European Central Bank officials have urged policymakers to remain cautious when adjusting interest rates, as geopolitical tensions linked to the war in Iran continue to shape the economic outlook across the euro area. The warning reflects mounting uncertainty about how rising energy costs could influence inflation and growth in the coming months. ECB Vice-President Luis de Guindos emphasized the importance…
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has introduced a long-awaited regulatory framework to clarify how digital assets are classified and governed in U.S. financial markets. The guidance establishes a structured system that categorizes cryptocurrencies into five primary categories: digital commodities, collectibles, utility tokens, stablecoins, and digital securities. Under the new interpretation, only tokens deemed “digital securities” will fall fully…
Deutsche Bank has reported continued growth in its private credit portfolio, while warning that the fast-expanding sector may pose rising risks to financial markets. According to the bank’s latest annual report, its exposure to private credit rose about 6% in 2025 to nearly €26 billion (approximately $30 billion). Private credit refers to loans issued outside traditional public bond markets, typically…
Japanese technology conglomerate SoftBank Group is seeking a loan of up to 40 billion USD to finance its growing investment in artificial intelligence developer OpenAI, according to reports citing people familiar with the negotiations. The planned borrowing would represent the company’s largest dollar-denominated loan to date and reflects a broader strategy by founder and chief executive Masayoshi Son to deepen…
Barclays shares fell on February 27, 2026, after media reports suggested the bank could face losses tied to the collapse of UK specialist mortgage provider Market Financial Solutions (MFS). In early London trading, Barclays stock was down around 2% at about 463 pence a share, according to market pricing cited alongside the report. The move followed reporting by The Times…
Barclays has sharply reduced its peak sales estimate for Novo Nordisk’s next-generation obesity treatment CagriSema, cutting the forecast to US$2 billion from US$12 billion, according to a Reuters report published on February 24, 2026. The revision represents a reduction of more than 80% and reflects a rapid reassessment of the drug’s commercial prospects after new late-stage trial data. The downgrade…
Anna Breman presided over her inaugural monetary policy meeting as Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) on February 18, 2026, underscoring a drive for improved transparency and clearer communication with markets and the public. Breman, appointed in September 2025 and taking office on December 1, 2025, is the first woman and first foreign national to occupy the…
