What CFOs Should Know About the ‘Jock Tax’
The article explains the “jock tax,” a multi‑state income‑sourcing rule that taxes athletes based on the number of duty days spent in each jurisdiction. It uses Sam Darnold’s $249,000 California tax bill after the Super Bowl to illustrate how the tax is calculated and why the headline‑grabbing $71,000 loss narrative is misleading. The piece details the historical evolution of the tax, the duty‑day formula, and the wide variance in state and city rates. Finally, it offers a CFO‑focused playbook for tracking, automating, and modeling exposure before a season begins.
Why Investment Culture Needs to Change
The Financial Conduct Authority is being criticised for over‑regulating, which many say hampers investment activity and drives investors toward ultra‑safe, low‑return products. Industry leaders argue that a cultural shift toward risk‑taking and clearer messaging is essential, especially as surveys reveal...
After Funding Collapse, What’s Next for Food Startups?
After a wave of over‑funded plant‑based meat and indoor‑farming startups collapsed, legacy food giants such as PepsiCo and Cargill are reshaping their venture‑capital strategy. Executives say the market was flooded with money, funding ideas regardless of viability. With capital now...
Hong Kong Should Use ‘Safe Haven’ Status to Draw Capital From Gulf: Agency Chief
InvestHK director Alpha Lau urged Hong Kong to leverage its safe‑haven reputation to attract capital fleeing the Middle East conflict, noting a shift of firms from Dubai to the city. She highlighted growing interest from Gulf high‑net‑worth individuals and sovereign...
How Dropzone AI Is Bringing A ‘Software-Only’ Approach To Agentic SOC: CEO
Dropzone AI, founded in 2023 by former ExtraHop scientist Edward Wu, launched a fully software‑only AI SOC Analyst platform that resolves security alerts without any human analyst involvement. The solution promises greater consistency, scalability and transparency, addressing the chronic alert‑overload...
China’s Rare Earth Magnet Exports to the US Keep Falling as Europe Gains
China’s shipments of rare‑earth permanent magnets to the United States fell 22.5% year‑on‑year in January‑February 2026, marking the seventh consecutive month of decline. The US now accounts for just 9.2% of China’s magnet exports, slipping to the third‑largest buyer behind...
Adobe to Shut Down Marketo Engage SEO Tool
Adobe announced it will retire the SEO tile in Marketo Engage, effective March 31, 2026. The feature, considered low‑usage, will be removed on April 1, requiring customers to export any existing data. The move follows Adobe’s 2025 acquisition of Semrush, positioning the...
The Twin Engines of Global Expansion: Aligning AI-Driven Growth with Agile Financial Infrastructure
CEOs are pairing AI‑driven customer acquisition with modern fintech to scale globally. AI tools such as automated SEO localization and rapid video generation enable cost‑effective, multilingual market entry. Yet legacy banking systems impose FX fees, opaque costs, and slow settlements...
Hurdles in Persian Gulf Test Carriers Moving Stranded Asian Cargo From India
Container lines are scrambling to move 40,000‑50,000 TEUs that have been temporarily stored at Indian ports toward the Middle East. Nhava Sheva alone has discharged roughly 25,000 TEUs, creating a bottleneck as carriers seek shuttle capacity at Gulf gateways. Alternative...
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TEGNA Inc. completed its merger with Nexstar Media Group’s subsidiary on March 20, 2026, converting each TGNA share into a $22 cash payment. The OCC adjusted all TGNA equity options to cash settlement, setting the contract deliverable at $2,200 per 100‑share contract....
Over $1.1bn Raised Across Funding Raises in Red-Letter Week for FinTech
FinTech saw a record week in 2026, raising over $1.1 billion across 23 deals. Consumer‑first privacy firm Cloaked led the pack with a $375 million Series B and growth financing round. CyberTech dominated the deal count with nine transactions, while the United States...
U.S. Consumer Loan ABS--Performance Tracker March 2026
U.S. consumer loan ABS performance is stabilizing after the 2023 peaks as issuers tighten underwriting standards. Marketplace lending shows modest improvement year‑over‑year. Delinquencies in branch‑based loans have risen slightly in newer vintages. Home‑improvement loan originations grew while maintaining steady performance.
