India’s Long Work Year
India’s workers logged an average of 2,605 hours in 2019, the highest among the countries covered by the FRED database. Bangladesh and Pakistan followed with more than 2,400 hours, while the United States recorded under 1,800 hours. The metric—average annual hours worked by persons engaged—captures total labor input across formal and informal sectors, including overtime and leave. The map shows India as an outlier, highlighting a labor‑intensive economy compared with most advanced nations.
Side Letter: Diversification Drive
The latest side‑letter trends show limited partners (LPs) in the Asia‑Pacific region increasing allocations to diversify away from traditional European and North American exposures. Tiered‑carry provisions are creating friction in continuation fund deals, as managers and LPs clash over performance...
7 Best AI Video Generators I’ve Tried (and Loved!) For 2026
After testing over 20 AI video generators, the author narrows the field to seven standouts—Synthesia, Canva, HeyGen, Creatify AI, VEED, AKOOL and AI Studios—each priced between $10 and $33 per month. The tools were evaluated on quality, speed, multilingual support and workflow...
DOWNLOAD: Bright Spots Emerge in Q1 PE Fundraising
Nearly half of private‑equity funds that closed in Q1 2026 met their fundraising targets, the highest proportion in at least five years. The 48% hit rate signals a rebound after a period of subdued capital raising driven by higher rates...
Code in OpenAI’s Ads Manager Suggests the Company Is Building Conversion Tracking Into ChatGPT
OpenAI's internal ads manager code indicates the company is adding conversion‑tracking to ChatGPT, moving beyond its current impression‑only model. The system, codenamed “bazaar” and built on the “tapestry” infrastructure, hints at support for click‑ and conversion‑based campaigns. This development could...
CoreWeave Tapping Junk Debt Market After Meta AI Computing Deal
CoreWeave is issuing $1.25 billion of junk‑bond notes due 2031 after expanding its AI compute agreement with Meta Platforms. The private placement will fund general corporate purposes and refinance existing debt. The move highlights CoreWeave’s confidence in scaling AI‑focused cloud services...
Dividend Stocks Merge In $1.7 Billion Deal; This One Rockets
Whitestone REIT agreed to be acquired by Ares Management’s real‑estate funds for $19 per share, a cash deal worth $1.7 billion and representing a 12.2% premium to the prior close. The transaction will take Whitestone private after closing in Q3, pending...
Key Fed Inflation Rate Ran Hot Before Oil Prices Jumped; S&P 500 Futures Slip
U.S. personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index rose 0.4% month‑over‑month, in line with expectations, while core PCE climbed 0.4% against a 0.3% forecast, keeping the 12‑month headline rate at 2.8% and core inflation at 3%. Personal income slipped 0.1% and...
Commerce Department Report Shows 3% Core Inflation in February
The Commerce Department reported that core personal consumption expenditures (PCE) inflation rose 3% year‑over‑year in February, a slight dip from January’s pace. Headline inflation increased 2.8%, both figures matching Dow Jones consensus. The Federal Reserve’s March minutes signaled that a...
Propeller Brings Five MENA Deeptech Startups to Silicon Valley with Kernel Camp
Propeller, an AI‑focused venture capital firm, launched the inaugural Kernel Camp residency, bringing five deep‑tech startups from Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan and Egypt to Silicon Valley. The eight‑week program embeds founders in the Bay Area ecosystem, offering access to engineers, investors...
CoreWeave Announces $21 Billion AI Cloud Deal with Meta
CoreWeave announced an expanded agreement to provide Meta Platforms with $21 billion in AI‑focused cloud capacity, extending the partnership through December 2032. To fund the deal, CoreWeave will issue $3 billion of convertible senior notes due 2032, with an option for investors to...
Timberland Casts Off In Berlin
Timberland is reviving its iconic boat shoe with a Spring‑Summer 2026 collection that blends rugged hand‑sewn construction and a Vibram outsole. The brand partnered with Highsnobiety for a maritime‑themed launch event in Berlin, turning the Unter den Linden space into...
Stone Ridge Mutual Cat Bond and ILS Fund Assets Near $6.5bn, Highest Since Late 2018
Stone Ridge Asset Management reported that assets under management across its mutual catastrophe bond, insurance‑linked securities (ILS) and reinsurance fund strategies have climbed to roughly $6.5 billion, the highest level since late 2018. The High‑Yield Reinsurance Risk Premium Fund grew to...
