A man covering his head with Halloween pumpkin sits as trees’ leaves turns the colors of the autumn season at Central Park in New York, United States on October 30, 2023.
Fatih Aktas | Anadolu | Getty Images
This report is from today’s CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Like what you see? You can subscribe here.
What you need to know today
Rebound rally U.S. stocks rebounded on Tuesday, with all major indexes rising. Technology stocks, in particular, rallied to lift the Nasdaq Composite. Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed on Wednesday. China’s Shanghai Composite slumped around 4.9% after rocketing in early October. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index rose 0.5%, recovering slightly from its 9.41% plummet on Tuesday, its worst day in 16 years.
Google, it’s not me, it’s you Breaking up Google is one recommendation the U.S. Department of Justice made to remedy the tech giant’s monopoly in the search market – a ruling the courts reached in August after the U.S. government filed a case against Google in 2020. Legal experts, however, think a break-up isn’t very likely and that the courts will order Google to pursue other remedies.
Cooling oil prices Crude oil prices fell on Tuesday amid reports by The New York Times and The Jerusalem Post that Israel might focus on striking Iran’s military sites in retaliation for its missile attacks. Both West Texas Intermediate and Brent futures retreated 4.63% during U.S. trading hours Tuesday, halting the red-hot rally oil prices have experienced the past week.
New Zealand cuts rates The Reserve Bank of New Zealand slashed interest rates by half a percentage point on Wednesday. It’s the second consecutive cut after the RBNZ unexpectedly lowered rates by a quarter point in August. The central bank’s likely to make another half-point cut in November, Paul Bloxham, HSBC’s chief economist for Australia and New Zealand, told CNBC.
[PRO] Time to invest in China? China’s blue-chip CSI 300 index popped 5.93% on Tuesday after markets returned from their seven-day Golden Week holiday. However, there are signs the sizzling rally is cooling. The CSI 300 is currently down around 3.6% as of Wednesday morning. On the back of such turbulence, CNBC Pro asks two strategists whether now’s the time to invest in China.
The bottom line
October in the U.S. is the season for pumpkin spice, but the month also harbors the dangerous edge of Halloween.
And getting spooked and soothed alternately is indeed what markets are doing in October.
After falling 0.96% on Monday, the S&P 500 added 0.97% on Tuesday. (Though it should be noted that doesn’t necessarily mean the S&P erased its losses and is up 1 basis point from Monday to Tuesday. Percentages are hard.)
October, then, is truly living up to its reputation as the most volatile month for stocks. But investors should keep in mind the uncomfortable swings in markets aren’t always a good signal for the underlying health of stocks.
“While our expectation is for October to remain choppy, we don’t view the overall market action to be bearish and encourage investors to maintain perspective on the longer-term trends,” Robert Sluymer, technical strategist at RBC Wealth Management, wrote to clients in a Tuesday note.
Investment bank Piper Sandler has the same opinion on October’s turbulence. “October is historically a ‘backing and filling’ month as investors react to Q3 earnings results,” Craig Johnson, chief market technician, wrote in a Tuesday note.
In fact, when stocks dip because of mild repricing or a correction, that’s a good opportunity for investors to swoop in, according to Johnson.
The see-saw motion of stocks in October isn’t all that bad, then, if investors can seize the right time to enter the market or solidify their positions further. It doesn’t have to be spooky season all the time.
– CNBC’s Hakyung Kim, Samantha Subin and Alex Harring contributed to this story.
Despite the warnings, BYD continues introducing new discounts. On Wednesday, BYD’s luxury off-road brand began offering over 50% Huawei’s smart driving tech.
BYD introduces new discounts on smart driving tech
After BYD cut prices again in May, the China Automobile Manufacturers Association (CAMA) warned that the ultra-low prices are “triggering a new round of price war panic.”
Although they didn’t single out BYD, it was pretty obvious. BYD slashed prices across 22 of its vehicles by up to 34%, triggering several automakers to follow suit in China.
BYD’s cheapest EV, the Seagull, typically starts at about $10,000 (66,800 yuan). After the price cuts, the Seagull is listed at under $8,000 (55,800 yuan).
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It doesn’t look like China’s EV leader plans to slow down anytime soon. Fang Cheng Bao, BYD’s luxury off-road brand, introduced new discounts on Huawei’s smart driving tech on Wednesday.
The limited-time offer cuts the price of Huawei’s Qiankun Intelligent Driving High-end Function Package to just 12,000 yuan ($1,700).
BYD Fang Cheng Bao 5 SUV testing (Source: Fang Cheng Bao)
Buyers who order the smart driving tech in July will save over 50% compared to its typical price of 32,000 yuan ($4,500).
Earlier this year, Fang Chang Bao launched the Tai 3, its most affordable vehicle, starting at 139,800 yuan ($19,300). The Tai 3 is about the size of the Tesla Model Y, but costs about half as much.
BYD Fang Cheng Bao Tai 3 electric SUV (Source: Fang Cheng Bao)
The Tai 3 will spearhead a new sub-brand of electric SUVs following the more premium Bao 8 and Bao 5 hybrid SUVs.
BYD’s luxury off-road brand sold 18,903 vehicles last month, up 50% from May and 605% compared to last year. Fang Cheng Bao has now sold over 10,000 vehicles for three consecutive months.
The Chinese EV giant sold 382,585 vehicles in total in June, an increase of 12% from last year. In the first half of the year, BYD’s cumulative sales reached over 2.1 million, a YOY increase of 33%.
