New Rules for M&A Financing, Loans Against Shares
The Reserve Bank of India issued final guidelines allowing banks to fund acquisitions only when the acquirer already controls the target and seeks to increase its stake from 26% to 90%. Borrowers must have at least ₹500 crore net worth, three years of profit and, if unlisted, an investment‑grade rating. The bank‑level ceiling for acquisition finance rose to 20% of eligible capital, and retail loan limits against shares were lifted to ₹1 crore with higher LTV ratios for various securities. The rules take effect on April 1, 2026.
Trade Pacts Will Open New Markets & Won't Hurt Farmers, Assures Chirag Paswan
India’s decade‑long reform agenda, highlighted by UPI, GST and digital payment schemes, is now bearing fruit, according to Food Processing Minister Chirag Paswan. New free‑trade agreements, especially the pending pact with the United States, are expected to unlock fresh export...
Stars Are Aligning for Energy Stocks: How Active Can Help
Energy stocks are enjoying a robust start to 2026, driven by rising data‑center power demand and deregulation. The T. Rowe Price Natural Resources ETF (TURF), an active fund launched in June 2025, posted a 13% year‑to‑date gain and a 23.2% return over...
California Sees Healthy Demand for Water System Revenue Bonds
California’s Department of Water Resources issued a $546 million Central Valley Project water‑revenue bond under a new 2026 resolution, reporting a 4.14 % all‑in true interest cost. The 5 % coupon bonds carry yields from 1.70 % to 4.27 % and mature between 2027 and...
ACES Positions for $1.4T Grid Upgrade Wave
The ALPS Clean Energy ETF (ACES) is positioned to profit from a $1.4 trillion U.S. grid‑modernization program slated through 2030, as utilities boost capital spending 12% in 2025 and are expected to increase it another 6% in 2026. Roughly 40% of...
Stable Money Leads Gold & Silver ETF Surge on ONDC as Investors Turn to Safe, Regulated Products
Stable Money reported record transaction volumes in gold and silver ETFs as Indian investors gravitate toward SEBI‑regulated products amid near‑record precious‑metal prices. The platform now handles over 95% of mutual‑fund trades on the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), reflecting...
Lithuania Could Break EU Ranks Over Critical Minerals Deal
Lithuania warned it may negotiate a stand‑alone critical minerals agreement with the United States if the European Union fails to deliver a bloc‑wide pact promptly. The move aims to secure rare‑earths, battery metals and other strategic inputs for its defense...
Austin Bond-Related Cases Seek Texas High Court Rulings
Austin’s $1.6 billion convention‑center replacement, financed mainly through revenue bonds, has entered a legal showdown at the Texas Supreme Court. Petitioners seeking to halt demolition argue the city clerk’s signature count fell short, while the city maintains the count was accurate....
Mitigate Concentration Risk in Tech, Energy With RSPT & RSPG
In a volatile market, Invesco’s equal‑weight ETFs RSPT and RSPG offer sector exposure while limiting concentration risk. Both funds track S&P 500 equal‑weight indexes, giving roughly 1.5‑2% weight to each constituent instead of the 40% dominance seen in cap‑weighted peers like...
Instacart Jumps 7% on Strong Results as CEO Calls Grocery Competition Fears 'Overblown'
Instacart reported fourth‑quarter revenue that beat expectations and a 14% rise in gross transaction value, its strongest growth in three years. Orders reached 89.5 million, surpassing StreetAccount forecasts, and the company projected GTV of $10.13‑$10.28 billion for the year, above analyst estimates....
Midday Cash Livestock Markets
Midday cash cattle markets stayed quiet, with Nebraska bids at $238 live and Texas asking $245‑247 live but little action. At Wheeler Livestock Auction, steers under 650 lb rose $5‑16 while larger steers held steady and heifers showed mixed price moves....
Friday's ETF with Unusual Volume: MKTN
The Federated Hermes MDT Market Neutral ETF (MKTN) saw unusually high trading activity on Friday, with 295,000 shares changing hands—about seven times its three‑month average volume. The fund’s price rose roughly 0.7% during the session. Among its top holdings, Intel...