Campfire Introduces Ember Agents for Accounting Teams
Campfire, an AI‑native ERP provider, unveiled Ember Agents – a suite of AI‑driven accounting assistants that automate repetitive finance tasks. The agents operate either continuously, handling transaction matching, AP/AR processing, and anomaly detection, or on demand, executing month‑end activities like...
Unicorns Are Flush with Cash and Stuck. A New Kind of Startup Crisis Is Taking Hold in 2026
Unicorns are facing "cap table gridlock," where layered ownership structures hinder growth and exits. The issue stems from three shifts: concentration of venture capital into a few mega‑rounds, larger funding rounds, and longer private‑company lifecycles. As AI and other sectors...
Middle East Energy Infrastructure Strikes and European Power Markets: Rising Power Prices, Stable Credit Profiles
Recent U.S., Israeli, and Iranian strikes on Middle East oil and gas infrastructure have sharply lifted European natural‑gas prices. Because gas‑fired plants often set marginal electricity rates, merchant power prices across Europe are expected to rise in the near term....
Savvy Set for $6bn Moonton Deal
Savvy Games Group, the gaming arm of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, is set to acquire Moonton, the creator of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, for an estimated $6 billion. The deal, reported by Bloomberg, follows Savvy’s $4.9 bn purchase of Scopely and...
China’s Russian Oil Imports Spike in Early 2026, but Iran War Changes Outlook
China’s imports of discounted Russian crude surged to 21.8 million tonnes in January‑February 2026, a 40.9% year‑on‑year increase, while the dollar value rose only 5.8% due to steep discounts. Russian oil now makes up more than one‑fifth of China’s total crude...
How Coca-Cola Embraces a Challenger Mindset to Market Mr. Pibb
Coca‑Cola has revived its spicy cherry soda, Mr. Pibb, after a two‑decade run as Pibb Xtra. The brand launched a national campaign featuring NBA legend Scottie Pippen to challenge the notion that the drink is “second best.” The 30‑second ad,...
How Breathe. Doubled Their Monthly Listeners on Spotify
Australian electronic duo Breathe., together with agency Group Speed, overhauled their Spotify presence by reactivating five‑year‑old catalog tracks and launching a data‑driven artist playlist. The playlist paired Breathe. with slightly larger, stylistically similar acts and was promoted through Spotify’s ad...
Interview: Jem Walters, CTO, Vanquis
Jem Walters, former Virgin Money CIO and co‑founder of the Snoop app, became CTO of Vanquis in September 2023 to lead a sweeping digital overhaul. He is consolidating three legacy technology stacks into a unified Salesforce‑based platform while building a Snowflake‑powered...
Flipkart Group CFO Sriram Venkataraman Steps Down
Flipkart announced that Group CFO Sriram Venkataraman will step down, with a transition period before Ravi Iyer, currently CFO of the core marketplace, assumes the broader finance leadership. The move comes as the Walmart‑owned e‑commerce platform intensifies preparations for a...
The Shift From Learning to Becoming: Why Practice Is the New Competency
The article argues that future workplace competence hinges on practiced behavior rather than passive knowledge consumption. While organizations pour money into content‑heavy training, leaders still avoid tough conversations and sales teams struggle with objections because skills aren’t exercised in real‑world...
Sport Klub to Exit Bosnia as Arena Sport Expands Lineup
Sport Klub channels will cease broadcasting in Bosnia and Herzegovina on 1 April 2025, replaced by an expanded suite of Arena Sport services. The change follows Telekom Srbija’s February 2025 acquisition of Sport Klub’s rights, licences and assets from United Group across the Western Balkans....
New Book Empowers Medical Nonprofit Leaders to Navigate Investment Decisions with Confidence
The American Association for Physician Leadership has released "When Mission Meets Money: Financial Guidance for Medical Nonprofit Leaders," a new book by Matt Paprocki aimed at helping medical nonprofit board members master investment oversight. The guide presents a three‑part formula—investment...
