Today's Finance Pulse
SpaceX files for record‑size IPO, targeting $50B‑plus raise and $1T valuation
SpaceX confidentially filed for an IPO slated for June 2026, aiming to raise at least $50 billion and push its valuation above $1 trillion. Founder Elon Musk holds roughly 44 percent of the company, giving him a net worth of about $823 billion. The filing positions the rocket and satellite maker among the most valuable public companies ever.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Berkshire Hathaway invests $10B in Alphabet's private placement
Kalshi, the Prediction Market, Raises $1 Billion at a $22 Billion Valuation
Kalshi, a U.S. prediction‑market platform, announced a $1 billion funding round that lifts its valuation to about $22 billion. The round, led by Coatue Management, is the third in seven months and follows a period where the company’s annualized trading volume surged to $178 billion. Kalshi now reports roughly two million monthly users and projects annualized revenue exceeding $1.5 billion. The firm is targeting large financial institutions to broaden its user base beyond retail bettors.
Debtor Countries Finally Have a Group of Their Own
On April 15, a coalition of developing nations launched the Borrowers’ Platform to coordinate debt‑management strategies and negotiate with international lenders. The initiative builds on the Sevilla Commitment, a framework adopted at the 2023 Fourth International Conference on Financing for...
Authority Brands CFO on Finance Leadership in the Franchise Industry
Josh Greear, the CFO of Authority Brands, says the next growth wave will come from improving unit‑level economics for franchisees rather than adding new brands. His finance leadership blends data‑driven margin expansion with hands‑on support for owners ranging from single‑unit...
ISI Launches Corporate Debt Platform Covering 2,100 Emerging Market Bond Issuers
International Securities Institute (ISI) unveiled a new corporate debt platform that aggregates information on roughly 2,100 emerging‑market bond issuers. The service delivers real‑time pricing, credit analytics, and historical issuance data in a single dashboard. ISI aims to streamline due‑diligence for...
Northern Trust Supports Launch of Europe’s First Autocallable ETF
Northern Trust is backing the launch of Europe’s first autocallable ETF, the Calamos Autocallable Income UCITS sub‑fund, on Waystone’s Irish‑domiciled white‑label platform. The product, managed by US‑based Calamos Investments, uses synthetic derivatives to track a diversified basket of autocallable notes,...
Less Whipped Cream, More Cake - What CFOs Need to See From Agentic AI to Close the Trust Gap
CFOs face a growing trust gap as AI proliferates across finance functions, prompting demand for immutable audit trails and zero‑tolerance for errors. BlackLine responded with Agentic Financial Operations, a governance layer that records every AI‑driven transaction with a human‑like digital...
Seek Uncorrelated Returns to Simplify Risk Management
According to Ray Dalio, the easiest way to adjust for risk is to seek uncorrelated returns. Ray's made billions from a simple idea. Here's how to do it in a few lines of Python code:
Schwab Is Joining Fidelity in 'Law-of-the-Jungle' Shakedown of ETFs (with Vanguard Not Immune) to Claim up to 15% of Fee-Revenues,...
Charles Schwab and Fidelity are rolling out a joint "pay‑to‑play" scheme that will charge ETF managers up to 15% of their fee revenue for shelf‑space on the firms' platforms. Managers that refuse to pay will face a $100‑per‑trade penalty on...
VCI Global Enters Binding Term Sheet for Strategic Investment in Brazil Gold Asset, Advancing Integration of Physical Gold Into RWA...
VCI Global Limited announced a binding term sheet to invest in a gold‑mining asset in Brazil, estimated at 59.9 tonnes (about 1.9 million ounces) of resources. The company will initially fund the project and act as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC)...
Bright Power Launches AI-Powered Energy Compliance and Carbon Forecasting Platform for Commercial Real Estate
Bright Power announced Bright Power AI, an AI‑driven platform that combines two new software tools—Predict and Navigate—to help multifamily real‑estate owners forecast carbon compliance, plan retrofits, and automate energy‑benchmarking reporting. Predict delivers emissions baselines, scenario modeling, and fine projections, while...
Brazil’s Itaú Sees Steady Credit Trends
Itaú Unibanco said its loan‑delinquency ratios are holding steady, with 90‑day overdue loans at 1.9% in Q1, unchanged from the prior quarter and a year earlier. The 15‑to‑90‑day overdue rate edged up to 1.7%, a modest rise from 1.6% in...
