The global market for initial public offerings (IPOs) has experienced a significant slowdown in 2025, with activity falling to its lowest level in nearly a decade. According to data from LSEG as of June 17, the total IPO volume worldwide has shrunk by 9.3% year-on-year, reaching only $44.3 billion, the weakest performance since 2016. This slump is attributed to a confluence of adverse factors — including U.S. trade tariffs, persistent equity market volatility, and elevated interest rates — all of which have deterred companies from pursuing listings.
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. $AMD saw its stock price surge nearly 9% on Monday, following an upgraded price target from Piper Sandler. The upward revision reflects growing investor confidence in AMD’s next-generation graphics processing units (GPUs), as well as improved visibility regarding regulatory-related costs stemming from new U.S. export licensing rules. Analysts anticipate that AMD will absorb the majority of its expected $800 million regulatory expense in Q4 2025, paving the way for operational normalization in early 2026.
Italian investment bank Mediobanca $MB.MI is reportedly considering a postponement of its crucial shareholder vote scheduled for Monday regarding its proposed acquisition of Banca Generali $BGN.MI. The board convened on Sunday following concerns raised by several shareholders requesting additional clarity on the terms and rationale of the transaction.
The U.S. dollar (USD) approached its lowest level of 2025 on Thursday, while global equities pulled back from all-time highs. This market pivot was driven by renewed geopolitical anxiety and fragile progress in U.S.-China trade negotiations. Rising tensions in the Middle East and mixed signals from macroeconomic data pushed investors toward traditional safe-haven assets, including gold, Treasuries, and the Japanese yen (JPY).
China’s electric vehicle (EV) sector is entering a new phase of global competitiveness, as domestic automakers such as BYD Co. Ltd. accelerate their push into autonomous driving. Once narrowly trailing U.S. rivals in innovation, these companies are now redefining the battlefield by combining affordability with advanced technology. BYD’s recent decision to offer its “God’s Eye” driver-assistance system free of charge in China marks a pivotal moment in this shift—directly challenging Tesla’s $TSLA premium pricing strategy and setting the stage for a broader reconfiguration of the autonomous vehicle market.
Taiwanese electronics manufacturing giant Pegatron Corp. $4938.TW, a key supplier to Apple Inc. $AAPL and Dell Technologies Inc. $DELL, is nearing a final decision on a strategic expansion into the United States. At its annual shareholder meeting on Friday, CEO Kuan-Chi Cheng confirmed that the company is in the final evaluation phase of building a manufacturing facility in the U.S., with a formal announcement expected within weeks.
Gold prices retreated on Tuesday, falling nearly 1% from a four-week high as the U.S. dollar (USD) gained strength and traders exercised caution ahead of a potential phone call between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The renewed geopolitical focus, alongside currency dynamics, pressured the precious metal, traditionally viewed as a safe-haven asset during periods of uncertainty.
South Korea’s manufacturing sector faced further contraction in May 2025, reflecting sustained pressure from declining domestic demand and intensifying trade friction with the United States. According to the latest data from S&P Global, the country’s Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) edged slightly higher to 47.7 from April’s 47.5 but remained below the 50-point threshold that separates expansion from contraction.
In a move that reshapes the transpacific industrial landscape, Japanese steelmaker Nippon Steel $5401.T is set to acquire iconic American manufacturer U.S. Steel $X, following months of regulatory scrutiny. A crucial element of the approval is a national security agreement (NSA) granting the U.S. government veto power over key operational decisions within U.S. Steel post-acquisition. This rare clause reflects heightened sensitivity in Washington over foreign control of critical industries.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a tentative agreement with Boeing Co $BA that would allow the aerospace giant to avoid criminal prosecution over the two fatal 737 MAX crashes that killed 346 people. The crashes, which occurred in 2018 and 2019, triggered one of the most significant corporate and regulatory crises in aviation history, costing Boeing tens of billions of USD in legal penalties, grounded fleets, and reputational damage.
Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken announced plans to introduce tokenized versions of over 50 popular stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), including shares of Apple $AAPL, Tesla $TSLA, and Nvidia $NVDA. According to a report by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday, this initiative aims to enable clients outside the United States to trade these equities in tokenized form. This move represents a significant development in the intersection of traditional equities markets and blockchain technology.
Lowe's Companies Inc. $LOW, a major U.S. home improvement retailer, announced a better-than-expected performance in its fiscal Q1 earnings on Wednesday. The firm reported a milder decline in comparable store sales than analysts anticipated, supported by steady demand from professional contractors. This resilience helped the company reaffirm its full-year forecast, signaling operational stability despite macroeconomic headwinds including tariff-driven pricing pressures and weakened discretionary consumer spending.