The AI CIO Will Govern Outcomes At Scale
Forrester’s new report "The AI CIO" argues that artificial intelligence will remodel the chief information officer’s role more dramatically than the past decade of digital transformation. The focus will shift from merely delivering technology to governing AI‑driven outcomes at scale....
Deal Roundup: Francisco Partners Agrees Blackline Take Private at up to $850m Valuation, Agilitas to Sell Integris Composites
Francisco Partners agreed to take private Blackline Safety Corp for up to $850 million, a 34% premium to its Toronto closing price. Blackline, a maker of wearable gas‑detection devices and cloud‑connected analytics, has logged more than eight million emergency alerts. Agilitas...
AI Investment Among Top Strategic Priorities for CFOs: Survey
A Coupa‑commissioned survey of 600 CFOs across eight countries shows AI investment has vaulted to the second‑most important strategic priority for 2026, trailing only supplier relationship building. CFOs cite AI as a driver of profitability, growth, and risk mitigation, while...
CDL Sets up S$2 Billion Multicurrency Perpetual Securities Issuance Programme
City Developments Ltd (CDL) announced a S$2 billion (~$1.48 billion USD) multicurrency perpetual securities issuance programme. The net proceeds will fund general working capital, corporate funding for CDL and its subsidiaries, and refinance existing borrowings. The perpetual securities carry no fixed maturity,...
Hannah Sprake Joins Women’s Multisport Action Group
Hannah Sprake, senior analyst at Sporting Insights, has been named a founding member of the Women’s Multisport Action Group (WMAG), a new working body created by the Running Industry Alliance (RIA) and Triathlon Industry Alliance (TIA). WMAG’s mission is to...
THOR Financial Technologies Launches Managed Risk Dynamic ETF (THMR)
THOR Financial Technologies announced the launch of the THOR Managed Risk Dynamic ETF (THMR), an actively managed fund that prioritizes downside protection over market timing. The ETF uses a rules‑based, multi‑strategy framework that shifts between equities, fixed income, commodities and...
Goldman: Oil Could Remain at Crisis Prices for Rest of Year
Goldman Sachs warned that oil prices could stay above $100 a barrel for the remainder of 2026 if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed for another month. The strategic waterway, which carries roughly one‑fifth of global seaborne oil, has been...
International Business Briefs | China’s Car Sales Keep Falling as Fuel Prices Jump
China’s passenger‑car market contracted for a sixth straight month in March, with sales falling 15.2% year‑over‑year to 1.67 million units as higher fuel prices curb demand for gasoline models and EV incentives wane. South Korean automaker Kia trimmed its 2030 electric‑vehicle...
State Street Expands Partnership with Thornburg to Support New ETF Share Classes
State Street announced an expanded partnership with Thornburg Investment Management, adding end‑to‑end servicing for Thornburg’s new ETF share classes. Thornburg, which oversees roughly $57 billion in assets, first teamed with State Street for active ETFs in January 2025 and now seeks...
Estonia’s Handhold Secures €3M Seed to Automate B2B Software Sales with AI Agents
Estonia‑based Handhold raised €3 million (≈$3.3 million) in a seed round led by Entourage Capital to automate inbound B2B software sales with multimodal AI agents. The platform assigns each lead a virtual “account manager” that qualifies prospects, delivers custom demos, and guides...
François Villeroy De Galhau: Navigating an Uncertain World - Steering Monetary Policy in the Right Direction to Hold Our Course
At a Sciences Po address on April 2, 2026, Bank of France Governor François Villeroy de Galhau highlighted that the eurozone entered the year with a rare "2 % inflation, 2 % interest rate" equilibrium. He warned that the ongoing Middle East conflict could reignite...
Close Your Borders, Wreck Your Economy: Spain Has Done the Math on Clamping Down Migration
Spain’s National Office of Foresight and Strategy released a report modeling the economic fallout of a 30% annual reduction in migration. The model projects GDP shrinking 5% within a decade, 14% by 2055 and 22% by 2075, while the labor...
