Garry Marr: Home Buyers' Plan Was Invitation to Disaster for Young Canadians Who Bought at Market Peak
The Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP), which lets Canadians withdraw up to $60,000 from their RRSPs for a first‑home down payment, was widely promoted as a tax‑free shortcut to homeownership. However, buyers who entered the market at the March 2022 peak of $816,720 now face a 17% drop in home values, turning those withdrawals into a financial loss. While the program once delivered strong equity gains, the recent market correction exposes the risk of tying retirement savings to a volatile asset class. Experts now urge younger buyers to consider the newer First Home Savings Account (FHSA) as a safer alternative.
David Ramsden: The Evolution of the Bank's Approach to Resolution
Sir David Ramsden, Deputy Governor for Markets and Banking at the Bank of England, outlined how the regulator’s resolution framework has changed since the 2023 failures of Silicon Valley Bank UK and Credit Suisse. He emphasized a shift toward greater...
Long-Term Trade-Offs of Agrivoltaics on Pear Farming
A four‑year study in Victoria, Australia examined overhead solar panels in a blush‑pear orchard. The agrivoltaic systems cut sunburn and hail damage and boosted energy output, especially with a 5° west tilt that produced about 10% more electricity. However, shading...
REX Shares Launches T-REX 2X FIGR (FGRU) & 2X APH (APHU) ETFs
REX Shares and Tuttle Capital have launched two new leveraged ETFs—FGRU, which seeks 200% of Figure Technology Solutions’ daily performance, and APHU, which targets 200% of Amphenol’s daily performance. Both funds provide the first 2x long exposure to these single...
Rupee Rises 5 Paise to Close at 90.67 Against US Dollar
The Indian rupee edged higher, closing at a provisional 90.67 per U.S. dollar, up five paise on the day. The modest gain was driven by fresh foreign fund inflows and a buoyant domestic equity market, which saw the Sensex climb...
India Relaxes Chinese Equipment Import Curbs for Power, Coal Amid Project Delays
India has begun easing its 2020‑era restrictions on Chinese equipment, allowing state‑run power companies to import limited transmission components and considering similar exemptions for coal‑sector gear. The move responds to mounting shortages and project delays that threaten the country’s ambitious...
Russell Investments Expands Canadian ETF Lineup With Five New Offerings
Russell Investments Canada Limited announced the launch of five new exchange‑traded funds on the Toronto Stock Exchange, adding two fixed‑income products (HALO and RBND) and three multi‑factor equity funds (RQCA, RQUS, RQIN). The fixed‑income ETFs carry a 0.35% management fee,...
Is the U.S. Tax Code Anti-Feminist?
The article argues that the U.S. tax code is not gender‑neutral and often reinforces existing power imbalances. Professor Bridget J. Crawford and co‑author Anthony C. Infanti have examined this bias by editing a book that rewrites tax‑related judicial decisions through...
Microsoft on Pace to Invest $50B Into AI for Global South
Microsoft announced a $50 billion commitment to accelerate artificial‑intelligence adoption across the Global South by 2030. The plan, unveiled at the India AI Impact Summit, follows a five‑pronged approach covering infrastructure, skills training, multilingual models, local innovation and impact measurement. Microsoft...
SBI Funds Management Plans $1.5 Billion IPO in March
India’s largest asset manager, SBI Funds Management, is preparing to file a draft prospectus for an IPO in March that could raise up to $1.5 billion, targeting a valuation near $15 billion. The offering would represent roughly a 10% stake held jointly...
Collegium Pharmaceutical, Inc. (COLL) Gains Momentum on Jornay PM, Truist Highlights Robust Pain Portfolio
Collegium Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ:COLL) saw Truist Securities lift its price target to $58 and reaffirm a Buy rating, citing a strong pain‑management portfolio and growing momentum for its extended‑release opioid, Jornay PM. The company released its 2026 outlook, projecting total product revenue...
Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AMRX) Added to S&P SmallCap 600 Index, Boosting Investor Visibility
Amneal Pharmaceuticals (AMRX) was added to the S&P SmallCap 600 Index on Jan. 29, giving the company heightened investor exposure. JP Morgan subsequently raised its price target by $4 while keeping a Buy rating, signaling analyst confidence. The firm also announced a...
