My Wife’s Brother Never Claimed His Part of Their Mother's Estate. What Do We Do Now?
Edward is assisting his wife with her brother’s estate in New Brunswick after the brother never filed paperwork to claim his late mother’s life‑insurance proceeds and stock accounts. The brother died intestate, leaving no will or appointed executor, which triggers provincial intestacy rules to determine a court‑appointed estate representative. Insurance benefits and securities are typically payable to the deceased’s estate, requiring probate or an estate certificate before distribution. Legal advice is needed to navigate probate, tax clearance, and potential creditor claims before assets can be transferred to the sister.
Brad Carr: Canada Needs to Cut the GST/HST for All New Homebuyers, Not Just First-Timers
Brad Carr, CEO of Mattamy Homes, urges the federal and Ontario governments to broaden the GST/HST rebate to all new‑home buyers, not just first‑timers. He points to a sharp decline in Canadian home sales—GTA sales fell 11.2% in 2025, with...
Venezuelan Democracy Needs Action, Not Cheap Talk
U.S. President Donald Trump announced a Venezuela policy that puts oil reconstruction ahead of democratic elections. In a Fox News interview he pledged at least $100 billion from American oil firms to rebuild the country’s oil infrastructure, with the United States...
19 Newly Overvalued Stocks This Month
Morningstar’s monthly screen flagged 19 Europe‑listed stocks as newly overvalued, moving them into the 2‑star range, while five stocks slipped to 1‑star. The largest‑cap 2‑star names are ASML, Siemens Energy, Rio Tinto, National Grid and Bayer, each trading at a...
Pre-Market IV Report February 20, 2026
The pre‑market implied volatility (IV) report highlights a sharp rise in IV for energy‑related ETFs and stocks as WTI crude climbs above $66, while airlines show elevated IV but balanced call‑put ratios. Unusual option activity spikes on commodities such as...
A New Iranian Revolution?
Iran’s economy is spiraling under soaring inflation, unemployment and renewed U.S. sanctions, stoking widespread public discontent. The Islamic Republic faces a legitimacy crisis that could trigger either systemic reform or outright collapse. Analysts warn that without a shift toward moderate...
Stories of the Week: Unemployment, Industry Consolidation, and Semi-Liquid Funds
This week’s investment roundup highlighted three interlinked themes: a resurgence in unemployment, accelerating consolidation among asset‑management firms, and a surge in semi‑liquid fund inflows. Unemployment edged to 5.2% in Q4 2025, prompting managers to boost cash buffers and reassess risk models....
BofA Says U.S. Stocks Draw Lowest Share Of Global Flows Since 2020
At Long Last, Being Underweight Tech Is A Winning Stock Strategy
WDI May Benefit From Shifting Interest Rate Policy
Western Asset Diversified Income Fund (WDI) trades at a 3.04% discount to NAV and offers a 12.41% yield, positioning it as a high‑yield income vehicle. The fund’s portfolio is heavily weighted toward high‑yield corporate bonds and a sizable floating‑rate component,...
Blue Owl Sold Private Loans To Pension Giants And Own Insurer
Blue Owl Capital secured four buyers for a $1.4 billion private‑loan portfolio to meet a looming cash‑return deadline in one of its credit funds. The purchasers include three of North America’s largest pension funds and Blue Owl’s own insurer, Kuvare. The...
Brazil Imposes Anti-Dumping Duties on Chinese Steel
Brazil’s foreign trade committee approved five‑year anti‑dumping duties on a wide range of Chinese steel products after a 2024 investigation revealed pricing below market levels. The duties range from US$323 to US$670 per ton for cold‑rolled coil and US$285 to...
Anglo Takes $2.3bn Hit on De Beers as Gem Destock Continues
Anglo American reported a 66% plunge in basic underlying earnings per share, driven by a $511 million EBITDA loss at De Beers and a $2.3 billion impairment on its stake. The loss stemmed largely from "stock balancing initiatives" that forced the company to...
