Consumer Price Index (CPI) for March 2026 Is Projected to Rise 3.4% Year-Over-Year
FactSet’s median forecast shows the consumer price index rising 3.4% year‑over‑year in March 2026, the strongest gain since April 2024 and above the 12‑month average of 2.6%. The core CPI is expected to increase 2.7% YoY, while February’s CPI posted a 2.4% rise, slightly under the prior estimate. The projection is based on three analyst estimates ranging from 3.30% to 3.90%, creating a 60‑basis‑point spread that exceeds recent historical ranges. The official BLS release is scheduled for April 10, which will confirm whether inflation pressures are intensifying.
Credit Crunched: Surveying the State of Private Credit in 2026
Private credit faced a sharp sentiment reversal in Q1 2026 as large public firms recorded over $10 billion in redemption requests within two months, prompting managers to cap withdrawals. The sector had absorbed more than $200 billion of new capital over the prior...
Enhancing PM-Trader Decisions Through Unified Workflows
Many firms still rely on email, chat, and phone calls for PM‑trader orders, creating gaps in context, delays, and weak audit trails. A fragmented workflow leads to misunderstood instructions, uneven pre‑trade controls, and costly post‑trade reviews. Consolidating communication into a...
North Sea Carbon Capture Projects Showing Steady Progress
Carbon capture and storage projects in the North Sea are moving from experimental pilots to commercial operations. Legacy gas producers such as Equinor, TotalEnergies and Shell are leading initiatives like Northern Lights, Northern Endurance Partnership and Porthos, each targeting multi‑megaton...
Total Nonfarm Payrolls for March 2026 Are Projected to Rise By 60,000
The median forecast for March 2026 non‑farm payrolls predicts a gain of 60,000 jobs, a sharp rebound after February’s 92,000‑job decline. This estimate far exceeds the 12‑month average increase of 13,000, indicating a potential turnaround in hiring momentum. Unemployment is expected...
The Robotics Surge: Scale, Private Capital, and Competitive Moats
Robotics installations surged to 542,000 units in 2024, a 9% year‑over‑year increase, with Asia accounting for 74% of the volume and China alone delivering 295,000 units. Global deal flow hit a record $107 billion in 2025, driven by a $50 billion US...
U.S. Mergers & Acquisitions Monthly Review: February 2026
U.S. M&A activity slowed in February 2026, with announcements dropping 26.7% to 1,013 versus January, yet aggregate deal spending surged 236.8% month‑over‑month. Eleven of FactSet’s 21 tracked sectors posted higher three‑month deal volumes compared with a year earlier, led by...
Navigating AI Adoption on the Trading Desk
FactSet outlines how AI is reshaping trading‑desk workflows by accelerating decision‑making, cutting manual steps, and leveraging historical context. It stresses moving from pull‑based queries to proactive push models that surface insights directly within the trade execution flow. The article also...
West Virginia Commission Revises AEP Rate Case Decision
The West Virginia Public Service Commission revisited its August 2025 rate‑case ruling for AEP’s Appalachian Power and Wheeling Power, raising the approved revenue increase to $91 million—just 36 % of the original $250 million request—and setting the allowed return on equity (ROE) at 9.25%....
MISO Reliability Outlook Reaches High Risk in Latest NERC Assessment
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s 2025 Long‑Term Reliability Assessment flags the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) as a “High Risk” region by 2028, earlier than the projected 2029 high‑risk dates for PJM and ERCOT. Reserve margins in MISO are expected...
Australian Reporting Season (H1 FY26): 6 Key Takeaways for Markets
Australian companies delivered a stronger February reporting season, lifting the ASX 200 3.7% to fresh highs. Earnings beats outnumbered misses by roughly 2.4 to 1, with large‑cap leaders in Financials and Materials driving most of the rally. However, the season was...
“Magnificent 7” Companies Reported Earnings Growth Above 25% for Q4
All seven members of the “Magnificent 7” reported Q4 earnings growth of 27.2% year‑over‑year, comfortably beating analyst forecasts. Six of the seven posted positive EPS surprises, pushing the group’s aggregate earnings beat to 5.5% versus the broader S&P 500’s 6.8% beat. NVIDIA,...
Data and Functionality Signaled Chubb’s Strong 4Q Underwriting Income
Chubb posted fourth‑quarter earnings of $7.52 per share, comfortably beating FactSet’s $6.77 consensus. The insurer’s combined ratio improved to 81.2%, well under the 84.4% estimate, driving record underwriting profitability. Investment income surged, helped by a bond‑heavy portfolio and a favorable...