Disney Shifts Into High Gear with New F1 Collabs and Trackside Activations
Disney is expanding its multi‑year “Fuel the Magic” partnership with Formula 1 for the 2026 season, adding new merchandise collections, retail tie‑ins and character appearances. A global Disney × F1 apparel line of ten streetwear pieces launches on March 12, while host‑city capsule drops will translate each Grand Prix’s local culture into limited‑edition gear. The collaboration also includes a Miniso collectible range of over 30 items and a Culture Kings clothing release in Australia. Together, the initiatives aim to fuse motorsport excitement with Disney storytelling to attract younger fans.
Capital Market Stocks Shine in FY26; MCX India Tops Chart with 143% Rally
India’s capital‑markets segment emerged as the second‑best performer in FY 26, with the Nifty Capital Markets Index climbing 35% while the PSU‑Bank index posted a 44% gain. Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX) led the rally, its stock soaring 143% and...
Ropes & Gray Raises London NQ Pay to £170k
Ropes & Gray has increased its newly qualified solicitor salary in London to £170,000, a 3% rise from the previous £165,000 level. The uplift, effective 1 January 2026, places the US‑based firm ahead of the Magic Circle, whose NQ pay sits at...
ECB Preview: Time for a Panic Room in the ECB’s ‘Good Place’
The European Central Bank heads into its March 18 meeting facing a sharp shift in the macro backdrop as the Middle East war drives oil prices higher, removing any realistic chance of further rate cuts. Instead of fine‑tuning inflation forecasts,...
How INB.bio Is Building a Wellness Ecosystem Across 15 Exotic Countries
INB.bio, founded by Rozhden Totskoinov, has built a full‑stack wellness ecosystem in over 15 emerging markets across Africa, MENA and Latin America. The company employs more than 400 staff and offers 50‑plus exclusive dietary supplements, handling production, native call‑centers, logistics...
Press Release: Legacy Finance Systems Are Stifling Billion-Dollar Businesses, Halting Global Expansion and Increasing Fraud Risk
A Basware‑sponsored survey of 400 US finance leaders at billion‑dollar firms reveals that legacy finance systems leave them five times more likely to incur fines, seven times more prone to fraud, and nearly nine times more likely to face audit...
PBOC Employs Volatile Renminbi Fixing to Manage Iran War Fallout
China’s central bank has allowed the renminbi’s daily fixing volatility to surge to its highest level since December 2024, signalling a tolerance for two‑way price swings. The People’s Bank of China set the reference rate at 6.89 yuan per U.S. dollar,...
Adani Energy Solutions Raises $500 Million From Apollo Global Through Dollar Bonds
Adani Transmission Step‑One Limited, a wholly‑owned arm of Adani Energy Solutions, secured a $500 million dollar‑denominated bond from Apollo Global Management. The proceeds will be used to refinance an equal‑amount of 2016 senior secured bonds that mature in August. Moody’s reaffirmed...
Deep Science Ventures Launches New Doctoral Cohort to Turn Science Into Startups
Deep Science Ventures (DSV) has funded the third cohort of its Venture Science Doctorate programme, launching five venture scientists in April. The cohort is backed by Germany’s SPRIND and Builders Vision, offering all‑expenses‑paid doctoral training that combines research autonomy with...
India Opens Door to More Chinese Investment After 6-Year Freeze
India announced a relaxation of its foreign investment rules, allowing Chinese firms to invest in a limited set of sectors after a six‑year freeze that began in 2020. The policy shift caps Chinese ownership at 49 percent in approved industries...
Aypa Power, Six Nations Secure $512m for BESS Projects in Canada
Aypa Power, backed by Blackstone, and Six Nations of the Grand River Development have secured C$700 million (US$512 million) financing for the Elora and Hedley battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in Ontario. The two sites together will deliver roughly 422 MW of...
Morgan Stanley Hires Contract Staff in Hong Kong as Deals Surge: Sources
Morgan Stanley has begun hiring one‑year contract bankers in Hong Kong to support a wave of IPO listings, marking the first Wall Street bank to adopt such a model in the region. The move aims to keep costs low while...
