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New York – September 28, 2026 -- CFO confidence in North America climbed back into "high" territory in the third quarter, with Deloitte's CFO Confidence Score rising to 6.1 from 5.9 in Q2, even as finance chiefs grew warier of technology and cybersecurity threats.

Company optimism holds firm despite muted economic outlook

Ninety percent of surveyed CFOs said they remain optimistic about their own companies' financial prospects, according to Deloitte's Q326 CFO Signals report. Only 37.5% rated the current North American economy favorably, underscoring a gap between firm-level confidence and broader macro sentiment.

Technology deployment and cybersecurity top CFO concern lists

Fifty percent of CFOs cited technology deployment, including generative AI, as their most pressing internal challenge. An equal share, 50%, ranked cybersecurity as their top external concern, marking technology risk as the dominant theme of the quarter.

Irving, Texas – – September 28, 2026 -- Just Right Reader has launched an online informational hub to help school district leaders navigate the Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) grant program, consolidating state funding requirements, allowable uses, and application guidance into a single resource.

CLSD grants fund literacy programs from birth through Grade 12

The federal CLSD program allows districts to develop evidence-based literacy initiatives targeting underserved student populations, requiring investment in activities aligned with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

Hub consolidates state-specific requirements and deadlines

District leaders can access links and resources to identify CLSD opportunities, requirements, and timelines specific to their state, alongside an overview of evidence requirements shaping funding decisions.

Friendswood, Texas – September 28, 2026 -- Castle Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSTL) said a new peer-reviewed study found its TissueCypher Barrett's Esophagus Test prompted clinicians to change management recommendations in 90% of cases involving patients with non-dysplastic Barrett's esophagus (NDBE).

The case series, published in Foregut: The Journal of the American Foregut Society, evaluated 30 NDBE patients tested as part of clinical care at Keck Medical Center of the University of Southern California (USC).

Test reclassifies risk within a population considered uniformly low-risk

TissueCypher classified 17% of the 30 patients as intermediate or high risk for progression to high-grade dysplasia or esophageal adenocarcinoma within five years, while 83% were confirmed low risk. All patients had received the same NDBE diagnosis prior to testing.

Miami – September 28, 2026 -- Finastra unveiled a new Supply Chain Finance (SCF) solution at Sibos 2026, aiming to help banks scale working capital programs and accelerate time to market through cloud, AI and API-enabled infrastructure.

Platform integrates with Trade Innovation and Loan IQ via Nexus API suite

The end-to-end SCF platform supports buyer and supplier acquisition, onboarding, fulfillment, servicing, risk management and secondary market distribution. It connects with ERP systems and trade ecosystem partners through Finastra's Nexus API suite, and is built on a cloud-native architecture with deployment options ranging from on-premise to SaaS.

New York – September 28, 2026 -- Brixmor Property Group Inc. (NYSE: BRX) and Everview Partners have entered definitive agreements to acquire Slate Grocery REIT in a transaction valued at $2.34 billion, splitting the portfolio between a wholly owned Brixmor acquisition and a newly formed joint venture backed by a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.

Brixmor takes wholly owned stake in 23 centers for $636 million

Brixmor will directly acquire 23 grocery-anchored shopping centers totaling approximately three million square feet for $636 million, gaining a 100% interest in 22 assets and a 50% stake in one. The portfolio is 96% leased and sits entirely within Brixmor's existing footprint, concentrated in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas, with anchors including Publix, Harris Teeter and Kroger.

Turku – – September 28, 2026 -- Teleste Corporation has appointed Fiber Node Services, Inc. (FNS) as an authorized provider of warranty and out-of-warranty repairs for its Teleste Networks hardware sold across North America, adding a regional repair layer to an existing footprint of manufacturing, assembly, sales and technical support.

FNS gains authorization to service all Teleste Networks hardware sold in North America

The agreement covers diagnostics, repair and testing of Teleste equipment following qualification and product-specific training delivered by Teleste. FNS, headquartered in Carol Stream, Illinois, has specialized in CATV broadband equipment diagnostics, repair and refurbishment for more than 30 years and operates repair facilities across the United States.

Dallas – September 28, 2026 -- TrendAI, the AI security business unit of Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704), announced support for the NVIDIA Agent Safety Platform, combining hardware-level detection on NVIDIA BlueField DPUs with Zero Day Initiative threat intelligence to help enterprises move autonomous agent fleets from pilot programs into production.

