Today's Finance Pulse
Autodesk to acquire MaintainX for $3.6B, expanding into operations software
Autodesk announced a $3.6 billion purchase of MaintainX, a leader in operational‑phase software for the built environment. The deal extends Autodesk’s portfolio from design and manufacturing into ongoing building operation, creating an end‑to‑end data loop. CEO Andrew Anagnost said the acquisition unlocks a $40 billion total addressable market.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Pemberton Asset Management closes $3.7B fourth vintage fund
The Financial Cost of Burnout in Accounting
A recent Accountex report finds 41% of accountants view burnout as normalized, exposing hidden financial costs. Presenteeism alone costs UK employers about £21 billion (≈$27 billion) annually, while turnover rates rose to 17.9% and 34% of firms struggled to recruit finance talent. Replacing a burned‑out employee adds further expense through lost output during onboarding. Firms that act early can cut both productivity loss and turnover costs.
VivoPower Becomes EBITDA Profitable: $31 Million Revenue, $10 Million EBITDA From Completion of Norway Data Center Acquisition
VivoPower closed a $41 million acquisition of a Norway data‑center portfolio, instantly boosting its top line to $31 million in revenue and delivering $10 million of EBITDA on a pro‑forma basis. The deal was fully funded without any new public equity, preserving shareholder...
UBS Set for Long-Awaited Clarity on Switzerland’s Capital Rules
Switzerland’s Federal Council will soon issue an executive order stripping software and deferred‑tax assets from UBS’s regulatory capital, a move that could shave roughly $11 billion off its CET1 metric. At the same time, a draft law would require the bank’s...
Private Credit Under Fire: Risks, Realities & the BDC Buying Opportunity
A webinar titled “Private Credit Under Fire: Risks, Realities & the BDC Buying Opportunity” will be held on April 24, 2026, to dissect the gap between negative headlines about private‑credit defaults and the sector’s solid fundamentals. Panelists from White Wolf...
Quick Commerce Discounts Plateau as Firms Balance Growth, Profitability: Report
India’s quick‑commerce and e‑grocery platforms are tempering discount levels after two years of aggressive price cuts, with average grocery discounts now around 17% versus 15‑24% across major players. Flipkart Minutes’ XtraSaver leads the pack, offering up to 24% off, while...
Christopher Filiaggi to Serve as Corebridge Financial’s Interim CFO
Corebridge Financial announced that Christopher Filiaggi, its current Chief Accounting Officer, will step into the role of interim Chief Financial Officer effective April 24, 2026. The interim appointment will last until Corebridge completes its all‑stock merger with Equitable Holdings, a deal that values...
Eiffel Launches New Short Term Green Bond Fund
Paris‑based Eiffel Investment Group has launched Eiffel Short Term Green Bonds, a euro‑denominated short‑duration fund classified as Article 9 under the EU SFDR. The fund targets at least 75% green‑bond exposure, aims to beat the €STER benchmark by 0.10% over a...
HIG Seeks Bids for Capstone Logistics, Sources Say; Roofing Deals Draw Angeles Partners, Sumeru, Osceola and Huron
HIG Capital has launched a sale process for its logistics subsidiary, Capstone Logistics, and will collect first‑round bids by early May. Capstone, a third‑party logistics provider with roughly $300 million in annual revenue, is being positioned at an estimated $1.2 billion valuation....
Your CFO Is Already Your Chief Risk Officer
Family offices often lack a dedicated chief risk officer, relying instead on the CFO to manage risk. Because the CFO oversees cash flows, debt, capital calls, and operating performance across the portfolio, they are uniquely positioned to integrate risk management....
A Small Business CFO’s 10-Point Checklist Before Selling the Company
A seasoned CFO outlines a 10‑point checklist to ready a small private company for sale, emphasizing disciplined financial reporting, balance‑sheet cleanup, and accelerated close processes. The guide stresses strengthening internal controls, organizing legal documents, and rationalizing entity structures to smooth...
Insurers Raise Concerns About ‘Rigid’ SFDR Framework Constraints
European insurers have voiced strong objections to the European Commission’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), describing its current design as overly rigid. In the latest consultation, they highlighted how the rule’s restrictions on sovereign bond holdings and mandatory exclusion criteria...