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Add New Rate Buydown Disclosures
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will begin reporting loan‑level interest‑rate buydown information as a new attribute, L‑117, starting April 20 for MBS issued on or after May 1. The disclosures classify loans into five categories—moderate, significant, other, not applicable, and not available—using...
The Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway: Still Growing 8 Years Later
Eight years after its 2018 launch, the Addis Ababa‑Djibouti Railway has become a fully Ethiopian‑Djiboutian‑run, electrified corridor linking land‑locked Ethiopia to the Port of Djibouti. Management shifted from China Railway Construction Corporation to the two governments in May 2024, and Djibouti’s top...
Cash Dairy Prices End Week Mostly Steady
Cash dairy prices were largely unchanged on Friday, with most commodities holding steady on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Butter slipped $0.03 to $1.7050 per pound after Thursday’s gain, while nonfat dry milk edged up $0.0025 to $1.60. Dry whey, 40‑pound...
Analyst Report: Altria Group Inc.
Altria Group, a legacy tobacco conglomerate, is confronting a shrinking base of smokers, which is pressuring its traditional cigarette revenues. The company’s core brands include Philip Morris USA and John Middleton cigars, while its smoke‑free portfolio features NJOY, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco and...
Carbon — In Focus: EU ETS in Political Crosshairs
Political scrutiny of the EU emissions trading system intensified in mid‑February, pushing the front‑year EU ETS contract down almost 6% on Feb 5 and a further 7% after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s comments. EU officials denied reports of extending free‑allowance allocations beyond...
Q&A: What Long-Term REIT Performance in Pension Plans Means for Investors
A new CEM Benchmarking study covering 26 years shows public REITs generated 9.72% annual net returns, outpacing private real estate’s 7.79% by roughly 2 percentage points. The analysis, based on realized performance from 462 pension plans, highlights that only internally...
Fast Recognition for This Gold Income ETF
The NEOS Gold High Income ETF (IAUI) launched in June 2025 and has quickly amassed over $367 million in assets as of February 2026. By writing covered‑call options on gold, the actively managed fund delivers a 30‑day SEC yield of 1.88%...
Delayed Publication of Turkey Flat Steel Prices
Fastmarkets announced that its latest Turkey flat steel price assessments were released with a one‑hour delay. The delayed release includes eight indices covering hot‑rolled, cold‑rolled, galvanized and pre‑painted coils across import, export and domestic EXW/FOB terms. These prices are part...
Football Has a Real Fossil Fuel Problem – and It’s Not Sustainable
Football’s rapid expansion—more teams, matches, and tournaments—has turned the sport into a major carbon emitter, with its footprint now comparable to Austria’s national emissions. The 2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams, dramatically increasing global travel for players, fans, and...
Floaters May Be Fantastic Alternative to T-Bills
Floating‑rate notes are gaining traction as a higher‑yielding alternative to Treasury bills, especially as short‑term rates rise. VanEck's IG Floating Rate ETF (FLTR) offers a 4.28% yield, low duration, and strong credit quality, making it attractive for income‑focused investors. The...
Druzhba Flows Halted, More Russian Refineries Under Attack
Slovakia and Hungary have reported a complete halt of Russian crude deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline, marking the latest escalation in the energy conflict between Moscow and Kyiv. Simultaneously, a series of drone attacks this week have damaged several Russian...
Delayed Publication of In-Warehouse Rotterdam Vanadium Pentoxide, CIF Rotterdam and Baltimore APT, CIF Global Tungsten Concentrate Price Assessments
Fastmarkets announced a 16‑minute delay in publishing three key price assessments for vanadium pentoxide, tungsten APT, and tungsten concentrate. The delayed entries—MB‑V‑0001, MB‑W‑0001, and MB‑W‑0005—are part of the company’s ores and alloys pricing package. Fastmarkets provided contact details for feedback...
Hecla Nearly Doubles Exploration Budget
Hecla Mining announced it will spend $55 million on exploration and pre‑development in 2026, almost doubling the $27.7 million invested last year. The budget targets its Nevada projects and existing assets in Alaska, Yukon and Idaho, aiming to replace or exceed annual...
