Top news
* Microsoft Corp. unveiled a new range of Surface-branded products, including a dual-screen Android smartphone, at an Oct. 2 event in New York. The lineup included three devices set to hit store shelves by early November — the Surface Laptop 3, Surface Pro 7 and Surface Pro X — and two more that will be available ahead of the December holidays.
* Alphabet Inc.'s Google LLC rolled out new privacy-related updates for Google Maps, YouTube LLC's video platform and Google Assistant. The new updates will see Google Maps getting an incognito mode and YouTube getting a history auto-delete option. In addition, Google Assistant will get support for voice commands to manage a user's privacy, according to an official blog post.
* United States Cellular Corp. will launch its 5G network in parts of Iowa and Wisconsin beginning in the first quarter of 2020. The company will roll out 5G coverage in Iowa for parts of Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Des Moines, Dubuque and Waterloo. Its first 5G coverage for Wisconsin will include parts of Green Bay, Madison, Milwaukee, Oshkosh and Racine.
Technology
* Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook, along with another company executive, filed a brief Oct. 2 with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals immigration program, recode reports. The Supreme Court will hear arguments in November on whether President Donald Trump's attempt to terminate the program in 2017 was legal or not.
* FireEye Inc. hired Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to advise the cybersecurity company on a potential sale, Business Insider reports, citing sources familiar with the matter. While the talks are in early stages, private equity firms appear to be the most likely buyer after FireEye failed to gain the interest of strategic acquirers in an earlier process.
* Glowpoint Inc. closed its merger with collaboration technology company Oblong Industries Inc. In connection with the closing, John Underkoffler, the former CEO of Oblong and now chief technology officer of Glowpoint, was appointed to Glowpoint's board. David Giangano resigned as a member of Glowpoint's board.
* Nielsen Holdings PLC completed the overhaul of the way it measures TV viewing in 208 local markets across the U.S. As part of a multiyear effort, the data analytics company combined advanced meter technology, big data and people-powered panels into its local TV measurement service.
Internet & OTT
* Film producer Kristine Belson penned a new agreement to remain president of Sony Pictures Animation Inc., Variety reports. She will take on the additional role of handling series projects for TV and streaming partners.
* Netflix Inc. announced a new sketch comedy series from Iliza Shlesinger called "The Iliza Shlesinger Sketch Show." The show will have six half-hour episodes, which will shoot in New York this fall and launch in 2020.
* In other Netflix news, the streaming giant renewed "Dear White People" for a fourth and final season, according to Variety. The final season will feature 10 episodes.
Publishing
* Vice Media LLC signed an agreement to purchase digital media and entertainment company Refinery29 in a mostly stock deal, London's Financial Times reports. The deal values the online publishers at a combined $4 billion.
Film & TV
* Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. extended its CFO James Barge's employment contract for a four-year period. The new agreement, which has been approved by the compensation committee of the board, ends July 31, 2023, the company said in an SEC filing.
The day ahead
Early morning futures indicators pointed to a higher opening for the U.S. market.
In Asia, the Hang Seng jumped 0.26% to 26,110.31, while the Nikkei 225 dropped 2.01% to 21,341.74.
In Europe, around midday, the FTSE 100 dropped 0.56% to 7,082.38, and the Euronext 100 was up 0.31% to 1,056.09.
On the macro front
The challenger job-cut report, the jobless claims report, PMI services index, the factory orders report, ISM non-manufacturing index, the EIA natural gas report, the Fed balance sheet and the money supply report are due out today.
Click here to read about today's financial markets, setting out the factors driving stocks, bonds and currencies around the world ahead of the New York open.
Featured news
The Daily Dose Europe: UK court on Google; Ericsson, Kathrein deal; Helios Towers' IPO: A U.K. court greenlit legal action against Google LLC over an alleged breach of iPhone users' privacy; Ericsson completed the acquisition of Kathrein SE's antenna and filter division; and tower operator Helios Towers Africa Ltd. officially launched its IPO in London.
The Daily Dose Asia-Pacific: Samsung China factory closure; SoftBank LatAm hub CEO; Singapore's fake news law: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. stopped producing mobile phones in China due to increased competition, SoftBank Group Corp. named the CEO of its Latin American Tech Hub, and Singapore's so-called fake news law has taken effect.
The Pay Check: Fox Corp., Meredith disclose execs' fiscal 2019 compensation: Fox Corp. Executive Chairman and CEO Lachlan Murdoch's fiscal 2019 pay package decreased to about $42.1 million from $50.7 million in the prior year, while Meredith Corp. CEO Thomas Harty earned about $7.3 million in fiscal 2019 compensation.
Hires and Fires: Microsoft nominates GlaxoSmithKline CEO to board; IBM adds director: Microsoft nominated GlaxoSmithKline PLC CEO Emma Walmsley to its board of directors, while International Business Machines Corp. named former Vanguard Group Inc. Group CEO and Chairman F. William McNabb III to its board.
Featured research
Wireless Investor: Architectural shift in 5G core needed to meet IoT demands: A recurring theme at this year's 5G Core Summit: Implementing 5G is not building a network for a single customer, but for a whole society.
Wireless Investor: Will you charge more for 5G?: While just two of the six North American carrier executives we surveyed expect to charge more for 5G compared to 4G, 71% of the entire global carrier executive base expects a 5G price hike.
Wireless Investor: Canadian carriers pay twice as much for 600 MHz as in US: This year's 600 MHz auction in Canada cost about double the price per MHz compared to the 2017 U.S 600 MHz auction. Specifically, nine carriers acquired 70 MHz of the 600 MHz band for about $1.80 per MHz/pop, versus 93 cents in the U.S.
Economics of Internet: US digital ad market keeps growing despite mounting regulatory concerns: The U.S. digital ad market continues to power full steam ahead but mounting anti-trust investigations into Google and Facebook could eventually crimp gains.
Economics of Advertising: Ratings climb for niche film networks in August: The 14 non-Nielsen-rated film cable channels in our analysis grew average coverage ratings by 27.8% year over year in August, according to Comscore TV Essentials data.
Technology: 5G survey: Deployment roadmaps stretch past 3-year horizon: Of the 56 global operators surveyed in Kagan's B2B 5G survey completed in August, only 10 (17.9%), are staking a claim to 100% 5G coverage by the end of 2022.
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