Fitch: Rising Foreign Investment Boosts Indian Financial Sector Credit Profiles
Fitch Ratings says rising foreign ownership in Indian financial institutions can boost credit profiles by expanding capital access, enhancing governance, and strengthening business resilience. The agency stresses that investments delivering better internal controls, risk management and board oversight are more...
EXEC: Apparel, Footwear and Accessories M&A Retracted DD in 2025 Due to Tariff Impact
M&A activity in the Apparel, Footwear & Accessories sector fell 13.6% in 2025, dropping to 152 deals – the first year‑over‑year decline since 2022. The slowdown was driven by lingering tariff uncertainty, especially on China and Southeast Asia, which caused...
Family Trusts Cannot Sponsor Mutual Funds, Clarifies SEBI
India's securities regulator SEBI clarified that only body corporates, not family trusts, can act as sponsors of mutual funds. The guidance, issued in response to First Water Capital Advisory LLP, reaffirms the existing rule that a sponsor must be a...
Introduction to Lacerte® Tax
Intuit is hosting a live webinar titled "Introduction to Lacerte® Tax" aimed at tax and accounting firms handling individual and business returns. The session highlights Lacerte’s 32 built‑in time‑saving features, integrated document collection tools, dual‑screen capabilities, and automated calculations covering...
Broker’s Call: Bank of Maharashtra (Buy)
Bank of Maharashtra posted a Q4 FY26 profit after tax of ₹2,010 crore (≈ $242 M), beating estimates by 12.3% and marking a 13.2% sequential rise. Net advances surged 22% YoY while deposits grew 14.1% YoY, supporting a modest NIM improvement to 3.75%...
Texas Stock Exchange Launch to Drive Dallas Real‑Estate Surge
The Texas Stock Exchange (TXSE) has raised $275 million and will begin trading in July, positioning Dallas as a new financial hub. Industry insiders say the influx of listed companies and thousands of new workers will lift demand for multifamily, build‑to‑rent...
Deal Volume Hits $1.38 Trillion as Mega‑Mergers Return, Fueling Private‑Equity Deployments
Global dealmaking surged to $1.38 trillion in the first quarter, reviving mega‑mergers above $10 billion and prompting private‑equity firms to tap unspent capital. Industry bankers cite a backlog of stalled transactions and steadier financing conditions as the catalyst for the rebound.
AST SpaceMobile Loses $2 B Market Cap After BlueBird‑7 Fails Orbit
AST SpaceMobile’s stock fell about 5% on April 20, erasing roughly $2 billion in market value after BlueBird‑7 was placed into an off‑nominal orbit by Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket. The setback intensifies pressure on the company’s 2026 satellite‑deployment schedule and its...
Brady Corp to Acquire Honeywell's Productivity Solutions Business for $1.4 B
Milwaukee‑based Brady Corp announced a $1.4 billion acquisition of Honeywell's productivity solutions and services (PSS) business, slated to close in the second half of 2026. The deal expands Brady's portfolio into mobility and scanning, while supporting Honeywell's broader portfolio transformation.
Cleveland-Cliffs Q1 2026 Earnings Surge on Higher Iron‑Ore Prices, EBITDA Hits $95M
Cleveland-Cliffs posted adjusted EBITDA of $95 million for Q1 2026, a $274 million YoY rise, driven by a $68‑per‑ton price increase and higher shipments. The company flagged an $80 million energy‑cost hit, a 40% Canadian price discount and a $425 million asset‑sale target for the...
Eli Lilly to Acquire Kelonia Therapeutics in $7 B Cash Deal
Eli Lilly agreed to acquire Cambridge‑based Kelonia Therapeutics for up to $7 billion in cash, including an undisclosed upfront payment. The deal adds Kelonia’s in‑vivo gene‑delivery platform and its lead candidate KLN‑1010 to Lilly’s oncology portfolio, and sent Lilly’s shares up 2.5%...
YY Group Posts 39% Revenue Growth, Targets $103M-$110M FY2026 and Profitability
YY Group Holding Limited announced unaudited 2025 results showing a 39.3% revenue jump to $57.2 million and a gross‑profit margin rise to 13.8%. The company set FY2026 revenue guidance of $103‑$110 million and said it expects non‑IFRS net profitability next year.
