Business briefing — October 8, 2026.

Samsung guides record quarterly operating profit of 107.4 trillion won

Samsung Electronics forecast third-quarter operating profit of about 107.4 trillion won on sales of 195 trillion won, its first quarter above 100 trillion won of operating profit. The preliminary profit estimate was slightly above analyst consensus, while the company has not yet provided a division-by-division breakdown. The report said the shares were little changed after the guidance, with investors weighing currency moves and the outlook for memory prices.

What changed Preliminary operating profit rose to 107.4 trillion won from 89.5 trillion won in the second quarter, extending the earnings expansion beyond the year-on-year comparison.

Why it matters Samsung's dollar-denominated chip sales expose its reported earnings to currency translation: a stronger won can reduce profit even without a deterioration in chip pricing.

What to watch next Full results are reported as due in late October. The unresolved questions include memory's contribution and whether foundry losses narrowed.

Applied Digital reports sharp revenue growth alongside a $221 million quarterly loss

Applied Digital reported fiscal first-quarter revenue of $341.9 million, up 322% year over year, and adjusted EBITDA of $64.4 million, but a $221 million net loss attributable to common stockholders. The company said leases cover about 1.41 gigawatts of critical IT load and represent roughly $36 billion in base-term revenue. It also issued $1.59 billion of 7% senior secured notes to fund construction and repay a bridge facility.

What changed Polaris Forge 1 reached 250 MW of live capacity after a second 75 MW phase came online in October, moving more of the development into operation.

Why it matters For shareholders and creditors, converting the lease book into operating capacity carries a financing cost: the new secured borrowing funds construction and replaces bridge debt at a 7% coupon.

What to watch next Operations at Delta Forge 2 are expected to start in the first half of 2028; that remains an expected delivery milestone, not completed capacity.

ING rolls out its investment platform in Romania through its Home’Bank app

ING is launching ING Invest in Romania, offering self-directed access to shares and ETFs on the Bucharest and European markets through its Home’Bank app. The first 50,000 investors are eligible for zero trading commissions through the end of 2026, according to the report. ING said it had more than five million active investment clients as of June 2026 as it expands a shared investment technology platform across markets.

What changed The shared platform already supported Italian brokerage and Spanish financial planning; Romania adds another self-directed securities market to that deployment.

Why it matters For ING, the rollout could reduce duplicated technology work across countries while retaining local tax and regulatory support—a potential cost benefit beyond adding another brokerage market.

What to watch next Post-promotion pricing, recurring-investment functionality and overseas-market coverage remain open product questions, rather than confirmed additions.

CFTC seeks comments on proposed federal framework for some crypto trading

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has issued an advance notice seeking public comment on proposed frameworks for certain leveraged, financed or margined retail cryptocurrency transactions. The proposed routes would allow qualifying platforms to register with the CFTC and address areas including customer protections and market manipulation. The notice is not a finalized rule, and the report says the agency’s existing authority does not cover all fully paid crypto spot trading.

What changed Following the Senate's rejection of broader market-structure legislation, the CFTC is pursuing a narrower route under existing powers rather than comprehensive spot-market supervision.

Why it matters Qualifying exchanges could gain an optional federal registration route, but participating venues would face customer-protection, reserve and market-conduct requirements rather than simply receiving a new license.

What to watch next The agency must assess public responses and conduct further rulemaking before requirements become binding. Leverage limits remain unresolved.

Fortrade revenue reaches £26.1 million as annual net profit falls

Fortrade’s 2025 revenue rose 23% to £26.1 million, its highest since 2022, while net profit declined 21% to £1.08 million, according to accounts filed with Companies House. The report attributed much of the profit decline to a higher tax charge, which nearly tripled to £356,831; operating profit fell 5% to £1.27 million. Cash at year-end was £6.02 million, down 6%.

What changed Operations switched from generating £3.32 million of cash in 2024 to absorbing £449,520 in 2025, showing weaker cash conversion alongside the profit decline.

Why it matters Fortrade's owners face pressure beyond tax normalization: faster growth in sales costs and administrative expenses meant the revenue recovery did not translate into higher operating profit.

IREN shares fall 6.3% as data-center stocks face pressure

IREN closed down 6.27% at $38.69 on October 7, while the Global X Data Center and Digital Infrastructure ETF fell 0.4%, according to the report. The article said no company-specific announcement was identified and cited peer declines amid weakness in data-center stocks. It also reported that IREN has convertible notes due in 2029 and 2033 and recorded a $702.62 million net loss against $691.33 million in revenue in its last full year.

Why it matters IREN's $3 billion 2033 convertible issue carries a 1% coupon. For shareholders assessing the sell-off, higher market yields should therefore not be confused with an automatic increase in that existing debt's coupon.