SINGAPORE -- Investors have returned to Asian stock markets to seek post-pandemic opportunities as some of the region's economies start to recover, propelling Chinese internet names Meituan Dianping and JD.com to the biggest gains among big-cap shares this year.
Of the 55 Asia-headquartered companies that had market capitalizations of more than $50 billion as of the end of 2019, 23 had a higher value in dollar terms on Sept. 30 compared with the start of 2020, data from QUICK-FactSet shows. More than half, or 32, lost value.
Leading the gainers was Chinese food delivery provider Meituan Dianping, whose market capitalization rose more than 140% to $183 billion. Meituan's platform marked a daily average of 24.5 million order transactions in the second quarter, up 7% from a year ago, according to its interim report released early September.
Another beneficiary of the shift to at-home work and shopping was JD.com. The Chinese e-commerce group's market value roughly doubled to $118 billion.
China, the origin of the new coronavirus, emerged from the worst of the pandemic earlier than other countries. Investors rushed into Chinese stocks in July as macroeconomic data showed a better-than-expected recovery. Top e-commerce group Alibaba Group Holding rose sharply during the July-September quarter, with its market value surpassing $700 billion to become the highest in Asia.
Alibaba ranked sixth worldwide, behind Google parent Alphabet and ahead of Facebook .
Other stocks that performed well were top Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries, up 52% from end-December, Japanese gaming maker Nintendo, up 40% thanks to its popular Switch console game title Animal Crossing: New Horizons, as well as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., up 35%.
Outside the 55 big-cap companies, a rising star was Singapore-based online gaming and e-commerce company Sea, which saw its market value quadruple this year to over $70 billion, becoming Southeast Asia's most valuable listed company.
Meanwhile, traditional banks suffered. Indonesia's Bank Central Asia had its market value drop 24% this year as bad loans increased due to the pandemic-driven economic downturn.
Chinese state-owned energy giants China Petroleum & Chemical (Sinopec) and PetroChina recovered in the third quarter but their values remain more than 20% below the 2019 year-end levels due to weak oil prices.
In the manufacturing sector, Samsung Electronics and Sony regained the 2019 year-end level. Toyota Motor's market value rose 5% in the third quarter but is still 7% below the Dec. 31 level.
Asia's stock markets were hit hardest in March, with some major indexes falling more than 30% from the beginning of the year. Governments imposed lockdowns and rushed to monetary and fiscal stimulus to help buoy the economy, but recovery speed differed by markets: China, South Korea and Taiwan have had their stock indexes surpass end-2019 prices, whereas Japan, India, Hong Kong remained below the pre-pandemic levels.
Southeast Asian markets have also been underperforming its peers, with the Indonesia composite index and Thailand's SET dropping 23% and 22% this year, respectively. Weak macroeconomic prospects and lack of digital and technology stocks in the index components might have kept equity inventors away. Singapore's Straits Times Index also dropped 23% from the beginning of the year.
Looking ahead, upcoming companies' earnings for July-September quarter, which will be released over the coming weeks, will likely give investors an indication of how Asian companies have fared in the pandemic recovery phase. November's U.S. presidential election will also have an effect on Asian equities as the results determine Washington's stance toward China.
"Asian stocks may face a bumpy road ahead into the fourth quarter, with a second viral wave in Europe and political uncertainties surrounding the U.S. presidential election weighing sentiment," Margaret Yang, a strategist with DailyFX in Singapore told Nikkei Asia.
Yang pointed out that Asian stocks, except Chinese ones, have largely underperformed their U.S. peers this year. "Thus their relatively lower valuation may help to cushion the downside when U.S. markets consolidate," she said.
The strategist added that investors might continue to favor the technology sector -- so long as the coronavirus pandemic persists toward the end of the year.
SINGAPORE — Japan's Tokyo Stock Exchange halted trading on Thursday due to a technical issue, while many major markets in the region are closed for holidays.
Japan Exchange Group said in a Thursday release that the Tokyo Stock Exchange has stopped trading for the day following a "system glitch." It added that it cannot say at this point when trading can resume.
The Japanese government has instructed the exchange to identify the cause of the technical issue, Reuters reported Thursday.
Markets in China, Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan are closed on Thursday for holidays.
Overall, the MSCI Asia ex-Japan index traded 0.48% higher.
In corporate developments, shares of Singapore telecommunications firm Singtel jumped nearly 3% by Thursday afternoon after the firm announced that its CEO is set to retire on Jan. 1, 2021.
On the economic data front, the headline large manufacturers index in the Bank of Japan's quarterly tankan business sentiment survey came in at minus 27, against expectations of a minus 23 reading in a Reuters poll. Still, that was better than the minus 34 reading in June.
Overnight stateside, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 329.04 points, or 1.2%, to close at 27,781.70. The S&P 500 added 0.8% to end its trading day at 3,363.00, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite rose 0.7% to close at 11,167.51.
The moves on Wall Street came as U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin failed to strike a coronavirus aid deal. The two will continue talks as they try to craft a fifth package that could pass both chambers of Congress.
Currencies and oil
The U.S. dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of its peers, was at 93.697 in a week that has seen it decline from levels above 94.2.
The Japanese yen traded at 105.47 per dollar after seeing levels above 105.6 against the greenback yesterday. The Australian dollar changed hands at $0.7175 following its rise yesterday from levels below $0.715.