Feds Waller: If Oil Stays High for Months on End, at some Point It Bleeds Into Inflation
Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller warned that a prolonged oil price surge could seep into core inflation, making any shock more than a transitory blip. He noted that while structural inflation is edging toward the Fed’s 2% target, tariffs are...
Tampa Museum of Art Launches Search for Next Executive Director
The Tampa Museum of Art announced that its board has hired global search firm Russell Reynolds Associates to conduct an international search for a new executive director as Dr. Michael Tomor prepares to retire after more than a decade at...
Edinburgh Zoo Launches Employment Scheme for People with Down's Syndrome
Edinburgh Zoo has teamed up with Down's Syndrome Scotland to launch an inclusive employment scheme, placing two adults with Down's syndrome on its admissions and retail teams this summer. The pilot roles, lasting several months, are designed to evolve into...
Serbia Secures US Sanctions Waiver for Its NIS Oil Firm, Energy Minister Says
Serbia secured a U.S. Treasury waiver extending sanctions relief for the Russian‑owned Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS) until April 17, 2026, allowing continued crude oil imports amid the war on Iran. The waiver comes as Serbia imposed a ban on crude and...
Depth Over Diversification: Inside 9shines’ Focused Category Strategy
9shines Label, founded in 2017, has built a D2C nightwear and comfort‑wear business around a single, well‑defined category. By prioritising breathable fabrics, inclusive sizing up to 7XL and functional details, the brand enjoys a near‑50% repeat purchase rate. Its hybrid...
Lukoil Writes Off $20 Billion of Foreign Assets in Sanctions Hit
Russian oil major Lukoil recorded a $20 billion write‑off of its foreign assets after the U.S. Treasury sanctioned its international holding LIG. The impairment pushed the company into a 1.06 trillion‑rouble net loss for 2025, a sharp reversal from the 852 billion‑rouble profit...
Landmark Workday Case Signals New AI Hiring Risk
Workday lost a pivotal lawsuit, Mobley v. Workday, after U.S. District Judge Rita Lin dismissed the company's Age Discrimination in Employment Act defense. The case centers on alleged bias embedded in Workday's AI‑driven hiring tools. Legal experts view the ruling...
Corporate Report: Government Annuities Investment Fund Report & Accounts 2025
The UK Government Annuities Investment Fund (GAIF) released its 2025 Report & Accounts, a 30‑page, 332 KB PDF, formally laid before Parliament to satisfy a legislative reporting mandate. The document details the fund’s asset allocation, investment returns, and governance framework, confirming...
Why Shaping Company Culture Needs a Focus on Opportunity, Not Fear
Liberty IT’s senior director of talent, Emma Mullan, argues that transformation succeeds when organisations replace fear with certainty. By treating large‑scale change as a collaborative exercise, the company embeds a people‑first mindset through its Culture Playbook and Culture Stars programme....
Oil Whipsaws as War Risk and Emergency Supply Measures Collide
Oil prices swung sharply this week as escalating war risk in the Middle East collided with a series of emergency supply measures. WTI fell to $94.13, down 3.98%, after traders weighed tanker delays in the Strait of Hormuz against strong...
The Race to Stabilize Oil Markets as the Iran War Expands
The Iran‑Israel conflict is spilling into global oil markets as strikes target both the Hormuz corridor and Iran’s Kharg Island export hub. U.S. officials have responded with a Jones Act waiver, Strategic Petroleum Reserve drawdowns, and the prospect of releasing...
What Remote-First Companies Lose when People Are Never in the Same Room
Remote‑first companies excel at flexibility and talent acquisition, yet they miss the informal trust that builds when people share a physical space. A recent 300‑person gathering in Barcelona showed that in‑person dialogue sharpens focus, speeds decisions, and creates a deeper...
Overcoming Self-Doubt When Launching Your Own Business
Founders today operate in heightened uncertainty, with tighter funding and rapid change. Nearly 88% report mental‑health issues, and self‑doubt is a pervasive barrier that can stall action and erode team confidence. The article outlines practical steps—recognizing doubt, identifying triggers, separating...