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Every year, it seems like there’s a new headline about the world’s lightest electric bike. Each year, engineers manage to shave a few more grams off of an exotically designed frame built with even more exotic materials. And each year, the continuously lower weight is balanced by continuously higher prices – often exorbitantly high. But now Dahon has bucked that trend, offering us an incredibly lightweight electric bike at a price that normal e-bike riders can afford. Meet the Dahon K-Feather.
To put things in perspective, some of the previous lightest electric bicycles have included the 11.8 kg (26 lb) LeMond Prolog at US $4,500, the 11.75 kg (12.59 lb) Trek Domane+ SLR at US $8,999, and the 10 kg (22 lb) Hummingbird Flax folding e-bike at US $6,050.
So with that in mind, please allow me to introduce you to the new Dahon K-Feather. This is a 12 kg (26.5 kg) folding electric bike priced at an incredibly reasonable US $1,199 in North America or €1,499 in Europe.
Sure, it’s not the absolute lightest folding e-bike we’ve ever seen, but it’s 90% of the way there and at a quarter of the price. Plus, it comes from Dahon, which is one of the most respected names in the folding bike world and is largely credited with paving the way for the booming folding bike industry we see today. Since the 1980s, Dahon’s innovative designs have been imitated around the world, yet the folding bike maker has continued to innovate and stay several steps ahead of competing brands.
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The K-feather achieves its extra low weight through the combination of a novel frame design employing Dahon’s patented frame designs, including the company’s DELTECH technology and “super down tube,” which help improve rigidity and robustness while reducing weight.
The electrical system on the K-Feather is also a featherweight, keeping the e-bike largely in the last-mile category. While the battery claims a maximum range of up to 24.8 miles (40 km), real-world riding and hilly terrain could reduce that range. Still, clever designs like a system that automatically shuts off the extra motor power when detecting a downhill segment help to eke out more range from the small 24V and 5Ah battery.
The ultra-lightweight 250W hub motor also offers just 32 Nm of torque, meaning the assist is more of a helpful push than a powerful shove. But with the inclusion of a torque sensor for the pedal assist, that push comes on quickly and reliably, making the bike feel more like a traditional analog bike being pedaled by someone with extra strong legs.
With 16″ dual-wall rims and 14g spokes, this isn’t the heavy fat tire folding e-bikes we’re used to in North America, and the capacity reflects that. The K-Feather is rated to support riders weighing up to 105 kg (231 lb), though the highly adjustable seating position can support a range of rider heights from 145 to 190.5 cm (4’9″ to 6’3″).
Coming in six colorways, the Dahon K-feather folding e-bike is now available in the US and has launched for pre-order in Europe, with shipments there expected in September.
I had a bit of a preview of the K-feather on my last trip to China when I was able to visit Dahon’s headquarters and test ride the bike.
I still can’t believe how light it felt, both underneath me and while folding it up and carrying it around. Be on the lookout for that full experience from my trip, coming soon.
Electrek’s Take
The K-Feather represents a compelling milestone not just for Dahon, but for the entire folding e-bike market. By delivering a truly lightweight, compact, and fully electric folder at an impressively affordable price point, Dahon has made minimalist e-mobility more accessible than ever.
It’s not just a bike for die-hard lightweight e-bike connoisseurs; it’s a real-world solution for commuters, travelers, and apartment dwellers who want the freedom of electric assist without the bulk or the sticker shock. If the goal is to get more people on two wheels, the K-Feather might just be one of the most important steps forward yet.
Coming in at less than half the weight of most folding e-bikes, and still a fraction of most lighter-duty folders, the K-Feather’s modest performance makes it a great urban ride for those who favor compact size and light weight. In fact, I think it might be perfect for my mother-in-law, who needs an e-bike to get to and from the train she takes to work, but also needs it to be light enough to carry up to her second-story apartment. Hmmm, perhaps I should have her do a review for us…
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The Honda Prologue remains a top-selling EV in the US, but it’s Acura’s luxury electric SUV that’s been the surprise hit this year.
Honda Prologue sales rise while Acura’s EV surprises
After delivering the first Prologue models last year, Honda’s electric SUV quickly became a hit. In the second half of 2024, it was the second-best-selling electric SUV in the US, trailing only the Tesla Model Y.
Despite limited inventory due to the new 2025 model year change, Honda sold 2,799 Prologues last month. In the first half of the year, Honda has now sold 16,317 Prologue models in the US. In comparison, Toyota sold just over 9,200 units of its electric SUV, the bZ4X, during the same period.
Toyota’s luxury brand, Lexus, sold only 763 RZ models, its sole electric SUV, for a total of 3,779 units in the first half of the year.
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Honda Prologue sales have now held steady, averaging over 2,700 units per month, but it’s Acura’s electric SUV that has been quietly gaining ground in the luxury EV space.
2025 Honda Prologue Elite (Source: Honda)
With another 1,318 models sold last month, Acura ZDX sales reached 10,355 in the first half of 2025. Acura’s electric SUV is even outpacing the Cadillac Lyriq, which is based on the same Ultium platform.
Sales are significantly higher than the company expected. Earlier this year, Mike Langel, vice president of national sales for Acura, told Automotive News that the company expected to sell around 1,000 ZDX models a month this year.
2024 Acura ZDX (Source: Acura
A significant reason behind the strong demand is the availability of massive discounts, which can reach nearly $30,000 in some states. The luxury electric SUV is more affordable than a Honda CR-V, with monthly leases starting at just $299.
The Honda Prologue is available to lease for as little as $259 per month. The offer is for 36 months with $2,399 due at signing in California and other ZEV states.
With the Trump administration planning to end the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, many of these savings will soon disappear.
If you’re looking to take advantage of the savings while they’re still available, we can help you get started. You can use our links below to find deals on the Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX in your area.
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