Oil prices were lower in the afternoon of Asian trading hours. Brent crude futures were down slightly at $42.28 per barrel. U.S. crude futures were 0.1% lower at $40.18 per barrel.
Shortly after noon in Atlanta, Nick Senzel of the Cincinnati Reds slapped the first pitch from Max Fried to right field for a single, starting a day of baseball unlike any that had come before.
Eight postseason games, all set to start in a span of around 10 hours.
“This is like September Madness,” Houston manager Dusty Baker said. “It’s going to be mad.”
Wednesday indeed had a bit of an NCAA Tournament feel, with a smorgasbord of playoff games starting early in the afternoon and scheduled to last long into the night. For much of the 20th century, baseball had a maximum of seven games in any single postseason. Wednesday’s schedule alone included more than that, the result of an expanded postseason for 2020 that includes 16 teams after a regular season shortened to 60 games by the coronavirus pandemic.
“Our country needs it, it’s very therapeutic,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before his team’s night game against Milwaukee. “It’s a diversion.”
There’s no telling when or if the sport will have a day like this again. It won’t happen this year. When the Astros beat Minnesota 3-1, they eliminated the Twins and ensured that Thursday’s postseason slate wouldn’t be completely full. Baseball’s Sweet 16 lost another team later Wednesday when the Tampa Bay Rays knocked out Toronto.
The Reds were ready when they came to the plate against Atlanta. They swung at the game’s first three pitches, hitting two singles to put men on first and third with nobody out.
Then the Braves escaped the jam with no scoring, setting the tone for the day.
It took a while for anyone anywhere to score. When the first run came, it was in Houston’s game at Minnesota, which started about an hour after the Braves and Reds. Kyle Tucker drove in a run for the Astros with a fourth-inning single.
That was around the time the Miami Marlins and Chicago Cubs were getting started. In a season when ballparks have been off limits to fans, this at least was a feast of baseball on television.
“It’s cool. I’ve been in my office a lot, kind of getting ready, with the games on, flipping back and forth and seeing what’s going on in the league,” New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said prior to his team’s night game at Cleveland. “One of the things of this expanded playoffs this year, I’m sure the real baseball fans are in a little bit of heaven today, getting to see all these games.”
Atlanta and Cincinnati remained scoreless into extra innings, which meant at one point, five games were in progress simultaneously. In addition to Braves-Reds, Astros-Twins and Cubs-Marlins, the Chicago White Sox were playing at Oakland, and Tampa Bay was hosting Toronto.
The first game to end was Houston’s victory over the Twins — Minnesota’s 18th consecutive postseason loss. The Braves finally beat the Reds a little while later, when Freddie Freeman singled in the 13th inning to bring home the game’s only run.
That was the first postseason game to be scoreless after 11 innings, and Cincinnati’s Trevor Bauer became the first pitcher in postseason history to strike out 12 batters while allowing no runs, no walks and two or fewer hits.
The next game to end was Miami’s 5-1 victory. The Marlins have never lost a postseason series. They memorably won the final two games of the 2003 NL Championship Series at Wrigley Field, and they began this best-of-three series with the Cubs in similar fashion.
The White Sox are also facing elimination after Oakland’s 5-3 victory forced Game 3 of that series. It will be another winner-take-all game for the Athletics, who since 2000 have gone 0-6 in Game 5 of the Division Series and 0-3 in wild-card games.
The Blue Jays would have liked to play a winner-take-all game, but the Rays denied them the chance. Hunter Renfroe hit a grand slam, powering Tampa Bay to an 8-2 victory that ended that series.
San Diego’s first postseason appearance since 2006 is off to a rough start. The Padres left injured pitching standouts Mike Clevinger and Dinelson Lamet off the roster. Then they gave up four runs in the first inning of a 7-4 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Federico Valverde was involved in both of Madrid's best first-half chances. The Uruguayan midfielder's shot was brilliantly denied by Valladolid keeper Roberto Jimenez, before crossing for Luka Jovic, who put a very presentable opportunity high and wide.
Jovic was unlucky not to find the net after the break with a well-placed header, and Casemiro hit the bar with the rebound. Substitute Vinicius broke the deadlock, scoring after some hapless Valladolid defending saw the ball diverted to him unmarked in front of goal.
Positives
Real Madrid's enviable strength in depth was on full display here, first in coach Zinedine Zidane's rotation for the team's second game in four days, and then with his ability to bring on the likes of Vinicius and Marco Asensio when the starting XI hadn't quite clicked. That deep bench was crucial to Madrid's La Liga title win last season and it will be equally important to whatever they achieve this year.
Negatives
Madrid's biggest worry here wasn't on the pitch, but watching in the stands. This match was supposed to see Eden Hazard return to the team, but the star forward's withdrawal the day after picking up yet another injury was a fresh blow to his attempts to justify his €100 million signing. Hazard has missed more games than he has played in a Real Madrid shirt, and the pressure on him to deliver will only increase during this latest absence.
Manager rating (out of 10)
7 -- Zidane often surprises with his team selections, and that was true here. He made four changes to the side that beat Real Betis 3-2 on Saturday, Marcelo and Alvaro Odriozola drafted in at full-back, and Luka Modric and Isco brought into midfield. Even more surprising was Zidane's decision to stick with a front two, keeping the faith in Jovic alongside Karim Benzema.
