Invaluable New Geopolitical Risk Indexes: AI-GPR, GPR-Oil, and More
Economists Matteo Iacoviello and Jonathan Tong have launched AI‑GPR, a new geopolitical risk index that harnesses large‑language models to generate daily risk scores. A companion series, GPR‑Oil‑MiddleEast, isolates oil‑related geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East, while bilateral breakdowns (e.g., US‑China) provide country‑pair risk metrics. The indices are presented with moving‑average charts and are freely accessible for researchers and market participants. Together they extend the Caldara‑Iacoviello GPR framework with higher frequency and thematic granularity.
Goterra Enters Voluntary Administration as Insect Farming’s Structural Problems Deepen
Australian insect‑farming startup Goterra, once valued at $55 million, entered voluntary administration in June 2026. The company said it ran out of runway, blaming a funding shortfall rather than product or market failure. Goterra’s decentralized, waste‑based model was undermined by variable...
Seven Rivals Converge on BAC Films: A Battle Between Operational Relaunch and Asset Harvesting
BAC Films, the iconic French independent distributor, entered bankruptcy protection, prompting a rare seven‑way bidding war before the Paris Court of Economic Activities. The contenders range from major studios like Pathé and StudioCanal to private equity funds and streaming platforms,...
AI Doesn’t Make Coaching Less Important
Artificial intelligence has moved from a peripheral tool to a central organizational engine, but its speed amplifies shallow decision‑making unless paired with strong thinking practices. Atchara Juicharern argues that coaching is no longer a nice‑to‑have skill but a core capability...
7 Brands with Podcasts: Lessons for Marketers in 2026
Marketers debating a branded podcast or struggling to see ROI can learn from seven brands that have turned audio into strategic assets. Trader Joe's leverages transcripts and product‑focused content, LinkedIn integrates its show into the professional network, and Shopify delivers actionable...
M&A Due Diligence: The Implications of the Latest AI Executive Order
President Trump’s June 2026 executive order on AI mandates heightened cybersecurity and national‑security safeguards for frontier AI models. The order compels private‑equity sponsors and M&A buyers to expand due diligence to include model governance, data architecture, and potential future classification...
AI Is Already Improving B2B Sales Performance. Here’s the Framework to Make It Work for You
Artificial intelligence is already delivering measurable gains for B2B sales teams, including a 40% drop in non‑selling activities and win‑rate lifts of up to 28%. The article outlines a three‑step framework—diagnose, pilot, and scale—to align AI capabilities with the most...
World CIO 200 Summit UK Edition 2026 Unites Global CIOs at Oxford
The World CIO 200 Summit UK Edition 2026 brought together over 200 senior technology leaders at Oxford’s Saïd Business School for a day of strategic dialogue. Organized by the Global CIO Forum, the event covered AI, cybersecurity, healthcare innovation, and...
Your Search Results Are Getting Sloptimized
Google has introduced the most significant search interface change in 25 years, expanding the search box into a generative AI chatbot that often answers queries directly. This shift pushes the traditional ten blue links further down, prompting marketers to develop...
The Medical AI Gold Rush: We Hit $80K In Sales Within 30 Days
A two‑person AI agency targeting dental practices and medspas generated $80,000 in its first 30 days, built a $100,000+ pipeline and achieved 67% profit margins without external funding. The firm tackled chronic industry pain points—patient no‑shows, chaotic phone scheduling and...
John Smoltz Issues Warning to MLB over Potential Lockout: ‘Baseball Will Suffer’
Former Cy Young winner John Smoltz warned MLB that a lockout could cripple the sport as the current collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2026 season. Analysts, including Ken Rosenthal, have placed the probability of a work stoppage at roughly...
Bank of Canada Holds Rates, Warns of Stagflation-Like Headwinds
The Bank of Canada left its key policy rate unchanged at 2.25%, marking the eighth straight month at that level and well below the 5.0% peak reached in 2023. Governor Tiff Macklem warned that Canada is confronting a stagflation‑like mix...