One in Three French Car Manufacturing Jobs Was Lost in Dramatic 13-Year Decline
Employment in France’s automotive sector dropped from 425,500 in 2010 to 286,800 in 2023, a loss of nearly 139,000 jobs or 33 %. The decline was driven primarily by car manufacturers, which shed 46,000 positions, while parts suppliers lost 31.5 % of...
Aramco Set for Initial Jafurah Condensate Exports
Saudi Aramco will load its first cargoes of Jafurah condensate in March, following the start‑up of the giant Jafurah wet‑gas project late last year. The development converts wet gas into condensate and LPG, adding a new stream to the kingdom’s...
Infosys ADRs Surge 4%, Wipro's Rise over 2% Despite Weak Wall Street Trade
Infosys ADRs rebounded on Friday, jumping 4% to a intraday high of $14.77, while Wipro ADRs rose 2.2% to $2.33 despite a weakening Nasdaq and soft domestic IT trading. The broader U.S. market slipped, with the Nasdaq down 0.9% and...
Pulse of the Street: Tech Rout, Muted Earnings Singe Indian Markets
Indian equities broke their recent rally as a broad technology sell‑off combined with mixed earnings commentary and profit‑taking pressured the benchmark indices. The IT sector led the decline, slipping sharply amid global chip‑maker weakness. Meanwhile, consumer‑focused stocks and a handful...
Spotify Q4 Report Exceeds Expectations; Stock Bounces
Spotify's Q4 2025 earnings beat expectations, driving a sharp rebound in its stock price. Revenue grew 13% YoY to €? and gross margin hit 33.1%, delivering €1.17 billion in net income and EPS of €4.43, well above forecasts. Monthly active users rose...
Fears of AI Disruption Have Created an Opening for This Software Options Trade
The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (IGV) has slumped more than 20% as investors fear AI coding tools could upend software businesses. The ETF’s top five holdings—Microsoft, Palantir, Oracle, Salesforce and Applovin—are collectively down about 40% from six‑month highs, pushing...
Active ETF Growth Narrows Gap With Passive
By year‑end 2024 the SEC recorded 1,531 active ETFs, closing the gap with 1,907 passive funds. Active ETFs, while holding just 9% of total ETF assets, expanded 300% in count and posted 65% annual AUM growth versus 19% for passive...
McLeod Russel Reports Narrowing of Q3 Net Loss at ₹36.41 Crore, Revenue Rises 20%
McLeod Russel narrowed its Q3 consolidated net loss to ₹36.41 crore, down from ₹87.33 crore a year earlier, while revenue from operations climbed 20% to ₹445.45 crore. The company acknowledged continued financial stress, citing outstanding inter‑corporate deposits and ongoing legal actions. Lenders have...
ZSL, DAMD: Big ETF Outflows
ProShares UltraShort Silver (ZSL) and Defiance Daily Target 2X Short AMD (DAMD) recorded the largest weekly outflows among ETFs tracked by ETF Channel. ZSL shed 36.25 million units, a 27.9% decline, while DAMD lost 80,000 units, down 38.1% week‑over‑week. Both are...
Enbridge Books Record-High Core Earnings for 2025
Enbridge posted record‑high 2025 core earnings, reporting adjusted EBITDA of US$14.7 billion, a 7% increase over 2024, and a 9% rise in adjusted earnings. The fourth‑quarter adjusted EPS of US$0.65 topped analyst forecasts of US$0.56. The company credited expanding pipeline takeaway...
Final Decision on Open Consultation on Methodology Review for Non-Ferrous Materials, Industrial Minerals
Fastmarkets completed its annual open consultation on pricing methodology for non‑ferrous materials and industrial minerals, running from 6 January to 6 February. No feedback was submitted, so the firm will keep its current methodologies unchanged for the upcoming reporting period. An inquiry...
Transmission Drives Exelon’s Capital Spending Plan to $41.3B
Exelon announced a $41.3 billion, four‑year capital plan, with transmission accounting for more than 70% of the increase. The utility added $2.3 billion for high‑voltage upgrades to support an 18 GW data‑center pipeline and broader load growth. CFO Jeanne Jones projected an additional...
