EQDP’s Expansion to Pre-IPO Private Firms Could Boost Listing Pipeline: Observers
Singapore’s Monetary Authority is weighing an expansion of the Equity Market Development Programme (EQDP) to include pre‑IPO private firms, a move seen as a catalyst for a stronger IPO pipeline. To date, MAS has allocated roughly S$4 billion to nine asset managers under the EQDP and announced an extra S$1.5 billion boost to the Financial Sector Development Fund in the 2026 budget. Industry lawyers and fund managers argue that early‑stage funding will improve corporate governance, investor relations, and confidence in future listings. The proposal also raises calls for long‑term investment safeguards.
Fonterra to Appoint New CEO in Major Leadership Reshuffle
Fonterra announced that long‑time CEO Miles Hurrell will step down after eight years, entering a six‑month notice period. His tenure saw the co‑op shift from loss‑making to profitability through a series of high‑profile divestments, culminating in the NZ$3.2 billion sale of...
Small Firms Under Pressure as Costs Soar
Thai small and medium enterprises are confronting a perfect storm of rising energy and logistics costs, tighter loan conditions, and geopolitical uncertainty. The Federation of Thai SMEs notes that corruption and competition from expanding retail chains further erode profitability, especially...
Hayley Williams Says ‘Being Cool’ Isn’t Enough—Here’s How She Learned to Build a Hair Dye Brand
Hayley Williams, Grammy‑winning frontwoman of Paramore, co‑founded Good Dye Young with longtime hairstylist Brian O’Connor a decade ago. The duo built the vibrant hair‑dye brand from a personal friendship and a shared love of self‑expression, deliberately downplaying Williams' celebrity status....
Edge Marketing Strengthens Team with Key Hires and Promotions to Power Next Phase of Growth
Independent agency Edge Marketing announced several senior hires and internal promotions to strengthen its paid media, digital account, and creative capabilities. Tika Hasborth joins as Senior Paid Media Strategist to lead social advertising, while Jasmine Hefty becomes Digital Account Manager...
EU Doesn’t See Risks to Oil and Gas Supply Yet
In ad‑hoc meetings on March 12, the EU’s Gas and Oil Coordination Groups reported no immediate security‑of‑supply risks despite ongoing Middle East tensions. Oil inventories across member states remain at elevated levels, while gas storage fill rates are stable and not...
The 50 Geoeconomic Minds Every CEO Should Be Reading in 2026
Geoeconomic thinking has moved from an academic niche to the core of foreign‑policy and corporate decision‑making. A relatively small cohort of about twenty scholars, including Luttwak, Farrell and Newman, shape how governments design sanctions, control technology and assess supply‑chain risk....
The Iran Crisis Is Hitting KiwiSaver Balances – but Market Volatility Can Work for You Too
New Zealanders watching their KiwiSaver balances see declines as oil prices jump above $100 per barrel following the US‑Israeli attack on Iran. Higher oil costs drive inflation, interest‑rate hikes and reduced corporate profits, pushing global equity markets lower, including the...
The Closed Strait of Hormuz Is Testing Asia’s Energy Security. The Answer Lies Across the Pacific—In Canada
Iran’s IRGC announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, prompting 150 oil and LNG tankers to remain idle and forcing Qatar Energy and others into force majeure. The shutdown stranded roughly 20 million barrels of crude per day and sent...
Fact of the Week – 3/16/2026
ADP Research reports that in January construction workers enjoyed the largest job‑switching wage premium at 6.6%, outpacing resources and mining at 5.6% and leaving leisure‑hospitality with a negative shift. Starting pay for new hires across all sectors rose to $19...
Griffith University Takes Control of Its Student Recruitment
Griffith University has rolled out Salesforce’s Agentforce Education cloud across its contact centre, marketing communications and advancement units to replace a fragmented martech stack. By insourcing the student‑recruitment contact centre and consolidating phone, email, web‑form and chat into a single...
McDonald’s Challenges “Lazy” Gen Z Stereotypes in Documentary-Style Campaign
McDonald’s UK & Ireland launched a documentary‑style advertising campaign to spotlight its young workforce and dismantle the “lazy” Gen Z stereotype. The initiative features real employees sharing their stories, positioning the brand as an authentic employer. Ben Fox, the senior...
