New unitary councils will replace 43 county and district councils, in latest round of local government overhaul Fifteen new councils will be created in the south and east of England under the latest round of a major local government overhaul, aimed at boosting economic growth and accelerating mass housebuilding plans. The new unitary councils will replace 43 counties and districts across Norfolk, ...
New unitary councils will replace 43 county and district councils, in latest round of local government overhaul Fifteen new councils will be created in the south and east of England under the latest round of a major local government overhaul, aimed at boosting economic growth and accelerating mass housebuilding plans. The new unitary councils will replace 43 counties and districts across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Hampshire, with hundreds of councillors’ roles axed. A decision on future arrangements for East Sussex and West Sussex has been delayed. Continue reading...
Khanchit Khirisutchalual/iStock via Getty Images The last time I spoke about Absci Corporation ( ABSI ), it was in a Seeking Alpha article entitled " Absci: AI-Driven Platform Could Establish Best-In-Class TL1A Drug Targeting Profile. " The hope here was that upon the release of data, the company could show a competing half-life when it came to its TL1A candidate ABS-101 in the targeting of patien...
Khanchit Khirisutchalual/iStock via Getty Images The last time I spoke about Absci Corporation ( ABSI ), it was in a Seeking Alpha article entitled " Absci: AI-Driven Platform Could Establish Best-In-Class TL1A Drug Targeting Profile. " The hope here was that upon the release of data, the company could show a competing half-life when it came to its TL1A candidate ABS-101 in the targeting of patients with irritable bowel syndrome [IBS]. Today, I'm downgrading the stock to a Hold rating for several reasons. The first of which is that while ABS-101 showed an extended half-life versus 1st-generation TL1A candidates, it failed to make a mark in differentiation compared to 2nd-generation ones. Thus, the second reason for the downgrade is because the company has chosen to shift away from further development of ABS-101. The only way it intends to advance this forward is if it can find a partner willing to move it forward in clinical development [likely toward another indication, not IBD, as this landscape is crowded]. The third reason is because the company has chosen to pivot over to the development of prolactin receptor antagonist [anti-PRLR] ABS-201 for the treatment of patients with androgenetic alopecia [AA]. As a matter of fact, in the most recent update, it is noted that it had successfully dosed the first three dose cohorts in the single-ascending dose [SAD] portion of its ongoing phase 1/2a HEADLINE trial using ABS-201 to treat these androgenetic AA patients. While this program advancement appears to be good, there are a few problems here. The first of which is that it is early in the process. What I mean by that is that in the first half of 2026, it only expects to release the initial safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetic [PK] profile of this study. The true test of whether or not this drug is effective in being able to treat these patients won't happen until proof-of-concept data is released in the 2nd half of 2026 and early 2027, respectively. In addition, t...
Shonnel Malani, Advent's global head of aerospace and defense, says the company plans to invest as much as $1 billion in defense tech because of increasing global geopolitical tensions. He speaks with Dani Burger on "Bloomberg Deals." (Source: Bloomberg)
Shonnel Malani, Advent's global head of aerospace and defense, says the company plans to invest as much as $1 billion in defense tech because of increasing global geopolitical tensions. He speaks with Dani Burger on "Bloomberg Deals." (Source: Bloomberg)
After weeks of speculation and behind-the-scenes intrigue over the delayed summit between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, the White House announced on Wednesday new dates for the long-anticipated, high-stakes meeting. “I’m pleased to announce that President Trump’s … long-awaited meeting with President Xi in China will now take place in Beijing on May 14 and 15,” White House sp...
After weeks of speculation and behind-the-scenes intrigue over the delayed summit between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, the White House announced on Wednesday new dates for the long-anticipated, high-stakes meeting. “I’m pleased to announce that President Trump’s … long-awaited meeting with President Xi in China will now take place in Beijing on May 14 and 15,” White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said. In a social media post, Trump described Xi as “the highly respected...