Zidane wasn't too happy with what followed, because a triple substitution and a switch to a 4-3-3 formation with an hour gone saw Asensio, Vinicius and Dani Carvajal thrown on. The change worked, and it helped Madrid take all three points.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best, players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Thibaut Courtois, 8 -- A quiet first half was followed by a hugely impressive second. Three top saves, one from Valladolid's Shon Weissman on the break, another from Raul Carnero at the near post, and then from Waldo Rubio from distance.
DF Alvaro Odriozola, 7 -- His first Madrid appearance since December 2019, after spending the second half of last season at Bayern Munich. Lasted almost an hour, and was almost caught out defensively once or twice, his strength being his ability to push forward.
DF Raphael Varane, 7 -- Varane looks to have recovered from his catastrophic performance against Manchester City in the Champions League last month, and is now in very good form. Carried the ball out of defence and almost to the corner flag just before half-time.
DF Sergio Ramos, 7 -- Played his usual game, getting forwards at every opportunity, and looking to create chances in attack as much as prevent them in defence.
DF Marcelo, 6 -- In the team for the first time this season with Ferland Mendy rested. Almost cost his team when he went to the ground during a Valladolid counterattack before Courtois saved from Weissman.
MF Casemiro, 7 -- Reacted quickly to shoot against the bar after Jovic's header was saved. Picked up a booking later on and got away with another foul after that.
MF Federico Valverde, 8 -- Madrid's best player in the first half, appearing on the right of midfield. Almost followed his goal against Betis with an early strike here, and then showed great pace to get forward and cross for Jovic.
MF Luka Modric, 8 -- Very good indeed. So much authority and composure on the ball, and he hit the woodwork in the second half.
MF Isco, 6 -- A quiet game, his most notable moment coming when a breakdown in communication with Benzema saw him deprive the striker of a chance to head toward goal.
FW Karim Benzema, 7 -- Seems less sure of his role in the team with Jovic alongside him but grew into the game when Vinicius and Asensio came on. Had a curling second-half shot saved, and then unselfishly passed to play in Vinicius when in on goal.
FW Luka Jovic, 7 -- Better. The first time he's started back-to-back league games for Madrid and he showed some early promise, finding Marcelo in the move that led to Valverde's chance, before missing a golden opportunity to open the scoring himself. His second-half header, kept out by Roberto, deserved a goal.
Substitutes
DF Dani Carvajal, 6 -- Came on for Odriozola in a like-for-like swap.
FW Marco Asensio, 6 -- Replaced Isco, played on the right of a front three, and looked lively.
FW Vinicius Junior, 8 -- Brought on for Jovic to offer pace on the left and scored seven minutes later. Vinicius sometimes frustrates with his decision-making, but there's no question he makes things happen.
FW Borja Mayoral, N/R -- Subbed on for Benzema with a few minutes left.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact businesses across San Diego County, including small, minority-owned businesses, AT&T California said Tuesday it has contributed $50,000 to the ABASD COVID-19 Outreach & Technical Assistance Services and Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Advocacy and Education Outreach programs.
The ABASD aims to provide assistance to small business owners who are struggling to handle language, economic and cultural barriers on top of dealing with a global pandemic.
The ABASD currently represents more than 30,000 Asian Pacific Islander-owned businesses. As the group's website states, the ABASD's focus is on providing "advocacy, technical assistance, mentorship and access to capital to help grow our small business community."
And, according to Jeni Burgess, Board Chair for ABASD, this grant is going help the organization continue to do just that.
“The API community is coming together to help support our most vulnerable small businesses, many of which have suffered the effects of xenophobia and racism directed towards Asian Americans," Burgess said in a press release. "AT&T’s contributions will enable us to have a greater impact in our community by giving API owned small businesses no-cost technical assistance and additional support."
ABASD also expanded its Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to include the Strategic Alliance, which consists of the Asian Business Association, Central San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce and the San Diego County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
This new program, dubbed the “Alliance SBDC,” conducts outreach to businesses who have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 to assist in applying for the county’s small business stimulus grant as well as the city’s temporary outdoor business operation permit.
“We know that by supporting ABASD we are supporting economic empowerment while fighting racial injustice,” said Christine Moore, Director-External Affairs, AT&T California, in a press release.
At the national level, AT&T is dedicating $10 million to economic opportunity in underserved communities and communities of color.
NBC 7 reached out to the ABASD to find out what the money will be used for and what kind of businesses would benefit from the grant.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M volleyball earned the No. 8 overall ranking in the first American Volleyball Coaches Association Fall Top-15 Coaches Poll, the organization announced on Wednesday afternoon.
The Aggies received their highest AVCA ranking in program history. The last time they were ranked in the top 10 was in 1999 (No. 9).
Texas A&M joins three other Southeastern Conference programs in the first poll of the season, with Florida (No. 3), Kentucky (No. 4) and Missouri (No. 7) also included. The Fall Division I Coaches Poll features teams from the ACC, Big 12, SEC and Sun Belt conferences. The Maroon & White finished No. 18 overall in the Final AVCA Coaches Poll in 2019 after a 23-8 campaign featuring an appearance in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.
The Aggies open the 2020 fall season against the LSU Tigers on Saturday, Oct. 17 at Reed Arena.
Details on fan capacity will be released at a later date.