Yangzijiang Maritime to Hold EGM on Mar 6 on Proposed Share Buyback
Yangzijiang Maritime announced an extraordinary general meeting on 6 March to seek approval for a share‑buyback program covering up to 10% of its issued stock, roughly 348.9 million shares. The company set price caps of 105% for on‑market purchases and 120% for...
Bank of America Cites Zoetis Inc.’s (ZTS) Strong Q4 Performance and Fiscal 2026 Outlook
Bank of America raised its price target for Zoetis Inc. (ZTS) to $140 from $135 while maintaining a Neutral rating, citing the company’s strong fourth‑quarter 2025 results and an upbeat fiscal 2026 outlook. Zoetis reported adjusted EPS of $1.48, topping...
ECB and ONCE Foundation Launch Collaboration to Ensure Digital Euro Is Accessible for Everyone
The European Central Bank has signed a collaboration agreement with Spain’s ONCE Foundation to make the digital euro app universally accessible, especially for people with disabilities, older adults, and those with limited digital skills. The foundation will provide technical advice,...
Alberto Naudon: Chile's Economic Outlook
Alberto Naudon, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Chile, highlighted that 2025 delivered stronger‑than‑expected growth, with non‑mining activity expanding close to 3% and gross fixed capital formation rising about 7% driven by mining and energy projects. Inflation accelerated early...
Book Review: How Africa Works by Joe Studwell
Joe Studwell’s new book “How Africa Works” asks why the continent remains poor and outlines policies that could accelerate growth, emphasizing agriculture, demographics, and the “enclave effect” of resource extraction. He profiles four early‑movers—Botswana, Mauritius, Ethiopia, and Rwanda—showing how targeted...
Bumi Resources Minerals Says Palu Operations Unaffected by Site Closure
Bumi Resources Minerals (BRM) confirmed that the government‑ordered closure of a contested gold mine in its Palu concession will not disrupt its core operations because the site was never active. The enforcement action targeted an area where illegal miners had...
Debtwire Middle-Market – 2/16/2026
The VanEck BDC Income ETF is yielding 12.3% as of 12 February, just below its five‑year high of 12.8% reached in April 2025. In contrast, the BofA Merrill Lynch US High Yield index has slipped to 6.6%, down from an 8.5%...
FTSE 100 Live: Inflation Falls to Near Year-Low; BAE Leads Stock Rally
UK inflation eased to a near‑year low, with the CPI falling to 3% year‑on‑year in January 2026, down from 3.4% in December. The slowdown, driven by lower petrol, airfares and food prices, has revived expectations that the Bank of England...
SEC Moves to Toughen Standards for Philippine Corporate Directors
The Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued a draft memorandum circular proposing stricter training requirements for corporate directors and senior executives. The new framework mandates a comprehensive curriculum that incorporates OECD corporate governance principles, the ASEAN Governance Scorecard,...
Cambodia Extends Tax Incentives for the Tourism Businesses in Siem Reap, Supporting Sector Recovery, Long-Term Growth and Regional Tourism Development
Cambodia’s government has extended tax incentives for tourism businesses in Siem Reap until the end of 2026, offering income‑tax exemptions and monthly tax relief (excluding VAT and accommodation tax). The measure targets hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and travel agencies, aiming to...
AFP Backs Increased US Missile Deployments to Manila for Enhanced Regional Defense Posture
The Armed Forces of the Philippines publicly endorsed the United States’ plan to expand missile and unmanned system deployments following the 12th Philippines‑U.S. Bilateral Strategic Dialogue. The agreement includes the Typhon mid‑range missile launcher and the Navy‑Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction...
AboitizPower Agrees to Supply 30 Megawatts to Negros Cooperative
Aboitiz Power Corp. will supply Northern Negros Electric Cooperative (Noneco) with 30 MW of electricity, combining 10 MW of solar generation and 20 MW of baseload power. The mixed supply aims to meet rising demand in the cooperative’s franchise area while smoothing the...
How Japan Should Respond to Trump’s Project Vault
The Trump administration’s Project Vault earmarks about $12 billion to create a U.S. Strategic Critical Minerals Reserve, a public‑private partnership that purchases, stores and manages a diversified portfolio of essential raw materials. Japan’s current METI‑JOGMEC approach evaluates projects individually, which could...
