China’s TCL Is Said to Consider Stake Sale in India TV Business
TCL Electronics Holdings Ltd. is exploring a sale of a stake in its Indian TV manufacturing unit, targeting at least $200 million from local investors. The move mirrors a recent transaction by fellow Chinese maker Haier, which sold 49% of its Indian operation to Bharti Enterprises and Warburg Pincus. TCL’s Hong Kong shares have jumped about 70% in the past year, spurred by a new joint venture with Sony. The stake sale remains preliminary and may not materialize.
Inflation Could Hit 4.2% This Year: 3 Stocks to Buy Now to Protect Your Portfolio
The OECD’s April 2026 outlook projects U.S. inflation at 4.2%, well above the Federal Reserve’s 2.7% forecast, driven by geopolitical tensions and tariff policies. Higher inflation threatens consumer spending, prompting investors to seek assets that can preserve purchasing power. Analysts highlight...
Why Europe’s Deep Tech Startups Struggle to Scale And What Actually Works
Europe’s deep‑tech sector is drawing record investment—€17.6 billion ($19 billion) projected for 2025—but many startups still fail to scale due to fragmented ecosystems. The D2XCEL programme, which supported 102 ventures across two cohorts, showed that targeted ecosystem integration, mentorship, and investor access...
Round Raises $6M to Automate the Finance Workflows that Still Require a Human to Press a Button
London fintech Round announced a $6 million seed round led by Alstin Capital, with participation from Backed VC, Love Ventures, and several angel investors including Indeed co‑founder Paul Forster. The funding backs the launch of two new products—a natural‑language Agentic Workflow Builder and an...
Big4Travel, Horizon FCB Launch Campaign for Those Who’d Rather Miss the FIFA World Cup 2026
Big4Travel, a leading Bangkok travel agency, teamed with Horizon FCB Dubai to launch a contrarian campaign ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026. Instead of joining the flood of football‑centric promotions, the brand offered a travel guide to "Non‑Qualified Countries" and...
How ClearTax Is Using AI Agents to Simplify Tax Filing in India
ClearTax’s CTO Suvesh Malhotra said AI success hinges on culture and infrastructure. After two years of building the GL Stream data platform, the fintech launched AI agents, including a WhatsApp tax‑filing service that helps gig workers file taxes. An internal...
UK Impact VC Eka Ventures Closes Second Fund at $107M
Eka Ventures announced the close of its second fund at $107 million (£80 million), bringing total assets under management to $200 million and making it the UK’s largest early‑stage impact‑focused venture capital firm. Fund II will back up to 30 pre‑seed and seed...
People’s Trust Enters Catastrophe Bond Market for Debut $100m GWS Re Named Storm Deal
People’s Trust Insurance Company, a Florida homeowner specialist, has entered the catastrophe bond market with its inaugural $100 million GWS Re Limited Series 2026‑1 issuance. The Bermuda‑based structure will issue a Class A tranche that provides fully‑collateralized named‑storm reinsurance for three years, beginning...
Diverging Paths: How Capital Markets Are Repricing Sports Technology Segments
Over the past five years sports technology has become core infrastructure, but public markets are now valuing its sub‑segments differently. The TSC SPIN 100 shows Technology & Digital Innovation delivering 215% total return and 96% year‑over‑year growth, while Data, Analytics &...
Women of Influence: Healthcare 2026 – Jacqueline Bracy
Dr. Jacqueline Bracy, a veteran OB/GYN with roughly 30 years of service, was among the first female physicians elected chief of staff at Foothill Presbyterian Hospital. In 2013 she became president of Emanate Health Medical Group, overseeing a network that...
Women of Influence: Healthcare 2026 – Anita Chou
Anita Chou was appointed finance officer for Adventist Health’s Southern California network in January 2026, becoming the first woman to hold the role across its four hospitals. With more than 25 years of experience, she now oversees financial strategy, operational...
US Targets Iran’s Maritime Trade with Port Blockade
U.S. Central Command announced an immediate blockade of all vessels traveling to or from Iranian ports, escalating tensions that have already left the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut. The move follows President Biden’s earlier threat of a blanket maritime blockade...
