When Space Businesses Should Accelerate Cash Burn, When to Improve
Space companies face a strategic choice between speeding up cash burn to capture market share and tightening spending to extend runway. The article outlines criteria such as revenue traction, funding environment, and technology readiness that dictate when aggressive spending is justified. It also highlights financial metrics—burn multiple, runway weeks, and capital efficiency—that signal a need to tighten budgets. Finally, it offers a decision framework for CEOs and investors to balance growth ambitions with fiscal discipline.
Fears that Basel III Regulations Could Penalise Africa
The Basel III regulatory package, delayed to a full 2027 rollout, tightens capital quality, leverage and liquidity requirements for banks worldwide. African banks risk higher capital costs because their sovereign debt is risk‑weighted more heavily, potentially limiting credit to the...

Financing the Global South’s Infrastructure Boom
Private participation in infrastructure across the Global South reached $100 billion in 2024, a 20% rise over the previous five‑year average. The article highlights India’s PPP surge, which drove infrastructure credit to over 15% of bank lending but also triggered an...

UK Unemployment Hits Highest Level Since 2021 – Will Interest Rate Cuts Follow?
The UK's unemployment rate rose to 5.2% in the three months to December 2025, the highest level since 2021, while wage growth slowed to 4.2% and job vacancies remained flat. Morgan Stanley research shows AI is already reshaping the labour market,...

Blackstone to Acquire Home Services Firm Champions Group From Odyssey
Blackstone announced a definitive agreement to acquire Champions Group, a leading home‑services provider, from Odyssey. The transaction includes a minority equity stake retained by Odyssey and the company’s management, ensuring continued alignment of interests. Financial terms were not disclosed, but...

MindBridge Announces Global Partnership with Genpact to Elevate Audit Analytics and Risk Consulting
MindBridge, an AI‑powered financial intelligence firm, announced a global partnership with Genpact to embed its analytics platform into Genpact’s Enterprise Risk Consulting engagements. The collaboration will allow Genpact to deliver full‑population risk scoring, anomaly detection, and continuous controls monitoring for...
Amwell Expects Lower Revenue in 2026
Amwell announced 2026 revenue guidance of $195 million to $205 million, down from $249.3 million in 2025, after divesting non‑core assets. The company has consolidated its offerings into a single, technology‑enabled care platform focused on SaaS and third‑party services. Executives said the streamlined...
NHAI Gets Rs 12,357 Cr Towards Monetisation for 2025-26; Lower than the Budgeted and Revised Estimate of Rs 15,000 Cr
India's National Highways Authority (NHAI) has been allocated Rs 12,357 crore for FY 2025‑26 to monetize highway assets, falling short of the Rs 15,000 crore budgeted amount. The agency plans to monetize 24 road assets covering 1,472 km, with Maharashtra receiving the highest number of projects....

L&G to Maintain Exposure to Catastrophe Bonds Despite Spread Tightening
Legal & General Investment Management will keep its catastrophe‑bond exposure despite recent spread compression. The firm’s portfolio, estimated at a minimum of $400 million, remains in diversified multi‑asset funds while it waits for more attractive entry points. Turner and Dietz note...
Convergence: Navigating the Blurred Lines Between Public and Private Credit
In a recent InsuranceAUM interview, Chris Gudmastad, Head of Private Credit, discusses the growing convergence between public and private credit markets. He highlights how blended financing structures are blurring traditional asset class boundaries and reshaping investment opportunities. The conversation underscores...

Jefferson Posts $201M Operating Loss in H1
Thomas Jefferson University, owner of Jefferson Health, posted a $201 million operating loss for the first half of fiscal 2026, reflecting a -2.3% operating margin. The loss includes $64.7 million in restructuring expenses tied to a planned layoff of roughly 650 employees....
T+1 Settlement: How Custody Tech Boosts Readiness
T+1 settlement forces firms to complete trade capture, confirmation, reconciliation and final settlement within one business day. The compressed timeline eliminates overnight buffers, exposing manual and batch‑based custody processes to heightened operational and liquidity risk. Automation and real‑time custody platforms...
Finance and Sales Teams Don’t Match up on Criteria for Deal Approvals
A CreditSafe survey of over 200 finance and sales leaders reveals a stark mismatch in deal‑approval criteria. While 49% of sales executives rate company size and revenue as very important, only 33% of finance leaders share that view, with finance...