Buying ETFs in Canada Tool: The MoneySense ETF Screener
MoneySense has launched an ETF screener that showcases the 100 best‑performing Canadian exchange‑traded funds based on one‑year returns as of Feb 13 2026. The tool, powered by data from ETF Market Canada CBOE, displays each fund’s ticker, expense ratio, management fee, benchmark...
Deep Dive: Managers Bullish on China but Await 'Clearer Signals' From Government
Fund managers are increasingly bullish on China as equity markets rebound, but they remain cautious until the government provides clearer policy direction. The recent rally has revived interest in a market once deemed “uninvestable,” prompting a reassessment of exposure levels....
New England Receives Another LNG Import Cargo as Winter Takes Its Toll
The Excelerate Shenandoah delivered a full LNG cargo from Trinidad’s Atlantic terminal to the Everett import facility in Boston Harbor. The shipment marks the fourth cargo received at Everett this winter, adding to a total of six deliveries last winter and...
THINK Ahead: Green Shoots or Just Weeds? What This Week’s Data Signals
Economists spot early signs of recovery in the US labor market, with private payrolls accelerating, yet underlying job quality remains thin. The Federal Reserve is expected to deliver two 25‑basis‑point cuts, likely in June and September, as inflation stays modest....
IDB Invest Finances the Development of Zona Franca La Lima in Costa Rica to Boost Investment
IDB Invest has signed a revolving financing agreement of up to $5 million with Costa Rica’s Zona Franca La Lima (ZFLL) to fund land acquisition, R&D spaces and multi‑tenant facilities. The loan, initially 18 months and renewable, aims to attract high‑value‑added sectors...
IEA Dials Back Its Oversupply Warning After Winter Shocks
The International Energy Agency trimmed its 2026 oversupply warning after a surprise 1.2 million barrels‑per‑day supply drop caused by cold snaps in the United States and a power‑outage‑forced shutdown at Kazakhstan’s Tengiz field. Europe’s gas inventories fell to just 35 % of...
BSE Gets Sebi Nod to Launch 'Focused Midcap Index' Futures and Options Contracts
The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) has secured SEBI approval to roll out cash‑settled futures and options on its new Focused Midcap Index, which tracks the top 20 mid‑cap companies by free‑float market capitalisation. The contracts will be monthly, expiring on...
US Inflation Details Offer Room for Deeper Fed Rate Cuts
U.S. consumer price inflation in January eased to 0.2% month‑on‑month, with core CPI matching expectations at 0.3% and both headline and core year‑on‑year rates falling to four‑year lows of 2.4% and 2.5%. Goods prices excluding food and energy were flat,...
Crises Everywhere, but the Markets Don’t Seem to Mind
Despite a cascade of wars, pandemics, social unrest and economic strain, global equity markets are soaring, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average breaking the 50,000 mark. The article argues that this disconnect is not a glitch but a structural feature:...
Market Regulator Sebi Floats Proposal to Revamp ETF Price Band Framework
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has issued a consultation paper proposing a overhaul of ETF price‑band rules. It recommends moving the base‑price reference from T‑2 closing NAV to T‑1 data or recent indicative NAV, and introducing dynamic,...
EUR/GBP Bounces From Daily Lows as Eurozone GDP Supports the Euro
Eurozone preliminary GDP showed a 0.3 % QoQ rise in Q4 2025, matching expectations and nudging annual growth to 1.4 %. The United Kingdom posted a weaker 0.1 % QoQ increase, missing forecasts and pulling annual growth to 1 %. The data lifted the...
US January CPI +2.4% Y/Y vs +2.5% Expected
U.S. consumer price index for January rose 2.4% year‑over‑year, missing the 2.5% consensus, while month‑over‑month inflation eased to 0.2% against an expected 0.3%. Core CPI, which excludes food and energy, held steady at 2.5% y/y and 0.3% m/m, in line...
With Competitors Hot on Its Heels, How Can Singapore's Port Stay the Course?
Singapore’s port recorded a historic 3.22 billion gross tonnes of vessel arrivals and 44.66 million TEUs in 2025, marking 3.5% and 8.6% growth respectively over 2024. The hub remains second only to Shanghai, with Ningbo‑Zhoushan closing the gap, while contributing roughly 7%...