REUTERS SURVEY: More than half of Japanese companies plan to increase AI budgets in the near term; 31% remain undecided.

U.S. optical-communications sector rallied: Lumentum up 5%, Coherent up 6%, MARVELL (MRVL.O) and Corning (GLW.N) up about 5%.

Guangdong provincial CPC committee and provincial government issued guidance to carry out future-industry standards planning. It directs standards-system research focused on embodied intelligence, biomanufacturing, quantum technology and other frontier areas, and to explore using standardization to accelerate iteration of pioneering and disruptive technologies. The guidance calls for stronger standards pre-research to improve scientific and practical feasibility and to shorten the cycle for converting scientific achievements into standards. It also backs formation of standardization technical organizations for future industries and advancement of key standards’ development and implementation.