IOC, BPCL, HPCL Could See Margin Pressure Amid Oil Price Spike: S&P
S&P Global Ratings warns that India’s oil‑marketing firms IOC, BPCL and HPCL could see profit margins squeezed as they keep retail petrol and diesel prices steady amid a recent crude price surge. Crude oil jumped above $100 per barrel after...
Haleon Bets on Asia
Haleon, the consumer‑health giant behind Sensodyne and Advil, announced a strategic push into Asia, emphasizing e‑commerce growth in China and market expansion in India. The company will open a new manufacturing plant in the region to support local demand and...
From Learnership to Long-Term Employment: They Didn’t Just Get Trained – They Got a Future
Imagemakers in Cape Town launched the “Stitch by Stitch” learnership, embedding trainees directly into its garment production line. The programme moves learners from basic training through supervised production, specialization, and ultimately permanent employment, achieving retention rates as high as 95%....
Elitecon International Net up Eight Times to ₹104 Crore in Q3 on Robust Demand
Elitecon International reported an eight‑fold jump in Q3 net profit to ₹104 crore, up from ₹13 crore a year earlier. Revenue surged to ₹1,741 crore, propelled by higher export volumes and strategic acquisitions. EBITDA climbed over ten times to ₹139 crore, while the firm...
OpenCFO Bags $2 Mn To Scale Agentic AI-Powered B2B Finance Platform
Fintech startup OpenCFO secured $2 million seed funding, led by Endiya Partners, to accelerate its AI-driven B2B finance platform. The solution automates accounts payable, receivable, and treasury functions for mid‑market companies with multinational operations, integrating ERP, banks, and payment rails. OpenCFO...
Global RegTech Funding Recovered in 2025 Driven by a 55% Rise in Deals Under $100m
Global RegTech funding rebounded in 2025, reaching $8.5 billion—a 31 percent year‑over‑year increase—but remains well below the 2021 peak. The market closed with 546 deals, 23 percent more than 2024, while average deal size nudged up to $15.6 million. Funding for transactions under $100 million...
Iran Conflict Already Costing Global Tourism $600 Million Per Day, WTTC Warns
The World Travel & Tourism Council warns that the Iran conflict is wiping out roughly $600 million in international visitor spending each day. Airspace closures and flight cancellations are disrupting the Middle East’s role as a critical aviation crossroads, affecting hubs...
DERIVSOURCE: Geopolitical Conflict Drives Derivatives Market Change
A Greenwich‑Crisil report finds geopolitical conflict now tops the list of forces reshaping the derivatives market, with 63 % of end‑users ranking it first. Prediction markets and tokenisation have surged into the top three drivers, while regulatory concerns fall to fifth...
Modernising Banking & Insurance for Africa’s Digital Economy
Africa’s digital banking and insurance sectors are rapidly evolving as mobile‑first consumers demand seamless, personalized services. South Africa leads with scalable platforms and embedded finance models that integrate lending and insurance into everyday digital interactions. Artificial intelligence is becoming central,...
Robert Walters Ditches Dividend After Swinging to Loss
Robert Walters reported a 12% revenue decline to £781.1 m for FY 2025 and swung to an operating loss of £14.9 m after a £5.2 m profit the prior year. The firm cut headcount by 15%, incurred £4.4 m in redundancy costs and reduced net...
Southeast Asia and the Middle East Energy Shock
U.S. strikes on Iran have prompted Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE to suspend oil and gas operations and deter tankers from the Strait of Hormuz, sharply curtailing Middle East energy exports. The disruption threatens $208 billion in crude shipments—about 21%...
Bestads Best TV of the Week: Telstra’s ‘Wherever We Go 2’ via Bear Meets Eagle On Fire with +61
Bestadsontv.com named Telstra’s “Wherever we go 2” the Best TV of the Week. The ad, created by Bear Meets Eagle On Fire with +61, continues the whistling duet narrative introduced in the original campaign. Guest judge Adam Bodfish of McCann Birmingham highlighted...
Dutch Economy Enters Middle East Crisis From a Position of Strength
The Dutch economy posted stronger‑than‑expected Q4 2025 growth, buoyed by robust goods exports and solid government consumption, creating a positive carry‑over into 2026. Manufacturing output rose 0.4% in January and consumer sales improved despite muted retail sentiment. While the Middle‑East...