Baron Capital Launches Baron Emerging Markets Select ETF
Baron Capital announced the launch of the Baron Emerging Markets Select ETF (BCEM), an actively managed fund that targets high‑quality growth companies across emerging markets. The ETF is overseen by veteran manager Michael Kass, who has guided the firm’s $3.9 billion...
US Stock Market Today: Dow, S&P 500 Futures Fall over 0.5% as Middle East Tensions Resurface
US stock futures slipped 0.3‑0.6% on Thursday as renewed Middle East tensions cast doubt on the two‑week ceasefire between Iran and Israel. The Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq all gave back gains from Wednesday’s rally. Iran’s claim that Israel breached the...
Morning Reads
The Federal Reserve’s upcoming inflation releases show core PCE projected at 2.83% year‑over‑year for February and March core CPI expected at 2.60% YoY, indicating a modest slowdown but still above the 2% target. Fed minutes highlighted higher oil prices from...
Iran Says U.S. Breached Ceasefire, Anthropic's Court Loss, Rate Cut Odds and More in Morning Squawk
The Dow surged over 1,300 points even as Iran accused the United States of breaching their cease‑fire agreement, sparking concerns over oil‑tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and nudging crude prices higher. In Washington, a federal appeals court denied...
Meet Nigerian Innovator Building STEM Platform to Support Less-Priviliged African Kids
Nsisong Okon, a Nigerian‑born software engineer now based in Portugal, co‑founded Fancybox and its education arm STEM4Kiddo. The platform delivers interactive STEM lessons to primary‑school children across emerging markets, offering a paid subscription that’s free for beneficiaries of his NGO....
Why Your New SEO Vendor Can’t Build on a Broken Foundation via @Sejournal, @TaylorDanRW
The article warns that a new SEO vendor inherits a website’s existing technical debt, thin content, and low‑quality backlink profile, so quick fixes alone won’t deliver lasting results. Early engagement focuses on audits, crawl‑error remediation, and rebuilding trust with search...
Nurofen Aims to Turn the Tables for Women in the “Pain Game"
Reckitt’s Nurofen is rolling out a gender‑focused campaign, crafted by McCann London, to address the long‑standing under‑recognition of women’s pain. The initiative features real‑life stories, data‑driven insights, and a product line positioned as "Nurofen for women" to differentiate from generic...
FedEx Unveils New Campaign ‘FedEx. The Move India Needs’ Featuring CSK Cricketers
FedEx has rolled out a new digital brand campaign, “FedEx. The Move India Needs,” starring Chennai Super Kings cricketers MS Dhoni, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Urvil Patel. Developed by Saatchi & Saatchi India, the three‑film series uses light‑hearted comedy to illustrate how reliable logistics can unlock...
The EBA Consults on Revised Guidelines on Limits on Exposures to Shadow Banking Entities Under the Capital Requirements Regulation
The European Banking Authority (EBA) has opened a public consultation on revised Guidelines that set limits on exposures to shadow banking entities (SBEs) operating outside the regulated banking framework. The update aligns the Guidelines with the EU’s new large‑exposure reporting...
Opinion: How Child Care & Coffee Helped My Small Rural District Improve Staff Retention
Clyde‑Savannah Central School District, a rural New York district of 750 students, tackled chronic teacher turnover by focusing on culture rather than salary. In 2023 it launched a free, district‑run child‑care center serving 18 children daily, and converted a classroom...
Clearspring Launches Biggest Advertising Campaign in Its 33-Year History, Join the Family
Clearspring, the UK’s leading organic and plant‑based food family business, has launched its biggest advertising campaign in its 33‑year history. The three‑week rollout beginning April 6 will span billboards, Tube ads, taxi placements and digital channels in London, Bristol, Brighton and...
Daniel Lofton, Marissa Beauregard Join Outrigger
Outrigger Hospitality Group has named Daniel Lofton as vice president of Hawaii revenue strategy and Marissa Beauregard as its new social media director. Lofton arrives from Duetto Research, where he led revenue‑optimization solutions for hotels and resorts worldwide. Beauregard joins...