The race for Colorado State Senate 8th’s District seat is heating up following the Club 20 debates on Sept. 19. Contestant Karl Hanlon and incumbent Senator Bob Rankin faced off on issues ranging from healthcare to the electoral college. The Sopris Sun caught up with the two in the days following the debate and asked some questions that were not covered during the match.
Incumbent Senator Bob Rankingrew up in Mississippi He studied electrical engineering in college then joined the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) where he honed his education which he subsequently applied to a career in technological defense and computer science. After retirement, he moved to the Valley and has lived in the Carbondale area for just shy of 20 years.
In the early 2000s Rankin started the Carbondale nonprofit “Computers for Kids” — now known as ‘Youthentity’ — which initially offered technology workshops for students interested in that career field.
In terms of energy Rankin stated, “Colorado has taken some extreme measures that I believe are driven by politics and that hurt people by accelerating the closure of coal mines,” and natural gas wells.
“I certainly don’t object to transitioning to renewable energy, but I want to make sure that what we do really will make a difference” said Rankin. “What I want to do is make sure that we don’t unnecessarily accelerate the loss of jobs.”
When it comes to the COVID-19 response he expressed his discontent that, “The Governor through the extension of emergency declaration is running the state by executive order — including spending all of the federal relief money.” He continued, “I believe that the legislature, through the joint budget committee, should be involved in spending that money.” Rankin is a senior member of the joint budget committee.
“I voted for senate bill (SB) 217 (Enhance Law Enforcement Integrity) and I believe that we have more work to do on that,” Rankin said. “I want to make sure that the reforms that we put in place really can be implemented by the town police departments.” Rankin supports the requirement in SB 217 that law enforcement wear body cameras.
When it comes to people living without legal documentation in his district Rankin sated, “I feel like I represent all the people who live in my district whether or not they vote,” and continued, “I believe in the rule of law but at the same time these people are part of our community and they live here and we should understand what they’re contributing.”
Karl Hanlongrew up on a ranch in Jackson County, CO and considers himself a “dirt road democrat.” He studied at the University of Wyoming as an undergraduate and attended Lewis and Clark College in Portland in pursuit of a career in environmental law. Between degrees, the young man served as a seasonal ranger after graduating from the Law Enforcement Academy in Rangely, CO.
Hanlon came to the area roughly 25 years ago and began working in water law — a passion of his. He has served as the city attorney for Glenwood Springs for several years as well.
Along with his wife, Cheryl Hanlon, the two started Smiling Goat Ranch in Carbondale: an equine therapy non-profit for folks with Autism and veterans suffering from PTSD.
“One of the big areas that I want to focus on is how we are transitioning away from coal and natural gas development in Western Garfield, Rio Blanco and Moffat counties,” Hanlon stated.
RegardingCOVID-19, Hanlon said we cannot go through a complete shutdown again and need to continue to reopen while, “Relying on science to do so safely.” He’d like to see the state continue to apply pressure on the federal government to pass another stimulus bill to bolster the local economy.
When it comes to police reform, Hanlon sees the onus on law enforcement as being too high and would like to see more resources — including mental health professionals — allocated to assist with a myriad of societal issues which law enforcement has historically taken on.
While immigration policy is set at the federal level, Hanlon said that, “we can make it safe for people to be at public buildings,” without fear of being deported. He also takes issue with applicants having to indicate legal status to obtain benefits.
“Right now in this COVID world that we’re in, I think we have to recognize that we are all a part of a community and everyone in that community matters,” Hanlon said, “To me our legislative policy should reflect the fact that all of those community members matter — that’s the bottom line.”
Your Android phone has a treasure trove of hidden features.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Android, as a whole, is known for its wide variety of devices and customizable software. But despite all of the differences between, say, a OnePlus and Samsung phone, at the core, the experience is nearly the same. Both devices run Android, after all, sharing the same features -- some of which are hidden.
Take split-screen apps as an example. Using two apps at the same time is not only something iPhone users can only dream about but it's also downright useful and built in to your Android phone -- you just have to know where to look. One of my favorite hidden features is called Smart Lock, a tool that keeps my phone unlocked when I'm at home, then reverts back to requiring my fingerprint or PIN code the moment I leave. It's convenient and it allows me to keep my phone secure when I'm not at home.
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Keep in mind, all of the features below may not look or work exactly the same on every phone, and that's because different Android device manufacturers like to use unique interfaces. My advice? Use the search bar at the top of the Settings app if you're struggling to find a feature.
Take control of alerts and notifications.
Screenshots by Jason Cipriani/CNET
1. Quiet the notifications that can wait
Tired of every single notification causing your phone to bleep or boop? Tell your Android phone when you want an app to give silent alerts by long-pressing on the alert until you trigger a prompt, asking if you want the notification to be marked as an Alert or Silent.
Alert will allow the apps' notifications to play sounds and show up on the lock screen, while Silent will mute the alert, but still make it visible in your notification tray.
Live Caption is huge from an acessbility standpoint.
Jason Cipriani/CNET
2. Add captions to any video or podcast
Live Caption is an impressive, yet relatively new feature that's slowly making its way to more devices. When active, it adds real-time captions to any video, podcast or voice note on your phone. It doesn't matter if the video you're watching is muted -- Live Caption will still transcribe it for you.
