Today's Finance Pulse
SpaceX’s record‑breaking IPO targets $75 billion raise, pushes valuation past $1.7 trillion
SpaceX filed for an IPO that could raise at least $50 billion and value the company above $1 trillion. The June 12 offering priced shares at $135, raising $75 billion and valuing the rocket maker at roughly $1.77 trillion. Analysts say the float highlights strong investor appetite for AI‑linked aerospace assets.
Also developing:
Texas Teachers Aims to Do More Direct Deals with Trimmed PE Allocation: Milken Panel
Texas Teachers' Retirement System, which manages about $230 billion, is scaling back its overall private‑equity exposure while simultaneously expanding its direct‑investment program. The shift, discussed at a Milken Institute panel, reflects a strategy to make more selective, high‑conviction bets rather than simply chasing lower fees. Managing director Ashley Baum emphasized that the direct‑deal focus is about quality and control, not cost‑cutting. The move signals a broader trend among large public pensions toward greater internal sourcing of private‑equity opportunities.
Consultant Suggests Jefferson Public Radio ‘Spin Off’ From University Licensee
Southern Oregon University is facing a $20 million budget shortfall, with a $12.5 million deficit despite $15 million state emergency aid. Deloitte Consulting’s April 28 report recommends the university spin off its longtime partner, Jefferson Public Radio, to save roughly $300,000. JPR’s director disputes...
Authority Brands Gets Set to Float $461 Million in ABS
Authority Brands is launching its third asset‑backed securitization, AB Issuer 2026‑1, offering $461 million of notes backed by franchise royalties and service fees. The deal includes a $286 million A2 senior term tranche maturing in April 2031 and an A1 variable‑funding note for general...
Warriors’ Lacob Says His Padres Bid Assumed No MLB Games in 2027
Warriors owner Joe Lacob was a runner‑up in the San Diego Padres auction, which closed at a record $3.9 billion. His group modeled the risk of a lost MLB season in 2027 amid looming labor negotiations. Lacob argued that a salary...
Curiosity, the Most Important Skill for Accountants in the Age of AI
Artificial intelligence is reshaping accounting by automating transaction coding, reconciliations and anomaly detection. As routine tasks migrate to software, accountants are transitioning from doers to reviewers who must validate AI output. In this new landscape, curiosity— the drive to question...
Reserves for Emerging Managers
John Felix of Pattern Ventures argues that emerging venture capital managers struggle to deploy reserves effectively because they lack timely, reliable data on their portfolio companies. While larger funds receive regular updates through board meetings and investor reports, micro‑funds writing...
How Colleges Cut
American colleges face mounting fiscal pressure, with one‑in‑five public and one‑in‑three private schools posting deficits in FY 2024. Revenue‑generation tactics such as new master’s programs and tuition hikes have stalled, prompting institutions to rely on cost‑cutting measures. Analysis of HelioCampus data...
The First STATS Outcomes Will Be Set Before They Are Published
The Department of Education’s STATS earnings accountability rule is moving fast, with a comment deadline of May 20 and a final framework expected by July. Under the current timeline, the inaugural STATS outcomes will be calculated using IRS earnings data from...
US Treasuries Settle in Real Dollars over XRP Ledger
Ripple demonstrated that a genuine US Treasury bond can be settled on the XRP Ledger, delivering real US dollars to its bank account in seconds. The transaction involved JPMorgan providing the funds and Mastercard initiating the payment request, with the...
Bayer Sees Opportunity With $300M Acquisition of Eye Drug Biotech
Bayer announced a $300 million upfront acquisition of Perfuse Therapeutics, a clinical‑stage biotech developing PER‑001, an endothelin‑receptor blocker delivered via a six‑month intravitreal implant. Phase 2 trials showed significant vision improvement in glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, positioning the drug as a potential...
FCA Probe Into Mastercard, PayPal and Visa Puts Digital Wallet Competition Risk in Focus
The UK Financial Conduct Authority has opened a competition‑law investigation into Mastercard, PayPal and Visa over the funding and usage rules of PayPal’s digital wallet. The probe, launched under Chapter I and Chapter II of the Competition Act 1998, is still at...
