protected and what gets recovered first. The new capabilities announced today will be available this October.

Additional Resources

- Executive Perspective: From Data Processing to Data Primacy: The Agentic Inversion of Work and IT Architecture

- Press Release: Everpure Unveils Data-Primacy Architecture for the AI Era (June 2026)

- Blog: Your AI Strategy Is Stuck Behind Your Application-Centric Architecture

About Everpure

Everpure (NYSE: P) allows organizations to take control of their data with an industry-leading, ever-evolving storage and data management platform. We help companies unleash the power of their data by ensuring it is accessible, intelligent, and ready to perform in the AI era. We make data management effortless while simultaneously scaling performance and significantly reducing energy consumption. With one of the highest Net Promoter Scores for over a decade, Everpure is the choice of the world's most innovative organizations. For more information, visit www.everpuredata.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding Everpure's business and product roadmap. The timing, development, and release of any Everpure product, feature, or functionality described remain at Everpure's sole discretion. The material provided is for informational purposes only and is not a commitment, promise, or legal obligation to deliver any material, code, or functionality. It should not be relied upon in making purchasing decisions, nor incorporated into any contract. Discussed performance metrics are informational and not a promise of performance; results may differ materially from those provided herein based on variances in deployed environmental and dataset conditions.

SOURCE Everpure

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California continues to outpace the nation in economic growth, even as employment recession persists

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The UCLA Anderson Forecast's September 2026 outlook finds an economy that has largely weathered a series of disruptions, with economic growth remaining resilient, even as inflation and interest rates have risen and labor markets nationally and in California remain weak.

The outlook has shifted considerably over the course of the year. In March, the Forecast expected tax cuts and rapidly expanding investment in artificial intelligence to help reaccelerate the U.S. economy in 2026. Three months later, the war in Iran and resulting oil shock had replaced tariffs as the leading threat to that expansion.

The contrasting signals are particularly pronounced in California. The state's economy grew at an annual rate of 3.7% in the first quarter of 2026, compared with 2.1% nationally, with only Washington state growing faster. Yet California's unemployment rate stood at 5.1% in August, the highest of any state. The "employment recession" identified by the Forecast six months ago has continued, even though California has outperformed the nation in the production of goods and services.

Nationally, the Forecast expects growth to remain above 2% for the remainder of 2026 and near 2% in 2027 and 2028, supported in part by continued investment in AI infrastructure and the wealth effects associated with rising technology equity valuations. Inflation, meanwhile, is expected to move higher again this winter, keeping interest rates elevated and prompting the Federal Reserve to raise rates accordingly.

The National Economy

The September 2026 forecast describes a U.S. economy that has proved surprisingly resilient through a series of shocks. The tariff increases that dominated the outlook in late 2025 were followed by the war in Iran and a sharp increase in oil prices in the spring. Despite those disruptions, underlying economic growth has remained around or above 2%.

Credit the continued expansion of AI-related investment for much of the growth. Capital spending by large technology companies has supported nonresidential investment, while rising valuations of AI-related companies have increased household wealth and helped support consumer spending. The Forecast estimates that high-tech investment and the wealth effect associated with AI-related equities together account for nearly one percentage point of core GDP growth.

Fiscal policy has provided an additional boost. Larger income tax refunds and tariff refunds have increased disposable income, helping offset some of the drag from higher energy costs and interest rates.

The labor market, however, continues to send mixed signals. The unemployment rate fell in August to 4.1% from 4.5% in November 2025, but payroll growth has slowed substantially. Payrolls increased by 162,000 in August but averaged just 71,000 jobs per month over the previous three months, and 31,000 per month over the previous year. At the same time, immigration restrictions and demographic trends have reduced growth in the labor force.

The Forecast expects the labor market to stabilize rather than accelerate, with monthly payroll growth generally between zero and 50,000 jobs and unemployment remaining near 4.2% through the forecast horizon.

Inflation remains a more persistent concern. The disruption to world oil supplies caused by the Iran conflict, combined with attacks on Russian refining capacity, has kept energy prices elevated. Headline inflation, which declined to 3.4% in July and August after reaching 4.2% in May, is expected to move back toward 4% during the winter. Core inflation is expected to approach 2.9% in early to mid-2027 before gradually declining toward the Federal Reserve's 2% target.

Higher inflation has also changed the outlook for interest rates. The 10-year Treasury yield has risen from below 4% in February to around 5%, reflecting inflation and fiscal risks, heavy private-sector borrowing associated with AI investment and continued expectations for economic growth. The Forecast expects long-term rates to remain elevated.