Auour Investments Takes $7.4 Million Stake in Invesco Variable‑Rate ETF
Auour Investments LLC filed an SEC 13F on April 20, 2026 showing a new $7.4 million holding in Invesco’s Variable Rate Investment Grade ETF (VRIG). The purchase of 293,991 shares represents 2.3% of Auour’s $318 million reportable assets, signaling a strategic tilt...
Germany's DAX Gains Over 0.5% on Renewed US‑Iran Talk Hopes
German equities surged Tuesday, with the DAX up more than 0.5% as optimism grew around a possible second round of US‑Iran talks in Islamabad. The rally reflects market hopes that the Strait of Hormuz could reopen and that a fragile...
RBI Eases Rupee NDF Curbs but Banks Stay Cautious as NDC Trading Resumes
The Reserve Bank of India has partially withdrawn its April 1 curbs on rupee non‑deliverable forwards, permitting cancellation, rollover and back‑to‑back trades while keeping a $100 million net‑open position cap. Despite the easing, major banks remain hesitant to offer NDF contracts,...
Fitch Puts Philippines Credit Outlook Negative as Growth Slows to 4.6% Forecast
Fitch Ratings changed the Philippines' sovereign credit outlook from stable to negative, warning that falling public investment and higher energy costs threaten growth. The agency projects GDP expansion of 4.6% this year after a slowdown to 4.4% last year, keeping...
Marvell Shares Jump 5% on Rumored AI Chip Tie‑up with Alphabet, Adding Billions to Market Value
Marvell Technology (MRVL) surged 5% in pre‑market trading after The Information reported that Alphabet is in talks with the chipmaker to develop two new AI accelerators. The rally lifted Marvell’s market capitalization by several billion dollars, underscoring how partnership rumors...
Apple’s Low CAPEX May Signal Growth Risk
Let’s compare Big Tech companies’ CAPEX spending—is this a problem for Big Tech? $AAPL has barely increased its CAPEX over the past 10 years. Some investors view this positively, seeing Apple’s business as highly efficient. However, CAPEX investments for Big Tech...
QVC Group Files for Bankruptcy, Highlighting Amazon Prime and TikTok Shop Dominance
QVC Group Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to restructure roughly $5 billion of debt, aiming to shed up to 80% of its $6.6 billion liabilities. The filing spotlights the accelerating migration of consumers from televised home‑shopping to Amazon Prime and...
Björk Sigurgísladóttir: Financial Supervision From the Perspective of the Deputy Governor for Financial Supervision
The Central Bank of Iceland used its 2025 Financial Supervision Day to detail a risk‑based supervisory agenda that emphasized systemically important firms, pension‑insurance distribution practices and a surge in payment‑fraud incidents. Over ISK 1 billion (≈$7.2 million) was moved in fraudulent transfers between...
“This Is Quite a Big Day for Us” – Key Takeaways as ABF Splits Food From Primark
Associated British Foods announced a definitive split of its food businesses and Primark into two FTSE‑100 listed companies, targeting completion by the end of 2027. The new food entity, ABF FoodCo, will encompass grocery, sugar, ingredients and agriculture assets generating...
Seapoint Finance Secures €7.5M Seed Round to Roll Out AI‑Powered Financial Platform Across Europe
Seapoint Finance announced a €7.5 million ($8.2 million) seed round led by London fintech VC 13books. The Dublin‑based startup will use the capital to expand its AI‑powered “financial home” platform for early‑stage companies across Europe, promising to automate bookkeeping, payroll and treasury...
New Era of Berkshire Hathaway
Greg Abel, Berkshire Hathaway's new CEO, wrote a $1.8 billion check to buy a 2.49% stake in Japan's Tokio Marine Holdings, pairing the equity with a ten‑year quota‑share reinsurance treaty, a joint M&A clause and a five‑year exclusivity period. The move...
Wasabi Gets Quarter Billion Credit Facility
Wasabi announced a $250 million credit facility, led by Bain Capital’s Private Credit Group, following a $70 million equity raise for AI‑focused cloud funding in January. The debt will fund expense spending such as infrastructure and operational costs, while the earlier equity...
How Local Banks Power Lower Mid Market M&A
Local community banks continue to dominate financing for lower‑mid‑market M&A deals under $100 million, offering stability and predictable terms that private‑credit funds often lack. Typical senior leverage sits between 2.5x and 3.5x, with covenants tied to forward cash flow and closing...