Since it was first announced last year, Google has expanded its Live Caption feature beyond the Pixel phone lineup to included Samsung's latest phones, including the Note 20 and the OnePlus 8 series. There isn't an official list of supported devices, as far as I can tell, and your phone will have to be running Android 10 in order for it to work.
To turn on Live Caption (or check if your phone is supported), open the Settings app and search for Live Caption. The Live Caption toggle is in a different place on the Pixel 4($500 at Back Market), Galaxy S20 and OnePlus 8($699 at Amazon).
After turning on Live Caption, anytime you begin playing a video -- even if you leave the volume turned off -- a small black box will show up on your screen, including real-time dictation of whatever's being said.
It's really well done and a feature that every phone should have, not just Android. You can learn more about the feature, including how to limit profanity, and how to use it in our complete guide.
Split Screen is easy to use on an Android phone.
Jason Cipriani/CNET
3. Use two apps at the same time
One of my favorite features in Android is being able to have two apps on the screen at the same time. It's handy when I'm looking at a Google Doc and sending an email, or when I'm looking up a recipe and sending the ingredient list in Messages. But it's not entirely clear how to get apps in split-screen mode.
Tap on the app switcher button, or if you're using Android's gesture navigation, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to enter the multitasking view and tap on the app icon at the top of an app's card or thumbnail followed by Split Screen. The first app will slide to the top of the screen, and the multitasking view will take up the bottom section of your screen. Either select another app from the multitasking view or launch an app from your homescreen or app drawer. Not every app will support split screen mode, and the only way I can figure out to tell if an app lacks support is to simply try opening it.
Watch a video and browse Twitter at the same time? Go on, I'm listening.
Jason Cipriani/CNET
4. Watch a video and use an app simultaneously
Along the same idea of split-screen apps is Android's Picture-in-Picture (PiP) feature. Using it could not be simpler, you just have to know it's there.
I like to watch my favorite Twitch streamers while I browse Reddit or check my emails. To trigger PiP, start watching a video and then go back to the home screen. Really, it's that easy. Once you leave the app, if it supports PiP mode, the video will show up as a small window on your phone's screen. You can drag it around, resize or close it. You can also use PiP with getting turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps, which makes it easy to see which stop you need to get off at while navigating the subway in a new city.
To view a list of apps installed on your phone that support this feature, open the Settings app, and go to Apps & Notifications > Special app access > Picture-in-picture. This is also where you can go to disable PiP for an app. For example, if you don't want Google Maps continuing to show you turn-by-turn directions after you've left it, and rather the app completely shut down.
Turn on Smart Lock to keep your phone unlocked at home.
Jason Cipriani/CNET
5. Use Smart Lock to keep your phone unlocked when you're home
One of my favorite hidden features can keep you from having to enter your PIN or scan your fingerprint whenever you're home or at work. You can set it to keep your phone unlocked when you're in a specific location. You can also set it to keep the phone unlocked when it detects you're active, like when you're walking around while holding the phone pressed to your face or speaking over Bluetooth on wireless headphones.
Open Settings > Security > Smart Lock and enter your PIN code when prompted. From there, you can pick which aspect of Smart Unlock you want to use and when.
Just keep in mind that if you have Smart Lock set to keep your phone unlocked at home, that means anyone you live with will be able to get into it.
Notification Log on your Android phone can be a life saver.
Jason Cipriani/CNET
6. Recover accidentally cleared notifications
Ever tap the button to clear your notification tray, only to notice an alert you needed to read at the last second? I know I have. Thankfully, there's a hidden Notification Log that will show you a running tally of every alert and notification you've received for the past few days. The only way to access it is through a home screen widget.
Long-press on any empty spot on your screen, then select Widgets from the menu. Find the Settings option, then select Notification Log. The next time you miss an alert, tap the widget, and you'll see a list of all of your alerts.
Android 10 makes it a breeze to share Wi-Fi networks with a QR code.
Screenshots by Jason Cipriani/CNET
7. Quickly share your Wi-Fi network creds with friends
Giving your Wi-Fi network password to a friend or family member can be a hassle, especially if it's a long, complex series of numbers and letters. Or you may be hesitant to hand over your credentials because it's a password you use somewhere else -- I get it. Granted, having people over or visiting a friend's home is something most of us are avoiding right now, but as stay-at-home orders begin to lift, and things begin to return to normal, it's sure to come in handy.
You can scan or create a QR code on your device by opening the Settings app and selecting Network > Wi-Fi. If you're sharing your network credentials, tap on the network name and then Share. If you're connecting to a Wi-Fi network, tap on the QR Code icon next to Add Network.
This feature also comes in handy if you're setting up a new phone and don't want to go through the process of copying your password.
You can finally record your screen with an official Google tool.
Jason Cipriani/CNET
8. Have Android 11? Use the built-in screen recorder
Instead of taking a screenshot to show off your new all-time high score, or capture a notification or app issue, use Android 11's new built-in screen recorder. Google released Android 11 in September, but as is usually the case with major Android updates, it might take awhile before it reaches your device.
Once your phone is updated to Android 11, you'll find a new Screen Record button in the Quick Settings panel. Swipe down from the top of your screen to access the panel; you may have to swipe to the left to view more settings options, or you can tap the edit button to move Screen Recorder to the front panel.