The Federal Reserve raised the federal funds rate by 25 basis points in September, to a target range of 3.75% to 4%. The Forecast expects another quarter-point increase in December, followed by no further changes through 2027, absent another adverse supply shock.

Overall, the Forecast expects GDP growth above 2% through the remainder of 2026 and around 2% in 2027 and 2028. The outlook is subject to significant risks in both directions. A sharp correction in AI-related equity valuations or financing could reduce investment and consumer spending, while another escalation in the Middle East could push oil prices sharply higher. Conversely, a resolution of the conflict and faster diffusion of AI-driven productivity gains could produce stronger growth with less inflation.

The California Economy

California continues to present an unusual combination of superior economic growth and inferior employment performance.

In June, the Forecast estimated that California's economy had grown 2.9% in the first quarter of 2026. The actual growth rate was substantially higher: 3.7%, compared with 2.1% nationally. Over the year ending in the first quarter, California GDP grew 3.3%, compared with 2.7% for the nation. Adjusting for population migration leaves California's growth rate unchanged and widens its advantage over other fast-growing large states whose economies benefited from population gains.

Much of that growth reflects California's concentration in technology and other high-productivity industries. Six of the 10 largest venture capital investments in the Americas during the first quarter were in the San Francisco Bay Area, representing more than 95% of the value of the top 10 investments. In the second quarter, 82% of all venture capital investment went to California. Aerospace is also benefiting from increased commercial aircraft production, defense purchases, space exploration and satellite production.

But that strength has not translated into broad employment gains. California's unemployment rate has remained above 5% for 31 months and stood at 5.1% in August, one percentage point above the national rate. Payroll employment increased by 138,500 jobs over the 12 months ending in August, while a separate household survey showed 246,700 fewer Californians employed and a decline of 351,100 in the state labor force over the same period.

The two measures capture different aspects of employment, but both point to continued weakness in labor demand. Job growth so far in 2026 has been concentrated primarily in health care and social services, education and retail — sectors that the Forecast does not expect to provide the same support going forward. Government budget constraints, reductions in federal support for health care and continued deportations are expected to limit hiring in several of those areas.

A stronger California labor market will therefore depend increasingly on technology, aerospace and other durable goods manufacturing. Aerospace is already benefiting from increased production and government and private-sector demand. Tech employment continues to decline, although at a moderating pace. The Forecast assumes AI-related hiring and the end of contraction elsewhere in the technology sector will produce employment growth beginning in 2027 and accelerating in 2028.

Housing remains another constraint. New-home construction has changed little since June, with the annual pace of permits around 110,000 units, well below the level needed to address the state's housing shortage. Elevated mortgage rates, tariffs on imported building materials and the loss of construction workers through deportations are expected to continue limiting new construction.

Overall, the September 2026 California outlook is slightly weaker than the June forecast, largely because of continued disruption in energy markets. Recovery is expected to begin in early 2027, followed by stronger growth later in 2027 and in 2028.

The Forecast expects California's unemployment rate to average 5.2% in 2026, 4.9% in 2027 and 4.4% in 2028. Total employment is forecast to decline 0.2% in 2026 before growing 0.6% in 2027 and 1.8% in 2028, while nonfarm payroll employment is expected to grow 0.9%, 1.2% and 2.2%, respectively. Real personal income is forecast to increase 1.0% in 2026, 2.4% in 2027 and 2.6% in 2028. The Forecast expects 116,000 residential permits this year, rising to 118,000 by the end of 2028.

Separating AI Investment from AI's Economic Impact

In a new essay, senior economist Clement Bohr examines the distinction between the already substantial economic effects of investment in artificial intelligence and the effects of the technology itself. AI-related infrastructure spending and rising technology equity valuations are already contributing significantly to economic growth, Bohr writes, but evidence that AI itself is responsible for broad changes in employment or productivity remains inconclusive. He argues that it is too early to know how transformative AI will be, ultimately, and notes that previous general-purpose technologies took years to produce measurable economy-wide productivity gains.

UCLA Anderson Forecast's fall 2026 economic outlook conference, Energy in the Age of AI and War, is organized in collaboration with the Center for Impact and takes place on September 30, 2026.

About UCLA Anderson Forecast

UCLA Anderson Forecast is one of the nation's most widely watched economic outlooks and was unique in predicting both the seriousness of the early-1990s California downturn and the strength of the state's rebound. The Forecast was credited as the first major U.S. economic forecasting group to call the recession of 2001 and was among the first to declare the COVID-19 recession in March 2020.