Outlook Bright for Global PE Secondaries, Volume Expected to Reach New Record This Year: Houlihan Lokey
Houlihan Lokey’s LP Compass survey of nearly 60 active secondary market participants finds 86% expect private‑equity secondaries volume to eclipse last year’s $225 million record in 2026. Growth is attributed to a slowdown in distributions, expanding non‑buyout strategies, and heightened participation from...
McDonald’s LTOs Deliver Traffic Lift Ahead of the McValue 2.0 Launch – Placer.ai Blog
McDonald’s limited‑time offers (LTOs) – the Shamrock Shake and the pilot Big Arch Burger – generated modest, short‑lived traffic lifts, with visits up 5.5% YoY during the Shake launch week and 2.2% YoY for the Burger week. The gains evaporated quickly,...
‘The Barriers I Encountered Were Never Dramatic, They Were Cumulative’
Women in Solar+ Europe featured Delfina Muñoz, CEA research director, who argues that diversity is a catalyst for faster, fairer clean‑energy innovation. She describes how everyday micro‑biases accumulate to create barriers for women, and stresses that inclusion must be embedded...
Ledger Names John Andrews Its CFO, Opens NYC Office
Ledger has appointed John Andrews, former Circle capital‑markets head, as its new chief financial officer. The hire coincides with the launch of a multi‑million‑dollar New York office, intended to serve as a hub for Ledger Enterprise’s institutional push. Andrews’ 25‑plus years...
ADNOC, OMV Tweak Investment Plans for Polyolefins JV
ADNOC and OMV have revised the investment plan for their pending polyolefins joint venture, Borouge Group International AG (BGI), while still targeting a March 2026 close. The partners will curb the 2026 dividend payout, limiting OMV’s share to about €0.6‑0.7...
Air Cargo Backlogs Build as Mid East Disruption Cuts Capacity and Scrambles Networks
Air cargo backlogs are mounting as Middle East airspace closures have stripped roughly 20% of global air‑freight capacity, equivalent to over 500,000 tonnes. Qatar Airways Cargo has resumed limited freighter services under a temporary authorisation, while other regional carriers operate...
UiPath Fusion 2026 - if Your Data Isn't Ready, Your Agents Aren't Either
Chris Ashley of UiPath warned that agentic AI can only succeed when companies truly understand how decisions are made. Organizations that invested in cross‑functional process modeling and data maturity are deploying bots faster than peers still mapping workflows. He emphasized...
DORA Is Reshaping How Europe’s Financial Sector Thinks About Compliance, and Most Firms Still Aren’t Ready
Fourteen months after DORA became enforceable, European financial institutions are still struggling to meet its requirements. Surveys show only about a third feel confident about full compliance by the Jan 2025 deadline, while half expect to finish by end‑2025 and many...
Isolved CPO: Stop Measuring HR on Speed
isolved's chief product officer argues that HR should stop being judged solely on speed. A recent isolved report shows nearly 70% of HR teams use AI, primarily for payroll and recruitment, while two‑thirds cite a persistent talent crisis. The CPO...
Social Media Competitor Analysis: 3 Easy Steps to Improve Your Performance
Social media competitor analysis is essential for shaping a data‑driven digital strategy in 2025. The guide breaks the process into three steps: identifying direct and indirect rivals, analyzing their platforms, content, and engagement, and applying insights to improve your own...
UK Cyber Monitoring Centre Plans Expansion in US Amid Risk of Category 5 Attack
The UK Cyber Monitoring Centre (CMC) is preparing a US‑based operation to quantify the financial fallout of cyber incidents, targeting a 2027 launch after proving its model in Britain. In its first year, the CMC rated two 2025 attacks –...
California School District Says Taxpayers Win with Shorter Bond Terms
San Juan Unified School District has saved roughly $636 million in interest by issuing general‑obligation bonds with an average maturity of 17.23 years, far shorter than the typical 30‑year term used by most districts. The shorter‑term structure lowered the repayment ratio from...
Hispanic Consumers and Mobile In-Game Ads: Here’s What the Numbers Say
Portal Latino’s December 2025 survey of 1,691 Hispanic consumers reveals that 81% play mobile games weekly, with 61% gaming at least five days a week. Hispanic gamers show a strong appetite for culturally resonant titles, with 77% preferring games that reflect...