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In this week’s Oil Context Weekly, the host reviews flat crude prices slipping below $68 a barrel after geopolitical chatter between the U.S. and Iran, while noting a modestly backwardated term structure with a "smiley‑faced" futures curve extending to 2027. Inventory data show a massive winter‑storm draw in the U.S. contrasted with rising Singapore product stocks, and refined product margins normalize as diesel cracks retreat and gasoline spreads settle. Market positioning reveals speculators as net buyers, pushing speculative exposure near a year‑high and suggesting a downside bias for prices. Additional themes include easing Iranian risk, EU bans on Russian maritime services, a surprise U.S.–India trade deal, plateauing U.S. production, and evolving West Coast pipeline options in Alberta.
Today, the only companies getting headlines are tripling year on year. The landscape is ripe with talk of startup vs. incumbent. AI FOMO is real. And… what the heck is RevTech? Join me Monday on Run The Numbers as I...
The Fourth Circuit vacated a district court injunction, allowing President Trump’s Executive Orders 14151 and 14173 on DEI to remain in effect for federal contractors and grant recipients. The court held that plaintiffs lacked standing to challenge the Enforcement Threat Provision, but recognized...
Toyota announced a 43% drop in quarterly profit and named its CFO, Kenta Kon, as the new chief executive and president effective April. Kon, a veteran with expertise in automated driving, will replace Koji Sato, who will stay on as...
🧔♂️ Non-AI startups: - Lots CSMs (vs FDEs) - AI is slow / noncompetitive, not true #1 focus of company - Not gaining market share - Customers don’t want to pay 2x-10x more for AI Agent (honest truth: not great)...
In this episode, the host examines the current state of China's grain market, focusing on its ability to meet President Trump's promised soybean purchases of 8 million metric tons (294 million bushels) and the anticipated 25 million metric tons of new crop. The...
Thank you Adeo for having me, and I'm excited to do this with the Venture Underground team this coming week in SF!
Higher education is confronting student‑driven demand for seamless, AI‑enhanced digital experiences, making IT service management (ITSM) a strategic necessity. Legacy systems and fragmented processes hinder on‑demand services such as Wi‑Fi, digital resources, and 24/7 help desks. Modern, AI‑powered ITSM platforms...
In this First Friday episode, host Paula Pant reviews the economic landscape of January 2026, highlighting a 2% S&P 500 pullback, a near‑10% Bitcoin drop, and a cooling labor market with job openings falling to 7.6 million. She discusses the surprise nomination of...
The episode explores how moving data into modern warehouses and lakes introduces hidden risks that go beyond technical challenges, emphasizing governance, data quality, and transformation controls. It highlights that inconsistencies in source systems, ambiguous definitions, and poorly documented transformation logic...
SAP Americas CFO Sonja Simon is championing a "failure culture" to speed AI and automation adoption within the finance organization. Her 30‑person team, responsible for roughly 40% of SAP's global revenue, integrates AI through regular discussions, volunteer showcases, and a...
The California Supreme Court ruled that the visual presentation of an arbitration agreement—such as tiny, dense font—does not by itself render the clause substantively unconscionable. While procedural defects may raise a court's scrutiny, substantive unfairness must still be shown. The...
Three Black CEOs—Dr. Anton Bizzell, Rosalyn Merrick, and Ola Sage—share how shifting from intensity to clarity, purpose, and essentialism transformed their organizations. Bizzell moved from treating symptoms to building systems that align purpose with performance. Merrick leveraged vulnerability and stakeholder...
The Department of Labor raised the minimum wage for federal contractors to $13.65 per hour, with tipped workers covered at $9.55, effective 90 days after publication. The DHS and DOL issued a temporary rule adding up to 64,716 supplemental H‑2B...
Josh Ogden, CEO of AVSS, warns that Canada’s drone sector has dwindled to fewer than 20 manufacturers that merely assemble foreign components rather than develop core technology. He points to historic successes like Aeryon Labs, many of which were acquired...
Software engineering leaders must proactively design their organization and delivery model to align with the CIO‑defined IT operating model, rather than reacting to legacy structures. The article outlines how to evaluate alternatives, choose between service‑optimized and value‑optimized models, and build...