Tomorrow.Blue Economy 2026 charts a strategic course for the Blue Economy

BARCELONA, Spain, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- From 3 to 5 November, Fira de Barcelona will host a new edition of Tomorrow.Blue Economy World Congress (TBEWC), the leading international event focused on the blue economy. Over the course of three days, the gathering will bring together representatives from major city ports, public administrations, international organisations, research centres, companies and startups at the Gran Via venue to discuss strategies for turning the oceans into one of the key drivers of sustainable economic development in the coming decades.

To unlock the full potential of the blue economy, TBEWC will feature conferences from some of the world's leading experts including Allyson Beach, Blue Acceleration Adviser at the World Ocean Council; Chris Ninnes, CEO of the Aquaculture Stewardship Council; and Emma Cobos, Director of Innovation and Blue Economy at the Port de Barcelona.

The conferences will be distributed across three programmes: Smart Ports: Piers of the Future, Global Blue Finance Summit, and Sustainable Ocean Summit. Smart Ports will bring together ports, startups, companies, and investors with the goal of addressing the real challenges facing the port and maritime sector and promoting the development of innovative solutions.

The Global Blue Finance Summit and the Sustainable Ocean Summit, both organised by the World Ocean Council (WOC), will provide a platform to connect investors with scalable blue economy opportunities, and a forum where businesses, experts and governments can drive solutions to accelerate the deployment of the blue economy and the protection of the oceans, respectively.

Barcelona City Council, through Barcelona Activa, will organise a range of activities under the city's new Blue Economy Strategy. The programme will focus on fostering open innovation by connecting corporations and startups, exploring emerging skills and training trends across the sector, and facilitating connections between talent and companies.

The event will also feature a startup area, the Ocean Innovation Hub, where emerging companies from around the world specialising in the blue economy will showcase their projects. The space will be managed by Oceanovation, a partner of the WOC.

TBEWC is organised with the support of Barcelona City Council, through Barcelona Activa; the Port of Barcelona; the World Ocean Council (WOC); Oceanovation; and Smart Ports: Piers of the Future, an initiative of the Port Authority of Barcelona; and is held alongside Smart City Expo World Congress, Tomorrow.Mobility World Congress, Barcelona Deep Tech Summit; and the Barcelona Cybersecurity Congress.

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SWI Group reports strong H1 2026 results as it accelerates transformation into a global AI infrastructure and compute platform

SINGAPORE and AMSTERDAM, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- SWI Capital Holding Ltd. (Euronext Amsterdam: SWICH) ("SWI Group" or the "Group") today published its Interim Financial Report for the six months ended June 30, 2026, reviewed by Deloitte.

The first half of 2026 marked a significant step in SWI Group's transformation into a global digital infrastructure and AI compute platform.

Half-year results

As of June 30, 2026, SWI Group reported €4.4 billion of total assets and €2.3 billion of Adjusted NAV, an increase of 53% since December 31, 2025. Profit for the period amounted to €631.6 million, mainly reflecting the value recognized on the investment in Genesis Digital Assets, subsequently renamed SWI Digital.

The Group is building an integrated digital infrastructure platform spanning approximately 4 GW of power capacity across Europe and the United States, combining powered land, data centers and AI compute infrastructure.

Genesis Digital Assets (SWI Digital)

In June 2026, SWI Group acquired an initial interest in Genesis Digital Assets, subsequently rebranded SWI Digital.

Following the period end, the Group increased its holding to approximately 70% of voting rights and obtained control, creating a major US digital infrastructure platform with approximately 1.2 GW of secured grid connections.

SWI Digital is now executing its business plan, including the optimization of its existing infrastructure and the conversion of suitable bitcoin mining sites into large-scale AI and high-performance computing infrastructure.

Digital infrastructure portfolio

SWI Group's digital infrastructure activities are held principally through two platforms.

AiOnX, the Group's European digital infrastructure platform, has approximately 2.3 GW of planned capacity, including one campus leased to a hyperscale tenant.

SWI Digital provides the Group with approximately 1.2 GW of secured grid connections, predominantly in the United States.

Together, these platforms provide SWI Group with a substantial pipeline of powered infrastructure across two of the world's most important markets for AI and cloud computing.

Building an integrated AI compute platform

SWI Group is expanding beyond the ownership of power, land and data centers into AI compute infrastructure and services.

In August 2026, the Group became a Preferred Partner for Compute, Networking and Enterprise Software in the NVIDIA Partner Network, enabling it to deploy NVIDIA-accelerated infrastructure for AI workloads ranging from model training to production-scale inference.

