Japan's largest banking groups are chasing JPY stablecoins. Credit: Yusuke Harada/NurPhoto via Getty Images. Key Takeaways Some of Japan’s largest banking and financial groups plan to launch yen-denominated stablecoins. Earlier this year, Japan’s three “megabank” conglomerates started developing a JPY stablecoin. Now, SBI Holdings has entered the race, too. Since the launch of the first JPY-backed stablecoin in October, each of Japan’s “megabank” financial conglomerates has now staked a claim for ...

The very existence of banks is justified by their ability to mobilise funds, specifically from the general public (depositors), and utilise those funds for their intended purpose: lending to firms and individuals within the economy. Collectively, the lending as a percentage of deposits is referred to as the credit-deposit ratio (CDR). The CDR in the range of 70-80 per cent is generally considered comfortable, though there is no specific number or range mandated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).In January ...

Meanwhile, U.S. rate futures have priced in a 73.4% chance of no rate change and a 26.6% chance of a 25 basis point rate cut at the conclusion of the Fed’s January meeting.Fed Governor Stephen Miran said on Monday that the central bank’s policy stance remains overly restrictive for the economy, citing his benign inflation outlook and warning signs in the job market. Also, New York Fed President John Williams said monetary policy is well-positioned for next year following last week’s rate cut. “The FOMC has ...

With a market cap of $9.6 billion, A. O. Smith Corporation (AOS) is a global manufacturer and marketer of residential and commercial water heating, boiler, heat pump, tank, and water treatment products, serving customers across North America, China, Europe, and India. Its diverse product portfolio supports a wide range of applications, including homes, restaurants, hotels, hospitals, schools, and other commercial and industrial facilities. Companies valued less than $10 billion are generally classified a ...

The Indian rupee has fallen for the fourth consecutive session today, hitting an all-time low of the 91 per dollar mark in the afternoon session. Falling to this lowest mark can be due to several factors including tariff pressures from Washington. The Indian rupee has fallen for the fourth consecutive session today, hitting an all-time low of the 91 per dollar mark in the afternoon session. Falling to this lowest mark can be due to several factors including tariff pressures from Washington, which still impa ...

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Core Insights - The European space industry is experiencing rapid growth, with a shift towards a more structured financial architecture that supports repeatable deals [1][5] - Investment focus has transitioned from technology development to production capacity, emphasizing strategic solutions and supply chain financing [3][4] Investment Trends - Significant investments include Quantum Systems in Germany raising €180M for aerial systems, and Ferroelectric Memory Company in Dresden securing €100M for semiconductor fabrication [2][6] - Institutional capital is emerging, exemplified by the European Investment Bank's €500M funding program for Space TechEU, indicating a shift towards production-focused scaling [6] Robotics and AI Development - The robotics sector is evolving from lab-based prototypes to scalable, investable solutions, with notable funding such as Flexion Robotics raising nearly €50M for humanoid robotics [8][9] - Investment in AI governance and fraud prevention is growing, with companies like TMT ID securing €34M for identity intelligence and cybercrime prevention [13][15] Financing Structures - November saw a rise in hybrid financing structures, with companies utilizing credit facilities and securitization as growth tools rather than relying solely on equity rounds [19][20][21] - Asset-backed funding is becoming more prevalent, allowing companies to scale without frequent valuation resets, as seen with Keyzy's €147M in property financing [22] M&A Activity - The M&A landscape in Europe is characterized by smaller, functional acquisitions rather than large liquidity-driven deals, with 69 tech M&A transactions in the DACH region alone [25][27] - Acquisitions are focused on enhancing capabilities and integrating functionalities, reflecting a shift towards operational efficiency in the tech market [28] Market Outlook - The European tech sector is moving towards a more disciplined approach to production and deployment, with an emphasis on technologies that can be manufactured and integrated [28][29] - The current environment rewards companies that demonstrate readiness and the ability to deliver scalable solutions, shaping the future trajectory of the tech industry in Europe [29]

Core Insights - The article highlights the performance and outlook of several stocks, including Microsoft, Novartis, RTX, and Air T, as analyzed by Zacks Equity Research [1][2]. Microsoft - Microsoft's shares have outperformed the Zacks Computer - Software industry over the past year, with a growth of 6.8% compared to the industry's 2.3% [4]. - The company holds a 25% market share in the cloud sector through Azure and integrates AI strategically via OpenAI, generating over $100 billion in annual operating cash flows with margins exceeding 40% [4]. - Fiscal 2026 net sales are expected to grow by 15.1% from fiscal 2025, but the company faces competition from AWS and Google Cloud, regulatory scrutiny, and rising capital expenditures for AI infrastructure [5]. Novartis - Novartis has outperformed the Zacks Large Cap Pharmaceuticals industry over the past year, with a growth of 38.8% compared to 14.9% for the industry [6]. - The company has a diverse portfolio, including drugs like Kisqali and Pluvicto, with projected compound annual growth rates (CAGR) of 37.9% and 43.3% over the next three years [7]. - New drug approvals and label expansions are expected to mitigate the impact of generic competition for key drugs, supported by recent acquisitions and collaborations [8]. RTX - RTX's shares have outperformed the Zacks Aerospace - Defense industry over the past year, with a growth of 54.1% compared to 28.1% for the industry [9]. - The company has a backlog of $251 billion as of September 30, 2025, driven by strong demand for defense products and improving global commercial air traffic [10]. - However, uncertainties from U.S. government import tariffs and ongoing supply-chain challenges pose risks to RTX's performance [11]. Air T - Air T has outperformed the Zacks Transportation - Air Freight and Cargo industry over the past year, with a growth of 0.8% compared to a decline of 8.4% for the industry [12]. - The company shows operational strength with margin expansion in Commercial Aircraft & Engines and stable cash flow from FedEx feeder operations [12]. - Elevated leverage, rising interest costs, and execution risks across segments constrain earnings durability, with liquidity pressured by volatile working-capital needs [13].

Core Viewpoint - Alibaba Group is positioning itself as a significant player in artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing, with a year-to-date stock increase of over 77% driven by its cloud unit and AI models [1] Group 1: AI and Cloud Strategy - Alibaba is scaling its Qwen models across consumer applications, cloud services, and hardware to unlock more value from its AI strategy [1] - The company has created the Qwen Consumer Business Group to unify its chatbot, assistants, cloud tools, and AI hardware into a single platform, aiming to develop Qwen into a cross-device "super app" [4] - Meta Platforms Inc. has adopted Alibaba's open-source Qwen models, indicating the growing international relevance of Alibaba's AI initiatives [4] Group 2: Market and Analyst Insights - Nomura analysts express a positive outlook on Alibaba's AI trajectory, noting the acceleration of innovation in China's tech sector and the company's favorable position to benefit from rising AI adoption [2] - Analysts highlight that Chinese companies are rapidly advancing AI technologies, with application software attracting more users, although advanced AI chips remain a constraint [3] Group 3: Financial Performance - For the fiscal second quarter, Alibaba reported revenue of $34.81 billion, a 5% year-over-year increase, surpassing the consensus estimate of $34.43 billion [5] - Adjusted net income fell 72% to $1.45 billion, and adjusted EBITA dropped 78% to $1.27 billion due to increased spending on quick commerce, user experience upgrades, acquisitions, and technology [6] - The Cloud Intelligence Group's revenue grew 34% to $5.59 billion, driven by strong public cloud demand and accelerating AI adoption [7] Group 4: Investment Phase - Alibaba remains in an investment phase, focusing on AI, cloud infrastructure, and a unified consumption platform, despite fluctuations in near-term profitability [8]