Elliott Takes Major Stake in Norwegian Cruise Line as US Student Debt Delinquencies Hit Record High

Group 1: Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) - Elliott Investment Management has acquired a significant stake exceeding 10% in Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH), positioning itself as one of the largest shareholders and indicating a push for operational changes and board representation [2][9] - Elliott is collaborating with Adam Goldstein, the former Chief Operating Officer of Royal Caribbean, as a potential board nominee to influence management and address NCLH's recent underperformance compared to industry peers like Royal Caribbean [3][9] - Norwegian Cruise Line announced a long-term agreement with Fincantieri to construct three new ships for delivery between 2036 and 2037, aiming for disciplined fleet growth and leverage reduction [3] Group 2: US Consumer Landscape - The US consumer landscape is under significant pressure, with student loan serious delinquencies reaching a record 16.2% in Q4 2025, up from 14.3% in the previous quarter, indicating a sharp increase in financial distress among borrowers [4][9] - Total nominal household debt has risen to $18.8 trillion, with low-income borrowers and individuals aged 18-49 experiencing the most distress, which may negatively impact discretionary spending in the first half of 2026 [5] Group 3: Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) - Goldman Sachs has decided to eliminate its formal board diversity policy, which mandated that companies it took public have at least two diverse directors, citing recent legal developments as the reason for this change [6][7] - Despite removing the formal mandate, Goldman executives stated that the policy had served its purpose as a catalyst for change and will continue to advocate for diverse perspectives through informal advisory channels [7] Group 4: Global Markets - Japanese 10-year government bond yields fell to 2.165%, the lowest level in over a month, following disappointing Q4 2025 GDP growth data of only 0.1%, which was below the expected 0.4% [8][9] - Global equity futures are trading lower, with S&P 500 E-mini contracts down 0.3% and Nasdaq futures down 0.6%, as investors express concerns over structural risks related to rapid artificial intelligence adoption [9][10]