SWI is assembling a dedicated technology team with experience across NVIDIA, Amazon, Intel and leading hyperscale operators to develop and operate an in-house AI cloud platform for enterprises, research institutions and AI developers.

By combining its European and US infrastructure portfolio with GPU compute capacity, SWI intends to operate across the AI infrastructure value chain — from power and data centers to accelerated computing and AI cloud services.

This vertically integrated model is designed to allow SWI to deploy capital in response to customer demand and capture value across multiple layers of the AI infrastructure ecosystem.

Strategy

SWI Group is accelerating its transformation toward digital infrastructure and intends for the sector to represent more than 90% of total assets by 2027.

The Group intends to concentrate capital and management resources on digital infrastructure, AI compute and related opportunities where its access to power, infrastructure, capital and technology capabilities can create long-term value.

Selected non-core assets, primarily mixed-use development land and hospitality projects, have been classified as held for sale.

Outlook

SWI Group is in advanced discussions with hyperscalers and AI developers regarding long-term offtake agreements across multiple sites.

The potential aggregate contractual value of these opportunities is in the tens of billions USD over their respective contractual terms.

The Group's near-term priorities are to convert these discussions into contracted capacity, secure the associated financing and accelerate deployment across its European and US platforms.

SWI is also evaluating a US equity capital markets transaction to support the next phase of its digital infrastructure and AI compute strategy, subject to market conditions and the necessary approvals.

The H1 2026 Interim Financial Report is available to investors and other interested parties as a PDF file on SWI's website: (https://swi.com/reports/).

This press release contains inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS DISCLAIMER

This document contains forward-looking statements, which are statements that are not historical facts and that reflect the Company's beliefs and expectations with respect to future events and financial and operational performance. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of words such as "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "intend", "estimate", "plan", "target", "may", "will", "should", "could", "seeks", "continues", "aims" or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, estimates and other factors, which may be beyond the control of the Company and which may cause actual results or performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied from such forward-looking statements, which should therefore be treated with caution. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, those described in the Risk factors section of this report and in the Company's Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2025. Nothing contained within this document is or should be relied upon as a warranty, promise or representation, express or implied, as to the future performance of the Company or its business. Any historical information contained in this statistical information is not indicative of future performance. The information contained in this document is provided as of the dates shown and, except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or for any other reason. Nothing in this document should be construed as legal, tax, investment, financial, or accounting advice, or solicitation for, or an offer to, invest in the Company. No statement in this communication is intended to be a profit forecast.

About SWI Group

SWI Capital Holding Ltd. (www.swi.com), listed on Euronext Amsterdam under the ticker SWICH (ISIN: SGXPZ11CH7U7), is the holding company of the SWI Group. SWI Group operates as a global digital investment platform with long-term holdings across digital infrastructure as a core. The Group delivers best-in-class investment solutions, driving growth, resilience, and long-term value across markets.

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Asia New Vision Forum Innovation 2026 Opens in Singapore, Focusing on "Disruption Meets Resilience"

SINGAPORE, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Asia New Vision Forum (ANVF) Innovation 2026 opened in Singapore on September 29. More than 300 policymakers, entrepreneurs and experts from across the globe gathered at the event to explore pathways toward sustainable development.

Launched by Caixin Global with support from the Singapore government, the Asia New Vision Forum has successfully held three editions since 2023. For its fourth edition in 2026, the forum launches the sub-brand "Innovation Forum", marking its evolution from macro geopolitical dialogues toward practical business solutions and industry-level implementation.

Under the theme "Disruption Meets Resilience", participants engaged in in‑depth discussions covering macro level topics including shifting geopolitical landscapes, advances in artificial intelligence, supply‑chain resilience, energy transition, biotechnology and investment in emerging markets, as well as practical issues such as real‑world AI deployment and transformations in Asian consumption, culture and tourism.

Wang Shuo, Editor-in-Chief of Caixin Media, delivered the opening remarks. He noted that the transformations we face today are twofold: the unraveling of the old order and AI reshaping everything. Both are sweeping in with overwhelming force, breaking down and building up at once. Resilience, he added, comes from meaning.

Heng Swee Keat, Co-Chair of ANVF, Former Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore, delivered the opening keynote address. He said that amid technological advances, the energy transition, supply-chain realignment and geopolitical tensions, countries need to build on stability to advance ongoing economic and industrial restructuring, while expanding their respective capabilities through cooperation.

The two-day forum features keynote addresses, panel discussions, the ASEAN Business Forum, fireside chats and closed-door meetings. Amiram Appelbaum, Chairman of Ofir SouthUp Ventures and former Chairman of the Israel Innovation Authority and former Israel Chief Scientist, also delivered a keynote focused on "Bridging Innovation Ecosystems: From National Strategy to Global Venture Creation."

