US initial jobless claims for the week to Oct. 10: 199,000 (consensus 200,000); prior week revised to 198,000 from 197,000.

The Guangdong ‘yachts southbound’ scheme took effect today. On the morning of the 16th several Guangdong-registered yachts departed Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai for Hong Kong waters. The move follows June’s implementation of northbound access for Hong Kong and Macau yachts and establishes two-way mutual access for yacht travel in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area. Under the new rules eligible Guangdong-registered yachts may depart via six designated passenger terminals: Nansha Port passenger terminal (Nansha port area), Shekou Port passenger terminal, Fuyong passenger terminal at Shenzhen Airport port, Jiuzhou passenger terminal (Jiuzhou port area, Zhuhai), Guishan passenger terminal (Wanshan port area, Zhuhai) and Shengshi Yacht Club terminal (Shenwan port area, Zhongshan).

China A-shares planting and forestry sector climbed, with Hainan Rubber hitting the daily trading limit; Runong Water-saving, Xinsai Co., Shennong Seed, Xin Nong Development and Fujian Jinsen also advanced.