NVIDIA's Agent Safety Platform Enforces Policy Through BlueField-4 DPUs Outside the Agent's Reach

NVIDIA's OpenShell component enforces policy outside an agent's execution environment, preventing it from being prompted away or bypassed, while BlueField-4 DPUs and NVIDIA DOCA add a security layer in silicon that operates independently of the host system. TrendAI positions its platform as the layer that determines what that enforced policy should be, providing visibility into agent behavior and the threat detection needed to act on it.

Hellerup, Denmark – September 28, 2026 -- OCM Njord Holdings S.à r.l. has disclosed ownership of 6,329,874 A shares in product tanker operator TORM plc, equivalent to 6.17% of the company's total share capital and voting rights.

Filing confirms Brookfield-linked entity crossed disclosure threshold on September 23

The stake, held through the entity known as Njord Luxco, was reported under section 30 of the Danish Capital Markets Act, which requires investors to disclose holdings once they cross defined ownership thresholds. Each share carries a nominal value of USD 0.01.

Ownership structure traces to Brookfield Corporation through two Luxembourg vehicles

Njord Luxco is jointly controlled by OCM Luxembourg Opps IX S.à r.l. and OCM Luxembourg Opps IX (Parallel II) S.à r.l. Both entities are ultimately controlled by Brookfield Corporation, placing a sizable minority position in TORM under the asset manager's indirect influence.

Turku – – September 28, 2026 -- Cherokee Cablevision has deployed Teleste's Luminato X32 Edge QAM platform to deliver linear television to multi-dwelling units (MDUs) across its western North Carolina footprint, supplied through integrator Mega Hertz.

Cherokee Cablevision converts IP video to QAM for existing coax infrastructure

The compact, fanless X32 platform converts incoming IP video streams into QAM signals, allowing the operator to distribute IP-delivered video services over a building's existing coaxial network without new in-building wiring. The unit supports wall or rack installation and is designed for maintenance-free operation.

Hamburg, Germany – – September 28, 2026 -- Envision Energy has secured Type Certification from DNV for its TG Pro (EN-206/8.35 60 Hz) wind turbine, a validation step that confirms the platform's design meets applicable industry requirements ahead of broader commercial rollout.

DNV hands over certificate at WindEnergy Hamburg 2026

The certificate was presented on-site by Mette Redanz, Vice President of Renewables Certification at DNV, to Yimin Lou, Senior Vice President and Chief Product Officer of Envision Energy. The turbine, launched in 2024, has already secured multiple orders in China and international markets and passed through component testing, digital-twin simulation, multi-site prototype operation and commercial deployment.

Lou said the certification demonstrates the platform's readiness to serve customers across diverse international markets as Envision continues developing intelligent, high-performance turbine technologies.

Budapest, Hungary – September 28, 2026 -- Hoymiles launched its HoyUltra 2000M full-scenario commercial and industrial (C&I) battery energy storage system (BESS) at the opening stop of its European C&I Energy Storage Roadshow, held in Budapest on September 24-25, 2026.

Hoymiles confirms more than 2 GWh of C&I storage capacity already operating worldwide

The HoyUltra 2000M platform spans small commercial installations to large-scale industrial deployments, positioning Hoymiles across the full range of C&I project sizes. Sixteen HoyUltra 2000M units are already running at a solar-plus-storage project in Hungary that roadshow participants toured on the second day.

Guangzhou – – September 28, 2026 -- The 59th China International Furniture Fair (CIFF Guangzhou) will run across 850,000 square meters in Pazhou over two phases, March 18–21 and March 28–31, 2027, marking the fair's 30th anniversary under the theme "Power the Next."

2026 edition drew a record 64,291 overseas visitors, up 13.2% year on year

The 57th CIFF Guangzhou, held in 2026, attracted 353,106 professional visitors from 185 countries and regions and more than 5,100 exhibiting brands from 36 countries and regions. Overseas attendance climbed 13.2% year on year to 64,291, setting a new benchmark for the fair's international reach ahead of the 2027 edition.

Riyadh – September 28, 2026 -- Aljazira Bank has signed an agreement with Thunes to overhaul its international remittance infrastructure, giving the Saudi lender real-time access to billions of bank accounts and mobile wallets worldwide.

Saudi Arabia ranks among the highest cross-border payment markets globally

Research by Thunes and Juniper Research found that 56% of Saudi residents sent money internationally in the past year, placing the Kingdom among the world's most active cross-border payment markets. The deal comes as Saudi Arabia positions itself as a digital finance hub under its Vision 2030 economic diversification plan.