The opening panel, "Asia as a Stable Force: Navigating Through Geopolitical Disruptions," brought together Yu Tiejun, President of the Institute of International and Strategic Studies and Professor at the School of International Studies, Peking University; Joseph Liow Chinyong, Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore; and Yasuto Watanabe, Director and CEO of the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO), to examine Asia's role as a stabilizing force in a volatile global environment.

Discussions on day one examined investment trends, China's growth outlook, and the evolution of culture, travel and consumption, with participation from Patrick Lee, CEO of Singapore and CEO of ASEAN and South Asia, Standard Chartered; Jin Jianhua, General Manager of China Securities Co., Ltd.; Zhu Feng, Distinguished Professor and Former Dean of the School of International Studies, Nanjing University; Shen Minggao, Professor of Practice at the School of Management, Zhejiang University, and Vice Chairman of the China Chief Economist Forum; Feng Han, Head of Marketing, Trip.com; and He Jihong, Chief Strategy Officer, H World Group.

AI-focused sessions featured Zhang Tao, Chief Representative of the BIS Office of Asia and the Pacific; Chen Lihao, Deputy Director of Resources and Environment, the Central Committee of JIUSAN Society; Chen Feng, CEO of Arm Technology (China) Co., Ltd.; Allen Zhang, Founder and CEO of MATRIX Robotics; Chang Qing, Vice Chairman of Squirrel Ai Learning; and Xie Shuo, GM of Momenta Robotaxi, where panelists explored computing constraints and the deployment of AI in business and industry.

Beyond deployment, Gaurav Keerthi, CEO and Founder of StrongKeep Cybersecurity, and Gene Yu, Founder and CEO of Blackpanda Group, examined the cybersecurity implications of AI and geopolitical fragmentation in "The Invisible Battlefield: Cybersecurity in the Age of AI and Geopolitical Fragmentation".

In the afternoon, a special focus on ASEAN was explored via the ASEAN Business Forum: The Future of Capital & Connectivity, where discussions centred on Asia's growth engines, renminbi (RMB) internationalization and the evolving needs of a new generation of consumers. Cao Zhongming, Chinese Ambassador to Singapore, and Sim Tze Tzin, Malaysia's Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry and Member of Parliament, delivered keynote addresses. Andy Lee, VP of International Business and GM for Southeast Asia Region, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence Group; Jean Lu, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice Chairperson, Standard Chartered Bank (China) Limited; Allen Zhu, Managing Partner, GSR Ventures; and Guan Tao, Chief Economist, Huafu Securities Co. Ltd., joined the discussions, amongst others.

Day two picks up momentum with dialogues around secure energy flows, medical innovation, critical-mineral supply chains, AI's impact on companies and talent, and sustainable development. Grace Fu Hai Yien, Singapore's Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, will join a fireside chat "From Singapore to Asia – The Sustainability Playbook," while Tan Kiat How, Singapore's Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Digital Development and Information and Ministry of Health, will deliver a keynote address on "Singapore's National AI Strategy." Other speakers include Dominic Barton, Chair of Rio Tinto and LeapFrog Investments and former Canadian Ambassador to China; Tai E Shyong, Professor at the National University of Singapore; and Helena Li, Executive President of Trinasolar.

ANVF Innovation 2026 concludes with an invitation-only gala dinner, where Yao Ming, International Advisory Board Member of Caixin Global Forum and Chairman of the YAO Foundation; Gita Wirjawan, Former Indonesian Minister of Trade; and Hua Fung Teh, Co-Founder and Group President of ONE Championship, will come together for a special dialogue on nurturing resilient future generations: "The Human Advantage: Growing Up, Staying Connected and Leading Through an Uncertain Future."

For more information, please visit the Asia New Vision Forum: Innovation 2026

About Caixin Global

Caixin Global is a highly respected international source for macroeconomic, financial, and business news about China. Leveraging Caixin Media's award-winning journalism, Caixin Global delivers reliable, independent reporting via its 24/7 digital platform (caixinglobal.com) and its print publication, Caixin: China Economics and Finance. Its conference division is dedicated to convening global elites to generate actionable insights in an era of rapid transformation.

SOURCE Caixin

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Autoliv Retires Repurchased Shares, Decreases Number of Issued Shares

STOCKHOLM, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Autoliv, Inc. (NYSE: ALV) (SSE: ALIVsdb), the worldwide leader in automotive safety systems, today announced that as of September 30, 2026, the total number of issued shares of common stock is 74,421,702 of which 72,006,695 shares are outstanding.