How Letters of Credit Compare to Export Credit Insurance When Buying From China
The article explains how letters of credit (LCs) and China’s state‑owned export‑credit insurer Sinosure address opposite sides of the payment‑risk equation for ecommerce brands importing six‑ to seven‑figure inventory from China. LCs provide a bank guarantee that protects the supplier,...
Goodbye Quarterly Earnings? Here's when Traders Believe This Big Change Will Happen
Traders on the Kalshi prediction market are betting that the SEC will replace mandatory quarterly earnings reports with semi‑annual filings, assigning a 73% probability that the rule change will be finalized by April 2027. The odds for an earlier January 2027 implementation...
OpenTrade Raises $17 Million to Meet Stablecoin Infrastructure Demand
OpenTrade, a UK‑based stablecoin infrastructure platform, closed a $17 million strategic round, bringing its total capital raised to over $30 million. The funding, led by Mercury Fund and Notion Capital with participation from a16z crypto, AlbionVC and CMCC Global, gives the firm...
Apollo Breaks $1trn AUM and Moves to Report Daily Pricing for Credit
Apollo Global Management announced it has surpassed $1 trillion in assets under management, cementing its status among the world’s largest private‑credit firms. CEO Marc Rowan said the firm will transition its entire credit portfolio to a "100% daily pricing" model, moving...
NMFC's 65‑cent Loan Profit Raises Seller Mystery
NMFC bragging about a loan they bought at 65 cents. It’s now at 75. Mgmt is telling investors the strategy is paying off. The bigger question: who sold it at 65?
Good News for People with a Capitec Bank Account
Capitec’s 2026 annual report shows the South African lender expanding to 26 million active clients, the nation’s largest customer base, while headline earnings jumped 23% to R16.8 billion. Return on equity climbed to 31%, and non‑interest income now represents 67% of operating...
RiFD Partners with Kingsbury to Scale Securitisation Infrastructure in Saudi Arabia
Saudi fintech RiFD has teamed up with UK‑based Kingsbury & Partners to scale securitisation infrastructure in the Kingdom. RiFD will supply its technology‑driven “securitisation‑as‑a‑service” platform, while Kingsbury contributes global structuring and execution expertise. The joint offering targets asset classes such...
AvidXchange Expands Embedded Payments Strategy with Ministry Brands Integration
AvidXchange has launched embedded payments within Ministry Brands’ accounting platform, which serves more than 90,000 churches and nonprofit organizations. The integration embeds the full accounts‑payable lifecycle—invoice capture, approval, and payment—directly into the existing software, eliminating the need for separate tools....
How Are Finance Teams Using AI Right Now?
Finance teams are experimenting with AI, but adoption is split between early adopters using autonomous agents and the majority stuck in legacy ERP workflows. The main barriers are a shortage of hybrid accounting‑AI talent, fragmented data architectures, and weak governance...
Markets Catch a Whiff of Peace as Oil Cools, but Risks Linger
A tentative US‑Iran memorandum sparked a sharp retreat in oil, with Brent falling 7% to $102 a barrel and WTI dropping 8% to $94, the steepest two‑session decline since the April ceasefire. The easing of supply‑risk fears lifted Indian equities,...
The Hidden Cost of “Last-Minute Compliance” In Accounting Firms
Accounting firms face rising hidden costs from last‑minute compliance as HMRC’s digital mandates, such as Making Tax Digital, tighten deadlines. Rushed reviews increase error rates, demand extra correction time, and strip away valuable advisory conversations with clients. The article contrasts...
LLMs Likely Mirror Mediocre Funds, Not Market Alpha
I respect the hustle but the concept that an LLM can beat the market, unless very carefully deployed, is, in my opinion, very dubious. Alpha in public markets follows a power law distribution. We see this in multiple dimensions: > 92% of...
Starlink Pricing Tomorrow, but Not the Expected Service
Starlink will price tomorrow to officially IPO on Friday. Unfortunately, it is not the Starlink that most were hoping for. https://t.co/bU2RJ3QXQp
Choosing Finance Software in the Age of AI: Five Decisions Leaders Can’t Afford to Get Wrong
Choosing finance software now hinges on AI readiness, governance and speed rather than sheer feature count. AccountsIQ research shows 61% of finance leaders are comfortable using AI, yet 66% find implementations stressful and a quarter exceed seven months. Leaders are...