Cape Town, South Africa – September 28, 2026 -- Globeleq has appointed Edouard Wenseleers as Chief Development Officer, effective 10 August 2026, placing him on the Executive Committee to lead business development across the continent.

Wenseleers succeeds John Smelcer after eight years at Globeleq

Wenseleers takes over from John Smelcer, who is stepping away from the business to prioritize family commitments after a tenure leading Globeleq's development activities. Wenseleers joined Globeleq in 2018 and most recently served as Managing Director, Business Development and Head of East Africa, a role in which he also held overall responsibility for the company's operations and asset management in Kenya.

ZURICH – – September 28, 2026 -- A UK family would need 83 hours, or 10.4 eight-hour working days, to read all the privacy and terms documents tied to one ordinary day of digital activity, a new Web3 Foundation White Paper finds.

Modelled household scenario totals 257 documents and 1,184,835 words

The figure exceeds the 884,647 words in William Shakespeare's complete works by 34%. Researchers mapped six model households across the UK and US, identifying 1,195 relevant consumer privacy and terms documents totaling more than 5.38 million words across 143 companies and institutions.

83% of documents permit personal data use for marketing or advertising

The analysis found 80% of documents allow combining user data with other information, while 71% permit sharing with commercial partners. At least 24% of documents state user data may be used to train or improve AI or machine-learning systems.

Melbourne – September 28, 2026 -- The Australian Open has named Chinese sports technology firm Pongbot its Official Ball Machine under a new multi-year agreement covering the 2027 tournament (AO27).

Deal extends to Tennis Australia's National Tennis Academy

The partnership also designates Pongbot as Official Ball Machine Supplier of the National Tennis Academy, embedding its AI-powered equipment into Tennis Australia's player development pathway.

AI Coach technology targets training consistency and performance data

Pongbot's product line, including its AI Coach system, will be deployed for high-performance training, consistent ball repetition, data collection and performance analysis at the tournament and academy.

Pongbot CEO Haibo Zhang said the partnership centers on using AI Coach to change how players train and convert sustained effort into measurable progress.

Mettler, Calif. – – September 28, 2026 -- The Tejon Indian Tribe and Hard Rock Casino Tejon have appointed Mike Bean as Property President, effective October 5, filling the top operational post at the California gaming venue along the I-5 corridor.

Bean arrives with three decades of tribal gaming leadership experience

Bean joins Hard Rock Casino Tejon after serving as Chief Executive Officer of Morongo Casino Resort & Spa. His resume also includes a stint as CEO of Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment in Arizona, alongside senior leadership roles at other major gaming and resort organizations.

Bentonville, Ark. – September 28, 2026 -- Heartland Forward and rootEd Alliance are expanding a rural college-and-career advising program into Oklahoma, with plans to reach 10 high schools across 10 rural districts and more than 1,000 students by the 2027-28 school year.

rootEd advisors have already served over 100,000 rural students nationwide

The nonprofit program places trained advisors directly in rural high schools to work one-on-one with students on post-graduation plans, covering college, career credentials, apprenticeships, military service or direct workforce entry. rootEd currently operates in Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, Alaska, Illinois and Idaho, with Oklahoma added this academic year.

Toronto – September 28, 2026 -- Sixty Degree Capital (SDC) saw five portfolio companies complete initial public offerings in 2026, including the largest IPO in history and the largest biotech IPO on record. SpaceX, Parabilis Medicines, Cerebras, HawkEye 360 and Lime each began trading on U.S. exchanges between May and July, while GrubMarket has filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

SpaceX offering reaches approximately US$75 billion, the largest IPO ever recorded

SpaceX's public listing totaled roughly US$75 billion, according to the Toronto-based venture capital firm, marking the largest IPO in history. The offering anchors a wave of 2026 public-market exits across SDC's technology and healthcare portfolio.

Iselin, N.J. – September 28, 2026 -- World Insurance Associates LLC, a Top 50 U.S. insurance brokerage, has acquired the business of American Insurance Agency of Hingham, Massachusetts, in a deal closed June 1, 2026. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

World expands its footprint in the greater Boston market

American Insurance, founded in 1991, has built specialized expertise across construction, manufacturing, hospitality, restaurants, real estate, auto services, energy, entertainment and amusement, special events, and skating and sports facilities. The agency's addition strengthens World's presence in the greater Boston area, according to Rich Eknoian, Executive Chairman and Founder of World.