How L’Oréal Paris’ Sit Al Bait ست البيت Moved From Cultural Truth to the Classroom
L’Oréal Paris’ Sit Al Bait campaign, launched in 2025 under the Women of Worth platform, transformed the Arabic term “Sit Bait” (housewife) into “Sit Al Bait” (woman of the house), reframing women’s roles across the MENA region. The initiative, created with FP7 McCANN Dubai, McCANN Paris and...
Should Brands Invest in Virtual and AI Influencers?
Campaign Middle East surveyed regional marketers about virtual and AI influencers, revealing a split between proponents and skeptics. Advocates cite scalability, cost efficiency and creative control, while detractors argue that authenticity and trust remain essential for influencer success. The discussion...
World Bank Chief Sounds Alarm About Looming Jobs Crisis Even After War Ends
World Bank President Ajay Banga warned that 1.2 billion people in developing nations will enter the labor force over the next decade‑plus, yet current trends will create only about 400 million jobs, leaving an 800 million shortfall. He urged the spring Washington meetings...
Payments Firm Wise Heads to New York With £181 Billion Year Behind It
Wise reported a 26% jump in Q4 FY2026 cross‑border volumes to £49.4 billion (about $63 billion) and a 25% rise for the full year to £181.7 billion (≈$233 billion). Active customers grew 22% to 11.3 million and underlying income rose 24% to £435.3 million (≈$557 million). The...
Revive Collagen President Shawn Hayes Discusses the Changing State of Beauty
Shawn Haynes, president of the Americas at Revive Collagen, reflected on a three‑decade journey that began with launching Girl Cosmetics in 1997 and later leading roles at e.l.f., Revolution and Palladio. He highlighted the rise of ingestible skincare as Revive’s...
Check Point Launches WA PoP for Workplace Security SASE
Check Point Software Technologies has opened a Western Australia point of presence (PoP) for its Workplace Security SASE platform, delivering local data residency and compliance with WA‑specific legislation. The Perth PoP joins existing sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland and...
Thoma Bravo to Wind Down Growth Equity Strategy
Thoma Bravo, the software‑focused private‑equity powerhouse, announced it will wind down its growth‑equity strategy by running off its existing Growth Fund and will not raise a new vehicle. The decision follows the departure of the two co‑heads who ran the...
The Weekly Roundup: Audit Scrutiny, Digital Deadlines & Dealmaking
The UK accounting sector is under heightened regulatory pressure as the Financial Reporting Council opened an audit investigation into PwC’s work for Digital 9 Infrastructure, signaling tougher scrutiny of public‑interest audits. ICAS responded to the chronic auditor shortage by fast‑tracking overseas...
Startup Funding: Q1 2026
Q1 2026 saw private semiconductor startups raise over $8 billion across 80 companies, with 18 rounds exceeding $100 million and two mega‑rounds—Cerebras and Rapidus—reaching $1 billion each. AI‑centric chip designs for inference and high‑bandwidth interconnects dominated the capital, while photonics and agentic EDA...
Can Retail Food Group Sustain Its Turnaround?
Retail Food Group (RFG) has emerged from years of franchise disputes, ACCC scrutiny and a heavy debt load through a balance‑sheet recapitalisation and brand‑portfolio reshuffle. Under turnaround chief Peter George, the company cut debt, settled disputes and refocused on six...
From Skipping to Scrolling: ‘Bega Girl’ Reinvented for New Campaign
Bega has launched a new health‑focused campaign that swaps Melbourne’s iconic “Skipping Girl” sign with a temporary “Scrolling Girl” version for eight days. The initiative responds to YouGov data showing teenagers spend nearly three hours daily on small screens, far...
From Media Channel to Brand Architecture: How Influencer Marketing Grew Up
Influencer marketing in the Middle East has evolved from a budget‑line vanity channel into a core, always‑on pillar of the marketing mix. Brands now run multi‑month creator programmes that simultaneously drive brand awareness, generate platform‑native content, and deliver measurable sales...