Japan to Offer Support for Exports of Flexible Perovskite Solar Cells
Japan announced a new subsidy scheme to support overseas installations of flexible perovskite solar cells, aiming to accelerate the export of its homegrown renewable‑energy technology. The program targets projects in Southeast Asia, with Indonesia and Thailand identified as early beneficiaries....
Overseas Investors Tap Brakes on JGB Selling Post-Election
The Liberal Democratic Party’s landslide victory in Japan’s snap election has steadied the government‑bond market, halting a sharp rise in long‑term yields. Foreign institutional investors, who had been offloading JGBs, have paused sales and begun modest buying. Domestic investors are...
Hong Kong Plots Student Housing Buildup as Land Revenue Shrinks
Hong Kong’s government has earmarked the Kai Tak commercial site for student housing, marking the first use of open‑market land sales to spur such development. The move aims to offset shrinking land‑sale revenue while addressing a surge of mainland and other...
Vietnam Tackles Gold Fever with Black Market Crackdown
Vietnam has introduced fines of up to $12,000 to deter illicit gold trading, marking a decisive shift after ending a 13‑year state monopoly on gold production and sales. The new penalties target black‑market dealers and unlicensed jewelers, aiming to bring...
APSEZ Signs MoU with French Port to Deepen Cooperation on Trade Facilitation
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with France’s Port of Marseille Fos to deepen cooperation on trade facilitation, port innovation and energy transition. The pact will create an IMEC Ports Club to coordinate the...
India–US Deal Under Fire as Kisan Bodies Call It ‘Anti-Farmer’, Urge President to Stop It
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has condemned the interim India‑US trade agreement, branding it anti‑farmer and urging President Droupadi Murmu to halt its signing. The coalition demanded the removal of the commerce minister and the IAS officer who signed a...
Why Indonesia Is All-In on Trump’s Board of Peace
Indonesia’s president, Prabowo Subianto, will attend the inaugural Trump Board of Peace meeting and has pledged up to 8,000 troops for a humanitarian peacekeeping mission in Gaza, with 1,000 ready by April and the remainder by June. The offer is...
OPR and ‘The Doorman Fallacy’
The Order Protection Rule (OPR), a core element of Reg NMS, obliges U.S. exchanges to route orders to the venue displaying the national best bid or offer (NBBO). Since its adoption, the rule has spawned 17 protected exchanges, many with...
Stop Overpaying For PDI
The PIMCO Dynamic Income Fund (PDI) is trading at roughly a 12% premium to its net asset value, delivering a near‑14% yield and monthly distributions. While its strong distribution history appeals to income investors, the fund’s leverage and sensitivity to...
The Norwegian Group Delivers Record Results for 2025 and Increases Dividend
The Norwegian Group posted a record operating profit of NOK 3.732 billion for 2025, the highest in its history, and a NOK 21 million EBIT in Q4 after a loss the previous year. Passenger traffic rose to 27.3 million for the full year, with Norwegian’s...
MQ-9 Drones Sharpen US Eye on China’s Pacific Moves
The United States is deploying and upgrading MQ‑9 Reaper drones across the Indo‑Pacific, stationing them at bases in Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and other locations. The expansion creates a persistent ISR web that allies such as Japan, Taiwan and...
From Slump to Surge: Renault Korea’s Strategic Turnaround
Renault Korea has reversed a sales slump by launching the Aurora Project and a hybrid‑first Grand Koleos, boosting domestic sales 31.3% to 52,271 units in 2025. The model’s 86.5% hybrid mix drove 40,877 domestic deliveries, while exports dropped 46.7%, signalling a...
Building Roads While Travelling Nowhere
Nigeria’s states received a record N33.27 trillion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee between January and November 2025, far exceeding the N25.46 trillion allocated in 2024. Despite the surge, per‑capita spending on health and education remains dismally low, with implementation rates of only...
55 Years of Partnership and the New Dawn in China–Nigeria Bilateral Relations
China and Nigeria celebrated 55 years of diplomatic ties, marking a shift toward deeper economic integration. The partnership, upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in September 2024, now emphasizes higher‑value trade and industrial transformation. A new Zero‑Tariff Agreement grants qualifying...