Autoliv retired 1,232,671 shares of common stock that had been repurchased during the quarter which resulted in a decrease in the issued shares.

The Company now has a total of 74,421,702 issued shares of common stock of which 72,006,695 shares are outstanding. Each share of outstanding common stock is entitled to one vote. After the retirement of the repurchased shares, Autoliv holds 2,415,007 shares of common stock in treasury which have no voting rights or rights to participate in distributions under Delaware law.

This information is of such character that Autoliv, Inc. is obliged to disclose in accordance with the Swedish Financial Instruments Trading Act (Sw. lagen (1991:980) om handel med finansiella instrument). The information was distributed for disclosure, through the agency of the contact persons set out below, on September 30, 2026, 08:00 CET.

Inquiries:

Investors & Analysts: [email protected]

Anders Trapp, Tel +46 (0)8 587 206 71 or Henrik Kaar, Tel +46 (0)8 587 206 14

About Autoliv

Autoliv, Inc. (NYSE: ALV; Nasdaq Stockholm: ALIV.sdb) is the worldwide leader in automotive safety systems. Through our group companies, we develop, manufacture and market protective systems, such as airbags, seatbelts, and steering wheels for all major automotive manufacturers in the world, as well as mobility safety solutions, such as commercial vehicles and electrical safety solutions. At Autoliv, we challenge and re-define the standards of mobility safety to sustainably deliver leading solutions. In 2025, our products saved approximately 40,000 lives and reduced around 600,000 injuries.

We have operations in 25 countries, and we drive innovation, research, and development at our 13 technical centers. Our 64,000 employees are passionate about our vision of Saving More Lives and quality is at the heart of everything we do. Sales in 2025 amounted to $10.8 billion. For more information go to www.autoliv.com.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

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Nel ASA: Secures additional orders for submarine PEM electrolyser stacks

OSLO, Norway, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Nel Hydrogen US, a subsidiary of Nel ASA (Nel) (OSE: NEL), has secured additional purchase orders from Collins Aerospace for PEM electrolyser stacks used in submarine life-support systems. In aggregate, the newly received orders related to US, UK and French naval programs have a value of approximately USD 7 million. Together with the USD 12 million purchase order announced on September 29, 2026, and additional smaller orders received earlier this month, Nel's submarine-related order intake from Collins Aerospace totals approximately USD 20 million. All orders will be booked as order intake in the third quarter of 2026.

"These additional orders extend our work across several submarine programs and demonstrate continued demand for our PEM technology," says Nel's Chief Commercial Officer, Todd Cartwright. "Submarine life-support systems impose demanding requirements for reliability and product lifetime. Our operating track record and established manufacturing capabilities position us well to serve this specialized market."

Deliveries under the additional orders are expected during 2027 and 2028. The stacks will be manufactured at Nel's facility in Wallingford, Connecticut.

For additional information, please contact:

Kjell Christian Bjørnsen, CFO, +47 917 02 097

Wilhelm Flinder, Head of Investor Relations, Communications & Marketing +47 936 11 350

About Nel ASA |www.nelhydrogen.com

Nel has a history tracing back to 1927 and is today a leading pure play hydrogen technology company with a global presence. The company specializes in PEM and Alkaline electrolyser technology for production of renewable hydrogen. Nel's product offerings are key enablers for a green hydrogen economy, making it possible to decarbonize various industries such as transportation, refining, steel, and ammonia.

This information is subject to a duty of disclosure pursuant to Section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. This information was issued as inside information pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation, and was published by Wilhelm Flinder, Head of Investor Relations, Communications and Marketing, at Nel ASA on the date and time provided.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

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Change in number of shares and votes in Sobi

STOCKHOLM, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As per 30 September 2026, the total number of shares in Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (publ) (Sobi®) amounts to 357,636,514 shares. All shares are common shares. The total number of votes is 357,636,514. The increase in the number of shares and votes results from the issue of 223,677 class C shares. The class C shares were issued for the purpose of ensuring fulfilment of commitments under the long-term incentive programme for permanent employees (the All Employee Programme) and have by virtue of the conversion clause in the articles of association been converted to common shares. As per 30 September 2026 the company holds 9,631,955 common shares.

Sobi®

Sobi is a global biopharma company unlocking the potential of breakthrough innovations, transforming everyday life for people living with rare diseases. Sobi has approximately 2,000 employees across Europe, North America, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. In 2025, revenue amounted to SEK 28 billion. Sobi's share (STO: SOBI) is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. More about Sobi at sobi.com and LinkedIn.

