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
Jack Daniel’s Parent Taps Whirlpool Alum for CFO
Jim Peters, a longtime Whirlpool finance chief, will become CFO of Brown‑Forman effective March 31, succeeding retiring executive Leanne Cunningham. Peters brings over two decades of global finance experience, including a decade as Whirlpool’s CFO, and will be compensated with a $825,000 base salary plus incentives and equity exceeding $1 million. Brown‑Forman aims to leverage his expertise as it confronts a 2% sales decline and seeks growth in emerging markets and travel‑retail channels. The appointment underscores the company’s focus on margin discipline amid macro‑economic headwinds.

Stocks Haven’t Hit Bottom yet, Says the Analyst Who Called a ‘Rolling Recession’ when Everyone Else Saw a Boom
Morgan Stanley’s chief U.S. equity strategist Mike Wilson, who previously warned of a “rolling recession,” now says the market correction is already mature. He points to 50% of Russell 3000 stocks down at least 20% from 52‑week highs and over 40%...
CFTC Enforcement Director David Miller to Announce Enforcement Priorities and Discuss Insider Trading in the Prediction Markets at PCCE Event...
On March 31, 2026, CFTC Enforcement Director David Miller will announce the commission’s enforcement priorities and address insider trading risks in prediction markets at a Program on Corporate Compliance and Enforcement (PCCE) event hosted by NYU School of Law. The...

Handel’s Ice Cream Appoints Yum Brands Veteran to CFO Role
Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream has appointed Naveen Dasa as its new chief financial officer, effective immediately. Dasa arrives with more than a decade of finance and strategy experience at Yum Brands, Shake Shack, and investment banks, most recently overseeing Pizza...
ContextVision AB: Transactions Made Under the Buy-Back Programme
ContextVision AB announced that its share buy‑back programme, originally launched in September 2025 for up to NOK 10 million and 4 million shares, was extended to 11 May 2026 with unchanged terms. Between 9 March and 16 March 2026 DNB Carnegie repurchased 1,188,241 shares for a total...
Virbac: Public Release of the Year-End Consolidated Accounts at 31 December 2025
Virbac, a French animal‑health group, published its 2025 consolidated accounts on March 17, 2026. The full financial report is hosted on the corporate website under the Investors → Financial Reports section. The statements were examined by the board of directors and are awaiting...

Morningstar DBRS Comments on the City of Calgary's Commercial Paper Program Limit Increase; Commercial Paper Credit Rating Unchanged at R-1...
Morningstar DBRS reports that Calgary has increased its commercial paper program limit to $500 million, up from $400 million, while maintaining an R‑1 (high) rating with a stable outlook. The city’s cash and investment portfolio stands at $7.1 billion, including $756.5 million of short‑term...
Bank Exec: Miners Must Partner with Indigenous Groups – by Joseph Quesnel (Canadian Mining Journal – March 17, 2026)
Jonathan Davey, Managing Director of Indigenous and Government Advisory at Scotiabank, told the Drumbeats podcast that Canada’s largest infrastructure and resource projects now require Indigenous equity participation. Recent federal programs and legal reforms have turned Indigenous partnerships from a political...

Apollo Credit Funds Moving Towards Monthly NAV Reports
Apollo’s credit fund managers announced a shift to monthly net asset value (NAV) reporting, aiming to increase transparency for investors. The strategy includes real‑time portfolio marks and, when necessary, third‑party valuation models to address pricing uncertainties. Executives say the change...

From €3bn to €5bn – FCA Proposes to Increase the Commodity Clearing Threshold
On 6 March 2026 the FCA released Consultation Paper 26/8 proposing to raise the UK commodity clearing threshold from €3 billion to €5 billion. The change addresses nearly 90 % commodity price inflation since the 2016 threshold was set, which has effectively lowered...
#58559
Traeger, Inc. (ticker COOK) announced a 1‑for‑50 reverse stock split, effective before the market opens on March 18, 2026. Each existing share will be converted into 0.02 of a new share, consolidating fifty old shares into one new share. The corporate action...
UBS Eyes Possible Bottom In Airline Stocks After Bear Market
UBS analysts say US airline stocks may be nearing a bottom after a 22% drawdown in the S&P 500 Passenger Airlines Index, driven by a sharp jet‑fuel price surge linked to Middle‑East disruptions. The firm expects most carriers to hit...

