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Published: October 19, 2026 at 7:32a.m. EDTU. S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in Uzbekistan on Monday to promote trade and ties with Central Asia, during a trip that came amid rumblings that America’s top diplomat is ignoring pressing matters in favor of politically safer visits and meetings. The trip, which involves a stop in India later this week, seeks to promote U. S. economic and security ties with Central and South Asia. But it has only tangential links to the Trump administration’s current main foreign policy dilemmas in the Middle East and with the Russia-Ukraine war. Rubio has brushed aside suggestions he is eschewing the most difficult issues in favor of taking on lower-hanging diplomatic fruit with less risk of failure and political damage, and the State Department pushed back on the criticism of his schedule. Trade War coverage on BNNBloomberg.caIn Samarkand, Rubio was meeting with his counterparts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan under the C5+1 diplomatic forum, which brings together the five Central Asian countries and the United States to discuss security, trade and other shared concerns.

Company NewsPublished: October 19, 2026 at 7:21a.m. EDTMullen Group buying Wilson International. (Mullen Group) OKOTOKS — Trucking and logistics company Mullen Group Ltd. has signed a deal to buy Wilson International Ltd., a customs brokerage firm with operations in Canada and the United States. Financial terms of the agreement were not immediately available. Latest updates on company news hereWilson has more than 330 employees in Canada and the U. S., that provide customs and logistics services. It is expected to continue to operate as a stand-alone business within Mullen Group. The existing senior management team, led by Jim McKinnon, will remain responsible for overseeing Wilson’s operations. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2026. Companies in this story: (TSX:MTL)

Published: October 19, 2026 at 7:07a.m. EDTHONG KONG — China said Monday its economy grew 4.5 per cent in the July-September quarter from a year ago fueled by robust exports, moving closer to meeting its official annual growth target for the year as trading partners seek to balance their trade deficits with the country. Economic growth accelerated from the 4.3 per cent year-on-year rate recorded in the April-June quarter, the slowest expansion in more than three years. Its economy expanded 4.6 per cent in the first three quarters. For the whole year, Chinese leaders have set a growth target of 4.5 per cent to 5 per cent, down from last year’s 5 per cent expansion. Earlier this month, the International Monetary Fund trimmed its forecast for China’s 2026 economic growth to 4.5 per cent, the lower end of Beijing’s goal. “Domestic demand was weak, while trade grew strongly,” said Dave Chia, an economist at Moody’s Analytics. Exports will likely stay strong but global trade barriers remain a risk, he said. Exports are strong, but domestic sluggishness remainsChina’s domestic demand has been weighed down by a yearslong downturn in its property market.