Cost Reduction

Norsk Hydro’s Q3 2025 adjusted EBITDA decreased to NOK 5,996m due to lower alumina prices and a stronger NOK, while free cash flow remained strong at NOK 2.2bn, and net debt reduced to NOK 13.6bn. The company launched a cost reduction program targeting NOK 1bn annual savings from 2026 and secured a power agreement for Alouette through 2045. A Rotterdam court dismissed all 2021 claims against Hydro. They also divested Corvus Energy for USD 30m.

DeepSeek’s experimental V3.2-Exp model introduces “DeepSeek Sparse Attention” (DSA) to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and handle longer documents. DSA filters less relevant data, potentially halving operational costs. While promising faster, cheaper AI deployment, concerns exist about potential loss of critical data nuances and impact on model reliability. Designed for Chinese AI chips, DeepSeek’s open-source approach encourages collaboration but faces potential patent challenges. The focus on efficiency positions DeepSeek competitively in the evolving AI landscape.

JD.com, led by Liu Qiangdong, plans to aggressively enter the hospitality and travel sectors. Leveraging its logistics network and financial strength, JD.com aims to reduce supply chain costs significantly in food, travel and hospitality, potentially lowering consumer costs by two-thirds while providing new channels for partners. They will expand from convenience stores and food delivery, with CEO Xu Ran confirming a focus on high-growth local services.