Gennaro Leonardi/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Monday Madness Another Monday comes with another post on Truth Social from President Trump. We’re covering the macro picture every Monday as we push through the current U.S.-Israel-Iran war. This Monday, not unlike last Monday, the U.S. remains in “serious discussions” with Iran. Trump's five-day pause on hitting energy sites amid productive conve...
Gennaro Leonardi/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Monday Madness Another Monday comes with another post on Truth Social from President Trump. We’re covering the macro picture every Monday as we push through the current U.S.-Israel-Iran war. This Monday, not unlike last Monday, the U.S. remains in “serious discussions” with Iran. Trump's five-day pause on hitting energy sites amid productive conversations with Iran, announced last Monday, got extended until April 6th on Thursday as we neared the deadline. These Monday headlines also make it clear that this administration’s vulnerability lies in financial markets, particularly as we see them begin to digest the gravity of the situation. TruthSocial Unfortunately for Trump, the market isn’t buying into his rhetoric anymore, and a big part of why is that Iran has been denying its occurrence. Markets went up slightly after his post on Thursday post-market close, but gains didn’t hold, and another crash came around Friday, driving Nasdaq and Dow into correction territory, and it has seriously spilled into Monday. Oil prices ( CO1:COM ) are hitting their highest level since 2022, and panic seems to be growing roots. Oil prices are driving the physical shortage that has yet to fully trickle down to the consumer, although prices at the pump are not hiding how bad things could get, as shown below. BBC We’re also hearing divergent accounts of the state of the Strait, with Trump claiming that Iran has allowed up to 20 tankers to pass through the Strait as a “present,” while other reports indicate that two vessels from China Ocean Shipping Company were unable to pass through. Footage circulating online showcases just how bad the traffic buildup at the Strait has become. There are now almost 17.8M barrels per day that usually pass through Hormuz, and that flow is disrupted. With the war now entering its 31st day, the question on everyone's mind is: Are we near the end? More specifically, are we near that April buying moment we g...
Banks led by JPMorgan Chase & Co. have sold a $500 million leveraged loan for Mativ Holdings Inc. at one of the biggest discounts so far this year, as investor demand for risky debt wanes amid volatile markets. The loan, which will refinance debt for the specialty materials producer, was priced Monday at 4.5 percentage points over the benchmark and 95 cents on the dollar, according to a person wit...
Banks led by JPMorgan Chase & Co. have sold a $500 million leveraged loan for Mativ Holdings Inc. at one of the biggest discounts so far this year, as investor demand for risky debt wanes amid volatile markets. The loan, which will refinance debt for the specialty materials producer, was priced Monday at 4.5 percentage points over the benchmark and 95 cents on the dollar, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter. Only two US leveraged loans have priced at deeper discounts this year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Leveraged borrowers are offering more investor-friendly terms as the economic fallout from the war in Iran and concerns over artificial intelligence’s impact on some businesses weigh on appetite for risky corporate loans. Some companies have even pulled loans from syndication. On Monday, JPMorgan also sweetened the pricing on a $7.2 billion debt package to fund Clayton, Dubilier & Rice LLC ’s takeover of Bubble Wrap maker Sealed Air Corp. Mativ — which produces materials used in everything from submarine cable tapes to medical adhesives — has grappled with an elevated debt burden while weathering what Chief Executive Officer Shruti Singhal has recently described as “anemic demand” in some industrial sectors. JPMorgan last week helped offload nearly $22 billion in junk debt tied to acquisition-related financings involving Electronic Arts Inc. and Nexstar Media Group Inc.
Constellation Energy was the first major beneficiary of the boom in AI electricity demand, but the stock has become a show-me story, dogged by doubts about its ability to continue growing in an increasingly competitive field. It will get a chance to prove itself at a long-awaited investor presentation on Tuesday. “This will be a seminal event for the IPP [independent power producer] industry,” wro...
Constellation Energy was the first major beneficiary of the boom in AI electricity demand, but the stock has become a show-me story, dogged by doubts about its ability to continue growing in an increasingly competitive field. It will get a chance to prove itself at a long-awaited investor presentation on Tuesday. “This will be a seminal event for the IPP [independent power producer] industry,” wrote Jefferies analyst Paul Zimbardo.
Fortress Investment Group plans to restructure Poundstretcher Ltd . just two years after acquiring the struggling discount retailer, the latest sign of deepening strain across the UK high street. The plan — which requires court approval — would involve reducing Poundstretcher’s rent by as much 25% on around 50 of its stores, while eliminating rent completely for another 50 locations that are curre...