Discover Puerto Rico Launches “Awaken Your Senses,” A Global Campaign Built on Consumer Psychology
Discover Puerto Rico unveiled "Awaken Your Senses," a global campaign that uses consumer‑psychology insights to market the island as a sensory‑rich travel destination. The initiative builds on the award‑winning "Live Boricua" platform and highlights music, food, landscapes, and community interaction across...
Retailers and Suppliers Urge Government Action on UK-India Trade Deal
The UK‑India free‑trade agreement, finalised in July 2025, promises to remove the 8‑12% duties on most Indian textiles, garments and footwear entering the UK. Retailers and suppliers, however, are frustrated by the still‑pending ratification in the UK Parliament, leaving tariffs...
Oasis Takes Stake in Scandal-Embroiled Motor Maker Nidec
Oasis Management Co. has acquired a 6.74% stake in Nidec Corp., the Japanese electric‑motor maker embroiled in an accounting scandal that delayed its financial results and triggered a credit‑rating downgrade. The scandal has raised delisting concerns and heightened share‑price volatility....
RGREEN Raises €900m for Fifth European Energy Transition Fund
RGREEN announced the close of a €900 million fifth European energy transition fund, targeting renewable infrastructure across the continent. The manager has already deployed roughly 70 % of the capital into projects ranging from wind farms to green hydrogen facilities. RGREEN expects...
Primark Increases Pay for 27,000 Store Staff
Primark will raise hourly wages for 27,000 store staff across England, Scotland and Wales starting 1 April, setting a £13 floor and £13.71 in London. The adjustment brings the average pay increase to over 15% across the past three years. The...
Ina Bajwa Joins Tilaknagar Industries as CPO
Ina Bajwa has been appointed Chief People Officer at Tilaknagar Industries, a company with roots dating back to 1933. Her hire comes as the firm embarks on a new growth and organisational transformation phase. Bajwa will partner with senior leadership...
NEW in SparkToro: Uncover the AI Prompt Topics Your Audience Is Using in ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Claude, and More
SparkToro has launched a new feature that reveals the AI prompt topics audiences use across platforms like ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, and Claude. The tool pairs known search keywords with audience data, runs them through large language models, and returns...
CRH / Gibson Merger Inquiry
The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced on 11 March 2026 that it has cleared CRH (UK) Limited’s acquisition of several Gibson entities, including Gibson Bros and Gibson Quarries. The clearance follows a Phase 1 merger inquiry launched on 5 February 2026, after an...
Stonegate Group Appoints Fifty as Strategic Media Partner Ahead of World Cup
UK’s largest pub operator, Stonegate Group, has appointed Fifty as its strategic media partner to manage media strategy and buying across its 4,500‑venue portfolio. The partnership, chosen for Fifty’s AI‑enabled audience‑intelligence platform, will cover more than 15 addressable channels, including...
Trump’s Iran War Is Costing American Taxpayers $1 Billion a Day as the National Debt Spirals Out of Control
The Iran war, launched by the United States and Israel, is costing U.S. taxpayers roughly $800 million to $1 billion per day, far exceeding budgeted amounts. Analysts estimate that a two‑month conflict would add about $65 billion in direct war spending plus $1.4 billion...
Introducing Fireworks AI on Microsoft Foundry: Bringing High Performance, Low Latency Open Model Inference to Azure
Microsoft announced the public preview of Fireworks AI on Microsoft Foundry, delivering high‑performance, low‑latency inference for open models within Azure. The integration lets developers access models such as DeepSeek V3.2, OpenAI gpt‑oss‑120b, Kimi K2.5, and the new MiniMax M2.5 via...
GWM Celebrates the Joy of Coming Together During Ramadan
Great Wall Motors (GWM) Middle East unveiled a Ramadan‑focused brand film released across digital and social channels. The narrative follows a family using various GWM models—including the new TANK 700, HAVAL V7, and HAVAL H9—to converge for iftar, emphasizing connection over pure performance....
Aldi to Create 1,100 Jobs This Year
Aldi will create more than 1,100 new store roles in 2026 as it invests over £370 million to open 40 additional UK stores. The hiring wave includes full‑time and part‑time positions ranging from store assistants to managers. This follows a second...