War Headlines Cause Mid-Day Reversal
U.S. Treasury yields slipped after a softer‑than‑expected core CPI reading, but reversed sharply by mid‑day when former President Donald Trump warned of a renewed U.S. attack on Iran. The 10‑year Treasury climbed from 4.526% to 4.541% by the close, while...
Free Solomon
David Solomon, now in his eighth year as CEO, has steered Goldman Sachs through a period of robust profitability and strategic diversification, delivering a record‑breaking net profit for fiscal 2025. The bank’s investment‑banking fees rose double‑digits, while its asset‑management arm...
Stop Calling the 5 Closest Contacts for Leads
A joint MIT‑Stanford‑Harvard study with LinkedIn tracked 20 million users and found that moderately weak ties—about ten shared connections—outperform both inner‑circle contacts and cold outreach in landing new roles. Executives typically rely on their five closest contacts or mass cold messages,...
The US Treasury to Auction 10 Year Notes. Why Is It so Important?
The U.S. Treasury will auction $39 billion of 10‑year notes, with the current yield at 4.534%. The previous auction set the yield at 4.468%, while the yield has fluctuated between 3.926% and 4.687% since the war began in February. A bid‑to‑cover...
M&A Investment Banking: Process, Best Practices, Role & Fees
The U.S. M&A investment‑banking sector, encompassing roughly 5,500 firms from global giants to boutique shops, generated about $130 billion in 2023 revenue. Banks such as Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan provide end‑to‑end advisory services—including industry analysis, valuation, negotiation and post‑merger...
The European Indices Close Mostly Lower Today
European markets closed lower, with the German DAX down 0.83% and France's CAC slipping 0.51%, while the UK FTSE 100 was the sole bright spot, gaining 0.27%. In the United States, all three major indices fell, led by the Dow...
10 Most Common M&A Risks and Ways to Mitigate Them
The article outlines the ten most frequent M&A risks—from overpaying and inflated synergy estimates to weak due‑diligence, integration failures, cultural clashes, communication gaps, security breaches, hidden costs, and macro‑disruptions. For each risk it offers concrete mitigation steps such as disciplined...
Reducing Legal Exposure When Managing Employee Performance Issues (US)
Effective performance management is a critical tool for minimizing employment litigation risk. Employers face heightened exposure when discipline or termination is based on subjective criteria, poor documentation, or inconsistent treatment. The article outlines practical steps—setting clear expectations, delivering timely feedback,...
QuasarEdge Acquisition Corp. (QRED) to Combine with Robseek Intelligence Inc. In $1.0Bn Deal
QuasarEdge Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: QRED) announced a definitive agreement to combine with Robseek Intelligence Inc., a developer of AI‑driven robotics solutions, in a transaction valued at roughly $1 billion. The merger will take Robseek public through the SPAC, giving it immediate...
Headline CPI Inflation at Consensus, Real Wages Continue to Be Eroded
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) held steady at the consensus 4.7% year‑over‑year, but the AIER Everyday Price Index nowcasts an 8.6% rise, nearly double the headline figure. Inflation for wage‑earners and clerical workers is accelerating faster than the overall CPI,...
Cammell Laird and A&P Join Balaena in Major UK Shipyard Merger
Balaena, a Cornwall‑based maritime engineering group, has acquired APCL Group, bringing Cammell Laird and A&P shipyards under one umbrella. The merged entity now operates 12 dry docks across the UK and the Mediterranean, employs over 2,000 staff and reported a...
What Leadership Storytelling Reveals About The Role Great Leaders Are Meant To Play
The article argues that leaders instinctively adopt a controlling stance during periods of change, but this is the opposite of what their teams actually need. By sharing three contrasting stories, the author illustrates a more effective leadership role—one centered on...
From Hardtech 50 to Hardtech Capital
Rising Tide Partners released the 2026 San Diego Hardtech 50, spotlighting founders in aerospace, defense, robotics, energy, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing and diagnostics. To address a surprising lack of personal connections among investors, the group hosted a private dinner supported by...