Why Abu Dhabi’s Next Play Is Managing Other People’s Money
International Holding Co., the UAE’s largest listed conglomerate, has launched Judan Financial, an AI‑enabled platform that consolidates its financial services assets. Chaired by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, Judan is valued at $27 billion and will manage roughly $237 billion in assets. The...

Underwriting Spreads Rise in 2025
Underwriting spreads for municipal bonds rose again in 2025, reaching an average of $4.30 per $1,000, up from $4.23 in 2024. Negotiated‑deal spreads increased to $4.64 while competitive‑deal spreads fell to $1.78. The uptick coincides with record issuance volumes—$586 billion in...

International Business Briefs | Kennedy Wilson to Go Private in $1.5bn CEO-Led Deal
Kennedy Wilson agreed to a $1.5 bn CEO‑led buyout, offering a 10.2% premium and targeting a Q2 2026 close. Genuine Parts announced a split into two publicly traded entities—Automotive Parts Group and Industrial Parts Group—set to finalize in Q1 2027 after an activist‑driven settlement. Blackstone‑backed...
Beyond the Balance Sheet: Why the Future of Franchising Is Proactive, Not Passive
The Restaurant Innovation and Franchising Summit in San Diego will feature a session called “The Money Map: Navigating Your Franchise to Peak Profit,” urging operators to treat unit economics as a dynamic narrative rather than static spreadsheets. Panelists stress proactive...
IPO-Bound Kissht's NBFC Arm Gets Crisil Rating Upgrade on Strong Growth
Kissht’s NBFC subsidiary Si Creva Capital Services received a CRISIL rating upgrade, moving its long‑term rating to A‑/Stable and short‑term to A1. The upgrade follows a surge in assets under management, which climbed to Rs 5,533 crore by September 2025, driven by rapid expansion...

Broker’s Call: GMR Airports (Buy)
GMR Airports reported a structural earnings inflection in Q3FY26, driven by tariff‑led aero yield growth at Delhi and expanding non‑aero adjacency services. Net debt is expected to peak in FY26 before declining as EBITDA scales, supported by a projected 29%...

Side Letter: M&G’s Liquidity Play
M&G has introduced a side‑letter that leverages the secondary market to provide liquidity for its private‑equity commitments, allowing investors optional redemption windows while preserving long‑term value. The move comes as Q4 private‑equity exit volume fell below expectations, highlighting a slowdown...
SEALSQ Announces FY 2025 Key Preliminary / Unaudited Financials Metrics: Reports 66% Year Over Year Revenue Growth to $18 Million
SEALSQ Corp reported FY 2025 revenue of $18 million, a 66% year‑over‑year increase, while maintaining a cash balance above $425 million. The company posted a net loss of $30‑40 million, reflecting heightened R&D and integration expenses. It highlighted a $200 million plus business pipeline, including...
Kite Realty Group Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Operating Results and Provides 2026 Guidance
Kite Realty Group (KRG) posted a dramatic turnaround in 2025, reporting net income of $298.7 million ($1.37 per diluted share) versus $4.1 million the prior year. The REIT leased roughly 4.6 million sq ft at a 13.8% comparable cash‑leasing spread and entered two joint‑venture partnerships...
Cogent Biosciences Reports Recent Business Highlights and Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Financial Results
Cogent Biosciences announced that its lead drug bezuclastinib is on track for multiple FDA submissions in 2026, including NDAs for non‑advanced systemic mastocytosis (Non‑AdvSM), advanced SM (AdvSM) and second‑line GIST. The company reported $901 million in cash, sufficient to fund operations...

EToro Reports $868M Net Contribution for 2025, Funded Accounts Rise to 3.8 Million
eToro posted its first full‑year results as a public company, reporting a net contribution of $868 million, a 10% increase year over year, and GAAP net income of $216 million. Growth was driven by expanded stock, derivatives and ISA offerings, while crypto...

