Eli Lilly and Company $LLY, a global pharmaceutical leader, announced a definitive agreement to acquire Verve Therapeutics, Inc. $VERV, a Boston-based biotechnology firm specializing in gene editing therapies for cardiovascular disease. This strategic acquisition reflects growing momentum behind the application of CRISPR-based genome editing in chronic disease treatment, particularly in cardiometabolic indications. The deal further strengthens Lilly’s pipeline in precision medicine and underscores the intensifying competition in the RNA and gene-editing landscape.
Spanish telecommunications group Telefónica S.A. $TEF is accelerating its retreat from Spanish-speaking Latin America, prioritizing higher-return regions amid persistent profitability challenges and rising capital costs in the region. The move is spearheaded by newly appointed CEO Marc Murtra, who is implementing a sharper geographic focus to improve shareholder value and operating margins.
In a significant step toward comprehensive cryptocurrency regulation in the United States, the Senate moved closer to final approval of a long-anticipated digital assets bill. On Wednesday, the upper chamber voted 68–30 in favor of advancing a revised legislative proposal that incorporates a set of bipartisan amendments negotiated over several weeks of procedural delays and political friction.
Canadian discount retail chain Dollarama Inc. $DOL.TO has become the focus of renewed optimism on Bay Street after a series of upgraded analyst ratings and increased price targets from top financial institutions. The flurry of upward revisions suggests that institutional investors are forecasting strong earnings momentum and operational resilience, particularly in the face of a softening Canadian retail environment and evolving consumer spending behavior.
Oil prices declined on Thursday following reports of increased gasoline and distillate inventories in the United States, combined with Saudi Arabia’s decision to reduce crude oil prices for Asian customers in July. These developments occurred against the backdrop of persistent global economic uncertainty, which continues to weigh on energy demand forecasts. Brent crude futures fell by $0.14, or 0.2%, to $64.72 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures in the US declined by $0.24, or 0.4%, to $62.61 per barrel as of 05:00 GMT.
On Tuesday, Cornelis Networks, an Intel $INTC spin-off founded in 2020 and still backed by Intel’s venture capital arm, introduced a groundbreaking suite of networking hardware and software designed to interconnect up to 500,000 artificial intelligence (AI) chips. This innovation addresses a longstanding bottleneck in AI data centers: while AI computational chips deliver extreme processing speeds, the network connections between them lag, limiting data flow and overall system performance.
French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi $SAN.PA has announced its largest acquisition in years, agreeing to purchase Blueprint Medicines Corp. $BPMC for over $9 billion. The all-cash deal, valued at $129.00 per share, underscores Sanofi's strategic commitment to rare immune-related disorders, a high-margin and fast-growing niche within the broader biopharmaceutical industry.
Guidewire Software $GWRE, a leading U.S.-based provider of software solutions for the insurance industry, is set to significantly expand its presence in India. The company announced plans to double its employee base in the country to 1,000 by the end of 2028, reinforcing its professional services division. This move aligns with a broader trend of multinational corporations transforming India from a low-cost back-office location into a hub of innovation and high-value-added services.
European and global markets began the week on a positive note after former U.S. President Donald Trump reversed his stance on imposing steep tariffs on European Union (EU) imports. The announcement, which followed a long weekend closure in the UK, provided a short-term relief rally, especially for FTSE futures and Wall Street indices. However, market participants remain cautious amid concerns over Trump's unpredictable policy pivots and ongoing trade rhetoric.
French IT giant Capgemini $CAP.PA announced a strategic partnership with German software leader SAP $SAP to implement advanced Mistral AI solutions tailored for sectors with stringent data compliance requirements. The collaboration targets highly regulated industries such as financial services, government, aerospace and defense, energy, and utilities. This alliance reflects the growing demand for specialized artificial intelligence (AI) applications capable of addressing complex regulatory and security challenges.
In a significant vote of confidence for U.S. equity markets, UBS Global Wealth Management $UBS has raised its year-end target for the S&P 500 Index $^SPX from 5800 to 6000, citing stronger-than-expected corporate earnings growth. The new outlook comes alongside an upgraded earnings-per-share (EPS) projection for 2025 and a fresh long-term target for mid-2026.
National Aluminium Company Limited $NATIONALUM.NS, India’s leading state-owned aluminum producer, reported a significant increase in its net profit for the fourth quarter ending March 31, 2025. The sharp rise in earnings was primarily driven by a global surge in non-ferrous metal prices, notably aluminum and copper, fueled by constrained supply and geopolitical uncertainties affecting trade flows.