Cerebras Systems Closes $850 Million Revolving Credit Facility
Cerebras Systems announced the closing of a five‑year syndicated revolving credit facility worth up to $850 million. The new line of credit follows a $1 billion Series G round in September 2025 and a $1 billion Series H round in January 2026, bringing total capital raised to...
Knox Lane to Acquire Cross Country Healthcare in $437 Million All‑Cash Deal
Growth‑focused private‑equity firm Knox Lane announced an all‑cash acquisition of Cross Country Healthcare for $437 million, paying $13.25 per share. The deal, a 31% premium to the stock’s recent close, will take the Nasdaq‑listed workforce‑solutions provider private and underscores PE’s appetite...
A Glimmer Of Common Sense Emerges
A major institutional investor managing roughly $250 billion in assets publicly challenged SpaceX’s proposed $2 trillion valuation and Elon Musk’s compensation plan ahead of any public offering. The criticism follows earlier blog posts that questioned the feasibility of such a valuation and...
Why Disney Shares Rose After Park Attendance Fell
Disney reported Q2 FY2026 revenue of $25.2 bn, up 7%, and adjusted EPS of $1.57, beating expectations despite a 1% dip in U.S. park attendance. The Experiences division generated $9.49 bn in revenue and $2.62 bn operating income, buoyed by higher per‑guest spending,...
NYT Hits 13 Million Digital Subscribers, Adds 310,000 in Q1 as Video Push Gains Momentum
The New York Times announced it surpassed 13 million digital‑only subscribers in the first quarter, adding 310,000 new users. The milestone came with a 12% rise in revenue to $712.2 million and a 31.6% jump in digital ad sales, underscoring the paper’s shift toward...
Emirates Group Achieves Record Profit of AED 24.4 Bn (US$ 6.6 Bn) in 2025-26
Emirates Group reported a record profit before tax of AED 24.4 bn ($6.6 bn) for the 2025‑26 fiscal year, a 7% increase year‑over‑year, alongside record revenue of AED 150.5 bn ($41.0 bn) and cash assets of AED 59.6 bn ($16.2 bn). The airline division posted a PBT of AED 22.8 bn...
AMETEK to Acquire Indicor Instrumentation Portfolio for $5 B
AMETEK, Inc. entered a definitive agreement to purchase the Indicor Instrumentation portfolio for roughly $5 billion in cash. The acquisition adds businesses that generate about $1.1 billion in annual sales and aligns with AMETEK’s Electronic Instruments and Electromechanical groups. The deal is...
Insider Trading Anxiety Muddles SEC’s Semiannual Reporting Push
The SEC has issued a May 5 proposal allowing public companies to file earnings and material events only twice a year instead of quarterly. While the rule aims to give issuers flexibility, the agency warns that less frequent disclosures could heighten...
Raymond Lifestyle's Q4 Loss Widens to Rs 52 Cr; FY26 Revenue Rises 10.6 Pc
Raymond Lifestyle reported a widened Q4 net loss of ₹52.06 cr (≈$6.3 m) despite an 18.9% revenue jump to ₹1,777.45 cr (≈$21.4 m). EBITDA surged 53% to ₹152 cr (≈$1.83 m) with an 8.4% margin, reflecting higher marketing spend and digital‑transformation costs. For FY26, profit rose...
CFTC Chairman Selig Proposes Streamlined Rules for $846 Trillion OTC Derivatives Market
CFTC Chairman Michael Selig announced a plan to simplify rules governing the $846 trillion over‑the‑counter derivatives market. The proposal targets legacy reporting obligations and swap execution facility requirements, promising reduced compliance costs and a more innovation‑friendly framework.
Skyroot Raises $60 Million Ahead of First Orbital Launch Attempt
Skyroot Aerospace raised $60 million in a Series round that values the Hyderabad‑based startup at $1.1 billion, making it India’s first space unicorn. The funding, co‑led by Sherpalo Ventures and Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC, also includes BlackRock and will finance the...
Eli Lilly Raises $9 Billion in Record Investment‑Grade Bond Offering to Finance Acquisitions
Eli Lilly & Co. sold $9 billion of investment‑grade bonds in an eight‑tranche offering, the biggest issuance in the company's history. The proceeds are earmarked for a series of planned acquisitions, underscoring the pharma giant's push to expand its pipeline through...