Philippine Fast-Moving Consumer Goods Spending Growth Seen Slowing in 2026—Study
The Worldpanel by Numerator report projects Philippine FMCG spending to grow only 3‑4% in 2026, a sharp deceleration from last year’s 5.2% rise. The slowdown reflects weaker GDP growth, now seen at 5.3% versus an earlier 6% estimate, and higher...
Lesotho’s High-Altitude Bet: Can Tourism Infrastructure Turn a Mountain Kingdom Into an Investment Destination?
Lesotho is repositioning tourism as an infrastructure‑finance engine, using public‑private partnerships to attract private capital and extend visitor stays. The flagship Katse Tourist Village aims to turn a major reservoir into an eco‑destination that spurs roads, utilities and local supply...
Local Contractor Wins $143m Jeddah Sewage Contracts
Saudi Arabia’s National Water Company awarded two sewage‑network contracts worth SR 536.3 million ($143 million) to local contractor Civil Works Company. The contracts, spanning 32 months, will upgrade pipelines and tunnels across northern Jeddah, covering neighborhoods such as Al‑Bashair, Al‑Asala, Al‑Falah and Al‑Hamdaniya....
Regional Infrastructure Demands Robust PPPs
Lamar Holding CEO Lina Noureddin told MEED that the Middle East’s infrastructure surge is increasingly reliant on public‑private partnerships to close financing gaps. She highlighted that robust PPP frameworks, clear regulatory guarantees and risk‑sharing models are essential for attracting institutional...
Saudi Arabia Prequalifies Firms for Gas Transmission Grids
Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry announced the pre‑qualification of eight standalone firms and seven consortia to design, build, own and operate natural‑gas transmission grids in five key industrial cities. The BOO scheme targets Al‑Kharj, Sudair, and three Jeddah industrial zones, with...
US-India Trade Marathon Eyes April Finish Line
India and the United States are moving toward an interim trade agreement that is expected to be signed in April, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal announced. Negotiators will convene in Washington from Feb 23 to finalize the legal text, converting a...
E Vehicle Infrastructure Financing for High Growth
Vietnam aims to host one million electric vehicles by 2030, rising to 3.5 million by 2040, creating a clear need for 100,000‑350,000 public chargers. The paper argues that a shift from a single‑operator, brand‑specific network to an open, interoperable ecosystem will...
FX Daily: EUR/USD Can Fall to 1.16 on Further Iran Escalation
Rising US‑Iran tensions are boosting the dollar as oil prices climb, reviving its safe‑haven appeal. The market now assigns a 60% probability to a US strike on Iran, which could lift Brent to $75‑76 and push EUR/USD down toward 1.16....
Economic Factors and Themes to Be Mindful Of
Investors face heightened global volatility in 2026 as leading central banks diverge—while the Fed and BoE continue rate cuts, the ECB sits near neutral and the BoJ tightens. Geopolitical flashpoints around the United States add safe‑haven demand, further weakening the...
Danang Positioned as Crucial Economic Hub for Central Vietnam
Danang’s 2045 master plan re‑imagines the city as a megacity and international financial centre, integrating coastal, mountainous and border zones. The Danang International Financial Centre (IFC) began operations in early 2026, focusing on digital finance, asset tokenisation and green‑finance solutions....
Dollar Firm as Iran Tensions Lift Oil, Markets Turn Cautious
The U.S. dollar stayed firm in quiet Asian markets while heightened Iran‑U.S. tensions pushed WTI crude above $67, its highest level since last August. Gold and silver edged higher but lacked sustained buying, reflecting selective hedging. Meanwhile, the UK reported...
Southeast Asia Braces for 'Increasing Divergence' After Mixed 2025 Growth
2025 saw Southeast Asia split between export‑driven growth and contraction. Vietnam and Singapore recorded strong export gains despite U.S. tariff volatility, while the Philippines and Thailand were battered by severe weather events and political instability, dragging their economies down. The...