Once you activate Screen Record, you'll be asked if you want to capture audio, either just the sound made by the app you're using or both the device and audio captured by the microphone -- helpful in the event you're walking someone through troubleshooting or setting up an app. To stop recording, tap the Screen Record notification. The video will be saved to your phone's gallery or camera roll, where you can then edit and share it.
* Graphic: World FX rates tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
* China Manufacturing PMI for September 51.5 vs August's
51.0
* Chaotic U.S. presidential debate leaves more questions
By Nikhil Nainan
Sept 30 (Reuters) - An early boost to Asia's emerging stock
markets from Chinese economic data faded on Wednesday as a
chaotic first U.S. presidential debate weakened sentiment
globally and traders reined in bets ahead of several regional
market holidays.
The debate saw heated clashes between President Donald Trump
and Democratic rival Joe Biden, leaving more doubts about the
November election and whether Trump would accept an unfavourable
result than clarity of who could come out on top.
Chinese stocks had initially led gains after two
surveys showed China's factory activity, a bellwether for the
region, still firmly in growth territory in September.
Malaysia, Taiwan and the Philippines all held onto gains of
around 0.4% as the day wore on, but both Shanghai and Singapore
fell back to trade around 0.2% lower.
A Trump victory in November would spell more volatility from
relations with China and knock-on effects for the rest of Asia,
according to some analysts. Goldman Sachs analysts on Tuesday
said a victory for Biden and his Democratic Party in House and
Senate elections was likely to boost the stock market.
"During the Trump presidency outward direct investment to
emerging economies has more than halved," said Stuart Ritson, a
portfolio manager of emerging market local currency debt at
Aviva Investors.
"(If Biden wins) We might be able to see direct investment
begin to flow again. In that environment, (emerging market
currencies) can do a little better," he said.
Most stock markets in Asia, in line with global trends, are
slated to post declines in September, with China snapping three
months of gains and Indonesia five, after fresh jolts to
the global economic recovery emerged from Europe and investors
re-valued companies seen as winners during the COVID-19
pandemic.
China will start a week-long break from Thursday, while
holidays in South Korea and Hong Kong for the remainder of the
week and India on Friday kept trading subdued.
Taiwan, whose tech-focussed economy has made it a robust
performer in the coronavirus crisis, stood out again on
Wednesday, with its currency rising 0.6%.
The U.S. dollar found more support after the debate,
prodding most other regional currencies marginally lower.
The Philippine peso was marginally lower ahead of a
central bank meeting on Thursday, where economists predict no
policy changes following a total of 175 basis point cuts this
year.
HIGHLIGHTS:
** Philippine 10-year benchmark yield unchanged at 3.05%
** Singapore's top gainer was Keppel Corp after it
identified assets worth S$17.5 billion to monetise
** Fractious presidential debate unlikely to move needle for
Trump
Investors react to first Trump-Biden election debate
Asia stock indexes and currencies at 0707 GMT
COUNTRY FX RIC FX FX INDEX STOCKS STOCKS
DAILY % YTD % DAILY % YTD %
Japan +0.05 +2.86 -1.50 -1.99
China +0.09 +2.27 -0.19 5.51
India +0.15 -3.20 0.07 -7.71
Indonesia -0.03 -6.53 -0.10 -22.63
Malaysia -0.12 -1.71 0.44 -4.93
Philippines -0.14 +4.58 0.39 -24.96
S.Korea - -1.12 - 5.93
Singapore -0.01 -1.78 -0.19 -23.45
Taiwan +0.66 +3.95 0.38 4.32
Thailand -0.16 -5.56 -0.75 -21.01
(Reporting by Nikhil Kurian Nainan in Bengaluru, additional
reporting by Stanley White; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
Players and managers used words like “chaos” and “crazy” to describe a day like none baseball has ever seen. A television network will break new ground to cover it, and hard-core fans across the country can immerse themselves in it nearly all day, if they so choose.
It is the first-ever Wild Wednesday, an orgiastic, 13-hour baseball-a-thon, in which Major League Baseball will roll out an unprecedented series of eight playoff games on a virtual conveyor belt of high-stakes action.
It starts at noon Eastern time in Atlanta, with the next five games scheduled to begin every hour until the Yankees play in Cleveland at 7 p.m. Eastern time, and it lasts until the final pitch is thrown in Los Angeles between the Dodgers and Brewers, probably around 1 a.m., and half of them will be elimination games.
“It’s going to be crazy,” said Chicago White Sox pitcher Dallas Keuchel, who will pitch in the third game of the day against the Athletics in Oakland. “It’s almost kind of like a jumbled mess.”
Tuesday was the warm up-act, when baseball turned the page from an abbreviated regular season to an expanded postseason. There were four American League playoff games scheduled Tuesday, starting with the Houston Astros against the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis.
But on Wednesday, when the National League joins the fray, the curtain will rise on the main stage for what may more closely resemble the early days of the N.C.A.A. basketball tournament than a traditional day of playoff baseball.
“March Madness is one of my favorite times of the year,” said Dusty Baker, the Astros manager, who is leading his fifth different team to the postseason. “This is like September Madness.”
The wacky schedule is the result of both the newly expanded playoff format, with 16 teams qualifying for the first time instead of the 10 there had been in recent years. There’s also a need to jam as many games as possible into a tight window — both to avoid excessive travel during the pandemic and to ensure that most of the postseason takes place in October.