Private Credit Panic Is Plumbing, Not Credit Issue
Private credit headlines have been ugly lately A few high-profile blowups. Talk of redemption gates. Pundits calling the top But Alex Branton, Managing Partner at Nodem Capital thinks the noise is hiding what's actually happening on the ground His argument: the recent panic...
US Casino Operator Eyes £225m Takeover of William Hill Owner Evoke
US casino operator Bally’s Intralot is weighing a £225 million (~$288 million) all‑share takeover of Evoke, the owner of William Hill and the 888 online casino brand. The proposal, which must be announced by May 18, may include a partial cash component. Evoke,...
Treasury and Payments Through 2026: Four Pressures Redefining Strategy, Risk, and Liquidity
Treasury and payments leaders face four converging pressures that will shape strategy through 2026: escalating AI‑driven payments fraud, tighter liquidity discipline amid inflation and higher borrowing costs, increasingly interdependent geopolitical and market risks, and the transformation of payments into a...
Webull BoD Approves Repurchase of up to $100M of Shares
Webull Corporation’s board approved a share repurchase program allowing the company to buy back up to $100 million of Class A ordinary shares within the next 12 months. The buybacks can be executed through open‑market trades, block transactions, or privately negotiated deals,...
Why Conflict Makes Interest Rates More Volatile, and How Advisors Can Manage
Franklin Templeton Fixed Income portfolio manager Naveed Sunderji says recent Middle‑East conflict has reignited interest‑rate volatility in Canada, pushing market expectations for Bank of Canada hikes higher. The shift follows a March peak where investors priced three 25‑basis‑point hikes in...
HQLAX Announces Strategic Investments From Broadridge and Digital Asset
HQLAX secured strategic minority investments from Broadridge Financial Solutions and Digital Asset in a Series C‑1 round, marking a key milestone for its digital collateral mobility platform. The funding will accelerate HQLAX’s technology evolution, its integration with Broadridge’s Distributed Ledger Repo...
Seeing the Full Picture Reveals Need for Support
I chatted with a creative this week who sells bookish products on Shopify and has a physical location. She wanted to do her own books so I walked her through what that looks like. Daily sales entries, recording Shopify payouts correctly...
Morgan Stanley's Spot Bitcoin ETF Holds 1,800 BTC
JUST IN: Morgan Stanley's spot Bitcoin ETF now holds over 1,800 BTC ($139 million) after 9 days of trading
FIS Announces Strategic Advancements to FIS Cross-Asset Trading and Risk Suite
FIS unveiled strategic upgrades to its Cross‑Asset Trading and Risk Suite, consolidating trading, portfolio and risk functions onto a single, flexible platform. The enhancements introduce SaaS capabilities for alternative investments and AI‑driven digital dashboards that streamline order management and analytics....
Medallia Loan Collapses, Blackstone Marks 60% Value
Blackstone has marked the Medallia loan down another 9 points to 60.3 as of Q1’26. It appears that Thoma Bravo has declined to recapitalize the company and it may be owned by its lenders soon. https://t.co/Duuu08riB1
Turning Quarterly Losses Into Annual Profit for British SMEs
UK small‑business owners often experience seasonal cash‑flow swings that leave them profitable annually but cash‑starved in off‑peak quarters. To bridge these gaps, lenders—ranging from traditional high‑street banks to challenger banks and online platforms—offer short‑term loans, asset‑based financing, and invoice funding....
CTAs Flood S&P with $8B Daily, $50B by Month‑End
Price-agnostic CTAs are now strong buyers of the S&P 500 and pump $8 bln /day into the market. Until the end of the month, the total increase in S&P exposure could reach $50 bln. There is currently no scenario, where...
Musk’s SpaceX Ownership Dips, Voting Power Rises
This story is odd, because Musk's economic stake in SpaceX actually fell from 41.7% to 41.5% during 2025 (his voting stake went up from 79.5% to 80.0% but that's to be expected when others sell supervoting shares) https://t.co/K5sOcpCVK8
Graph Neural Networks for Credit Default Prediction: Robustness and Model Evaluation
Graph neural networks (GNNs) improve credit default prediction by leveraging borrower similarity graphs, consistently beating strong tabular baselines such as logistic regression and gradient boosting. The study finds that well‑tuned GNNs occupy broad hyperparameter regions, offering stable and reproducible performance....