Japanese Market 'More Dynamic' Than London, Says Apollo CEO
Apollo Global Management’s CEO Marc Rowan told Nikkei that Japan’s corporate finance market is becoming more dynamic than London’s, prompting Apollo to expand its private‑credit platform in the country. He highlighted the need for long‑dated funding to support infrastructure, energy...
COMMENT: Myanmar’s Fragile Post‑election Balancing Act
Myanmar’s December‑January 2025‑26 election was conducted solely in areas under junta control, cementing the military’s claim to power while excluding large swaths of the population. The vote did little to curb the civil war, as resistance forces—including the People’s Defence...
All Global Experiences Useful for Vietnam S International Financial Hub
Vietnam aims to build an international financial centre by drawing on global precedents such as Dubai’s DIFC, China’s Shenzhen and Hangzhou, and Kazakhstan’s AIFC. Experts stress that independent, long‑term regulation, niche specialization in digital and green finance, and adaptive legal...
Raised Ties Reaffirm Strategic Trust
Vietnam and the United Kingdom have upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, the highest tier in Vietnam’s foreign‑policy framework. The deal follows Party General Secretary To Lam’s October visit to Britain and opens cooperation in politics, security, trade, education...
Meta Faces Probe Across 21 African Markets
Meta Platforms is under a COMESA investigation for altering WhatsApp Business API terms that favor its own AI tools, raising competition concerns across 21 African markets. In Nigeria, fintech Risevest secured a Securities and Exchange Commission fund‑manager licence after restructuring,...
IFOREX IPO Prospectus Details: Revenues $49M, EBITDA $4M
iFOREX listed on the London Stock Exchange at a £43.3 million valuation, equating to roughly 1.1× 2025 revenue and 19.4× earnings. The broker reported $55.1 million revenue and $3.0 million profit for the twelve months to June 2025, down sharply from its 2022 peak....
India Sets ₹25,000 Crore Export Engine in Motion as Goyal Launches Plan
India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal launched the ₹25,060‑crore Export Promotion Mission (EPM), a six‑year programme designed to boost outbound shipments and simplify export processes. The initiative consolidates multiple support schemes into a single, digitally driven framework aimed at micro, small...
Navios Lines up $134m Capesize Duo
Navios Maritime Partners announced two long‑term bareboat‑in contracts for Japanese‑built capesize vessels, with purchase options valued at roughly $134.3 million and an effective 6% interest rate. The ships, fitted with scrubbers, are slated to join the fleet in late 2028 and...
Five Things to Know to Start Your Day
Nigeria's federal government ordered ministries to defer 70% of the 2025 capital budget to 2026, limiting new projects to prioritize existing ones amid weak revenues. The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission raided former Kaduna governor Nasir El‑Rufai’s Abuja home as he remains...
Strong Manufacturing Growth Lifts Flash PMI to Three-Month High of 59.3 in Feb
India’s flash Composite PMI rose to 59.3 in February, its strongest level in three months, driven by a surge in manufacturing activity. Total new orders grew at the fastest pace since November, pushing output to a four‑month high, while services...
Before the Ladder: Fixing Nigeria’s Broken Education Floor
Nigeria’s education system remains a fragile floor, with over 18 million children out of school and a majority of 10‑year‑olds unable to read basic texts. Public primary schools often lack essential infrastructure such as classrooms, furniture, sanitation, and reliable electricity, while...
Adani Power Limited Enters Nuclear Segment as India Opens Sector
Adani Power Limited has created a wholly‑owned subsidiary, Adani Atomic Energy Limited, to enter India’s nuclear power generation market. The move follows the Indian government’s SHANTI Bill, which relaxes licensing and permits controlled private participation in nuclear projects. The new...
