Public Markets 3d Briefing
×Market Moves
The S&P 500 dropped 1.2% bloomberg.com in its worst weekly decline since June, marking its first two-week loss as AI-driven fears intensified. Entrata bloomberg.com is advancing toward an IPO, collaborating with Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan to navigate the process. Blackstone ft.com founder Stephen Schwarzman received $1.2 billion in 2025 dividends, highlighting the firm's substantial payouts to its leadership.
Deals
Paramount bloomberg.com secured an $111 billion deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, a move viewed as essential for competing against tech giants dominating Hollywood. Entrata wsj.com is positioning itself for a public offering, leveraging its platform for real estate transactions. Goldman Sachs investing.com and JPMorgan Chase bloomberg.com are advising Entrata, signaling institutional confidence in its growth trajectory.
Macro & Policy
Japan may intervene to buy yen investing.com amid escalating speculation over currency intervention. Ecuador ft.com is preparing a $4 billion bond sale to bolster its fiscal position. The U.S. leveraged loan market bloomberg.com suffered its steepest monthly decline in over three years, driven by AI disruption fears, as reported by Bloomberg.
Credit & Risk
JPMorgan Chase bloomberg.com warned that up to $150 billion of U.S. leveraged loans in CLOs face potential disruption from AI advancements. Apollo Global Management bloomberg.com realized approximately $250 million in paper profits from its x AI debt bet, illustrating the volatility in AI-related investments. Credit selection is becoming paramount, with firms like Wells Fargo adjusting strategies amid market uncertainty.
Market Sentiment
Gold prices climbed investing.com, nearing a monthly gain of over 8%, as risk-off sentiment grew. The S&P 500 wsj.com ended lower after volatile trading, while the Nasdaq composite bloomberg.com also declined, reflecting broader tech sector weakness. Wall Street’s quant playbook bloomberg.com faced upheaval as AI reordered market dynamics, shifting away from traditional models.
Corporate Developments
Netflix bloomberg.com declined to pursue its bid for Warner, signaling a lack of long-term interest despite earlier discussions. Entrata investing.com is advancing its IPO, with Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan as key advisors. Paramount bloomberg.com is positioning itself for growth post-acquisition, though S&P analysts caution its credit rating will face strain.
Geopolitics & Commodities
Oil prices rose wsj.com on heightened U.S.-Iran tensions, with crude heading for a 3% monthly gain. U.S. crude oil production bloomberg.com fell to a near six-month low in December, reflecting supply constraints. The dollar investing.com set for its first monthly gain since October amid geopolitical risks and a hawkish Fed.
Financial Services
Banks wsj.com suffered another plunge on credit and AI fears, with consumer lenders like American Express among the worst performers. WPP bloomberg.com slashed its dividend and outlined a £500 million cost-cutting plan to reverse its declining trajectory. Wells Fargo investing.com upgraded Liberty Formula One, citing balanced risk-reward dynamics.
Technology & AI
SpaceX bloomberg.com targeted a confidential IPO filing as soon as March, signaling Elon Musk’s rocket venture’s ambition to go public. Anthropic ft.com rejected the Pentagon’s terms for military use of its AI, underscoring tensions over government contracts. Nvidia finance.yahoo.com’s AI server sales outlook drove a Dell surge, its best two-year performance.
Fixed Income & Commodities
Treasuries bloomberg.com had their best month in a year, with yields influenced by geopolitical risks and private credit contagion. Gold wsj.com capped its historic monthly gain, settling up 1% after an 11% dollar gain in February. Leveraged ETFs bloomberg.com saw fees triple since 2020 as traders embraced high-risk funds.
Global Markets
Japan investing.com may intervene to buy yen, while Ecuador bloomberg.com eyed a $4 billion bond sale. The FTSE 100 investing.com hit a new high on a mining rally, despite pound softening. European stocks investing.com were mixed, with corporate earnings and inflation data in focus.
Corporate Finance
Oracle ft.com raised $25 billion in bonds, while Apple bloomberg.com announced a $110 billion share buyback. Amazon investing.com invested $110 billion in OpenAI, potentially linking it to an IPO or AGI milestone. Tesla bloomberg.com faced a $1.8 billion loss in Q4, highlighting EV sector challenges.
Final Notes
Goldman Sachs bloomberg.com reassured clients about its private credit exposure, downplaying redemptions and software disruption risks. The U.S. dollar investing.com was poised for its first monthly gain since October, amid geopolitical risks and a hawkish Fed. Wall Street bloomberg.com doubled down on AI bets, though sentiment shifted as