NSG’s New CEO: Eng. Haithem Alfaraj to Lead Next Phase of Growth
Neo Space Group (NSG), Saudi Arabia’s flagship commercial space services firm backed by the Public Investment Fund, announced Eng. Haithem Mohammed Mojil Alfaraj as its new chief executive, effective April 9, 2026. Alfaraj arrives after a two‑decade career in telecom,...
How the Strait of Hormuz Stifled a Market Rally
Investors turned bearish as the fragile U.S.-Iran cease‑fire raised doubts about reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway, which moves roughly a quarter of global oil and gas shipments, remains congested, dampening the market rally sparked earlier in the week....
250 North Sea Workers to Reap Benefits From UK Union Recognition Deal
Unite, Britain’s largest offshore trade union, has secured a recognition agreement with Apache Corporation covering more than 250 workers across seven assets in the Forties and Beryl fields. The deal gives Unite the right to negotiate on pay, safety and...
What’s Stopping the 4-Day Workweek?
The authors of *Do More in Four* argue that a four‑day workweek can boost employee wellbeing while preserving, or even enhancing, productivity, especially as AI tools improve efficiency. OpenAI’s recent policy paper recommends piloting a four‑day week as an “efficiency...
What to Know About the Bab El-Mandeb Strait as Iran Threatens to Restrict Other Key Trade Passage
Iranian officials have warned they could leverage the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait as a geopolitical bargaining chip, mirroring their threats on the Strait of Hormuz. The chokepoint, which links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, currently handles about 4.2 million...
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Termsrrbi_keynes_final-a59c0c54eab042f3909e4be045083cee.png)
The Reserve Bank of India: Functions & Role
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), founded on April 1, 1935 under the RBI Act of 1934, serves as India’s central bank and monetary authority. It formulates and implements monetary policy, regulates currency issuance, and oversees the nation’s credit and foreign‑exchange markets....
AfterQuery Raises $30M To Expand AI Data Solutions
AfterQuery announced a $30 million Series A round that values the applied‑data lab at $300 million. The funding will fuel expansion of its expert network, hiring, and enterprise solutions. The company already works with nearly 100,000 vetted professionals and has surpassed a $100 million...
SLR Acquires Climate Analytics Platforms Planetrics and ClimSystems
SLR, the UK‑based sustainability consultancy, announced the acquisition of climate‑modelling platforms Planetrics and ClimSystems and the rollout of an expanded Digital Services suite. The move addresses rising investor and corporate demand for granular climate‑risk analytics, covering physical hazards and transition...
Amazon CEO Says Chip Business 'On Fire' As AWS Steps Up Challenge To Nvidia
Amazon’s cloud unit reported a $15 billion annual AI revenue run rate and a custom‑chip business now exceeding $20 billion, double the Q4 figure. CEO Andy Jassy highlighted the rapid growth of its Trainium 3 accelerator, which promises better price‑performance than Nvidia GPUs....
Nvidia Rubin GPUs May Be Delayed, Slowing the Next Phase of AI Infrastructure
Nvidia’s next‑gen Rubin GPUs, slated for late‑2024 shipment, face supply delays due to HBM4 memory validation, CX9 interconnect rollout, and higher power and cooling demands. TrendForce now projects Rubin to represent only 22% of Nvidia’s 2026 shipments, down from an...
What the Best Private Equity-Backed CEOs Do Differently
Private‑equity‑backed CEOs operate under compressed timelines, yet more than half fail to meet value‑creation targets. A two‑year study of 75 interviews uncovered 53 “super‑performer” CEOs who delivered an average 6.2× multiple on invested capital—about double the industry norm. These leaders...
SITI Networks Reports Rs 435.69 Million Loss Amid Insolvency Process
India’s public broadcaster Prasar Bharati’s OTT platform WAVES posted a Rs 435.69 million (≈ $5.3 million) loss in FY 24‑25, with revenue of only Rs 2.90 crore (≈ $350 k). The service boasts 13,608 titles, 10 lakh users and extensive live‑event coverage, but its subscription flow requires an external website, creating...
Korean Telcos Pledge to Restore Trust and Cut Prices
South Korean telecom giants SK Telecom, KT Corp and LG Uplus met with Deputy Prime Minister Bae Kyung-hoon to announce a three‑point plan aimed at restoring public trust after a series of high‑profile data breaches. The agenda focuses on bolstering...