Until this year, the busiest day of baseball’s postseason might involve four division-series games being played concurrently, after a pair of wild-card games to kick off the tournament. Now, there will be eight best-of-three series played concurrently from coast to coast, and a limited amount of time to squeeze them in.
“It’s a sports fan’s dream,” said Matt Olson, the Athletics’ first baseman.
All the first-round games will be played in the stadiums of the higher seeds, instead of the usual shifting between the two teams’ parks, to avoid the risk of exposure to the coronavirus through travel. M.L.B. also figured that, without fans allowed in the stadiums, giving each team a potential home game was less important.
At least to start the postseason, the only fans in the stadiums will be made of cardboard. Credit...Hannah Foslien/Getty Images
The regular season ended on Sunday evening, and the final 16 teams and their seedings were set. Chris Marinak, M.L.B.’s chief operations officer who is in charge of scheduling, and his team got to work hammering out a first-of-its-kind road map.
“The puzzle of putting together the television schedule was tough,” Marinak said. “There were a lot of unknowns going into that last day, and you want to ensure that every team gets a chance to showcase itself in front of a national audience. I think what we came away with is a good schedule.”
ESPN and its affiliates will broadcast seven of the eight games on Wednesday, and TBS will broadcast the Toronto Blue Jays at the Tampa Bay Rays. If none of the American League teams sweep their best-of-three series, there could be eight more games on Thursday.
“I think it’s going to be a great day for baseball on Wednesday,” said Martin Maldonado, the veteran catcher for the Astros. “For people who love baseball, you couldn’t ask for more.”
And just like the devoted fans of the sport, many players will be tuned in too.
“We’ll probably end our games, go to the hotel and watch the other games,” Maldonado said. “That’s who we are.”
For baseball, it is a chance to emulate the thrill of the first two days of the N.C.A.A. tournament, when 16 games tip off on consecutive days starting in the late morning and running past midnight in different arenas.
Baker said that when he was not managing in 2015 and 2018, he went to the men’s Final Fours in Dallas and Indianapolis, and he called them the greatest sporting event he had ever been to. (Baker has managed in the World Series, so presumably he meant as a fan.)
Dusty Baker, who is leading his fifth team into the postseason, said Wednesday’s baseball schedule was akin to the early rounds of the N.C.A.A. basketball tournament.Credit...Roger Steinman/Associated Press
The comparison to the college hoops showcase event was not lost on Marinak. While the jumbled sports calendar means baseball will not have the day to itself — Game 1 of the N.B.A. finals begins at 9 p.m. Wednesday — it will serve as a raucous jump-start to the monthlong postseason.
“It’s got this idea of kind of a frenzied opening couple of days with a lot of action,” he said. “Anything can happen to start off, and it creates a lot of interest and excitement.”
One signature feature of the college basketball tournament is how the various networks and platforms that televise the event switch from one location to the next to capture the most exciting or important moments.
ESPN will not do that as part of its main coverage, but it will offer a program on its ESPN+ streaming platform called Squeeze Play, which will whip around from game to game with commentary — similar to the NFL Network’s Red Zone, except with playoff games.
Most of the play-by-play announcers, plus Alex Rodriguez, the former player who is ESPN’s lead analyst, will be at the network’s main studios in Bristol, Conn. The rest of the analysts will be broadcasting from their homes.
Kevin Cash, who will manage the Rays against the Blue Jays in the fifth game of the day on Wednesday, had another comparison.
“College football,” he said. “There’s a game starting off at noon and every hour after it. It will be like college football Saturday for three straight days in baseball.”
"8" - Google News
September 30, 2020 at 02:01PM
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Baseball’s September Madness: 8 Postseason Games in One ‘Crazy’ Day - The New York Times
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A look at what’s happening around the majors Wednesday:
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CRAZY EIGHT
How’s this for wild: MLB is set to stage eight postseason games on the same day for the first time. National League clubs will open their best-of-three wild-card series, while four American League teams are already facing elimination after starting Tuesday.
The Reds and Braves open things with a dynamite pitching matchup between Trevor Bauer and Max Fried at noon ET, and baseball will be on TV until the Brewers and Dodgers wrap their 10 p.m. ET tilt.
With the expansion of the first round from a pair of wild-card games to eight best-of-three series, there are a maximum 65 possible postseason games this year. In the 1960s, there were 66 postseason games in the entire decade, with league championship series starting in 1969.
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The day starts with a showdown between NL Cy Young Award contenders. The right-handed Bauer (5-4, 1.73 ERA) was at his best down the stretch for Cincinnati, including a 12-strikeout performance against Milwaukee in his final regular season start. Left-handed Fried (7-0, 2.25) has been slowed by back spasms and a left ankle injury in recent weeks.
SKIDDING
The Twins have lost 17 straight postseason games — the most in the history of major North American sports — and try to avoid elimination when José Berríos starts against Houston at Target Field.
The AL Central champions fell to the Astros 4-1 Tuesday in the opener of their best-of-three wild-card series. Minnesota’s slump dates to 2004.
“We have a lot of guys in the clubhouse, but I’d say the vast majority of them don’t know the Twins’ history at all,” manager Rocco Baldelli said.
Houston wanted to wait before announcing who will pitch.