SimonSkafar/E+ via Getty Images By Timothy Rahill , Credit Strategist and Jeroen van den Broek , Global Head of Sector Research We expect developments in the private credit market to remain in the headlines and contribute to the imminent repricing of higher-beta credit markets. We coined this Baby Bear as one of the key risks to the Goldilocks credit story for 2026 . We don’t view this as a system...
SimonSkafar/E+ via Getty Images By Timothy Rahill , Credit Strategist and Jeroen van den Broek , Global Head of Sector Research We expect developments in the private credit market to remain in the headlines and contribute to the imminent repricing of higher-beta credit markets. We coined this Baby Bear as one of the key risks to the Goldilocks credit story for 2026 . We don’t view this as a systemic risk event. Banking system exposure, both direct and indirect, appears manageable and recent analysis from the Office of Financial Research and Moody’s provides reassurance. However, important questions remain about the broader consequences for spread markets, default rates, and the impact of questionable rating practices. There are growing concerns that ratings shopping and limited oversight have fuelled ratings inflation aimed at securing investment-grade status for insurance sector allocations. The likes of BIS are already investigating some ratings, and the ECB is set to start a new round of checks on banks’ private credit holdings. Whilst there is certainly unease rising, we do not expect a full implosion. The system is not collapsing, but it is re-pricing risk. Given the recent news flow, continued redemption pressure across private credit funds seems unavoidable, and most funds are likely to maintain caps or gates on withdrawals. A high level of redemptions matters. It creates a situation where funds facing sustained outflows must reserve liquidity to meet withdrawals. As such, they may be forced to sell assets rather than originate new loans. This slows distribution cycles, reducing the sector’s ability to underwrite new deals. Market commentary is broadly aligned in suggesting that the credit cycle appears close to turning. As the Goldman Sachs CEO remarked only last week, the credit cycle “has not been repealed”, identifying AI disruption as a potential catalyst. However, the deeper concern lies in the multiple potential channels of contagion should pressure in...
gopixa/iStock Editorial via Getty Images By Ezequiel Gomes XRP ( XRP-USD ) traded near $1.42 on Wednesday, March 25, holding firmer after another test of the low $1.40 zone. The move was constructive without being especially strong, which left the token in a familiar spot: supported, but still in need of a reason to run. XRP has spent the past several sessions acting like a market that wants to s...
gopixa/iStock Editorial via Getty Images By Ezequiel Gomes XRP ( XRP-USD ) traded near $1.42 on Wednesday, March 25, holding firmer after another test of the low $1.40 zone. The move was constructive without being especially strong, which left the token in a familiar spot: supported, but still in need of a reason to run. XRP has spent the past several sessions acting like a market that wants to settle down before it decides anything bigger. Price is no longer sliding with the same speed seen earlier in March, yet every bounce still seems to lose energy before it can turn into a proper breakout. That is usually what a hesitant market looks like. The first line that matters remains $1.40. Buyers have shown up there often enough for it to count, but repeated visits to support can become their own warning sign when rebounds stay shallow. A break below that zone would put the mid-$1.30 region back in play, and that would change the feel of the chart fairly quickly. Above the market, the problem is easier to name than to solve. XRP still needs to clear $1.45 with some authority before traders start looking more confidently toward $1.50. Until then, rallies are being treated as profit-taking opportunities rather than the start of a new uptrend. XRP price dynamics (February 2026-March 2026) (Source: TradingView) A better backdrop than the chart admits Ripple said Wednesday it had joined the Monetary Authority of Singapore ’s BLOOM initiative and was working with Unloq on a programmable settlement project tied to trade finance. The use case involves XRP Ledger infrastructure and Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin, which gives the market a fresh real-world payments angle at a time when utility stories matter more than they used to. That development lands in a market already adjusting to a less-hostile policy tone in the U.S. this month. The SEC has issued interpretive guidance for the digital market, and agency records indicate that its staff met Ripple representatives on March 20 to...