Affirm’s Move to Become a Bank Signals a Reconfiguration for the BaaS Industry and Beyond
Fintech lender Affirm announced plans to obtain a U.S. banking charter, a move that could reshape the banking‑as‑a‑service (BaaS) landscape. The filing comes as charter applications have surged, with 21 submissions in the first eight months of 2025—more than double...

Amundi Lists an ETF Dedicated to European Strategic Autonomy on Xetra
Amundi has launched a Luxembourg‑domiciled ETF that tracks the Euronext European Strategic Autonomy index, focusing on ten sectors deemed critical for Europe’s self‑sufficiency. The fund, listed on Xetra and also available in Paris, carries a 0.40% annualised total expense ratio...

Why Proof of Address Is Essential for KYC Compliance
Proof of address has become a cornerstone of Know Your Customer (KYC) compliance across banks, fintechs, and crypto platforms. Regulators such as the FATF and FCA require recent utility bills, bank statements, or government letters to verify a customer’s residence....
Fund Managers Alarmed over Corporate Spending Even as Optimism at Five-Year High
Fund managers are at a five‑year high of bullishness, yet a record share warn that corporate America is overspending on capital expenditures amid uncertain returns. In Bank of America’s February survey of 162 managers, cash balances rose in February, signaling...
UK Funds Remain Unloved Despite Impressive Year for FTSE 100
The FTSE 100 delivered a strong performance this year, climbing roughly 12% despite lingering macro uncertainties. Yet UK equity funds continued to see net outflows, with investors pulling about 15% less capital compared to the previous year. The reluctance stems...

Carlyle, BlackRock Buy Cheap Software Loans to Boost CLO Profits
Carlyle Group, BlackRock, Benefit Street Partners and Oak Hill Advisors are buying pools of low‑yield, software‑focused bank loans. The acquisitions are intended to seed new collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) after a year of compressed margins in the loan market. Buyers...
LSEG Partners with Bank of America to Unlock Next Generation Data, Analytics and AI Ready Content for Clients
London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) and Bank of America have entered a multi‑year partnership to embed LSEG’s data, analytics and workflow solutions across BofA’s platforms. The deal gives BofA clients governed, rights‑cleared data and AI‑ready content, powered by LSEG Workspace,...
Sporticast 528: MLS at a Crossroads
MLS franchise values have surged to an average of $767 million, driven by Inter Miami’s $1.45 billion valuation and LAFC’s $1.4 billion mark. At the lower end, clubs like CF Montréal sit at $430 million, with San Jose Earthquakes and Vancouver Whitecaps seeing year‑over‑year declines. The...
London Stock Exchange Celebrated Record-Breaking Birthday Year for ETPs in 2025
The London Stock Exchange marked a milestone 2025, delivering a record‑breaking year for exchange‑traded products (ETPs). Trading volume surged to GBP 238.4 billion, a 38% year‑on‑year increase, while 398 new listings pushed the total to 2,645 ETPs. The removal of the retail...
Operational Discipline in Streaming Is Now Non-Negotiable
Streaming operators are moving from growth‑focused strategies to strict cost discipline as subscriber acquisition slows and infrastructure expenses rise. Igor Oreper argues that profitability now depends on tightly controlled workflows, AI‑driven automation, and smarter cloud‑native architectures. He highlights concrete levers...

Toshiba Weighs Reducing Elevator Unit Stake as Kone Circles
Toshiba Corp. is weighing a partial or full divestiture of its roughly 80% stake in Toshiba Elevator & Building Systems, as Finland’s Kone Oyj signals renewed interest. Kone, which already owns just under 20% of the unit, has begun informal...
Kenya’s Arc Ride Secures $5 Million IFC Commitment for Regional Expansion
Kenyan e‑mobility startup Arc Ride has secured a $5 million equity commitment from the International Finance Corporation to fuel its Series A round and regional rollout. The funding will accelerate the deployment of battery‑swapping stations across East Africa, complementing earlier debt deals...
Olaf Sleijpen: Repairing the Vending Machine - How the Savings and Investment Union Is Key to Europe's Future
Olaf Sleijpen, governor of De Nederlandsche Bank, highlighted Europe’s €10 trillion of low‑yield household deposits and the need to channel them into productive capital markets through the Savings and Investment Union. He warned that fragmented insolvency regimes and national rules act...

