Public Markets 3h Briefing

Last updated: May 15, 2026, 11:30 PM ET

Utilities & Infrastructure

Next Era Energy is pursuing a multi-billion-dollar merger with Dominion Energy in a mostly stock deal to capitalize on surging power demand from data centers, a person said, while the Financial Times confirmed advanced combination talks. The transaction would create a utility giant with a combined enterprise value exceeding $150 billion, positioning it at the epicenter of the AI-driven energy transition.

Energy Security & Geopolitics

Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. is loading LNG onto dark vessels in the Persian Gulf, masking their locations to navigate Strait of Hormuz risks, as OPEC+ members quietly discuss potential output hikes that have pressured crude benchmarks. Separately, New York police thwarted a synagogue attack plot, arresting a man targeting the city's Jewish community, an incident that underscores persistent security concerns in major financial centers.

Institutional & Technology Moves

Harvard University's endowment chief, N.P. Narvekar, plans to retire after growing the fund from $35.7 billion to nearly $57 billion, a record sum that highlights the pressure on elite institutions to generate outsized returns. In AI, OpenAI acquired voice-cloning platform Weights.gg, a social network for algorithm sharing, as tech firms race to secure niche AI infrastructure assets ahead of an expected wave of generative AI regulation.