Washington State's Race-Based Housing Finance Program Faces Federal Probe Authored by Naveen Athrappully via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), The Trump administration’s housing department launched an investigation into the Washington State Housing Finance Commission for allegedly violating the Fair Housing Act via its race-based housing finance program , according to a March 24 press release. Pres...
Washington State's Race-Based Housing Finance Program Faces Federal Probe Authored by Naveen Athrappully via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), The Trump administration’s housing department launched an investigation into the Washington State Housing Finance Commission for allegedly violating the Fair Housing Act via its race-based housing finance program , according to a March 24 press release. President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Eric Scott Turner, testifies before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs on Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 16, 2025. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) notified the commission of the investigation into the state’s Covenant Homeownership Program. Launched in 2024, the program offers down payment and closing cost assistance to homeowners, which, according to its website, seeks to rectify “state-sanctioned racial discrimination in housing.” Applicants for the program must have a household income at or below 120 percent of the area median income, and be a first-time homebuyer who had family living in the state before April 1968. Also, those relatives must have been black, Hispanic, Native American/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, Korean, or Asian Indian. Persons of European, Japanese, Arab, or Jewish ancestry do not appear to qualify, said the HUD statement. “ Fair housing is about equal rights, not extra rights. As HUD secretary, I will not stand for illegal racial and ethnic preferences that deny Americans their right to equal protection under the law, ” HUD Secretary Scott Turner said in an X post. According to the Fair Housing Act, direct providers of housing, including lending institutions, must not discriminate based on the applicant’s race or color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability...
Robinhood (NASDAQ: HOOD) authorized a new $1.5 billion stock buyback program on March 24, 2026, a move that raises an important question: Is this smart capital allocation or a costly misstep? Shares have fallen roughly 36% year-to-date after a massive run-up last year. The buyback plan, which adds over $1.1 billion in fresh capacity, is expected to play out over approximately three years, with fle...
Robinhood (NASDAQ: HOOD) authorized a new $1.5 billion stock buyback program on March 24, 2026, a move that raises an important question: Is this smart capital allocation or a costly misstep? Shares have fallen roughly 36% year-to-date after a massive run-up last year. The buyback plan, which adds over $1.1 billion in fresh capacity, is expected to play out over approximately three years, with flexibility to accelerate depending on market conditions. Whether the timing proves wise will depend on whether the recent stock decline reflects a temporary dislocation or something more fundamental as the market pulls back. *Stock prices used were end-of-day prices of March 25, 2026. The video was published on March 25, 2026. Continue reading
Dolce & Gabbana is embarking on fresh talks with lenders after weak global demand for luxury goods put pressure on earnings and the terms governing its debt, people familiar with the matter said. The Italian fashion house is working with Rothschild & Co. as financial adviser, the people said. D&G has about €450 million ($522 million) of bank debt, after a refinancing last year that included new bo...
Dolce & Gabbana is embarking on fresh talks with lenders after weak global demand for luxury goods put pressure on earnings and the terms governing its debt, people familiar with the matter said. The Italian fashion house is working with Rothschild & Co. as financial adviser, the people said. D&G has about €450 million ($522 million) of bank debt, after a refinancing last year that included new borrowing of €150 million to help fund an expansion plan aimed at keeping Dolce & Gabbana independent. At the time, the company obtained a waiver on debt requirements, according to Dolce & Gabbana’s latest available annual report. Lenders have started assessing options to give the company some breathing room on its debt covenants, the people said, asking not to be named because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly. Talks are at the beginning stages and no details have been agreed upon, they added. The Italian company, known for its Mediterranean-inspired designs, has been squeezed by an ongoing slowdown in the luxury goods sector, compounded recently by uncertainties from the war in Iran, the people said. Read More: Dolce & Gabbana Gets Fresh Cash to Fund Bet on Beauty Products Representatives for Dolce & Gabbana and Rothschild declined to comment. Dolce & Gabbana isn’t the only fashion house resorting to discussions with its lenders. Last year, following a breach in terms governing its debt, Valentino owners Kering SA and Mayhoola agreed to inject €100 million as part of a deal with the banks, filings show. Dolce & Gabbana was formed in 1985 by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, who remain its creative leaders. The brand, known for opulent styles evocative of southern Italy’s baroque era, has been focused on expanding its beauty business as a way to remain independent in a rapidly shifting industry. Last year, the company negotiated a refinancing of around €300 million of debt through February 2030. As part of those talks, Dolce & Gabbana obtained the additional €150 m...