Embrace Risk: Fear Hinders Financial Goal Achievement
Risk is a normal part of investing, and people who fear losing money may be holding themselves back from reaching their financial goals. https://t.co/okLu5Ac0bj
AI Compute Costs Equal XAI’s Quarterly Loss
This likely costs about ~$500m a month, ~$6bn a year to rent blended Which is about the run rate net loss of xai end of q1 Anthropics revenue run rate was $9bn end of 2025, $30bn a month ago
Private Credit Titans Take Some Blame for Skittish Retail Buyers
Private‑credit giants gathered at the Milken Institute conference to admit the term “semi‑liquid” no longer fits their products, after a wave of retail withdrawals sparked by the collapses of Tricolor Holdings, First Brands Group and Market Financial Solutions. Executives from...
Griffin Launches Project Financing Fund for Indie Studios
Good news for indie game studios. Griffin is turning to project financing with a new fund, in addition to its traditional VC investments. https://t.co/47axlCnNYv https://t.co/cS1gcIJjLn
RDS Mining Injects $20M to Fund O'Brien Gold Drilling
A C$20M bought-deal financing from @RDSMining is a serious cash injection for the O’Brien story and will include more deep drilling. As JV puts it, this additional capital buys more shots on goal—or more aptly, shots on #gold. Overweight position:...
Taranis Capital Taps IYE Global to Bolster Due Diligence and Risk Management
Dubai‑based Taranis Capital, a DFSA‑regulated investment platform, has entered a strategic partnership with IYE Global to strengthen its due‑diligence and risk‑management capabilities. IYE Global will provide independent, forensic intelligence covering pre‑investment vetting, counterparty assessments, governance reviews and ongoing risk monitoring....
Family Offices Partner with Wealth Managers and OCIOs to Boost Tax Efficiency
Family offices are increasingly outsourcing tax‑efficient investment strategies to wealth‑management firms and outsourced chief investment offices (OCIOs). The shift reflects a broader push for customized asset allocation and tax‑wrapper selection as U.S. ETFs surge toward a $2 trillion inflow in 2026.
Platinum Equity Acquires Infrared Heater Maker Infratech in Undisclosed Deal
Platinum Equity announced the acquisition of Infratech, a U.S. manufacturer of infrared electric heating solutions, from founder Sam Longo Jr. and CEO John Mazzotta. While the purchase price was not disclosed, the deal keeps Mazzotta as CEO and positions the...
Colliers International Posts $1.31B Q1 Revenue, Boosts EBITDA 8% Amid CRE Resilience
Colliers International announced first‑quarter 2026 revenue of $1.31 bn, up 15% year‑over‑year, and adjusted EBITDA of $124.8 m, an 8% increase. The results highlight durable growth across its diversified CRE services and a $400 m debt raise to fund the pending Ayesa Engineering...
Brazil Poised for $21.3 Bn Critical‑Mineral Investment by 2030
Brazil will draw $21.3 bn in critical‑mineral investments through 2030, a 15.2% rise over the previous forecast. The surge centers on rare‑earth, lithium and other battery metals, positioning the country as a key alternative to China’s dominance.
The Alliance Group Launches Finance Advisory Practice to Bolster CFO Services
The Alliance Group announced the launch of a Finance Advisory practice designed to help chief financial officers plan, forecast and improve performance. The new service adds execution‑focused AI and automation tools to the firm’s existing CFO‑centric offerings, signaling a deeper...
Public Acquires Investing Education Startup in Fintech M&A
Love to see it: More big fintech M&A from @Public, acquiring an investing education startup. https://t.co/ea217OjQp0
Citigroup Sells $2.5 B Banamex Stake, Moves Closer to Full Mexico Exit
Citigroup has completed the sale of a 22.6% stake in Grupo Financiero Banamex to a consortium of institutional investors for $2.5 billion, raising its total divested ownership to roughly 49%. The deal clears a major hurdle in Citi’s four‑year plan to...
UK Dividends Rise by 21% in Q1 – Which Sectors Made the Bumper Payments?
UK dividends jumped 21% in Q1 2026 to £16.4 billion (≈ $20.8 billion), propelled by a nine‑fold rise in special payouts that reached £3.3 billion (≈ $4.2 billion). Reckitt Benckiser, Zegona Communications and Next were the biggest special‑dividend contributors, while healthcare remained the top regular‑dividend sector,...
