Public Markets 3d Briefing
×Market Moves
European stocks bloomberg.com hit record highs as banks rebounded on solid earnings, with HSBC and Santander leading gains. The S&P 500 investing.com fell 1.2% marking its first two-week loss since June amid trade uncertainty and AI sector jitters.
Tech & AI
Nvidia wsj.com beat back bubble fears with record $68 billion in sales, driven by agentic AI adoption. Salesforce wsj.com saw stable growth despite Wall Street's AI concerns, while Snowflake investing.com revenue jumped 30% on cloud and AI demand. Tech stocks finance.yahoo.com rose as Nvidia's guidance signaled the AI boom remains alive.
Banking & Finance
US banks bloomberg.com gained in key metrics despite profit dips, with the deposit insurance fund balance ticking higher. HSBC wsj.com quarterly profit surged on higher interest income and one-off gains. Standard Chartered investing.com missed Q4 profit estimates as costs rose, sending shares lower.
Energy & Commodities
Oil bloomberg.com steadied before more nuclear talks between the US and Iran as Middle East tensions prompted regional producers to ramp up exports. Gold wsj.com gained on world turmoil, with silver rising for six straight sessions, up 24% fueled by international tensions.
Corporate Deals
Enel wsj.com plans to increase spending and shareholder returns under its 2028 plan, allocating over €26 billion to its integrated business. Momentum Midstream bloomberg.com explores a sale that could fetch $5 billion as En Cap Flatrock Midstream considers strategic options.
Private Markets
Private equity ft.com faced a logjam hitting record levels as firms struggle to sell, with company values in buyout funds reaching $3.8 trillion. Coller Capital bloomberg.com bought $477 million of New Mountain BDC assets as the private credit fund sought financial flexibility.
Regulatory & Policy
The US bloomberg.com lawmakers seek an end to Nigerian Sharia law amid violence probes, citing persecution of Christians. UK investors ft.com will be unable to put crypto products in ISAs from April, dampening the government's crypto initiative.
Market Sentiment
Trade uncertainty bloomberg.com rattled global stock markets again as President Trump moved forward with sweeping new global tariffs. Option traders bloomberg.com piled into bets against software-exposed loan ETFs following AI disruption concerns from Citrini Research.
Regional Markets
European and UK stocks hit records powered by banks and miners, with the STOXX 600 reaching new highs. Thailand's exports bloomberg.com jumped most in four years on AI-led electronics boom, with outbound shipments reaching four-year highs.
Currency & Bonds
The dollar investing.com edged lower continuing the week's seesaw pattern as the euro rose and yen slipped. Government bonds bloomberg.com saw shrinking appeal costing investors, with declining safety and liquidity demand driving key interest rates higher globally.
Data Centers & Infrastructure
US data center construction bloomberg.com fell amid permit and power delays despite soaring AI computing demand. Citigroup bloomberg.com assembled a banking team focused on the AI infrastructure boom, combining investment and corporate banking expertise.
Emerging Markets
Thailand saw exports jump most in four years on AI-led electronics boom, with inbound demand for raw materials and machinery also strengthening. Lynas Rare Earths bloomberg.com posted earnings surge but missed expectations despite stronger production and improved prices.
Market Analysis
High valuations bloomberg.com are concerning according to Robert Kindler, one of the top M&A dealmakers in the US. Software companies bloomberg.com will survive the AI wave, says Sequoia's Alfred Lin, despite current disruption fears rattling investors.
Special Situations
Core Lithium bloomberg.com sold its stockpile to Glencore, raising cash to support a potential restart of its Finniss mine. Eutelsat bloomberg.com seeks €1.5 billion to refinance debt after government rescue, looking to strengthen its balance sheet.
Market Technicals
CME ft.com halted trading on its flagship metals market for over an hour due to technical issues. Precious metals gained on world turmoil, with gold and silver both finishing higher amid escalating international tensions.
Corporate Governance
Blue Scope bloomberg.com called a revised takeover bid inadequate but remained open to a better offer from Steel Dynamics and SGH. Brookfield's CDK bloomberg.com posted an 18% earnings drop as software fears grew, signaling struggles in the sector.
Market Outlook
Economic acceleration bloomberg.com offsets AI jitters according to Goldman's Ben Snider, who sees it as the clearest tailwind for markets. Private credit bloomberg.com faces mounting concerns as Tikehau's Chabran weighs in on rising default warnings and AI-driven disruption risks.