Western Digital shares have fallen 45% from their recent high, but the company’s fundamentals remain solid. Revenue climbed 36% to $12.9 billion, while gross margin rose to 49.1% and operating margin widened 1,290 basis points to 37.3%. EPS more than doubled to $10.22 and free cash flow reached $3.5 billion. Management forecast next-quarter revenue of about $4.1 billion, roughly 45% YoY growth, with gross margin of 55% to 56% and EPS of about $4 versus $1.78 a year earlier.

Meta has agreed to pay $US17 billion and add child-safety measures to Facebook and Instagram to settle teen social media addiction claims brought by 47 states. The lawsuit alleged Meta intentionally built addictive features that harmed teenagers’ mental health and misled the public about them. Meta has said potential financial penalties in the case could have reached as much as $US1.4 trillion.

U.S. stocks opened lower on Wednesday after inflation data came in hotter than expected, reinforcing expectations of another Federal Reserve rate hike this year. The Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq all slipped at the open. Investors are awaiting Nvidia’s earnings for fresh clues on AI demand and the tech-led rally.

Meta has reached a federal-level settlement in a multi-state lawsuit alleging social media addiction, agreeing to pay $18 billion. After the announcement, Meta’s stock moved unevenly. The case has drawn broader debate over teen mental health and platform accountability.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index closed at a record 36,958 on Tuesday, extending its advance to a third straight session. Bank of Nova Scotia shares jumped 7% after the lender reported an 18% year-over-year rise in adjusted net income for the July quarter. Energy and gold stocks were also active. At Wednesday’s open, falling oil and gold prices could weigh on the index as investors watch results from National Bank of Canada and EQB, along with U.S. inflation and GDP data.

BNB Chain has taken a leading position in real-world assets (RWA), accounting for 42.5% of RWA holders globally. Over the past 30 days, it recorded 1,242,873 on-chain RWA holders, up 625% month over month. RWA transfer volume on the network reached $29.35B, up nearly 1,000% month over month, while distributed asset value rose to $5.82B. Over the same period, global RWA holders across all chains increased to 2,926,050, up 108%, with BNB Chain contributing most of the growth.

India’s average retail sugar price rose for a second straight day, reaching Rs 65.05 per kg on August 26 amid stronger festive demand. Retail prices remain elevated even after ex-mill rates fell nearly 20% following the government’s decision to allow imports of 10 lakh tonnes of raw sugar and steps to curb speculation and hoarding. The average retail price is 34% above Rs 48.68 per kg a month ago and 41% higher than Rs 46.27 per kg a year earlier, according to the Department of Consumer Affairs’ Price Monitoring Division. Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra said ex-mill prices had declined 18% to Rs 55 per kg.

Circle has issued an additional $5 billion worth of USDC over the past week, significantly increasing the stablecoin’s circulating supply, according to reports. The move further narrows USDC’s market-share gap with its main rival, Tether (USDT). Large-scale issuance is often associated with rising demand for stablecoins, particularly tied to DeFi usage and on-chain trading activity. The development also highlights fast-growing stablecoin liquidity across blockchain ecosystems such as Solana.