Galeh Kholis Pambudi Ball Corp. ( BALL ) was added as a new short idea at Hedgeye. "Ball Corp is shaping up to be a primary casualty of the escalating Iran conflict, with no visible near-term offramp and mounting pressure throughout its cost structure," Hedgeye analyst Jay Van Sciver wrote in a note on Tuesday. "Disruptions in the Gulf are pushing oil higher, driving a meaningful step-up in freigh...
Galeh Kholis Pambudi Ball Corp. ( BALL ) was added as a new short idea at Hedgeye. "Ball Corp is shaping up to be a primary casualty of the escalating Iran conflict, with no visible near-term offramp and mounting pressure throughout its cost structure," Hedgeye analyst Jay Van Sciver wrote in a note on Tuesday. "Disruptions in the Gulf are pushing oil higher, driving a meaningful step-up in freight and shipping costs that negatively impact volume." Van Sciver added that "a t the same time, aluminum, typically a pass through, is moving higher on supply dislocations and elevated import premiums." Shares of Ball ( BALL ) have dropped 10% since the Iran war started at the end of last month. Ball rose 2.4% on Wednesday. "Longer term, GLP-1 adoption introduces a structural headwind to canned beverage demand, further pressuring Ball’s volume and earnings outlook," Hedgeye's Van Sciver wrote. Ball has short interest of 1.8%. More on Ball Ball Corporation (BALL) Presents at Bank of America 2026 Global Agriculture and Materials Conference Transcript Ball Corporation 2025 Q4 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation Ball Q4 Review: Great End To The Year, But It Is A Bit Expensive Now Ball shares jump to 52-week high after Q4 earnings beat Ball projects 10%+ EPS growth for 2026 with $900M+ free cash flow following Benepack acquisition
Harold Bernstein, President, R&D & CMO of Maze Therapeutics (NASDAQ:MAZE) , reported the exercise of 15,000 stock options and immediate sale of the corresponding common shares for a total value of approximately $736,000 according to the SEC Form 4 filing . Transaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average purchase price ($49.10); post-transaction value based on March 20, 2026 market close ($4...
Harold Bernstein, President, R&D & CMO of Maze Therapeutics (NASDAQ:MAZE) , reported the exercise of 15,000 stock options and immediate sale of the corresponding common shares for a total value of approximately $736,000 according to the SEC Form 4 filing . Transaction value based on SEC Form 4 weighted average purchase price ($49.10); post-transaction value based on March 20, 2026 market close ($49.10). Maze Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company leveraging precision genetics to develop novel therapies for renal and metabolic diseases. With a focused pipeline, the company develops small molecule precision medicines for the treatment of renal, cardiovascular, and related metabolic diseases. Its competitive edge is rooted in proprietary small molecule programs targeting genetically validated pathways. Continue reading
AUSTIN, Texas & SAN FRANCISCO, March 25, 2026--RSA 2026 – CrowdStrike (NASDAQ: CRWD) today announced Jazz as the winner of the third annual Cybersecurity Startup Accelerator with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and NVIDIA through the NVIDIA Inception program. Jazz was recognized for its innovation in AI-driven data loss prevention (DLP) and its potential to address critical security challenges facing mo...
AUSTIN, Texas & SAN FRANCISCO, March 25, 2026--RSA 2026 – CrowdStrike (NASDAQ: CRWD) today announced Jazz as the winner of the third annual Cybersecurity Startup Accelerator with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and NVIDIA through the NVIDIA Inception program. Jazz was recognized for its innovation in AI-driven data loss prevention (DLP) and its potential to address critical security challenges facing modern enterprises in the AI era.