PayPal re‑enters Nigeria by routing all local receipts through a partnership with Paga, turning the home‑grown wallet into the official gateway for PayPal funds. The deal gives PayPal an asset‑light market entry while granting Paga access to a massive global...
In this 17‑minute episode, Mike and Madison break down three hot federal health‑care topics: the upcoming appropriations bill and its potential impact on pharmacy‑benefit funding, the recent FTC settlement affecting pharmacy benefit managers, and the latest developments surrounding TrumpRx. They...
The episode examines Jeff Bezos' strategic dismantling of the Washington Post newsroom while preserving and reshaping its opinion section into an ideological megaphone aligned with his free‑market, libertarian views. It details the massive layoffs of journalists, the removal of editorial...
The FX team discusses a variety of topics: the euro bloc/ APAC FX rotation, RBA hawkish pivot, scenarios around upcoming JP elections, the dovish BoE surprise and recent US data. This podcast was recorded on 06 February 2026. This communication is...
The U.S. Geological Survey’s 2026 mineral commodities summary shows the United States now imports 100% of 16 of the 90 non‑fuel minerals it tracks, up from 15 a year earlier, and relies on foreign sources for more than half of...
Elon Musk announced the merger of SpaceX and his AI startup xAI, creating a unified "everything" conglomerate that could reshape Silicon Valley’s power dynamics. With a personal net worth near $800 billion, Musk positions the combined entity to accelerate innovation across...
More than 100 business associations have written to Treasury urging the destruction of beneficial ownership information (BOI) records for domestic companies that no longer must file under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). They also request a final rule exempting U.S....
The episode spotlights TransactIQ.Tech, a disciplined SEC filing ingestion and analysis platform built by engineers who actually read the filings, emphasizing correctness over flashy AI features. It details how the system reliably fetches, extracts, and summarizes transaction-relevant sections with strict...
Iran’s inflation, hovering around 20% and spiking above 40% during sanctions, has become a structural feature of its macro‑economy. The country’s fragmented exchange‑rate system, fiscal deficits financed by the central bank, and dominant state‑linked enterprises perpetuate price pressures. Analysts argue...
Heliostar Metals announced the first gold pour from its newly restarted San Agustin mine in Durango, marking its second operating asset after La Colorada. The open‑pit mine is projected to deliver roughly 45,000 ounces of gold from existing reserves, prompting...
The U.S. Department of Labor issued a notice raising the federal contractor minimum wage to $13.65 per hour (and $9.55 cash wage for tipped workers), effective 90 days after its Feb. 9, 2026 publication. Crucially, the notice states that Executive Order 13658...
In this brief episode, J.P. Morgan analysts Francis Diamond, Aditya Chordia, and Khagendra Gupta dissect the February policy meetings of the European Central Bank and the Bank of England, highlighting the limited rate‑differential (or "skinny carry") in the Eurozone and...
BMO Asset Management announced the launch of three new MSCI‑based exchange‑traded funds on the Toronto Stock Exchange: the BMO MSCI Canada IMI High Dividend Yield Index ETF, the BMO MSCI EAFE Small‑Mid Cap Index ETF, and the BMO MSCI USA...
Mexican fintech Clara has renewed a $150 million credit line with Goldman Sachs, boosting its total debt capacity to over $250 million. The financing will fund expansion of its corporate payment‑solutions suite, targeting mid‑market and large enterprises across Latin America. Clara’s shift from...
Corporate leaders are increasingly turning to carve‑outs and divestitures to sharpen portfolio focus amid slowing growth and higher capital costs. The trend is driven by capital discipline, the need to eliminate conglomerate discounts, and the desire for strategic agility in...
Fractal Analytics secured Rs 1,248 cr from anchor investors at the top of its IPO price band, valuing the Bengaluru‑based AI firm at roughly $1.6 bn. The company trimmed its offering size by 42% to Rs 2,834 cr, splitting the issue between a fresh issue...
The episode reviews the U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index, showing that the U.S. truck freight market is in a late‑cycle contraction where capacity constraints, not demand, are driving higher rates. While Q4 2025 shipments rose modestly, they remain down year‑over‑year,...