High CAPE Drives Equity Issuance; Low CAPE Spurs Buying
This is really great: "shows CAPE on the horizontal axis and net issuance on the vertical axis. Each point represents a calendar month between January 1990 and November 2025. Notice the positive correlation between issuance and CAPE: When CAPE is high,...

Sure, It’ll Be Grand
EY’s March 12 poll of 200 senior Irish finance leaders shows overwhelming optimism for 2026, with 94% expecting growth and an average forecast of 9%. The confidence reflects Ireland’s near‑13% GDP expansion in 2025, driven largely by pharmaceutical exports. Energy...

Forecasts Keep Rising, Yet Critics Call Them Irresponsible
Every month someone publishes a higher default forecast. > Fitch: 5.8% actual > Morgan Stanley: 8% > UBS: 15% worst case Every month someone in the industry calls it irresponsible.
U.S. Mergers & Acquisitions Monthly Review: February 2026
U.S. M&A activity slowed in February 2026, with announcements dropping 26.7% to 1,013 versus January, yet aggregate deal spending surged 236.8% month‑over‑month. Eleven of FactSet’s 21 tracked sectors posted higher three‑month deal volumes compared with a year earlier, led by...
The EBA Issues Revised List of ITS Validation Rules
The European Banking Authority (EBA) issued an updated list of ITS validation rules, highlighting deactivated, reactivated, and severity‑status changes. It reminded EU competent authorities not to validate data against deactivated rules. The EBA also launched a small validation‑rules package containing...
How CoreWeave’s ‘Situationship’ with Big Tech Could Cause a 30% Stock Dro...
CoreWeave, the leading GPU‑cloud provider, faces a steep valuation correction as Bernstein analysts warn that its $30 billion capital‑expenditure plan will generate $23 billion of negative free cash flow in 2026. The firm’s biggest customers—Microsoft, Meta and other hyperscalers—are rapidly expanding their...
Wizz Air: We Lower Our Fair Value Estimate 17% as Oil Spike Meets Operational Headwinds
Morningstar cut Wizz Air Holdings' fair‑value estimate by 17% to GBX 1,220, citing a sharp oil price spike and escalating operational headwinds. The airline’s fuel‑hedge coverage falls from 83% in FY2026 to just 55% for FY2027, exposing it to higher jet‑fuel...

Value Stocks at Historic Discount, Poised for Outperformance
Valuation spreads (how cheaply value stocks trade relative to growth stocks) measured as the Price/Book ratio of value stocks divided by growth stocks in the US. "On average, US value stocks have traded at a 78% discount (i.e., 22 cents on...

Brazil Steps Up Bond Market Intervention as Oil Upends Rates
Brazil's National Treasury announced an expanded bond market intervention after a sharp rise in oil prices lifted inflation expectations and pushed sovereign yields upward. The authority increased direct purchases and offered additional liquidity to stabilize benchmark rates and limit volatility....
Sell When You're Thriving, Not When Growth Slows
Many founders wait until growth slows before thinking about selling or raising capital, but the irony is: buyers and investors are often most interested when a business is performing at its best. In this episode of Vista Point Advisors The...
Valuing Tokens After They Convert to Equity
If a token converts to equity, how do you think about the new valuation? https://t.co/sigF6mfZGm