Contacts

For details on how to contact the Sobi Investor Relations Team, please click here. For Sobi Media contacts, click here.

Gerard Tobin

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Comfytemp Launches the Market's First Electric Heating Patch for Period Cramps and Menstrual Comfort

As women look for more convenient ways to manage period discomfort during their daily routines, Comfytemp introduces a new approach to menstrual comfort with the market's first electric heating patch.

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- For millions of women, period cramps are a recurring part of everyday life. The discomfort can occur during work, school, travel, exercise, or other daily activities, making it difficult to rely on traditional comfort solutions that require users to stay in one place.

Heat has long been part of many women's personal routines for managing menstrual discomfort. Traditional heating pads can provide soothing warmth, but their larger size and dependence on an outlet can make them difficult to use outside the home. Disposable menstrual heating patches offer greater portability, but they are designed for one-time use.

Recognizing the need for a more convenient option, Comfytemp, a consumer wellness brand focused on accessible home therapy technology, today announced the launch of its Electric Heating Patch, the market's first electric heating patch designed specifically with period comfort in mind.

The product combines targeted electric heat with a compact, wearable design, giving women another option for incorporating warmth into their daily routines during their periods.

Rethinking Heat for Period Comfort

For many women, managing period cramps is not simply about finding something that provides warmth. The bigger challenge is finding a solution that fits into everyday life.

A traditional heating pad can be useful when relaxing at home, but it can be difficult to use while working at a desk, commuting, traveling, or taking care of everyday responsibilities. Users may need to remain near an electrical outlet or stay in one position for an extended period.

Disposable heating patches address some of these limitations by allowing users to move around while receiving warmth. However, their single-use design means that a new patch is needed each time.

Comfytemp saw an opportunity to approach menstrual heat therapy differently.

Rather than adapting a traditional heating pad into a smaller format, the company developed an electric heating patch specifically around the needs of women who want portable, targeted warmth during their periods.

"We know that period discomfort doesn't always happen when you're at home with time to rest," said a spokesperson for Comfytemp. "Women may be working, traveling, studying, or simply going about their normal routines. We wanted to create a heating solution that could fit into those moments rather than asking women to change their routines around the product."

Designed Around Everyday Period Routines

Menstrual discomfort can be unpredictable. It can begin before a period, continue through the first few days, or appear at different times throughout the menstrual cycle.

For women who regularly incorporate heat into their personal comfort routines, convenience can therefore be just as important as warmth itself.

Comfytemp's Electric Heating Patch is designed to provide targeted warmth around areas commonly associated with menstrual discomfort, including the lower abdomen and lower back.

Its compact form is intended to make heat easier to incorporate into everyday activities. Women can use it while working, relaxing, traveling, or completing other daily routines where a traditional heating pad may be inconvenient.

The product is designed to offer an alternative to disposable warming patches while maintaining the portability that makes patches attractive in the first place.

Moving Beyond Disposable Heat Patches

Disposable heat patches have become a familiar option for women seeking portable warmth during their periods. Their convenience has made them particularly appealing for use outside the home.

However, the disposable nature of these products also means they are designed around short-term, single-use convenience.

Comfytemp's approach is different.

By introducing electric heating technology into a compact patch-style format, the company is creating a reusable alternative for women who want portable heat without relying on a new disposable patch for every use.

This approach reflects a broader shift in how consumers think about personal wellness products. Rather than choosing between convenience and reusability, consumers increasingly expect products to deliver both.

For Comfytemp, the goal was to apply that expectation to one of the most common everyday wellness needs: menstrual comfort.

A More Convenient Option for Life During Your Period

The challenge of period discomfort extends beyond the discomfort itself.

Women may still need to attend meetings, work long shifts, travel, attend classes, exercise, or manage household responsibilities while experiencing menstrual symptoms.

This is where portability becomes an important part of product design.

Traditional heating pads are generally associated with rest and relaxation. Comfytemp's Electric Heating Patch is designed for a different kind of use—bringing targeted warmth into situations where stopping what you're doing may not be an option.

The compact design allows the product to become part of a daily routine rather than requiring the routine to revolve around the heating device.

Whether used during a workday, while traveling, or at home, the Electric Heating Patch is designed to give women greater flexibility in how they incorporate heat into their period comfort routines.

Creating a New Approach to Menstrual Comfort

The launch of the Electric Heating Patch represents Comfytemp's continued focus on developing products around specific everyday consumer needs.

Rather than creating one-size-fits-all wellness products, the company continues to explore how familiar technologies can be redesigned around the way people actually live.

