September 2026
All columns and Brief analyses.
10 results
Australia’s auction clearance rate falls to a 10-week low
The preliminary auction clearance rate across Australia’s capital cities fell to 50.3%, its lowest in 10 weeks. Last week’s preliminary 54% reading was revised to 49.1% in final data. The grand final weekend sharply reduced Melbourne’s auction volume, while Sydney held more auctions but cleared a smaller share. The figures show continued housing market weakness before Tuesday’s central bank meeting.
Autism and ADHD appear more often with youth-onset type 2 diabetes
Autism and ADHD appeared more often among people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at young ages than among peers without diabetes. The finding announced by EASD and reported by VIVA draws attention to people managing both conditions. Their appearance together does not establish that either condition causes the other.
Azerbaijan signs 23 forum documents for planned projects worth $10.8 billion
The second Azerbaijan International Investment Forum closed in Baku with 23 signed documents. Azerbaijan’s economy ministry said they cover planned projects valued at $10.8 billion across areas including energy, the digital economy, industry and finance. The documents set out the scale of proposed investment with international partners. The announced figure is project value, not money already invested, and the reports do not yet establish how much capital will ultimately be deployed.
Berkshire adds $136 million of Lennar shares in three days
Berkshire Hathaway disclosed about $136.4 million in additional Lennar share purchases made from September 23 through 25. Its total holding reached nearly 25.9 million shares, around 10.9% across the two share classes. The September 23 Brief had already reported a stake near 10%; these later purchases are the new development. Crossing the major shareholder threshold also requires Berkshire to report subsequent trades more promptly.
Boeing 737 MAX fault can interrupt automated guidance after a missed approach
A software fault on certain Boeing 737 MAX jets can interrupt automated flight guidance when crews change a planned route after a missed approach. Boeing has told operators about the scenario and is working on a fix. The US Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing the issue; the number of aircraft carrying the affected software remains unclear.
Caracas releases leave two different prisoner counts
Venezuelan rights group JEP verified releases after Friday's government-opposition talks, but its own accounts put the number leaving prison at 29 and 39. It said 17 of the people in its tally were outside its political-prisoner register under its criteria for the charges against them. Another account reports 39 releases, while Foro Penal is checking cases individually. The political-prisoner register may change by a different amount from the release total, leaving the final count unsettled.
Crew-13 arrives at Kennedy for its final launch preparations
The four Crew-13 astronauts flew from Houston to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on September 26 and arrived in T-38 jets. They are continuing quarantine and prelaunch work there. NASA’s current target is an October 1 launch to the International Space Station, and that date remains conditional. Arrival is a completed step beyond the flight-readiness review reported in the previous science edition; it does not mean the spacecraft has launched.
Dutch central-bank chief urged caution on a petrol-tax cut
Dutch central-bank president Olaf Sleijpen cautioned against cutting petrol excise duty to offset high pump prices. He said such relief would cost the government substantially, while nobody knows how long energy prices will remain elevated. With the recommended price of petrol at 2.73 euros a litre, his comments put the immediate relief sought by drivers alongside the uncertain cost to public finances.
Early psychosis study finds glutamate links between brain regions, not a level gap
A peer-reviewed 7-tesla brain spectroscopy study compared 47 people in a first psychotic episode who were not taking antipsychotics with 21 healthy controls. Glutamate levels in five regions did not differ significantly between groups. An exploratory analysis instead found correlations between regions among patients. The small, observational sample does not show a causal mechanism or a diagnostic test; the network pattern needs replication.
Engram seeks backing for an offline AI sound sampler
Thoughtful Things opened a Kickstarter campaign for Engram, a sampler and groovebox built around a small audio model that runs on the device. It can transform recorded sound or generate brief samples for a musician to edit and arrange. The company's account of how it trained that model has not been independently audited in the retained reporting. The campaign is for an instrument still awaiting completed deliveries.