UK Government Moves Forward on Clarifying Fiduciary Duty and ESG
The UK government has tabled an amendment to the Pension Schemes Bill that will empower it to publish the long‑awaited guidance on trustees’ fiduciary duties, particularly regarding ESG considerations. The change formalises the government’s commitment to clarify how sustainability factors...
AI Transforms Accounting Workflows, Boosting Speed Responsibly
#FutureReadyLive – Beyond ChatGPT: AI Built for the Accounting Profession w/ Adam Hibbs (@AICPA & @CIMA_News) & Kate Hearns (PPL Corp) about real workflows, where AI is saving time and how teams balance efficiency with responsibility. #AICPA #CIMA #Josi https://t.co/iBSjZxTCQt
Gain Clarity, Accountability, and Capacity with Prophit Engine
Ditch the chaos. Create clarity (more accurate forecasting) accountability (responsibility for growing contribution) and capacity. (one empowered operator saving you thousands in labor and tooling) I'd love to show you how the Prophit Engine gives you the confidence that you will achieve you goals.
PDI Picks – 3/16/2026
Limited partners (LPs) are staying upbeat on private debt despite recent negative headlines. A new Private Debt Investor feature highlighted that LPs are “shutting out the noise,” maintaining or expanding allocations. Chart data from 2018‑2026 shows a growing share of...
CFOs Treat Vendor Data Risks as Balance Sheet Threats
CFOs now view vendor exposure and data protection alongside balance sheet risk. Requiring: proactive risk management, clear board communication, and disciplined investment to protect operations and trust. https://t.co/RWvAWTo1ee
Refinancing Wall: An Ever-Present Market Reality
Is there ever NOT a "refinancing wall"? Feel like I've been seeing charts like that for 20 years...

AppZen Completes Workday Integration for AI-Powered Expense Audit
AppZen has completed a Workday Design Approved Integration, adding its AI‑driven Expense Audit app to the Workday Marketplace. The integration creates a bi‑directional, near‑real‑time link between Workday Expenses and AppZen’s Mastermind AI platform, enabling autonomous compliance checks and fraud detection....
SpaceX Valuation Soars Toward $30‑50 Trillion by 2035
SpaceX valuation then: $200B SpaceX valuation today: $1.25T SpaceX proposed IPO valuation: $1.7T My 2035 target? $30-50T.

Sai Parenteral’s IPO to Open on March 24; to Raise ₹285 Crore via Fresh Issue
Indian pharmaceutical manufacturer Sai Parenteral announced its initial public offering, set to open on March 24, 2026. The IPO comprises a fresh issue of up to ₹285 crore and an offer‑for‑sale of roughly 3.16 million equity shares, with a price band of...

Real Products in 2026? – Acclerate(r) Change
The AICPA Accelerator’s ninth cohort, announced in March 2026, spotlighted five AI‑driven startups reshaping accounting and finance. Adaptive brings an AI‑native construction accounting platform with over 1,000 clients and $26 million raised; AuditPro.ai delivers turnkey AI audit applications for rapid, affordable insights....

Private Credit Defaults Surge to 9.2%, Outpacing 2008
Private credit default rate just hit 9.2%. That's higher than 2008 bank loan peaks. $1.8 trillion in assets, $100B in secondary liquidity. 18:1 mismatch. When exits close, panic starts. https://t.co/PTz3djlLMl
Press Release: Palm Launches Pulse: The AI Assistant for Treasury Teams
Palm introduced Pulse, an AI‑driven conversational assistant that sits atop treasury management systems and ERPs. The tool lets treasury professionals ask natural‑language questions about cash positions, forecasts, investments, debt and FX exposures, delivering answers and charts in seconds. Pulse combines...
The EBA Consults on Regulatory Products on Initial Margin Model Authorisation
The European Banking Authority (EBA) has launched two public consultations on draft Guidelines and draft Regulatory Technical Standards (RTS) for authorising internal initial margin models under EMIR 3. The proposals target firms whose aggregate monthly notional amount of non‑centrally cleared OTC...
EHang Posts Record Q4 Revenue, First GAAP Profit as EH216-S Commercial Launch Nears
Chinese advanced‑air‑mobility firm EHang posted record Q4 revenue and its first GAAP profit, driven by 100 eVTOL deliveries—including 95 EH216 units and five VT35s. Total Q4 revenue rose 48% year‑over‑year to RMB 243.8 million, while net income turned positive at RMB 10.5 million. The...
Press Release: Geopolitical Uncertainty Forcing Businesses to Rethink Working Capital Says Ebury
Rising geopolitical uncertainty, currency volatility and supply‑chain disruptions are tightening working capital for internationally active companies, according to Ebury’s Global Head of Lending, Charles Hardaker. He outlines six practical steps—shortening the cash conversion cycle, using supplier payment financing, treating FX...
Press Release: Stable Sea and BitGo Partner to Allow Digital Asset Solutions and Secure Onchain Treasury Access to Businesses
Stable Sea has partnered with BitGo, an OCC‑regulated digital‑asset trust bank, to offer businesses secure, insured custodial wallets and on‑chain treasury services. BitGo’s Crypto‑as‑Service provides institutional‑grade custody with up to $250 million in insurance, enabling users to buy, sell, hold and...
Press Release: S&P: Insurance Brief Says Middle East War Is Fuelling Cyber Risk
S&P Global Ratings warns that the ongoing Middle East war is amplifying cyber‑threat activity, with threat actors launching more DDoS attacks, phishing campaigns and network intrusions. While no large insured cyber losses have been reported yet, the situation remains fluid...

