Public Markets 3d Briefing
×Market Volatility
US stocks bloomberg.com fell sharply as software shares tumbled following a report highlighting AI risks to the sector. PayPal bloomberg.com shares surged after reports of takeover interest emerged, with the stock having lost nearly half its value in recent months. Nvidia bloomberg.com faces valuation concerns as analysts debate whether its AI-driven growth can sustain current levels, while software and payments stocks bloomberg.com continued their decline amid broader market uncertainty.
Tariff Turmoil
President Trump's announcement of new 15% tariffs reignited trade tensions, with markets bloomberg.com reacting to the Supreme Court's ruling that struck down some of his previous tariff authority. Freeport-Mc Mo Ran bloomberg.com CEO Kathleen Quirk discussed the impact on copper prices, while Morgan Stanley finance.yahoo.com and Goldman Sachs raised their oil price targets. Colombia bloomberg.com saw its peso defy economic woes after a hawkish central bank pivot, and India bloomberg.com paused US trade pact negotiations following the tariff announcement.
Corporate Moves
Abbott Laboratories bloomberg.com is seeking to raise $20 billion through a bond sale to fund its acquisition of Exact Sciences. Generate Biomedicines bloomberg.com filed for a $425 million IPO, while Delta Electronics Thailand bloomberg.com became Thailand's first $100 billion company following the Supreme Court's tariff ruling. Cosan SA bloomberg.com is considering an IPO of its gas and energy business unit to reduce debt, and Renault wsj.com will take full control of its electric-van joint venture.
Tech & AI Developments
OpenAI investing.com recalibrated its growth path with a $600 billion compute target, while Anthropic investing.com launched Claude Code Security, causing cybersecurity stocks to drop. ASML finance.yahoo.com unveiled an EUV light source advance that could yield 50% more chips by 2030. Synopsys investing.com was downgraded at HSBC due to lack of catalysts, and Dell investing.com faced a target cut at Bof A on rising memory costs.
Energy & Commodities
US natural gas futures bloomberg.com rose as a cold snap brought snow to the Northeast, with oil companies bloomberg.com securing a Supreme Court hearing on climate lawsuits. Chevron ft.com is in talks for a stake in Iraq's West Qurna 2 oilfield after Lukoil sanctions, while Germany bloomberg.com increased green steel aid for Salzgitter to €1.3 billion. Colombia bloomberg.com made progress with Venezuela on natural gas trade to address growing shortfalls.
Global Politics & Policy
Mexico detailed how it located and killed the country's most-wanted drug cartel chief, with violent clashes bloomberg.com erupting in retaliation. Lebanon bloomberg.com banks warned of potential insolvency as liquidity falls short of recovery plans, while the country considers selling gold reserves to rescue the economy. Ukraine yahoo.com claimed recapture of eight settlements in rare battlefield success, and Russia yahoo.com faced a key industrial site strike deep inside its territory.
Private Markets & Credit
Blue Owl ft.com became a warning sign for private credit as its troubles made investors nervous about the wider industry. Boaz Weinstein wsj.com is hunting Blue Owl's funds, adding private credit to his crusade against funds sold to individual investors. Qatar's sovereign wealth fund bloomberg.com invested in a Goldman alumni credit firm, while F2i SGR bloomberg.com brought its credit assets close to €1 billion as demand grows for European infrastructure financing.
Regional Markets
Thailand's Delta Electronics became the country's first $100 billion company, while Japan bloomberg.com is attracting foreign investment after decades of stagnation. Spain's banks investing.com were upgraded as Deutsche Bank sees net interest income recovery, and Italy's F2i fund nears €1 billion on infrastructure push. Poland's Azoty bloomberg.com seeks an 83% debt writedown in polymer restructuring.
Market Technicals
Hedge funds bloomberg.com sold the most global equities since April, according to Goldman Sachs, while CTA unwind risk investing.com remained elevated despite recent gains. Bof A warned of continued CTA unwind risk, and Raymond James investing.com said the tariff refund process could be "lengthy and challenging." UBS investing.com saw steady execution at Walmart based on Q4 results, while Jefferies investing.com downgraded Deere as valuation prices in full farm recovery.
Regulatory & Legal
The Supreme Court agreed to hear oil and gas companies trying to block climate change lawsuits, while DOJ bloomberg.com probes Netflix's power over filmmakers in its Warner deal review. England's football teams ft.com face potential bans on sponsorship from unlicensed gambling groups, and Deloitte ft.com announced a shake-up of its international structure set to trigger a UK leadership race.
Economic Data & Outlook
US factory orders bloomberg.com fell 0.7% in December, while durable goods orders were down 1.4%, according to Census Bureau data. Fed Governor Christopher Waller bloomberg.com said his March rate cut decision hinges on upcoming labor market data, while BMO CEO Darryl White bloomberg.com said market reaction to tariffs has been subdued. EU diplomats yahoo.com scrambled to overcome Hungary's threat to derail new sanctions on Russia, and the EU bloomberg.com is poised to halt US trade deal ratification amid tariff uncertainty.
Corporate Governance
Merck ft.com split operations to separate oncology from non-cancer drugs ahead of Keytruda's 2028 patent expiry, while Mawer Investment Management bloomberg.com appointed Eric Wetlaufer as interim CEO. Latham & Watkins ft.com poached two partners from rival Wachtell Lipton, and UBS cut Valiant investing.com to neutral as stock gains absorbed upside. Lazio investing.com saw its stock drop after dismissing Qatari takeover interest, while Fortune Brands wsj.com faced pressure from investor Ed Garden seeking a new CEO.
Consumer & Retail
AMC Entertainment wsj.com narrowed its loss and anticipated stronger 2026, citing a strong slate of upcoming films. Loblaw wsj.com announced a $1.75 billion investment plan for new stores and renovations, while VF Corp investing.com faced a downgrade at JPM as margin recovery is expected to take longer. Alison Roman bloomberg.com launched a high-end jarred tomato sauce line, and Italy's drink-driving crackdown ft.com reshaped the digestivo market."