In a move underscoring the enduring geopolitical tensions between the United States and China, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order extending the deadline for ByteDance to divest its U.S. operations of TikTok. The decision gives the Chinese tech company until September 17 to complete the mandated sale of the popular short-video platform’s American assets. This extension comes despite earlier legal frameworks that required a shutdown or divestiture in the absence of significant progress.
American Express $AXP announced a sweeping update to its U.S. consumer and business Platinum® Cards, marking the most significant overhaul in the product’s four-decade history. This strategic move comes at a time when evolving preferences among Millennials and Gen Z are reshaping spending patterns, particularly across travel, dining, and lifestyle categories.
Toyota $7203.T has officially confirmed that the hybrid variant of its iconic LandCruiser 300 Series will debut in Australian showrooms in 2026. This marks a pivotal moment in the automaker’s transition to electrified powertrains across its global SUV lineup. While Australia awaits the release, Toyota has already launched the LandCruiser Hybrid in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), highlighting key regional differences in strategy and market readiness.
Italian-Japanese auto parts supplier Marelli, owned by private equity firm KKR $KKR , is currently in advanced talks with creditors as it grapples with heavy debt burdens. According to reports from Japanese news agency Kyodo, Marelli may file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States. The move is aimed at preserving its operations and supplier commitments, particularly to major OEMs like Nissan $7201.T and Stellantis $STLA, while it seeks financial restructuring and new capital injections.
Morgan Stanley $MS has begun marketing a $5 billion financing package—comprising bonds and two loans—on behalf of Elon Musk's artificial intelligence venture, xAI. The move coincides with a very public falling-out between Musk and U.S. President Joe Biden, drawing attention to both the structure of the deal and the timing of its announcement. The proposed offering includes a floating-rate term loan B and a fixed-income tranche, both carrying aggressive terms, hinting at investor appetite and the high-risk, high-reward nature of the AI sector.
Tensions between Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, and former U.S. President Donald Trump erupted publicly this week, casting a shadow over the future of key American aerospace and defense initiatives. At the heart of the dispute are $22 billion in federal contracts awarded to SpaceX, now potentially at risk due to an intensifying political confrontation. This development arrives at a critical juncture for national space policy, military satellite deployment, and broader U.S. innovation strategies.
Tiger Securities, a Singapore-headquartered online brokerage firm, has announced plans to double its workforce in Hong Kong over the next two to three years. The move reflects the company’s strategic positioning to capture a larger share of the rapidly expanding offshore Chinese investment market. The firm’s CEO, Tianhua Wu, revealed the initiative in an exclusive interview with Reuters this week, citing favorable market conditions and evolving investor behavior as key drivers.
The global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) landscape has been heating up across the technology sector, particularly within Europe. U.S.-based private equity giant KKR & Co Inc. $KKR has intensified its pursuit of German IT services provider Datagroup SE $D6H.DE, revising its acquisition proposal upward from an initial €54 to as much as €58 per share. This development not only highlights the strategic importance of IT infrastructure in the post-digital transformation era but also signals investor confidence in the long-term potential of European mid-cap tech firms.
Stellantis N.V. $STLAM.MI, the multinational automotive conglomerate formed by the merger of Fiat Chrysler and PSA Group, has announced a pivotal leadership change. Antonio Filosa, currently head of the company’s North American operations, will take over as Chief Executive Officer effective June 23. The move comes in response to mounting pressure following a steep 70% drop in net profit for fiscal year 2024 and cash outflows totaling €6 billion ($6.75 billion USD).
In early January, under snowfall in suburban Pittsburgh, Nippon Steel $5401.T Executive Vice President Takahiro Mori convened with local stakeholders to assure them of the company’s long-term commitment to the region. The Japanese steelmaker had recently proposed a $14.9 billion takeover of U.S. Steel $X, one of America's oldest industrial giants. However, U.S. President Joe Biden intervened, blocking the cross-border acquisition — citing national interests and the protection of American jobs.
The first phase of the groundbreaking UAE data center project, known as “Stargate UAE,” is set for completion by 2026 and will deploy an estimated 100,000 Nvidia $NVDA chips. This initiative is part of a recent agreement brokered by former U.S. President Donald Trump to establish the world’s largest AI data center complex outside the United States. The development signals a significant pivot in U.S.-UAE technology collaboration, overcoming prior U.S. export restrictions tied to the UAE’s close ties with China.
The Boeing Company $BA, once a global benchmark for aerospace manufacturing, has entered a new phase in its recovery strategy. Following a series of safety lapses and regulatory scrutiny, Boeing now aims to stabilize the monthly output of its flagship aircraft, the 737 MAX, at 38 units, according to Doug Ackerman, Vice President of Quality for Commercial Airplanes.