US Market | Inflation, AI and Hiring Trends in Focus as Fed's Mary Daly Outlines Policy Priorities
San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly warned that while artificial intelligence could eventually lift productivity, the Federal Reserve must still ensure inflation moves sustainably lower. She highlighted the limited macro evidence of an AI‑driven productivity surge and cautioned that narrow...
BIBL: Biblical Values-Focused Strategy Outperforming In 2026 Has Disadvantages, A Hold
The Inspire 100 ETF (BIBL) offers exposure to 100 U.S. large‑cap companies screened for biblical alignment. In 2026 the fund outperformed the S&P 500 benchmark IVV, largely because of a heavier tilt toward cyclical sectors and zero allocation to communications. Over the...
Dilip Buildcon Shares Rally 4% as Lowest Bidder for Rs 702 Crore Gujarat Flood Control Project
Dilip Buildcon was named the lowest bidder (L‑1) for Gujarat's ₹702 crore flood‑control project on the Narmada River. The EPC‑based contract spans 24 months and adds a significant order to the company's pipeline. Shares rallied about 4% after the announcement, trading...
India’s AIF Industry Crosses Rs 15 Lakh Crore as Domestic Capital & Liquidity Reshape Private Markets
India’s alternative investment fund (AIF) sector has crossed the ₹15.05 lakh crore mark, underscoring rapid scale and emerging maturity. Equity‑oriented AIFs have delivered roughly 8.7 % alpha over the BSE Sensex across multiple cycles, highlighting consistent outperformance. Domestic investors now contribute about 55 %...
Infosys Shares in Focus on AI-First Framework to Capture $400 Bn Services Opportunity. What Are Brokerages Saying?
Infosys unveiled its AI‑first value framework, Topaz, aimed at capturing a $300‑$400 billion services opportunity by 2030. The platform is already embedded in 90 % of its top 200 clients, contributing 5.5 % of revenue, and supports new partnerships such as Infosys‑Cognition and...
LIC's Rs 17.5 Lakh Crore Portfolio Goes Against the Wind: IT Stocks in, Banks Out
Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), the nation’s largest domestic institutional investor, dramatically re‑balanced its ₹17.83 lakh crore portfolio in the December quarter. It poured roughly ₹5.4 billion into top IT names – TCS, HCL Technologies and Coforge – lifting IT holdings from...
Netweb Tech Shares Jump 4% After Launch of ‘Make in India’ AI Supercomputing Systems Powered by NVIDIA
Netweb Technologies India announced its ‘Make in India’ AI supercomputing portfolio, featuring the desktop‑sized Tyrone Camarero Spark and the larger GB200 system built on NVIDIA’s Blackwell‑Grace architecture. The Spark delivers 1 petaflop of AI performance with 128 GB unified memory, while the...
Nigeria’s Oil Firms Survive on $7 per Barrel as Insecurity Tames Profit
Nigeria’s indigenous oil producers are surviving on razor‑thin margins of $5‑7 per barrel despite crude prices hovering around $70. Production costs sit near $40 per barrel, but spiralling security expenses and operational losses from theft and pipeline vandalism push total...
Leveraged Loan Insight & Analysis – 2/16/2026
Business development companies (BDCs) have seen their share price to net asset value (NAV) ratios slip lower as investors anticipate reduced base rates and grapple with heightened software sector exposure. The average price‑to‑NAV now sits below 95%, reflecting a widening...
KCE: Not So Convinced By The AI Scare
The Valkyrie Trading Society argues that the State Street SPDR S&P Capital Markets ETF (KCE) is not materially threatened by the recent AI‑scare or large‑language‑model automation. While asset‑management revenues are already pressured by passive‑investment competition, AI is unlikely to accelerate...
Westpac: China Must Shift to Proactive Policy in 2026 to Sustain Growth
China met its official 5.0% GDP target in 2025, largely on the back of robust export growth to Asia, Europe and Latin America. Manufacturing investment, particularly in electric vehicles and electronics, remained resilient, while overall fixed‑asset investment fell 3.8% and...