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…
Several major South Korean insurers are holding exploratory discussions about entering India’s insurance industry, according to three sources familiar with the matter. The talks involve Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance, and Mirae Asset Financial Group, and include meetings with Indian insurers, advisers, and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), the sources said.…
Banco Santander said it has agreed to buy Webster Financial in a proposed $12.2 billion cash-and-stock transaction, a deal the Spanish lender is framing as a decisive step toward becoming a larger retail and commercial bank in the United States. The announcement triggered an immediate market test of that strategy: Santander shares fell after the plan was unveiled, with trading…
Deutsche Bank reported its strongest annual result since 2007, posting net profit attributable to shareholders of €6.12 billion for 2025, slightly above analyst expectations of nearly €6 billion and more than double the €2.7 billion recorded a year earlier. The lender said the performance capped a three-year financial plan in which it pledged to deliver a return on tangible equity…
U.S. businesses increased borrowing to fund equipment purchases in December 2025, with new loans, leases, and lines of credit totaling $10.6 billion on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA). The trade group said the total was up from the prior month and represented the second-highest level on record, underscoring continued demand for machines,…
After a year of decisions and emergency orders that have generally expanded President Donald Trump’s ability to remove leaders of “independent” federal bodies, the U.S. Supreme Court is indicating that the Federal Reserve may be treated differently. In recent months, the justices have repeatedly suggested that while presidents can dismiss some agency officials for virtually any reason, members of the…
Business executives and political leaders are converging on Davos, Switzerland, for the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), a gathering that brands itself as a platform for dialogue and economic progress even as geopolitical friction and economic anxiety intensify. Organizers say the four-day event is framed this year around “A Spirit of Dialogue,” with debates expected to range…