Policy Paper: Applying the FSMA 2000 Model of Regulation to the Capital Requirements Regulation
HM Treasury’s 2025 policy update outlines a shift from the EU‑derived Capital Requirements Regulation to a UK‑specific framework built on the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. The Treasury will revoke parts of the CRR and replace them with rules...
4 Steps to Building Your Own Fintech
UK platforms Klipboard, Access Group, and Epos Now illustrate a four‑stage roadmap for building embedded finance. They begin by validating assumptions and launching embedded payments, then evolve payments into a core, cross‑functional capability. Next, they add complementary financial products such as...

CleanMax to Float ₹3,100 Crore IPO on Feb 23
CleanMax Enviro Energy Solutions announced a ₹3,100 crore IPO opening on Feb 23, with a price band of ₹1,000‑1,053 per share that values the company at up to ₹12,325 crore. The issue includes a ₹1,200 crore fresh issue and a ₹1,900 crore offer‑for‑sale by promoters,...

CFO Budgets Pivot to Growth and AI - Weekly Roundup: 17 February
CFOs are reallocating 2026 budgets toward revenue‑generating functions, technology and AI, while headcount growth and HR spending slow sharply. Nearly 60% of finance leaders plan to raise AI spend, echoing a broader trend of near‑universal AI adoption in financial services....

Mondrian Picks FundGuard to Update Investment Ledger
Mondrian, a European asset manager, has selected FundGuard’s cloud‑based investment ledger to replace its legacy accounting system. The new platform will provide real‑time transaction processing, automated regulatory reporting, and seamless integration with tokenisation workflows. Migration includes historic data transfer and...

Private Credit: Poised For Growth
Asia‑Pacific private credit is entering a rapid expansion phase, with issuance projected to rise from $59 billion in 2024 to $92 billion by 2027. Industry leaders such as SC Lowy and Moody’s cite digitalization, the energy transition, and infrastructure needs as primary catalysts,...

What CFOs Need From Banks and FinTechs in Cross-Border Payments
Cross‑border payments are undergoing a structural shift as CFOs demand more predictable, liquid, and compliant solutions. FinTech firms have accelerated speed and API‑driven usability, opening new corridors and transparent pricing. At the same time, banks are investing in modern settlement,...

DCM Shriram Industries’ Demerger Entities Debut on Bourses
DCM Shriram Industries completed its demerger, launching DCM Shriram Fine Chemicals Ltd and DCM Shriram International Ltd on Indian exchanges. Fine Chemicals opened around 17% below its issue price, while International fell about 18% on the NSE but edged up...
CESC Seeks KERC Nod to Bridge Revenue Deficit
Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC) has asked the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) to approve a plan that bridges a ₹528.1 crore net revenue deficit for FY 2024‑25. The shortfall stems from higher power procurement costs, rising finance expenses and a 5.8%...
Overseas and E-Commerce Payments to Be Made Easier in Ethiopia
The National Bank of Ethiopia announced sweeping foreign‑exchange reforms, letting exporters retain 100% of their foreign‑currency earnings in designated accounts and permitting banks to issue payment cards linked to those accounts. The minimum $100 requirement for foreign‑exchange savings accounts has...

Fibe Crosses Rs 1,200 Cr Revenue in FY25; Profit Spikes 13%
Fibe, the former EarlySalary, posted FY25 operating revenue of Rs 1,228 crore, a 49% increase from the prior year, while net profit rose 13% to Rs 114 crore. Interest on loans remained the dominant revenue stream, exceeding Rs 1,000 crore and representing over...

Blackstone and EQT to Acquire Spanish Waste Business Urbaser for €5.6bn
Blackstone and EQT have agreed to acquire Spain’s waste‑management firm Urbaser for an enterprise value of €5.6 billion. The purchase price reflects an 11‑times multiple of the company’s projected 2025 EBITDA, underscoring strong confidence in the sector’s cash flow generation. The...
How Recruitment Funding Really Works (Beyond the Percentage)
Recruitment agencies often focus on headline funding percentages, but the true cost is driven by how funding behaves under real‑world conditions. Factors such as debt protection activation, margin release timing, invoice aging, credit limits, and ancillary charges shape cash‑flow stability...