Nvidia's $
Question: Why does Nvidia/Jensen's $1 trillion slide say "GTC DC" for both the '25 and the '26 column? https://t.co/TktmtloPXr

New Feeder Fund Opens Macro Access for Canadian Advisors
Canadian advisors now have a domestic feeder fund that gives accredited investors access to Bridgewater Associates' flagship Pure Alpha strategy through a Wilshire‑managed account. The vehicle is structured as an Ontario mutual fund trust, with Oak Hill Asset Management acting...

BKC Africa Private Debt Fund in Rwanda Deal
BK Capital’s BKC Africa Private Debt Fund has closed its inaugural private‑debt deal in Rwanda, financing Goodlife Health and Beauty, the country’s largest pharmacy chain. The capital injection will back Goodlife’s rapid expansion from its flagship store to 16 locations...

Standard Bank Partners with Anthem to Back South African Solar Project
Standard Bank, Africa’s largest bank by assets, has partnered with independent power producer Anthem to finance the Notsi solar project, South Africa’s biggest single‑phase photovoltaic development. The 475 MW facility in the Free State will supply clean power to commercial and...
Intercontinental Exchange Introduces ICE Private Credit Intelligence with Apollo as Anchor Partner
Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) announced the launch of ICE Private Credit Intelligence, a data‑infrastructure platform designed to bring public‑credit‑style transparency to the private credit market. Apollo Global Management is joining as the anchor partner, with ICE planning to add additional originators,...

Survey on the Healthcare Financial Landscape Offers a Roadmap for Stakeholders
Zelis commissioned Datos Insights to survey over 2,200 health‑plan executives, employer‑benefits leaders and insured consumers, revealing mounting financial pressure across the healthcare ecosystem. The study shows that 63% of employers view price transparency as a key cost‑management tool, while 68%...

The Daily Feather — Shockers
The Daily Feather’s new post spotlights the oddball nicknames of U.S. colleges, zeroing in on Wichita State University’s “Shockers.” It traces the Shockers moniker to early 20th‑century wheat‑harvesting students who earned a reputation for “shocking” the grain. The article pairs...

Maruti Gets ₹5,786 Cr Income Tax Order; to Challenge Before Dispute Resolution Panel
Maruti Suzuki India received a draft income‑tax assessment of ₹5,786.4 crore for the 2022‑23 fiscal year. The company announced it will file objections before the dispute‑resolution panel. It emphasized that the order has no immediate effect on its operations, finances or...
EU Data Act: Time for a Reality Check
The EU Data Act obliges manufacturers of IoT devices and SaaS providers to make user‑generated data readily accessible and transferable by design. Articles 3 and 4 require that data be supplied in a structured, machine‑readable format, often forcing back‑end redesign...

Kuwait Returns To The Global Debt Market
Kuwait re‑entered the international sovereign market in September 2024, issuing an $11.25 billion eurobond – its first external debt sale since 2017. The issuance was enabled by a new debt law approved in March 2025 that authorises up to KD30 billion (≈$97 billion)...