DP World Launches Cargo War Risk Insurance for Middle East Conflict
DP World has introduced a cargo war‑risk insurance product aimed at the Middle East conflict zone. The policy offers end‑to‑end protection for ocean, air, port storage and inland transport, with zero deductible and coverage limits up to $400 million per shipment....
Poste Italiane Aims to Close TIM Takeover in Q3
Poste Italiane announced it aims to close its €10.8 billion ($11.8 billion) voluntary offer for TIM in the third quarter, alongside a stronger‑than‑expected Q1 earnings report. The postal group says its solid balance sheet and cash flow position it to fund digital...
Allianz Hands Global Commercial Cyber Book to MGA Coalition
Allianz Commercial is transferring its standalone global commercial cyber insurance portfolio to San Francisco‑based MGA Coalition. The multiyear deal gives Coalition primary underwriting, pricing and claims responsibilities while Allianz provides capacity, equity and board representation, positioning Coalition to become the world’s...
Apollo Global Management Hits $1 Trillion AUM and Closes $6.5 B Hybrid Value Fund
Apollo Global Management announced that its assets under management surpassed $1 trillion and that its Hybrid Value Fund III closed with $6.5 billion in commitments. The milestones underscore the firm’s aggressive expansion across credit and equity strategies amid a backdrop of market‑risk...
Finance Chiefs Expect Smaller Finance Teams, Fewer Junior Roles Amid AI Push
A recent Oliver Wyman survey of nearly 500 global CFOs shows finance headcount will stay flat or shrink over the next three years as AI adoption rises. While 30% of CFOs plan to cut staff, 61% expect less than a 10%...
Gundlach Warns "Bagholders" Will "Lose Money" In Private Credit As BDCs Slash Asset Values, JPM Faces $500MM Loss In Biggest...
DoubleLine CEO Jeffrey Gundlach warned that retail investors in private credit face losses as BDCs slash asset values. Blue Owl and other BDCs have marked down tech‑focused funds, cut dividends and faced massive redemption requests, highlighting liquidity strain. JPMorgan and...
How Banks Can Decode Crypto Compliance Risks
Banks can no longer ignore crypto exposure as customers increasingly hold digital assets and move funds through traditional channels. Cense has introduced a two‑step methodology—Detect and Decode—to first surface crypto activity and then rebuild a client’s full digital‑asset portfolio for...
CF Industries Names Andrew T. Scribner CFO, Emphasizing Capital Allocation
CF Industries Holdings announced that its board elected Andrew T. Scribner as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective May 26, 2026. The move is intended to bring disciplined finance leadership to support the company's growth, decarbonization goals, and...
HKMA Launches CargoX Pilot Programme to Expand Data-Driven Trade Finance
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority has launched the CargoX Pilot Programme, enlisting 21 banks to test the use of cargo and trade data in trade‑finance workflows. The pilot will operate on the Commercial Data Interchange (CDI) platform, exploring data‑driven credit...
Uber Posts 21% YoY Booking Surge and Returns $3 B to Shareholders in Q1 2026
Uber Technologies reported a 21% year‑on‑year increase in gross bookings and a 44% rise in non‑GAAP earnings per share for Q1 2026. The company also returned a record $3 billion to shareholders through stock buybacks while expanding Uber One to over...
Angelini Fortifies Neurology Portfolio with $4.1B Buyout of Catalyst
Italian drugmaker Angelini Pharma announced a $4.1 billion acquisition of U.S.-based Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, adding its trio of FDA‑approved treatments for rare neurological disorders to Angelini’s portfolio. The deal brings Ingrezza, Firdapse and a third specialty drug under Angelini’s control, instantly expanding...
LIC Portfolio Rejig: SBI, Coal India Among Top 10 Stocks that India's Biggest DII Sold in March Quarter
Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), India’s largest domestic institutional investor, trimmed its NSE‑listed holdings to 3.71% in March 2026, down from 3.72% a month earlier. The insurer sold major banking stocks, including State Bank of India for roughly $557 million,...
Iran War Halts Global Rate Cuts, Fuels Inflation and Slashes India's Growth
Major central banks have frozen interest‑rate cuts as the Iran war pushes oil prices higher, while the U.S. Federal Reserve warns of a lingering inflation shock. S&P Global responded by trimming India's FY27 growth outlook to 6.6%, underscoring the war’s...