Designing the Agentic AI Enterprise for Measurable Performance
EdgeVerve outlines a production‑grade framework for deploying semi‑autonomous AI agents across enterprise workflows. It stresses starting with business outcomes, decomposing tasks, and building a governed, observable platform that balances autonomy with risk. A finance pilot delivered over $32 million cash‑flow lift,...
3 Signals Strong-Performing Employees Might Still Get Replaced At Work
Even top‑performing employees can be let go when leaders cannot see how they think, adapt, or act in ambiguous situations. Companies now weigh visible judgment, adaptability, and potential over past output alone. Three warning signs—opaque decision‑making, being confined to a...
How to Source Candidates: 12 Proven Strategies for Recruiters
Roughly 70% of the global workforce is passive, forcing recruiters to shift from reactive job‑board posting to proactive sourcing. The guide outlines 12 proven strategies—including AI sourcing agents, talent rediscovery, multi‑channel outreach, niche technical platforms, and employee referrals—to locate and...
Yuan’s ‘Golden Window’ Is Open, Former PBOC Governor Says as US Dollar Credibility Teeters
Former PBOC governor Zhou Xiaochuan warned that U.S. policy choices—tariffs, sanctions and geopolitical tensions—are weakening dollar credibility, creating a "golden window" for the yuan. He noted rising capital inflows are putting upward pressure on the renminbi and highlighted China’s 2009...
US Tax Deadline 2026: Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT) Explained for Investors
The Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT) is a 3.8% federal surtax on passive income that kicks in when a taxpayer’s modified adjusted gross income exceeds $200,000 for singles or $250,000 for married couples filing jointly. With the April 15, 2026...
India's March Palm Oil Imports Fall 19% to Three-Month Low
India’s palm oil imports slumped 19% in March, falling to 689,462 metric tons—the lowest level since December 2025. The decline was driven by a rally in global tropical oil prices that prompted domestic refiners to delay purchases. Overall edible‑oil imports...
India Unveils New Security Standards for Its Digital Payments System to Drive Global Adoption
India’s Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has rolled out new security norms covering biometric authentication, QR‑code payments, and digital‑currency handling. The guidelines aim to curb fraud, improve interoperability, and build consumer confidence in the country’s fast‑growing fintech ecosystem. BIS consulted...
Asia Markets Trade Lower as Oil Surges After U.S. Moves to Blockade Iran Ports
Asian equity markets slipped on Monday as the United States moved toward a naval blockade of Iranian ports, reigniting fears of a protracted U.S.–Iran conflict. Crude prices surged, with West Texas Intermediate up 8.5% to $104.82 a barrel and Brent...
Shangri-La Hotels Names New MD as Phong Steps Down Early
Shangri‑La Hotels (M) Bhd announced Lin Diaan Yi as its new managing director, taking over from Christopher Phong Siew San whose exit was accelerated to today. Lin joins with a 22‑year McKinsey partnership, investment‑banking roots at Credit Suisse First Boston, and board roles...
Michael Burry Bets Against Nvidia as Jensen Huang Claims AGI
Michael Burry has taken a bearish stance on Nvidia by buying long‑dated put options, warning that the stock’s trillion‑dollar valuation may be unsustainable. At the same time, CEO Jensen Huang told a podcast that artificial general intelligence could already be...
UK Fintech Wise to Downgrade London Listing This Quarter
Wise confirmed it will move its primary listing from London to the United States this quarter, publishing its next‑year results in dollars. The fintech reported a 26% jump in cross‑border volumes to roughly $63.5 bn and a 22% rise in active...
Carmignac: The Return of the Four Engines
Carmignac is completing a strategic renaissance, reviving all four of its investment engines after a decade of uneven flagship fund performance. The firm has broadened its product suite through the Carmignac Lab, expanded credit and private‑market offerings, and anchored its...
BOJ Governor Ueda: Underlying Inflation Gradually Accelerating Towards Target
Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said underlying inflation is gradually moving toward the 2% target, but highlighted the mixed impact of the U.S.-Iran conflict. Rising oil prices are adding cost‑push pressure while wage growth remains strong, with the latest...