Ørsted is exploring partnerships and M&A in Europe and the APAC region to sustain revenue growth after completing its 8.1 GW offshore construction portfolio by 2027. CEO Rasmus Errboe emphasized a value‑over‑volume approach, targeting fixed‑bottom schemes in core markets and reviewing upcoming...
Ever felt org lock-in? Ime it’s pretty common in tech even if we rarely name it. You spend years mastering one company’s hyper-niche systems and edge cases. Then one day you look up, scan the market, and nothing seems to fit. Everything...
$255K in profit from fixing how gyms sell. Live on @acquiredotcom: hardware + SaaS that turns in store visits into guided consults, subs, and recurring revenue for gyms. > $1.16M TTM revenue > $255K TTM profit > 206% YoY growth Full listing: https://t.co/8TlNbA4mqT https://t.co/H2XkQg3xJK
DPM Metals announced a 20% increase in measured and indicated resources at its Chelopech gold‑copper mine, boosting total reserves to 1.6 million ounces of gold and 6.23 million ounces of silver. The update extends the mine’s projected life to ten years, up...
Predictable‑scheduling (fair workweek) laws now cover major U.S. cities and states, mandating 14‑day advance posting, employee consent for changes, and premium pay for late‑notice shifts. Employers must provide good‑faith schedule estimates, offer open hours to current staff before hiring, and...
Global semiconductor sales are set to top $1 trillion in 2026 after a 25.6% jump to $792 billion in 2025. The surge is driven primarily by advanced AI chips, which grew nearly 40% to $302 billion, and memory chips, up 35% to $223 billion....
A Pennsylvania truck driver voluntarily disclosed a 15‑year‑old armed‑robbery conviction during a job interview, prompting an immediate rejection. The employer argued the ban‑the‑box law didn’t apply because the information wasn’t obtained from a state agency. The Third Circuit reversed, holding...
Barings Emerging Europe trust lost roughly 28% of its assets when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine rendered its Russian holdings worthless, halving its share price by late 2023. The board responded by expanding the mandate to cover the Middle East, Africa,...
AfriMillions debuted a ₦1 billion weekly progressive lottery, broadcasting the inaugural draw live on Wazobia Max TV and radio. The event was overseen by the Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority, underscoring regulatory compliance and transparency. The mobile‑first platform also promises...
First‑time homebuyers often focus on deposits and mortgage rates, only to encounter a series of hidden expenses that can strain budgets. Common surprises include misunderstood Stamp Duty Land Tax relief, unexpected leasehold fees, and costly repairs uncovered after a survey....
ElevenLabs announced a $500 million raise as it prepares for an IPO, underscoring the surge in AI‑driven startups. Spotify‑backed Soundtrack acquired Tunify and Ambie, aiming to combine local market reach with global scale. Germany topped January’s European tech funding, highlighted by...
SAG‑AFTRA will reopen contract talks with the AMPTP on February 9, 2026, a month ahead of the current agreement’s June 30 expiration. The negotiations, now led by new union president Sean Astin and AMPTP chief Greg Hessinger, will focus on three hot‑button...
President Trump appointed Kevin Warsh as the next Federal Reserve chair, signaling a likely dovish tilt for monetary policy. Warsh is expected to pursue aggressive short‑term rate cuts while also shrinking the Fed’s bond holdings, which could push long‑term yields...
India has rolled out four unified labor codes that replace decades of fragmented employment legislation, fundamentally changing hiring, compensation, and workforce management. The codes aim to simplify compliance, boost ease of doing business, and align with international standards. A webinar...
The Friday Reading List for February 6, 2026 surveys a wave of political and security developments across Latin America, focusing on the United States' renewed pressure on Cuba, shifting dynamics in Brazil, Costa Rica, and Mexico, and the fallout from...
In his second term, President Donald Trump pushed average U.S. import tariffs to about 18%, the highest level since the Great Depression. The higher duties widened the trade deficit and contributed to persistent inflation, prompting the Federal Reserve to cut...
In this episode Barbara Stewart, CFA, explores why Stockholm has become Europe’s leading capital‑raising hub, highlighting a surge in IPOs, private‑equity activity, and corporate‑bond issuance. She attributes the durability of this flow to a deep investment culture fostered by the...
