TAIPEI (Reuters) -TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker, reported on Wednesday third-quarter revenue that easily beat both the market and company's own forecasts as it reaped the benefit from artificial intelligence (AI) demand. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, whose customers include Apple and Nvidia, has been at the forefront of the march towards AI that has helped it weather the tapering off of pandemic-led demand. It is not a direct comparison as TSMC provides monthly revenue data only in Taiwan dollars, but gives quarterly revenue figures and its outlook on its quarterly earnings calls both in U.S. dollars.

Mars Inc. has been boosting its business in the U.K., including with the purchase of Hotel Chocolat.

Gravity brought China's soaring stock market back to earth with a thud on Wednesday. Disappointment about the lack - so far - of follow-through on stimulus promises has triggered a pullback in a spectacular rally and could be a harbinger of further weakness in China-exposed assets trading in London and Europe. Metals and other commodities were on the slide along with China proxies such as the Australian dollar.

WELLINGTON (Reuters) -New Zealand's central bank slashed rates by 50 basis points on Wednesday and said policy is still restrictive even though inflation has returned to target, prompting markets to bet on yet more aggressive easing and sending the kiwi dollar skidding. The decision to reduce the cash rate to 4.75% was in line with market pricing and most economists' expectations, with 17 of 28 economists in a Reuters poll having forecast the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) to cut the benchmark rate by half a percentage point. “The Committee agreed that it is appropriate to cut the OCR (official cash rate) by 50 basis points to achieve and maintain low and stable inflation, while seeking to avoid unnecessary instability in output, employment, interest rates, and the exchange rate," the central bank said in its policy statement.

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"As long as companies have managed through macro headwinds and see early signs of improvement from lower rates, stocks should get rewarded."

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The KBW Nasdaq Bank (stock) Index has climbed 18% year to date.

Elon Musk has called Thursday's robotaxi reveal the biggest Tesla event since the Model 3 project was launched in 2014.

VC investors are excited about the prospects for blockchain-based prediction markets, despite regulatory hurdles—and in some cases, an unproven ability to generate revenue.