transportation and defense industries delivered a stream of major news: General Motors beat profit estimates and announced a $20 billion buyback; the FAA certified Boeing’s long-delayed 737 Max 10; SpaceX reported its first quarterly profit as a public company, lifting markets; RTX raised its full-year outlook on record Pentagon demand; tankers were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing US–Iran conflict; a Russian diesel tanker prepared the first shipment to the US under a new diesel deal; Japan launched its historic MMX mission to Mars’s moon Phobos; and a chemical leak in Toledo forced Stellantis to halt Jeep production.
Bullet-Point News
Cars / Trucks / EVs
- General Motors – Q3 net profit of $3.3 billion, more than double a year ago, beating estimates; GM raised some 2026 targets, announced a new $20 billion share repurchase program, but warned of rising supply costs. Shares fell about 5%.
- Stellantis – Shut down production at its Toledo, Ohio Jeep assembly plant after a ruptured chemical tank leaked potentially toxic fumes, forcing evacuations and shelter-in-place orders for over 50,000 residents.
- VinFast (EV) – Reported a Q2 net loss over $1.2 billion despite revenue jumping 85.5% and 70,085 EVs delivered (+96%); e-scooter deliveries more than quadrupled.
- Chevrolet (GM) – Unveiled the fully redesigned 2027 Silverado 1500, led by new 5.7L and 6.6L V-8 engines, a turbo four, and a diesel six-cylinder; starting price $41,395.
- Tesla – Set to report Q3 results Wednesday evening, hours after sibling company SpaceX’s blowout quarter; last week it unveiled a new Roadster that may use SpaceX thruster technology.
Commercial Trucks / Shipping
- Pakistan–Iran border trade – Hundreds of trucks stranded for days at crossings as trade between the two countries remained suspended over security concerns.
Ships / Tankers
- Strait of Hormuz – An oil tanker caught fire after hitting a naval mine while transiting Iran’s “unauthorized southern route”; a day earlier, two other tankers hit mines. On Wednesday, projectiles ignited a fire aboard a tanker off Oman and struck another off Iraq.
- Russia–US diesel deal – The first tanker carrying Russian diesel departs for the United States Thursday, per Deputy PM Alexander Novak.
Aviation
- Boeing – The FAA certified the 737 Max 10 (up to 230 seats) after years of delays, completing the four-model Max lineup and clearing deliveries to United, Delta, American, Ryanair and others starting 2027. The 777X remains uncertified, now targeting 2027 deliveries.
Space
- SpaceX – Reported its first quarterly profit as a public company ($4.4B net, revenue up 161% to $14.6B), sending shares up over 10% and lifting markets; Musk said next month’s Starship launch will attempt to catch both booster and ship with mechanical arms, and hinted at a possible merger with Tesla.
- JAXA (Japan) – Launched the world-first MMX spacecraft to land on Mars’s moon Phobos and return samples to Earth in 2031, in a five-year mission with NASA, France, Germany and ESA.
- Russia (space) – Military satellite Cosmos-2612 maneuvered within 100 meters of Finland’s ICEYE satellite, which supports Ukraine’s military, raising space-security concerns.
Defense / Military Equipment
- RTX (Raytheon) – Q3 revenue of $24.97B (+11%) and net profit of $3.09B (+33%) beat estimates; backlog hit a record $340B driven by Patriot and Tomahawk missile demand, and the company raised 2026 guidance.
- Northrop Grumman – Shares jumped 4.57% after quarterly results topped expectations.
- Turkey–Pakistan–Saudi Arabia (Mecca defense pact) – The three nations moved to implement their joint defense agreement, with work underway on air-defense, electronic-warfare and technical assistance for Saudi Arabia following Houthi strikes; a retired Pakistani general was named secretary-general.
- Yemen – The internationally recognized government added 135 people, firms and five tankers to its terrorist list to cut off Houthi financing and alleged Iranian oil smuggling.