U.S. Treasury Holds Auction Sizes Steady Through 2027, Signaling Stable Borrowing Strategy
The U.S. Treasury confirmed it will keep nominal note and bond auction sizes unchanged for at least the next several quarters, extending the policy through FY2027. Treasury officials say the current volumes are sufficient to meet fiscal needs despite rising...
JPMorgan Says Tech Sector Remains Resilient Amid Higher Rate Outlook
JPMorgan analysts said the technology sector can stay strong despite expectations of further rate hikes, as the S&P 500 posted back‑to‑back record highs. The comment comes as traders await a potential US‑Iran peace deal and oil prices ease.
The Asset Class Buffett Owns That You Probably Don't
Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway reported $339.3 billion in three‑month U.S. Treasury bills and $51.5 billion in cash, totaling $390.8 billion in liquid reserves as of March 31 2026. The short‑duration T‑bills earn about 3.69% annualized and are exempt from state taxes, outperforming most high‑yield savings accounts...
DP World Launches “First-of-Its-Kind” Cargo War Risk Insurance
DP World has introduced a first‑of‑its‑kind cargo war‑risk insurance that spans ocean, air and land transport, targeting businesses operating through Middle East corridors such as the Arabian Gulf, Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz. The policy offers continuous coverage from...
FSB Rolls Out Global Framework to Tackle $2 Trillion Private‑Credit Risks
The Financial Stability Board unveiled a tentative action plan aimed at curbing systemic risks in the fast‑growing private‑credit market, estimated at $1.5‑$2 trillion. The framework targets data collection hurdles and seeks to align regulators, central banks and finance ministries worldwide.
SolarEdge Reduces Net Loss, Maintains 22% Margin in Q1 2026
SolarEdge reported a first‑quarter net loss of $57.4 million, a sharp improvement from the $132.1 million loss in the prior quarter, while maintaining a 22 % gross margin. Revenue fell 7.4 % to $310.5 million, reflecting the exclusion of one‑time policy‑driven boosts. CEO Shuki Nir...
The ‘Perfect Storm’ Hanging Over Britain’s Public Debt
Britain’s 30‑year gilt yield surged above 5.7%, the highest level since 1998, while the 10‑year benchmark hovered near 5%. The rise outpaces U.S. Treasury yields and triples the movement in German bunds, reflecting heightened fiscal pressure, energy‑price shocks from the...
Most Startups Stall at Level 1 Forecasting.
The 4 Stages of Forecasting from BEGINNER to ADVANCED === We asked 9 of the top finance leaders to open their playbooks. They said yes. Spots are limited. I'd grab one. Register for free: https://t.co/P5XyaqkF5g === Which stage is your business at🪜? Every month, I meet with...
Baird Capital Raises $450m Continuation Fund for 2020 Investment Blue Matter Consulting
Baird Capital has closed a $450 million continuation fund to extend its investment in Blue Matter Consulting, a life‑science advisory firm it first backed in 2020. The vehicle will provide additional capital to support Blue Matter’s growth initiatives and allow existing...
U.S. Bank Survey Finds 49% of CFOs Expect More M&A, While Near‑Term Optimism Slips to 36%
U.S. Bank’s quarterly CFO Insights Report, based on 1,000 senior finance leaders surveyed March‑April 2026, shows cost cutting remains the top priority at 39%, while revenue growth jumps to 31%. Near‑term economic optimism fell to 36%, yet 49% of respondents...
Emirates Enters FY2026 Strong Amid Middle East Tensions
Emirates Group says it is entering FY2026/27 from a position of strength despite ongoing geopolitical tensions and volatility in the Middle East. Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates airline and Group, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said the group remains...
Angelini Pharma Acquires Catalyst, Boosts US Rare‑Disease Portfolio
Angelini Pharma buys Catalyst Pharmaceuticals and its rare disease drugs for $4.1B The deal will expand the Italian pharma company’s work in the U.S. https://t.co/BwO6uGKvrT
UniCredit’s Lowball Bid for Commerzbank Causes Consternation
On May 5, 2026 UniCredit announced a bid to acquire the remaining shares of Germany’s Commerzbank, offering shareholders a swap of one Commerzbank share for 0.485 UniCredit shares. The proposal values the entire bank at €35 bn (approximately $41 bn), roughly 8% below...
GAW’s Interim Reports Hint at Upcoming Dividend Announcement
#GAW they only publish these interim interims to demonstrate they have distributable reserves…so a dividend announcement likely incoming https://t.co/EChO0Mfihi