Neo4j CTO Highlights Graph Technology as Foundation for Reliable AI
Neo4j CTO Philip Rathle told Fintech Times that graph technology is becoming the backbone for reliable generative AI in finance. He highlighted how knowledge graphs complement large language models by providing deterministic, auditable facts, reducing hallucinations in regulated banking environments....
Special Editions, Seasonal Podcasts, and the Art of Low-Key Book Marketing with Sara Rosett
Indie author Sara Rosett, a USA Today bestseller, has moved away from traditional retailer‑first launches toward a low‑key, personality‑driven marketing model. She now sells directly through a Shopify store, runs seasonal mystery podcasts, and leverages special editions, Kickstarter campaigns, and...
Unilever Hunts CMO as Another Marketer Departs
Unilever is actively recruiting a new chief marketing officer for its Australia‑New Zealand (ANZ) division after two senior marketing leaders exited within six months. Former ANZ CMO John McKeon left in January to take a global role in Malaysia, and his successor,...
Hexagon To Expand Into NDT with Waygate Technologies Acquisition
Hexagon AB signed a definitive agreement to acquire Waygate Technologies for roughly $1.45 billion, adding non‑destructive testing (NDT) capabilities to its Manufacturing Intelligence (MI) business. Waygate, a German‑based NDT leader with about $630 million in annual revenue and 1,500 employees across 25...
Plant Based Meat Giant Beyond Meat Continues to Spiral Downwards
Beyond Meat posted a dismal fourth‑quarter, with revenue falling 19.7% year‑over‑year to $61.1 million and gross margin shrinking to 2.3%. Gross profit plunged to $1.4 million, while a $548 million non‑cash debt‑restructuring gain inflated net income to $410 million, masking an adjusted pre‑tax...
Should Affiliates Focus on SEO or GEO?
Affiliates face a false choice between traditional SEO and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). Recent research shows AI citations depend heavily on existing search authority, with 40.58% of AI citations originating from Google’s top‑10 results. While GEO demands structured, source‑rich content,...
People on the Move: Appointments, Retirements, Achievements
The beef and broader livestock supply chain announced a series of high‑profile appointments and recognitions. Jason Woolhouse, formerly chief innovation officer at Hume Bank, takes over as CEO of the RMA Network, while Grain Producers Australia named Duncan Bremner its new...
MPB Builds £160m Pipeline as Public Sector Pivot Pays Off
MPB Structures has pivoted sharply toward public‑sector and infrastructure work, driving a £160 million (≈$205 million) order book that is now 65% government‑backed. Turnover slipped to £106 million (≈$136 million) but pre‑tax profit held at £4.1 million, lifting margins to 3.9%. Cash on hand more...
Dalaroo Lists on OTCQB Market to Meet US Greenland Rare Earths Demand
Dalaroo Metals secured a secondary quotation on the OTCQB market under the ticker DALMF, creating a non‑dilutive U.S. trading platform for its shares. The listing lets North American investors buy and sell in dollars during local market hours without adding...
Humyn Labs Commits $20M to Build Physical AI Systems for Infrastructure
Humyn Labs, an AI startup focused on human data infrastructure for physical AI, announced a $20 million capital commitment to accelerate its mission of organizing and validating human intelligence at scale. The funds will be allocated across three strategic pillars to...
Trump’s Strait of Hormuz Blockade Risks New Costs for the Global Economy
President Donald Trump announced via Truth Social that the U.S. Navy will begin a blockade of all vessels entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that carries roughly one‑fifth of global oil and gas. Iran has effectively shut...
Ripeness Theory in Dispute Resolution: Seizing the Day
The Minnesota Orchestra faced a financial crisis in 2012, prompting CEO Michael Henson to propose a 32% salary cut for musicians, from $113,000 to $78,000. Musicians rejected the offer, leading to a lockout that lasted over a year and the...
Can Denza Really Establish Itself as a Luxury Brand?
Denza, the BYD‑owned EV maker, launched its Z9 GT shooting‑brake at a lavish Paris opera house event, signaling its entry into the European luxury market. The Z9 GT is priced around £100,000 (about $125,000) and boasts over 1,100 bhp, positioning it...