SLIDING
The AL West champion A’s are in jeopardy after the White Sox beat them 4-1 in their opener at the Coliseum. Oakland lost the wild-card game in each of the past two seasons after 97 wins both years.
“We have no choice tomorrow. That’s the way we’ve been here for a while now. We wanted a series. We lost the first game of it. Now it’s time for us to respond tomorrow,” Athletics manager Bob Melvin said.
Dallas Keuchel (6-2, 1.99 ERA) starts Game 2 following a successful first season with Chicago. Chris Bassitt, drafted by the White Sox before being traded to Oakland in December 2014, pitches for the A’s.
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Manager Don Mattingly and his Miami team make a most unexpected playoff appearance, on the road against the Cubs. This will be the first time the Marlins have been in the postseason since 2003 — they won the World Series that year, spurred by a stirring rally in Game 6 of the NLCS at Wrigley Field when a fan tried to catch a foul ball.
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Kyle Hendricks starts the opener for Chicago. He was third in the majors in innings and particularly sharp down the stretch, with a 1.45 ERA in five outings in September.
Sandy Alcantara starts for Miami, which lost an NL-high 105 times last year and was decimated by a virus outbreak early this season.
MINOR MATTERS
MLB didn’t wait for the expiration of its agreement with the minor leagues Wednesday to start making major changes, announcing Tuesday that the Rookie-level Appalachian League would be converted into a college summer circuit. The 10-team league will give top freshmen and sophomores access to professional instruction, technology for evaluation and a platform to boost their draft stock. It could also spark a competition with the Cape Cod League for players.
It’s the first of what could be many significant shifts in the minor league system after the current agreement with the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues expires. MLB proposed shrinking the affiliated minors from 160 teams to 120 during negotiations and seems to be on its way there even without a new deal.
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More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Leaders say since 2010, the number of eligible Asian American Pacific Islander voters in the state grew by 43 percent, more than five times faster than the statewide growth rate.
“Asian American demographic is the fastest-growing ratio demographic in the entire state," says Ricky Leung, co-founder and senior director of programs. "It's important that we make sure our community is set to vote in this year's election.”
Leung says group also plans to host a drive-thru voter registration drive.
WASHINGTON/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Asian shares slipped and the dollar was under pressure on Wednesday in the lead up to the first U.S. presidential debate, as financial markets looked to take a measure of both candidates.
FILE PHOTO: Passersby wearing protective face masks following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are reflected on a screen displaying stock prices outside a brokerage in Tokyo, Japan, March 17, 2020. REUTERS/Issei Kato
The first face-off between Democrat Joe Biden and President Donald Trump, set to begin at 0100 GMT, is seen by some political analysts as Trump’s best chance to upend a race where he has consistently lagged in opinion polls.
Gains for Trump in the debate could lift otherwise cautious market sentiment, said Michael McCarthy, chief strategist at broker CMC Markets in Sydney.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan.MIAPJ0000PUSedged down 0.1% in early trade. It is headed for a monthly drop of 3.3%, the largest fall since March.
Japan's Nikkei.N225was down 0.2% and Australia's ASX 200.AXJOfell 1.3%, while markets in Seoul.KS11rose 0.8%.
Futures pointed to small opening gains in ChinaSFCc1and Hong KongHSIc1. S&P 500 futuresESc1were steady, last trading 0.1% firmer, with moves slight ahead of the debate.
Also on the horizon is factory activity data from China, due at 0100 GMT, where a small pickup is expected as the world’s second biggest economy extends its steady recovery from the coronavirus crisis.
A surprise could swing markets’ mood.
“The sorts of numbers that would confirm China’s recovery, from being ‘first in to first out’ of the pandemic, is proceeding apace,” said Ray Attrill, head of FX strategy at National Australia Bank in Sydney.
Steady Asian trade followed a dip on Wall Street which snapped a three-day rally as traders approached the debate with trepidation and fretted about whether the next round of U.S. fiscal stimulus might be falling by the wayside.
The Dow.DJIand S&P 500.SPXfell half a percent and the Nasdaq Composite.IXICdropped 0.3%. [.N]
In currency markets, the U.S. dollar was also down slightly before the debate, hitting one-week lows against the euro and Swiss franc. The dollar index fell 0.3%=USD. [/FRX]
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Tuesday she hoped to have a coronavirus aid deal with the White House this week, after speaking with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and making plans for further talks on Wednesday.
However White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told CNBC that the Democrats’ $2.2 trillion compromise relief bill still seemed too large - leaving plenty of room for the impasse to persist.
The economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic was underlined later Tuesday, when DisneyDIS.Nannounced plans to lay off roughly 28,000 U.S. employees from its theme parks division.
One optimistic sign came on Tuesday when U.S. consumer confidence saw its biggest rebound in 17 years.
Investors will also be looking at Wednesday’s ADP National Employment report, a precursor to official U.S. employment figures out Friday for the latest reading on the labour market.
Oil prices nursed losses amid caution ahead of the debate and rising coronavirus cases. U.S. crudeCLc1fell 1% to $38.92 per barrel and BrentLCOc1settled at $41.03. [O/R]
Reporting by Pete Schroeder in Washington and Tom Westbrook in Singapore; Editing by Shri Navaratnam
India's Reliance Industries raised as much as $20 billion from investors including Google and Facebook for its digital business unit Jio by July, spurring investors' growth expectations. © Reuters 