Fortress Investment Group plans to restructure Poundstretcher Ltd . just two years after acquiring the struggling discount retailer, the latest sign of deepening strain across the UK high street. The plan — which requires court approval — would involve reducing Poundstretcher’s rent by as much 25% on around 50 of its stores, while eliminating rent completely for another 50 locations that are currently unprofitable, according to a person familiar with the matter. The rent reductions would expire in three years, and landlords will be offered equity upside if those concessions are approved, the person said, asking not to be identified discussing private information. The plan would also wipe a small amount of Fortress’s Poundstretcher debt, the person added. Representatives for Fortress and Poundstretcher declined to comment. Poundstretcher reported a pre-tax loss of £9.9 million ($13 million) in 2024, with management citing a “challenging environment for retailers.” In 2025, Poundland, another UK discount retailer, went through a sweeping restructuring . Last month, Fortress provided Poundstretcher with a £30 million financing facility, according to public filings . The cash will be used as working capital and can be drawn down by Poundstretcher as needed, the person said.
Gulf LNG Crisis Set To 'Make Coal Great Again' Our weekend wrap on the global energy crisis focused on Asia as ground zero and how the shock will ripple across the world, eventually hitting the US. This is now the second major energy crunch of the decade: first Russia's invasion of Ukraine, now the U.S.-Iran conflict. However, this one looks a lot more catastrophic. The immediate impact of this en...
Gulf LNG Crisis Set To 'Make Coal Great Again' Our weekend wrap on the global energy crisis focused on Asia as ground zero and how the shock will ripple across the world, eventually hitting the US. This is now the second major energy crunch of the decade: first Russia's invasion of Ukraine, now the U.S.-Iran conflict. However, this one looks a lot more catastrophic. The immediate impact of this energy crunch will be a resurgence of coal , especially across Asia, as power grid operators will be forced to switch to the dirtiest fuel to keep electricity affordable during the crisis. " We are now seeing a second, very large energy supply shock ," Goldman commodities expert Samantha Dart told Bloomberg. Dart added, " If you're sitting in Asia, going through this again, it's possible you change your strategy long term, rely more on coal for longer, build out your renewables faster, and reduce your exposure to natural gas ." Last week, JPMorgan's commodity expert showed just how Asia has emerged as ground zero of the global energy crisis . The shock is expected to spread worldwide, hitting Asia first, then Africa and Europe, before eventually reaching the U.S., though the most acute impact there may be concentrated in California. Source Bloomberg noted that Japan is already turning back to coal-fired power generation . India and Bangladesh are also running coal plants at higher capacity, while some European countries may soon be forced to burn more coal as disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz and damage to Qatar's LNG export hub tighten global gas supplies and send prices sharply higher. Fatih Birol, director of the International Energy Agency, who has warned about the worst energy shock on record, told the outlet that "high energy prices will lead governments, industries, and households to look at other options." Those options include "at least temporarily, upward pressure on the use of coal both for electricity generation and for the industrial sector ," he said. We cited...
Your human manager may soon be a chatbot. Across organizations, AI is being used to replace layers of management in what some are calling "The Great Flattening."
Your human manager may soon be a chatbot. Across organizations, AI is being used to replace layers of management in what some are calling "The Great Flattening."
Your human manager may soon be a chatbot. Across organizations, AI is being used to replace layers of management in what some are calling "The Great Flattening."
Your human manager may soon be a chatbot. Across organizations, AI is being used to replace layers of management in what some are calling "The Great Flattening."
Advanced Flower Capital (AFC) on Monday said it has expanded its senior secured revolving credit facility to $80 million with an additional $30 million commitment from an existing FDIC-insured banking partner. The company said the facility remains expandable to $100 million, subject to lender participation and borrowing base availability. AFC said it plans to use the facility to fund existing borr...
Advanced Flower Capital (AFC) on Monday said it has expanded its senior secured revolving credit facility to $80 million with an additional $30 million commitment from an existing FDIC-insured banking partner. The company said the facility remains expandable to $100 million, subject to lender participation and borrowing base availability. AFC said it plans to use the facility to fund existing borrower commitments, originate and participate in commercial loans, and for working capital and general corporate purposes. Source: Press Release More on Advanced Flower Capital Advanced Flower Capital: The 7.5% Dividend Yield Haunted By The Specter Of Legacy Loans Advanced Flower Capital Inc. 2025 Q4 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation Advanced Flower Capital Inc. (AFCG) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript Afcg signals over $1.4B active pipeline following BDC conversion while prioritizing lower middle market lending Advanced Flower Capital Q4 2025 Earnings Preview
Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX), a maker of medical devices for interventional specialties, closed Monday at $62.92, down 9.03%. The stock moved lower on Monday as investors analyzed new clinical trial information on the company’s Watchman heart implant. Trading volume reached 39.9
Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX), a maker of medical devices for interventional specialties, closed Monday at $62.92, down 9.03%. The stock moved lower on Monday as investors analyzed new clinical trial information on the company’s Watchman heart implant. Trading volume reached 39.9