Virtus Newfleet Multi-Sector Bond ETF Q4 2025 Commentary
The Virtus Newfleet Multi‑Sector Bond ETF posted a 1.64% NAV return in Q4 2025, beating the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index’s 1.10% gain. The fund’s deliberate underweight to U.S. Treasuries captured excess returns as spread‑rich sectors outperformed. Management continued to fine‑tune...
Red Lines and the Reshaping of Asia’s Maritime Order
Former Chinese Vice‑Foreign Minister Fu Ying warned that the Philippines’ attempts to occupy Second Thomas Shoal and Sabina Shoal cross a newly articulated Chinese “red line.” The warning was backed by a June 2024 incident in which China Coast Guard vessels...
Africa Needs Patient Capital for the Long Term
Africa’s growth potential is hampered by a $350 billion SME financing gap and annual infrastructure needs of $130‑170 billion, far exceeding current investment. While the continent’s population tops 1.5 billion and GDP surpasses $3 trillion, capital flows remain fragmented and short‑term. The article argues...
PENGASSAN Warns Tinubu’s Order on NNPC Revenues Could Lead to Job Losses
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) warned that President Bola Tinubu’s February 18 executive order, which channels oil and gas revenues directly into the federation account, undermines the financial autonomy granted to NNPC Limited under the...
Samsung Electronics, KT Hit Record 6G Speeds in 7GHz Band
Samsung Electronics, Korean carrier KT and test‑equipment firm Keysight reported a record 3 Gbps downlink in the 7 GHz band, a core frequency earmarked for 6G. The speed was achieved using a prototype base station with massive MIMO architecture that transmitted eight...
GLD: My Second-Largest Portfolio Position, On Path To Become My Largest Holding
GLD remains a buy as its fundamentals stay strong despite recent price swings. The SPDR Gold Shares ETF has generated nearly a ten‑fold return since inception and now manages over $174 billion backed by 1,080 tonnes of gold. Retail physical‑gold sales are...
Google Bigger than India GDP? Sanjeev Bikhchandani Exposes the Flaw in that Viral Claim
A viral post claimed Google’s $4 trillion market capitalisation exceeds India’s GDP, prompting entrepreneur Sanjeev Bikhchandani to debunk the analogy. He explained that market cap is a stock measure reflecting investor expectations, while GDP is a flow metric tracking annual economic...
Pax Silica Pact: India Plugs Into US Tech Alliance to Secure Chips, AI and Critical Minerals
India signed the Pax Silica Declaration at the India AI Impact Summit, formally joining the U.S.-led technology coalition that spans semiconductors, artificial intelligence and critical minerals. The pact reinforces a full‑stack supply‑chain partnership aimed at reducing reliance on hostile or coercive...
Could Medical Care Help Cure China’s Services Trade Deficit?
China’s medical tourism is gaining traction as foreign patients praise rapid, affordable care in megacities like Shanghai and Beijing. While the absolute number of inbound patients remains modest, industry insiders see a growing pipeline driven by visa‑free entry, expanding international...
Why Global Capital Is Looking at India Differently This Year
India’s economy is gaining traction through robust digital public infrastructure and maturing regulatory frameworks, positioning it as a distinct asset class for global investors. The latest Union Budget underscores this shift by offering a 20‑year tax holiday and a flat...
China’s Submarine Surge Testing Pacific’s Undersea Balance
China’s nuclear‑submarine production has accelerated dramatically, with the Bohai shipyard launching more hulls in 2021‑25 than the entire previous decade and overtaking the United States in annual launches for the first time. The yard now produces roughly two Type‑093B attack...
$2.4B AUM Wells Fargo Team Launches Jacksonville, Fla., RIA
US Market | Credit Concerns Mount: Blue Owl Shake-Up Weighs on US Financial Stocks
Blue Owl Capital announced the sale of $1.4 billion of assets across three credit funds and permanently halted redemptions in one fund to return capital and reduce leverage. The announcement triggered a broad sell‑off in listed alternative‑asset managers such as Apollo,...