Market Research Is Too Slow for the AI Era, so Brox Built 60,000 Identical 'Digital Twins' Of Real People You...
Brox, a predictive human intelligence startup, raised a strategic funding round after 10× revenue growth and unveiled a platform of 60,000 digital twins—one‑to‑one replicas of real people—enabling enterprises to run unlimited surveys in hours. The twins are built from deep,...
Adapt CIO Warns Fragile Market Structure Could Spark Liquidity‑Driven Bankruptcies
Adapt Investment Managers’ chief investment officer, Alexis Maubourguet, warned that the market’s “fragile” structure could precipitate a shock leading to “liquidity‑driven bankruptcies.” In a 40‑page note, he outlined seven structural shifts that he says investors are underestimating, raising alarm across...
Shinhan’s AI Semiconductor ETF Hits 1 Trillion Won AUM, Joining Korea’s Mega‑ETF Club
Shinhan Asset Management announced that its SOL AI Semiconductor TOP2 Plus ETF surpassed 1 trillion won ($730 million) in assets under management just 50 days after launch, propelled by record retail buying and a concentrated portfolio of Korea’s semiconductor giants.
AB InBev Q1 2026 Revenue Up 5.8% to $15.3B, EPS Jumps 20.8% to $0.97
Anheuser‑Busch InBev reported first‑quarter 2026 revenue of $15.3 bn, a 5.8% increase year‑over‑year, while underlying earnings per share rose 20.8% to $0.97. The results, driven by megabrand strength and premium‑price growth, beat analyst expectations and reinforce the brewer’s bullish outlook for...
Puma Appoints Former Hugo Boss CEO Mark Langer as CFO to Drive Turnaround
Puma has named Mark Langer, former CEO of Hugo Boss, as its new chief financial officer, replacing Markus Neubrand. The hire comes as the German sportswear maker reports a 1% currency‑adjusted decline in Q1 sales, underscoring the urgency to revive profit...
Pfizer Posts $14.5 B Q1 Revenue, Reaffirms 2026 Guidance
Pfizer announced first‑quarter 2026 revenue of $14.5 billion, a 5% year‑over‑year increase, and a 22% rise in operational revenue from launched and acquired products. The company reaffirmed its full‑year 2026 financial guidance while highlighting progress in oncology and obesity pipelines.
UK 30‑Year Gilt Yield Hits 5.78%, Highest Since 1998 Amid Election and Energy Shock
The yield on Britain’s 30‑year government bond jumped to 5.78%, the highest level since 1998, as investors priced in Bank of England rate‑hike expectations, record oil prices and uncertainty surrounding local elections. The move pushes long‑term borrowing costs to a...
Data Bottlenecks Keep CFOs From Achieving Sub‑Three‑Day Month‑End Close
A LiveFlow survey of finance leaders reveals that data‑entry bottlenecks and modest AI use keep month‑end close cycles long—only 16% finish in under three days. The findings highlight why CFOs’ push for faster closes remains hamstrung despite heavy AI investment.
AlphaDrive Launches $100 M Fund Targeting AI‑driven Cyber‑security Startups
Veteran investors Yaron Elad, Elik Etzion and UBS veteran Gurinder Sidhu have launched AlphaDrive, a $100 million fund dedicated to AI‑enabled cybersecurity companies. Backed by anchor investor Leumi Partners and a slate of family offices and entrepreneurs, the fund aims to...
Latus Bio Secures $97 Million Series A to Scale Gene‑Therapy Access
Latus Bio closed a $97 million Series A financing, with a $43 million extension led by 8VC, to accelerate its AAV‑based gene‑therapy pipeline. The capital will fund IND filing for Huntington’s disease candidate LTS‑201 and a CLN2 trial, underscoring investor confidence in...
From Manual to Strategic: How AI Is Transforming Finance and Accounting Operations
In a Controllers Council webinar co‑hosted by Zip, finance leaders discussed how AI is reshaping finance and accounting operations. The panel, featuring Zip’s chief accounting officer Sameer Syed and Huntress’s director of accounting operations Ken Liu, highlighted the shift from automating isolated...