Gundlach Says Inflation Won’t Stop at 5%
Jeffrey Gundlach, founder of DoubleLine Capital, warned that U.S. inflation could climb to 5% or higher, citing lagging ISM prices‑paid data and rising import costs. He expects the Federal Reserve to keep policy tight, with no rate cuts in 2024...
M&A Targets: How to Identify & Evaluate (2026 Guide)
The article outlines a systematic scorecard for identifying and evaluating M&A targets, emphasizing a blend of financial metrics, strategic fit, and cultural compatibility. It highlights key criteria such as free‑cash‑flow yield above the industry median, debt‑to‑EBITDA under 3×, and revenue...
Top Operational Due Diligence Consulting Firms (2026)
Operational risk accounts for half of hedge‑fund failures, according to a Capco study of 100 collapses over two decades. As a result, operational due diligence (ODD) has become a core requirement for private‑equity and M&A transactions, shifting value creation from...
SWARM Engineering Raises $10M Series A to Scale Decision Intelligence for Agrifood and Manufacturing
SWARM Engineering announced an oversubscribed $10 million Series A round led by S2G Investments and AgRogue Growth Partners. The funding will accelerate its decision‑intelligence platform that embeds industry‑specific ontologies for agrifood and manufacturing. SWARM’s AI agents can ingest real‑time data, preserve institutional...
US Inflation Tame As It Can Be Under The Circumstances
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a core CPI increase of 0.208% month‑over‑month in May, well under the 0.3% consensus. The headline CPI rose 0.473% MoM, largely propelled by a 23.5% year‑over‑year jump in energy prices, which accounted for...
FalconStor Software: Fiscal 1Q26 Financial Results
FalconStor Software reported first‑quarter 2026 revenue of $4.3 million, a 73% year‑over‑year increase, driven by strong adoption of its hybrid‑cloud data‑protection solutions among managed‑service providers and enterprise customers. Hybrid‑cloud ARR run‑rate surged 89% YoY, now representing 87% of total billings, up...
FalconStor Is a Growth Company – Here’s How We Got There
FalconStor’s Q1 2026 results mark the culmination of a multi‑year turnaround that shifted the company from a license‑driven model to a recurring‑revenue business focused on IBM Power data protection. After streamlining operations and closing offices, the firm forged a deep strategic...
Newly Minted Perez Extends Real Madrid’s Adidas Partnership with €1bn Deal
Real Madrid has secured an eight‑year extension of its partnership with adidas, now running through 2034 and valued at €1 billion (about $1.09 billion). The deal pays roughly €120 million ($131 million) annually and includes a share of merchandise sales, building on a relationship...
HSR Filings Hit 235 in May 2026, the Highest Monthly Total Since December 2021
In May 2026 the FTC recorded 235 Hart‑Scott‑Rodino pre‑merger notifications, a 58.8% increase over May 2025 and the highest monthly total since December 2021. The surge pushes the fiscal‑year‑2026 filing pace to about 2,500 transactions, well above the 2,031 reported...
Nowcast Data Suggest US Growth Is Accelerating In Q2
Nowcast models released in early June indicate that U.S. real GDP growth is picking up in the second quarter, revising the pace upward from earlier estimates. The acceleration appears to be driven by stronger consumer spending and a rebound in...
Octopus Asked Ministers to Cover EV Losses
Octopus Energy’s electric‑vehicle leasing unit, Octopus Electric Vehicles (OEV), is pursuing a fresh debt raise of several hundred million dollars to cover a £111 million ($141 million) net liability recorded in 2025. The loss, up from £76 million ($97 million) the year before, reflects...
Law Firm Employee Retention: What a Fully Remote Agency Can Teach You About Keeping Good People
Juris Digital, a fully remote marketing agency named a 2026 Inc. Best Workplace, shares the retention tactics that helped it keep staff happy. The firm discovered that generic check‑in tools, forced virtual socials, and vague bonus targets failed, while weekly...
When a Lean Leader Admits He Doesn’t Know What He’s Doing, with Gary Peterson
Gary Peterson, former EVP of Supply Chain at O.C. Tanner, recounts how he spearheaded a Lean transformation before the methodology was widely known, shrinking order batches, installing one‑piece flow, and cutting lead time from 28 days to 20 minutes. He...
