Public Markets 3d Briefing
×Market Moves
The S&P 500 dropped 1.2% bloomberg.com in its worst week since June, reflecting broader market volatility. Entrata is working with Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan on an IPO, signaling continued deal activity. Gold futures hit a 16-week high ft.com as risk-off sentiment grew, while Bitcoin recovered above $67,000 investing.com following Khamenei’s death. Private credit stocks bloomberg.com signaled potential further pain, with falling income and loan markdowns weighing on investors.
Deals & Corporate Activity
Francisco Partners ft.com completed a $2.2 billion take-private of Jamf, expanding its portfolio. Blackstone investing.com is positioning Liftoff Mobile for an IPO, though challenges persist. Morgan Stanley investing.com sees hyperscaler AI spending poised to exceed dot-com peak levels, while UBS yahoo.com noted AI adoption in fashion is accelerating faster than expected. JPMorgan Chase ft.com cut services for Citadel Securities amid ongoing tensions.
Macro & Policy
Japan may intervene to buy yen investing.com amid speculation, while Ecuador ft.com eyes a $4B bond sale return. Italy set up a fight with Brussels over carbon costs, seeking to lower electricity prices by reimbursing gas plants for EU emissions permits. The U.S. not planning to tap strategic reserves ft.com as Iran war risks oil surge, though BofA ft.com sees AI-related risks challenging EU stock rallies. UK competition watchdog ft.com backed curbs on non-compete clauses, aiming to restore labor market dynamism.
Geopolitical & Energy Markets
Dubai missile strike investing.com forced the world’s busiest airport to halt all flights, while Japanese shipping giants investing.com pulled back as the Strait of Hormuz “practically closed.” Iran crisis bloomberg.com threatened worst gas market disruption since 2022, with Iran’s supreme leader yahoo.com reportedly killed in strikes. US forces yahoo.com faced air-defense battles amid the conflict, and Gulf cities bloomberg.com saw residents flee due to missile attacks. Oil gains wsj.com followed heightened U.S.-Iran conflict risks.
Technology & Innovation
AI adoption in fashion investing.com is accelerating faster than the market realizes, per UBS. Block’s 40% headcount cut investing.com was seen as an AI-driven reset, though Berstein wsj.com warned of more pain. Amazon’s mass layoffs ft.com inside the company highlighted risks of AI-driven efficiency pushes, while Microsoft yahoo.com positioned as an “anti-AI” safe haven. Crypto markets finance.yahoo.com hedged Iran war risks with 24/7 oil and gold trading.
Financial Markets & Regulation
UK must restore dynamism ft.com in labor markets, per Tony Blair Institute, while UK competition watchdog ft.com backed non-compete curbs. European Central Bank bloomberg.com vowed “extremely attentive” monitoring of AI-driven job cuts. US bank stocks ft.com recorded their biggest slide since April, reflecting software selloff fears. Software debt slump investing.com signaled AI disruption concerns.
Global Economy
Korea’s exports bloomberg.com accelerated in February, easing monetary policy pressure. BofA investing.com sees China trimming 2026 growth target while keeping policy supportive. Thailand bloomberg.com implemented tough new gold-trading curbs to rein in baht gains. India-EU trade deal yahoo.com included digital trade rules, while US farmers bloomberg.com faced new Trump tariffs as instability returned. Turkey’s lira bloomberg.com weakened amid inflation concerns.