As some Hoard Petrol, Here’s Our Last Line of Defence Against a Fuel Shortage
Australia is rapidly constructing massive, windowless steel cylinders on the outskirts of its largest cities to store fuel. Each tank, up to 50 metres in diameter and ten storeys high, can hold tens of millions of litres of petrol. The...
OpenAI Is Hosting ‘Startups Week’ Events for Founders in Sydney
OpenAI is organizing a three‑day “Startups Week” in Sydney from March 18‑20, featuring workshops and builder lounges for startup founders. The events, co‑hosted with Square Peg, Side Stage Ventures, Relevance AI and innovation hub Stone & Chalk, will showcase OpenAI’s latest frontier models, multimodal updates and...
IEA Reportedly Proposes Largest Ever Oil Stockpile Release
The International Energy Agency has proposed the largest ever release of strategic oil reserves to curb a price surge linked to the Middle East conflict. Oil prices slipped below $90 a barrel after the report, boosting equity markets. Governments are...
Hub71 Startup Skipr Raises $2m to Build ‘Autonomous Trust Fabric’ for AI
Abu Dhabi‑based startup Skipr closed a $2 million seed round, valuing the company at $10 million. The funding will accelerate the rollout of its autonomous trust fabric, a sovereign‑grade infrastructure that secures AI‑to‑AI communication across borders. Skipr’s platform combines cryptographic identities, policy‑driven...
The Debt Burden Facing Estate Agency’s Biggest Groups
Recent filings for the UK’s largest estate‑agency groups reveal a surge in leverage as interest rates climb. Chianti Holdings, Leaders Romans, Strike and Yopa all posted higher revenues but deepening losses, with total debt ranging from £5.7 m to over £370 m...
BAE Systems Staff Agree to 6% Pay Rise and Extra Holidays
Over 1,000 BAE Systems employees at the Warton and Samlesbury sites have accepted a 6% pay increase, ending a protracted industrial dispute. The deal, negotiated with Unite, provides a 4.8% rise back‑dated to 1 January, an additional 0.75% from 1 October, one...
Galderma Buys Back Shares Worth CHF 232 Million in the Context of Accelerated Bookbuild Offering
Galderma announced a CHF 232 million share repurchase, buying back 1.6 million shares at CHF 143.75 each. The buyback coincides with an accelerated bookbuild offering that fully divests the selling shareholders’ remaining stake. The transaction will settle on March 13 using existing liquidity and will...
Rate Hike Forecasts Surge One Week Out From RBA Meeting
Borrowers face a likely interest‑rate increase as the Reserve Bank of Australia is expected to lift the cash rate by 0.25 percentage points at its March 26 meeting, taking it to 4.1%. Westpac and National Australia Bank have revised forecasts...
Preventative Mental Health Startup Mynd Wants to Change Workplace Support to a Habit
Australian workers rarely use traditional Employee Assistance Programs, with only about 5% engagement. To address this gap, Melbourne founders Ash Horovitz and Dean Rotenberg launched the mental‑wellbeing app mynd, offering 24/7 micro‑sessions and personalized emotional check‑ins. Since its soft launch...
Suntory Beverage and Food Europe CMO François Bazini Departs
François Bazini, the chief marketing officer of Suntory Beverage and Food Europe, is leaving after more than 11 years across seven countries. He joined the group from Pepsi in 2014, rose through Beam Suntory’s spirits division, and most recently revived brands...
Exclusive: Playboy Names Phillip Picardi Chief Brand Officer and Editor in Chief
Playboy announced Phillip Picardi as its new chief brand officer and editor‑in‑chief, marking a high‑profile editorial overhaul. Picardi, who reshaped Teen Vogue and founded the queer‑focused publication them, previously served as chief brand officer at Weight Watchers and consulted for...
Contrasting First American Financial (NYSE:FAF) and Progressive (NYSE:PGR)
First American Financial (FAF) and Progressive (PGR) are compared across ownership, earnings, valuation, risk, profitability, analyst ratings, and dividends. FAF boasts higher institutional ownership and a 3.4% dividend yield with a 15‑year increase, while Progressive generates far larger revenue ($87.7 bn...