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…
In a significant move, HSBC (HSBA.L), a prominent British bank, has decided to withdraw from the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA). This decision comes after a series of similar exits from major U.S. banks, signaling a shift in the banking sector’s approach to climate commitments. HSBC, while acknowledging the role NZBA played in developing frameworks to guide banks in setting emissions-reduction…
Lending Cap Change Targets First-Time Buyers The Bank of England (BoE) has announced a significant easing of its mortgage lending restrictions, allowing UK banks greater room to issue higher loan-to-income (LTI) mortgages. The change is expected to support homebuyers—particularly first-time buyers—and stimulate economic growth, aligning with broader government goals to ease access to credit and improve homeownership rates. Under the…
During a campaign-style event in Iowa on July 3, former President Donald Trump drew sharp criticism after referring to some bankers as “Shylocks” while promoting his economic agenda. He was highlighting the removal of estate and inheritance taxes in his proposed fiscal policy, describing how families would no longer need to “go to the banks and borrow from, in some…
Central Bank Confident Despite Rising NPLs Russia’s Central Bank, led by Governor Elvira Nabiullina, has categorically dismissed concerns about a looming banking crisis, even as bad and restructured loans increase. The share of non-performing loans (NPLs) has surged, partly due to a tight monetary policy pushing interest rates above 30%, making corporate refinancing more challenging. Still, the regulator says the system…
Nasdaq Widens Its Lead in IPO Market Share The first half of 2025 confirmed Nasdaq’s dominance in the U.S. IPO market, outperforming the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) by a wide margin in both number and value of new listings. According to recent data, Nasdaq attracted approximately $21.3 billion in IPO proceeds, more than double the $8.7 billion raised by…
In a move that could dramatically reshape federal consumer protection oversight, the U.S. Senate parliamentarian has ruled that a Republican proposal to slash the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)’s budget can be included in a broader spending package under special budget rules. The decision, disclosed by several lawmakers on June 27, enables the measure to pass with a simple majority…
