BUSINESS
EU nears Russian asset freeze deal to ease Ukraine loan
Moscow would retain a legal claim on the assets, however, which has left Belgium anxious that it could face repercussions.
BUSINESS
US trade deficit unexpectedly shrinks to smallest since 2020
The value of US exports rose 3% to the second-highest level on record, fueled by non-monetary gold and pharmaceutical preparations.
BUSINESS
Disney invests $1 billion in OpenAI, strikes licensing deal
Disney will become a major customer of OpenAI, using its tools to build new products and experiences and deploying ChatGPT for its employees.
BUSINESS
US jobless claims jump by most since 2020 after holiday drop
Initial claims increased by 44,000 to 236,000 in the week ended Dec. 6, according to Labor Department data released Thursday.
BUSINESS
BlackRock’s crew of quant PhDs are on track for a record year
Over the past two years, their 200-person unit, known as systematic investing, has raked in at least $40 billion of new money.
BUSINESS
Companies are just now tallying up the impact of the US shutdown
Markets also had to wait for the end of the impasse. UBS Group AG flagged the shutdown as a “potential headwind” for initial public offerings.
BUSINESS
FDA approves first home-use headset to treat depression in US
Called FL-100, it weighs less than a pair of over-the-ear headphones and the company said thursday it will be available in the second half of 2026.
BUSINESS
RBI buys $5.5 billion of bonds at first auction since May
The purchase is part of RBI’s plan to inject Rs 1 lakh crore worth of liquidity via bond purchase and $5 billion equivalent via a foreign exchange swap this month
BUSINESS
IEA trims forecast of record oil glut for first time since May
World supplies will exceed demand by 3.815 million barrels a day in 2026, which would still mark a record, but trims last month’s estimate by 231,000 barrels a day.
WORLD
Netflix vs Paramount: Warner Bros. merger fight draws fire across US political divide
President Trump added drama on Wednesday when he said that any deal for Warner Bros. should include the sale of its CNN cable news network
CRYPTOCURRENCY
Bitcoin dips below $90,000 after Fed Cut widens stocks split
The original cryptocurrency fell as much as 3.2% to briefly dip below $90,000 on Thursday, down from an intra-day high of $94,490 the day before, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
INDIA
India's $175 billion pension industry resists new bond valuation rules
The issue is how pension asset managers value government securities in their funds, which are currently accounted for at the latest market price
BUSINESS
JPMorgan set to open first new India branch in nearly a decade
The lender has gotten an in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India to establish its fourth branch in Pune
BUSINESS
India lets $177 billion of pensions access far more assets
The move is expected to improve diversification and liquidity across portfolios as assets under management surge.
BUSINESS
China silver-fund manager issues risk warnings as premiums soar
The metal has been buoyed by supply tightness after a historic short squeeze in October.
BUSINESS
Google DeepMind will open a robotic AI lab in UK to discover new materials
The facility, which will open in the UK next year, is the centerpiece of a broad partnership with the British government Alphabet Inc.’s Google announced on Thursday
BUSINESS
Mexico approves up to 50% tariffs on Indian, Chinese imports
Mexico’s Senate voted in favor of the bill that imposes tariffs of between 5% and 50% on more than 1,400 products from Asian nations that don’t have a trade deal with Mexico
MARKETS
Asian stocks advance as US Fed’s rate cut lifts mood
The MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose 0.5% in early trade, led by the tech and financial sectors
WORLD
Trump discusses Ukraine plan with Europeans as talks intensify
European leaders, who met in London earlier this week, had tasked their national security advisers with producing further proposals to send to the US based on negotiations between Trump’s envoys and Ukrainian officials.
BUSINESS
Netflix is looking to borrow heavily again to fund Warner Bros. deal
Paramount’s hostile takeover bid may win over Netflix, in which case Netflix would be stuck paying a $5.8 billion penalty in the form of a breakup fee, without gaining a new business that would boost its revenue.
BUSINESS
Elon Musk’s fortune would more than double on $1.5 trillion SpaceX
Elon Musk's total fortune would be $952 billion, up about $491 billion from its current level, according to the calculations, which use a $1.5 trillion pre-money valuation for its estimate.
BUSINESS
Inside Meta’s pivot from open source to money-making AI model
Meta’s strategy shifted dramatically earlier this year after the company released Llama 4, an open-source model that disappointed Silicon Valley and Zuckerberg
TECHNOLOGY
Amazon raises India investment pledge to $35 billion by 2030
The US e-commerce giant will invest in areas such as artificial intelligence and logistics infrastructure, it said in a statement
BUSINESS
Mario Gabelli signals support for Paramount in Warner fight
In an interview, Gabelli said Paramount will ultimately have to increase its $30-a-share bid for Warner Bros. and that Netflix Inc. will also likely counter with a higher offer.