The Iran-Israel-US War Is Exposing China’s Alliance Problem
The Iran‑Israel‑U.S. war underscores how the United States leverages a dense network of allies, from Gulf partners providing early‑warning data to Indo‑Pacific nations offering bases and logistics. U.S. officials highlighted Israel’s combat prowess, but the broader coalition’s role is the...
Mounting Interest Costs Pushed Debt Service Bill to P2.1 Trillion
The Philippines’ debt service bill surged to P2.1 trillion in 2025, a 4 percent increase over the previous year and 2.44 percent above the government’s P2.05‑trillion target. Interest payments jumped 11.8 percent to P854.1 billion, representing 19.4 percent of total revenues and 14.3 percent of expenditures. Domestic...
BSP Seen Unlikely to Rush Into Hawkish Action
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is unlikely to raise interest rates immediately despite oil prices breaching $100 per barrel. Inflation remains modest at 2.4%, within the central bank’s 2‑4% target, and the BSP recently cut its policy rate to 4.25%...
War and Summer–A Double Whammy for Energy Markets
The escalation of the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict has driven Brent crude above $100 per barrel, creating a global energy shock. Simultaneously, the Philippines faces a summer heat‑index surge that will require roughly 3,340 MW of additional peaking capacity to keep the grid...
The High Cost of Low Trust in Your Inner Circle
Tom Oliver warns that low trust among family‑business leaders creates a hidden tax that erodes value and slows decision‑making. When inner‑circle members withhold information or avoid conflict, CEOs receive filtered data, leading to costly mistakes. The article outlines how mistrust...
Philippines-Chile FTA Talks Seen Wrapping up in April
The Philippines is poised to finalize a free‑trade agreement with Chile by April 2026, after a series of negotiations that left only a few items unresolved. Bilateral trade last year totaled $334 million, with exports of $43.3 million and imports of $290.8 million,...
Superloop's AI Push Continues with Billing System Project
Superloop is consolidating its legacy billing platforms into Aria Systems' cloud‑based Billing Cloud, unifying consumer, business and wholesale divisions. The carrier now serves 435,000 subscribers, adding 49,000 new consumer customers in H1 FY26. The new platform integrates Allegro AI‑assisted auditing,...
It Was Unthinkable a Couple of Weeks Ago, but Could the Next Move by the Fed Be a Rate Hike?
The Federal Reserve’s March 18 meeting may break the recent easing trend as traders assign a roughly 25% probability to a rate hike, driven by a sharp oil‑price surge linked to the Iran conflict. Chief economist Carl Weinberg warns that...
How to Automatically Log Calls and Activities to Salesforce
Sales reps spend valuable time manually updating Salesforce, reducing selling capacity. Revenue.io’s platform automates the capture of calls, meetings, texts and calendar events, syncing them in real time to the correct CRM records. The system matches phone numbers, email addresses...
Workforce Data Helps Employers Address Neuroinclusion Barriers
A first‑of‑its‑kind guide released by Diversity Council Australia and autism advocate Amaze outlines how employers can capture and report neurodiversity data. Drawing on academic research and a survey of nearly 3,000 workers, the guide provides a practical framework for identifying...
Common Explains How Hip-Hop Helped Inform His Health Journey and Why It Needs To Start a Union After 50+ Years
Common highlighted the chronic lack of health benefits for hip‑hop artists, noting he only received coverage through the Screen Actors Guild. He traced his own health awakening to early rap lyrics that promoted vegetarian and fish diets. The rapper argued...
US Airline Executives Ask Congress to End Shutdown, Pay Workers
Ten leading U.S. airline and aviation executives sent an open letter to Congress urging an immediate end to the federal government shutdown. The letter highlights how the shutdown has crippled airport operations, causing long security lines, flight delays, and cancellations...
Did Warren Buffett Know Something Wall Street Doesn't? The Former Berkshire Hathaway CEO Left a $373 Billion Warning for the...