For menstrual comfort, that means looking beyond the traditional heating pad.

The Electric Heating Patch brings together the targeted warmth associated with heat therapy, the portability of a patch, and the convenience of an electric design in a product created specifically for women's period routines.

"We believe wellness products should fit naturally into people's lives," the Comfytemp spokesperson added. "For women dealing with period discomfort, that means having options that are convenient enough to use wherever their day takes them."

The Comfytemp Electric Heating Patch is now available through the company's official website.

For more information, visit:

Comfytemp Electric Heating Patch

About Comfytemp

Comfytemp is a consumer wellness brand focused on making home therapy technology more accessible, practical, and convenient for everyday use. The company's product portfolio includes heating therapy, cold therapy, TENS devices, red light therapy, air compression therapy, and other wellness solutions designed around real-life consumer needs.

By combining practical product design with accessible technology, Comfytemp continues to develop solutions that help consumers incorporate comfort and wellness into their everyday routines.

Media Contact:

Yuling Liu

Comfytemp

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Comfytemp

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SI Now Offers an Escape from the Metropolitan Squeeze in an Upcoming Segment of "Viewpoint hosted by Dennis Quaid"

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- With companies exploring more cost‑effective and scalable locations, Southern Illinois' 17‑county region is emerging as a compelling option that blends affordability with strong logistical advantages.

A newly filmed educational segment of "Viewpoint hosted by Dennis Quaid" examines the critical balance between operational costs and logistics efficiency. Highlighting the ongoing work of Southern Illinois Now (SI NOW), the programming addresses the immense challenges businesses face when operating in oversaturated urban markets. The resolution lies in a collaborative model where multiple counties unite to offer a shared network of assets, resources, infrastructure, and talent.

The segment's focus centers on how a concierge-style approach to economic development can streamline corporate relocation and expansion. By utilizing a diverse array of regional data, the organization demonstrates how mid-sized markets successfully support top-ranking retail establishments and major logistics hubs. This method relies heavily on deep integration between education partners, healthcare providers, financial entities and private industries. From site selection to workforce alignment, SI NOW provides a single point of contact that replaces what would normally be dozens of disconnected conversations.

"Southern Illinois tells a powerful story—one of communities working together as a region to build something greater than any one place alone," said Nick Holdinghausen, Regional Development of SI Now. "With our central location in the country, strategic advantage as a top logistics hub, highly skilled workforce, and cost of living that supports both businesses and families, we offer a true win-win-win for growth, talent, and long-term success."

The modern site selection process is frequently hindered by localized competition, where neighboring municipalities compete against one another rather than pooling their resources. This systemic fragmentation confuses incoming industries, dilutes the regional talent pool, and replicates administrative overhead. Resolving this conflict requires an organizational shift toward unified representation, ensuring that infrastructure investments benefit the collective whole. When communities present one brand, supporting a single, data-backed front, they eliminate friction for businesses and establish a clearer, more predictable path toward sustainable regional development.

Additionally, contemporary business strategy demands a closer look at workforce sustainability and the broader quality of life factors that drive employee retention. As the cost of living in major cities continues to outpace wage growth, regions that blend open space with advanced infrastructure are gaining a distinct advantage. This balanced approach allows companies to optimize their operational budgets while maintaining access to critical domestic markets. Ultimately, organizations find that investing in cohesive, resource-rich regions protects their human capital and stabilizes long-term corporate growth.

And Southern Illinois is a breath of fresh air for those who call it home. Residents can enjoy beautiful outdoors, wineries and orchards, and locally owned, unique businesses - all with affordability that allows their hard-earned dollar to go further. Metropolitan cities such as St. Louis, Nashville and Louisville are a short drive, and getting to Chicago in the northern part of the state is easy with American Airlines daily direct jet service from Marion or, if one prefers, a comfortable Amtrak ride from Carbondale, home of the Southern Illinois University Salukis.

About "Viewpoint hosted by Dennis Quaid": "Viewpoint hosted by Dennis Quaid" is a short-form documentary series broadcasting on Public Television stations nationwide. Developed by an experienced production team, the series focuses on educational content ranging from corporate innovation to regional development, providing viewers with deeply researched insights into the forces shaping modern society. Learn more at viewpointproject.com.

About SI NOW: SI NOW is an economic development organization dedicated to driving economic growth and fostering business success across a 17-county region in Southern Illinois. By linking logistics, workforce, and industry, the organization provides a unified voice and a centralized point of contact for businesses seeking to expand or relocate to a highly connected, cost-effective hub. Additional information is available at southernillinoisnow.org.

SOURCE Viewpoint

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