Author: Charlotte

Private equity fundraising and deals are still in a slump and valuations are under pressure. But at the annual SuperReturn conference in Berlin, private market titans were giddy over the coming AI supercycle and the massive buildout of physical infrastructure it will require.  The buzz among fund managers and limited partners was the wave of mega-IPOs kicked off by SpaceX and the new era for private markets they portend. “We are in a global industrial renaissance,” declared Scott Kleinman of Apollo Global Management. Trillions of dollars in capital will be needed for the digital infrastructure buildout and the concurrent energy…

Africa’s digital commerce is at a tipping point, and the CEO of Konga Group, Nnamdi Ekeh, believes stablecoins and trust are the keys to unlocking its next phase. Speaking at the 2026 e-Commerce and Payments Forum hosted by Lagos Business School’s Africa Retail Academy, Ekeh urged businesses to embrace emerging technologies and reduce friction in cross-border trade. “Nigeria has gone very far in online transactions and fintech innovation,” he said. “But there is still substantial work to be done if we are to unlock seamless international trade and scale commerce across Africa.” Ekeh highlighted stablecoins as a practical solution to…

I was concerned to read reports that plush flowers from Cj Hendry’s Flower Market pop-up were quickly snapped up and resold online at significantly inflated prices (Long queues, rush for plushies: Cj Hendry’s Flower Market stirs floral frenzy in the Garden City, June 11).According to media coverage and public discussion, visitors at the event were seen purchasing many of the plush flowers, and listings soon appeared on resale platforms at marked-up rates. While the installation itself was meant to be an immersive, communal art experience, this behaviour appeared to undermine its spirit, turning a shared cultural event into yet another…

HONOLULU, HI – April 03, 2026 – Bank of Hawai‘i Corporation (NYSE: BOH) presented a nuanced financial picture for the first quarter of 2026, characterized by strengthening core profitability even as headline earnings per share fell short of some analyst expectations. The regional financial stalwart reported improved net interest income and an expanding net interest margin, signaling effective management amid shifting economic tides, while also reaffirming its commitment to shareholders with the declaration of its regular preferred stock dividends. For the quarter ending March 31, 2026, the bank announced diluted earnings per common share of $1.30 on a net income…

Cyberattack on Korea’s MOIS gateway disrupts real estate data, service recovers – CHOSUNBIZ Chosunbiz Source link

Yonhap NewsAs growth in the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) market slowed, domestic institutional-only private equity funds (PEFs) reduced control-oriented investments last year while sharply increasing non-control investments such as corporate loans and mezzanine financing.According to the “2025 Institutional PEF Operations Status” released by the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) Thursday, PEF investment execution last year totaled 28.1 trillion won, up about 12 percent, or 3 trillion won, from 25.1 trillion won a year earlier.A closer look at the investment data shows the increase in PEF investment execution was driven by a sharp rise in investments by non-control PEFs. Total investment reached…

Fidelity is bringing one of the investment industry’s most talked-about structures to its own lineup. The asset-management giant is making its first ETF share classes available this week, adding exchange-traded versions to three existing mutual fund strategies: the Fidelity Intermediate Municipal Income Fund, the Fidelity Real Estate Income Fund and the Fidelity Short-Term Bond Fund. The new ETFs (trading under the tickers FIMU, FREI and FSTB, respectively) will be listed on the Nasdaq and share the same underlying portfolios, investment objectives, management and performance histories as their mutual fund counterparts. The move places Fidelity among a growing group of firms…

Hold our covered calls. BlackRock was among the first issuers to launch a spot bitcoin ETF back in 2024 with the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT), which went on to become the fastest-growing ETF in history, amassing roughly $51 billion in assets. Now, the world’s largest asset manager believes clients may be able to squeeze even more out of their crypto exposure. This week, BlackRock launched the iShares Bitcoin Premium ETF (BITA), which offers bitcoin exposure while generating monthly income through an actively managed options strategy. The fund, which charges 65 basis points, maintains most of its bitcoin exposure while…

Tokyo Metro Expands Beyond Railways Through Smart City Infrastructure, Urban Development and Global Operations Expertise The Worldfolio Source link

When New York state agencies buy local food for schools, healthcare facilities, prisons and other public entities, local economies benefit and tax revenue rises. But by how much? And when does it make sense to spend a little more on local products to reap those benefits? With New York state spending $1.3 billion annually on food, the answer matters.Cornell researchers have developed an economic model that calculates the additional business activity and tax revenue generated from purchases of specific local products. Using the tool, decision-makers can determine when the economic boost from a New York state purchase is greater than its…