Warren Buffett stepped down as Berkshire Hathaway CEO in 2025, leaving a $373.3 billion cash war chest after selling roughly $134 billion of equities in 2024. He trimmed major holdings such as Apple, Bank of America and Amazon while warning that the...
Stock Futures Gain as Oil Eases From Earlier Highs: Markets Wrap
U.S. and European stock index futures rose after crude oil eased from earlier highs, following President Donald Trump’s call for nations to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and his indication that the United States is in talks with Iran....
Individual Investors Are Chasing Oil’s Surge Amid Iran Conflict; Institutions Are Thinking About What Comes Next
Oil prices surged to $100 a barrel as the Iran‑Hormuz crisis intensified, prompting a wave of individual buying in the United States Oil Fund (USO). USO attracted nearly $1 billion of inflows and has risen about 46% since the conflict began,...
Rising Oil Price and Inflation Fears Make Rate Hike Likely
Oil prices have spiked above $100 a barrel as the war in Iran forces the Strait of Hormuz to close, prompting the International Energy Agency to label the disruption the worst in history. Australian economists and the RBA’s futures market...
African Nations Tiptoe Around Recruitment of Citizens by Russian Networks
Kenya’s foreign minister is traveling to Moscow to demand an end to Russian recruitment of Kenyan citizens, amid reports that over 1,000 Kenyans and more than 1,700 Africans overall have been enlisted to fight in Ukraine. African governments, including Ghana...
Emma Grede Says Remote Work Is Quietly Sabotaging Careers—Here’s Why
Emma Grede, founder of Good American and author of a forthcoming book, warned that remote‑work culture is eroding career advancement and personal connections. She insists her team work in the office five days a week, arguing that visibility drives promotions...
Stupid Meetings on the Rise Again: 6 Ways to Reel in Unproductive Time
Meeting time has doubled over the past two years, with organizations now holding six times more meetings than before. Research from Hubstaff shows employees average less than three hours of uninterrupted focus daily, while an Otter.ai study estimates $80,000 per...
Stephen Colbert Taught the Ultimate Leadership Lesson: Treat People With Dignity, Get Better Performance
Stephen Colbert’s Emmy acceptance speech pivoted from satire to a heartfelt call for love and dignity, urging leaders to treat people with respect even under pressure. The remarks resonated in a media landscape saturated with cynicism, highlighting the strategic value...
Trouble Is Brewing Among America’s Corporate Borrowers
Surging energy prices are tightening cash flows for U.S. corporations, raising default risk across leveraged borrowers. Recent bankruptcies of auto‑industry firms Tricolor Holdings and First Brands illustrate how sector‑specific stress can spill into broader credit markets. Private‑credit manager Blue Owl...
Saudi AI Startup Infobrim Secures Angel Funding at $3.5m Valuation
Infobrim, a Riyadh‑based artificial intelligence startup, has closed its first strategic angel investment at a $3.5 million valuation. While the round size and investor identities remain undisclosed, the capital will accelerate development of its AI‑native business intelligence lakehouse. The platform aims...
Northern Funds Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Debt Opportunity Fund Q4 2025 Commentary
Northern Funds’ Multi‑Manager Emerging Markets Debt Opportunity Fund matched its blended benchmark in Q4 2025, delivering an 8.63% return versus 8.62% for the index. The fund’s outperformance stemmed from a zero‑weight position in Egypt’s local‑currency debt and overweight exposure to sovereign...
3 High-Profit Revenue Streams Nomadic Founders Can Add to Their Businesses
The article outlines three high‑margin revenue streams that nomadic founders can add, starting with corporate consulting, which taps a market projected to reach $490 billion by 2031. It highlights corporations’ heavy spending on AI, tech, and digital transformation expertise. Nomadic founders...
U.S. Intervention in Venezuela Could Help Solve Colombia’s Energy Crisis
Colombia’s natural‑gas output fell to a multi‑decade low of 683 mmcf/d in January 2026, a 17 % drop year‑over‑year, forcing the government to lean heavily on costly LPG imports that now cover about 30 % of domestic gas demand. The shortfall threatens electricity...