Bob Moriarty on Oil & Food Shortages, Strait of Hormuz Risks & the IPO Bubble Warning
Bob Moriarty of 321gold joined The Hedgeless Horseman to warn that a disruption in the Strait of Hormuz could ignite a cascade of shocks across oil markets, food supplies and financial assets. He highlighted how regions reliant on imported energy...
How to Promote a Podcast on Social Media: A Playbook
Podcast teams often rely on a simple post‑and‑pray routine, sharing a single link or clip across every channel. The article argues that social media should be treated as a distribution and conversion engine, requiring intentional platform selection, a reusable asset...
Self-Assessment Framework: Are You an Enterprise CHRO or Function Head?
The article argues that today’s CHRO must evolve from a functional HR manager into an enterprise leader who drives business performance through talent strategy, organisational effectiveness, and risk mitigation. It presents a five‑area self‑assessment framework—strategic access, credibility, C‑suite partnership, moving...
How to Build Your First AI Agent for Marketing: A Non-Technical Founder's Guide (2026)
The guide shows non‑technical founders how to create a functional AI marketing agent in 2‑4 weekends using no‑code platforms, rather than embarking on a months‑long engineering project. It defines an agent as an LLM‑driven decision loop that can trigger, act,...
AI Sales Workflows: 14 Builds That Don't Damage Customer Relationships (2026)
The article outlines 14 AI‑powered sales workflows that boost efficiency while preserving customer relationships, emphasizing guardrails that keep humans in the communication loop. Safe builds include pre‑call research, decision‑maker mapping, lead scoring, follow‑up drafting, proposal generation, and internal reporting, each...
FIFA Sells WC ‘Super Shoutout’ Name Checks on Stadium Big Screens for $79 a Pop
FIFA has launched a "Super Shoutout" service that lets fans pay $79 to have their name shown on stadium big screens before World Cup matches. The offering covers all 72 group‑stage games, with a limit of four slots per order,...
Wednesday Briefing: Real Madrid Land €100 Million-a-Year Emirates Sponsorship Deal
Real Madrid has renewed its main shirt‑sponsor agreement with Emirates, extending the partnership to 2031 at a reported €100 million ($109 million) per season. The figure eclipses the previous €70‑80 million deal, positioning the Spanish giants as the highest‑earning club from a kit...
CBRE Cuts MGM Resorts (MGM) to Hold as People Inc. Pursues Buyout Proposal
CBRE downgraded MGM Resorts International to a Hold rating on June 3, trimming its outlook and setting a $50 price target for the stock. The move comes as MGM reported a trailing‑twelve‑month operating cash flow of $2.55 billion, highlighting strong liquidity despite...
Forage Raises a $40M Series B to Scale Its SNAP and Government-Benefits Payments Infrastructure and New Consumer App
Forage, a payments‑infrastructure firm that enables retailers to accept SNAP, WIC and HSA/FSA dollars, closed a $40 million Series B round led by Mouro Capital. Its platform now operates in more than 100,000 stores across all 50 states, with partners such as...
Corporate Deals to Watch | June 2026
Event‑driven analysts Thomas Kirchner and Paul Hoffmeister spotlight two high‑profile corporate moves in June 2026. Kirchner examines the evolving partnership between Delivery Hero and Uber, which could reshape food‑delivery logistics and ride‑hailing synergies. Hoffmeister provides an update on Six Flags,...
Irreplaceable People
The article argues that a people‑centric mindset is the core of modern digital strategy, emphasizing that humans remain indispensable for judgment, accountability, and value‑setting. While AI can automate routine execution, humans must define goals, set standards, and make high‑stakes decisions....
Organizational Transformation Step-Wisely
Digital transformation aims to dismantle silos, boost responsiveness, and accelerate performance. A successful program follows a systematic sequence: assess the current state, set measurable goals, craft a roadmap, secure leadership buy‑in, reshape culture, select appropriate technologies, prototype, then scale and...