Oil Company Shares Soar to All-Time Highs as Middle East War Turbocharges Price per Barrel
Shares of the world’s oil super‑majors have surged to record levels following the US‑Israeli strike on Iran, driving oil prices above $117 a barrel. In the two weeks since the conflict began, the combined market capitalisation of the six listed...
Another Popular Barbecue Chain Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
Pig Floyd's Smokehouse LLC, an Orlando‑based barbecue chain, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the Middle District of Florida on March 13, 2026. The petition lists assets between $0 and $100,000 against liabilities ranging from $1 million to $10...
YMH Studios Partners with Magellan AI to Make Full Ad Attribution Free for All Advertisers and Agencies, Network-Wide
YMH Studios announced a strategic partnership with Magellan AI that makes full multi‑platform ad attribution free for every advertiser and agency using its network. The offering covers audio RSS, Spotify streaming, and YouTube video, with YMH absorbing all attribution costs...
Vivo Performing Arts Announces Thor Steingraber as President & CEO
Vivo Performing Arts, the newly renamed former Celebrity Series of Boston, announced Thor Steingraber as its next President and Chief Executive Officer, effective June 2026. Steingraber succeeds Gary Dunning, who led the organization for 15 years, becoming the fifth leader...
Save on Office Supplies With This $65 Costco Membership Plus a $20 Digital Costco Shop Card
Costco is promoting a $65 Gold Star Membership that comes with a $20 digital shop card, aimed at new members or those whose memberships have lapsed for at least 18 months. The deal requires online redemption and enrollment in auto‑renewal...
How to Handle a Q&A Session Like a Pro
Effective Q&A handling isn’t about rapid answers but about staying grounded. Leaders who view questions as collaborative rather than confrontational reduce stress and improve listening. Preparing a concise list of 15‑20 probable questions a week in advance and scripting full‑sentence...
Current Account Deficit Narrows to $16 Billion in 2025
The Philippines’ current‑account deficit shrank by 12.3% in 2025, falling to $16.3 billion or 3.3% of GDP, down from $18.6 billion in 2024. Strong export growth of 15.2%, led by electronics, machinery and minerals, offset a 5% rise in imports. Record remittances...
Maharlika Sticks to Investment Strategy Amid US-Iran Conflict
Maharlika Investment Corp (MIC) is keeping its investment strategy unchanged despite the escalating US‑Iran conflict, positioning the local mining sector as a hard‑currency buffer to protect the Philippine peso. The fund continues to pursue partnerships, including a renewable‑energy MoU with...
The Permanent Contractor: Why We Should Stop Pretending Full-Time Jobs Are Stable
The article argues that today’s full‑time roles function as temporary contracts, stripping employees of both stability and contractor‑level compensation. Companies retain the appearance of permanence while shifting employment risk onto workers, leading to income uncertainty and limited flexibility. This mismatch...
Samsung Union Issues Strike Notice; Conciliation Talks on Monday over 27 Workers’ Termination
The Samsung India Workers Union (CITU) issued a strike notice on February 13, demanding the reinstatement of 27 workers suspended since March 7, 2025. The union warned it would walk out after a 14‑day deadline if terminations are not reversed. Labour Commissioner A Yasmin...
Wiz Investor Unpacks Google’s $32B Acquisition
Google closed a $32 billion purchase of cybersecurity firm Wiz, marking the largest deal in its history and the biggest ever for a venture‑backed startup. The acquisition positions Google at the nexus of artificial intelligence, cloud infrastructure, and rising security spend....
UBS Set to Face Swiss Government Decision on Capital in April
The Swiss Federal Council will decide in April how much additional capital UBS must hold, with proposals ranging up to US$26 billion. New regulations will require the bank to fully deduct software and deferred‑tax assets from its regulatory capital, a move...
Mastering YouTube Promotion Strategy: How Independent Artists Can Use Google Ads for Growth
Independent musicians are turning to Google Ads to cut through YouTube’s crowded feed and drive targeted video views. By leveraging demographic, geographic, and interest‑based targeting, artists can place in‑stream, discovery, or bumper ads directly before fans of similar genres. Measurable...