“The year, at least in Toronto, is ending the way it’s been going all year. Gold is stealing the spotlight, and silver is certainly not hurting, neither is copper,” Currie said.“The mining sector is carrying the market this year, just astronomical numbers.”The February gold contract was up US$82.10 at US$4,469.40 an ounce. Gold and silver touched records and oil prices jumped after the U.S. Coast Guard said it was pursuing another sanctioned oil tanker in the Caribbean.The February crude oil contract was up ...

Core Insights - Paramount is attempting to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, while Warner Bros. is pursuing a deal with Netflix, which has agreed to acquire it for over $80 billion [2][4] - Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle, has personally guaranteed over $40 billion of equity financing for Paramount's offer, which may influence the acquisition dynamics [3][6] Group 1: Paramount's Offer - Paramount Skydance has revised its offer for Warner Bros. Discovery to address concerns raised by Warner Bros. in a letter to shareholders [2][7] - The current offer from Paramount stands at $30 cash per share, which Warner Bros. has labeled as "illusory" [6] Group 2: Market Reactions - Following the announcement of the personal guarantee by Larry Ellison, shares of Paramount rose by more than 5%, while Warner Bros. shares increased by approximately 3%, and Netflix shares fell by about 1% [5][6] Group 3: Financing and Stakeholder Involvement - RedBird Capital Partners, a stakeholder in Paramount, is providing financing for the proposed deal, with a personal guarantee from Larry Ellison to support the equity financing [6]

Core Insights - The ongoing battle for ownership of Warner Bros. Discovery involves Paramount Skydance and Netflix, with Paramount making a revised offer to address Warner Bros.' concerns [2][3][8] - Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle, has personally guaranteed over $40 billion of equity financing for Paramount's offer, which may influence the outcome of the acquisition [4][7] - Investors are closely monitoring the situation, with Paramount's shares rising over 5% and Warner Bros.' shares increasing approximately 3% following the announcement, while Netflix's shares fell about 1% [5][6] Company Developments - Paramount Skydance has adjusted its offer for Warner Bros. Discovery, responding to concerns raised by Warner Bros. in a letter to shareholders [3][8] - Warner Bros. previously described Paramount's offer as "illusory" and claimed there was "no Ellison family commitment of any kind" [7] - Netflix has secured $25 billion in financing to support its planned acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery [7]

Core Viewpoint - Paramount is enhancing its hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery by securing an irrevocable personal guarantee from Larry Ellison, who is committing $40.4 billion to support the deal for his son's company [1][2]. Group 1: Financial Commitments - Larry Ellison has agreed to be responsible for $40.4 billion of equity financing for Paramount's offer, along with any damage claims [1]. - Paramount is increasing its breakup fee to $5.8 billion if the deal is blocked by regulators, matching Netflix's proposed transaction [2]. Group 2: Offer Details - Paramount's offer remains at $30 per share, with a total valuation of $77.9 billion for Warner's properties, excluding debt [3]. - The deadline for shareholders to tender their shares has been extended to January 21 [3]. Group 3: Competitive Landscape - Warner's board has criticized Paramount's offer, urging shareholders to support a cash-and-stock deal with Netflix valued at $72 billion [3][4]. - Despite the criticism, Paramount maintains that its offer is superior for maximizing value for Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders [3]. Group 4: Market Reaction - Shares of Paramount-Skydance rose nearly 7% in morning trading, while Warner Bros. Discovery stock increased by over 2%, and Netflix shares fell by almost 0.7% [4].

Core Viewpoint - A significant increase in multi-billion-dollar deals is prompting bankers and advisers to prioritize work over holiday vacations, indicating a busy period in the investment banking sector [1] Group 1 - The surge in deal-making activity is leading financial professionals from Wall Street to Canary Wharf to prepare for a demanding schedule [1] - Bankers and advisers are packing laptops alongside holiday presents, highlighting the urgency and importance of ongoing transactions [1] - The upcoming two weeks will see many professionals cut short their holiday plans to accommodate the influx of deals [1]

Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison is raising the stakes in the battle for Hollywood’s future, personally intervening to salvage his son David Ellison’s hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery. On Monday, David’s company, Paramount Skydance, announced the elder Ellison had provided an “irrevocable personal guarantee” of $40.4 billion to finance the deal, directly countering claims that the company’s funding was unreliable.​ It’s the latest turn in the high-profile tug-of-war for Warner Bros. Discovery ...

Paramount Skydance said Monday that billionaire Larry Ellison is personally backing its hostile offer to buy Warner Bros. Discovery to the tune of more than $40 billion, escalating its bidding war with Netflix. Larry Ellison, the co-founder of Oracle and one of the richest people in the world, is the father of Paramount chief David Ellison. Paramount has been seeking to buy all of Warner Bros. Discovery, taking a hostile offer directly to Warner Bros. shareholders after the board rejected Paramount's offe ...

Core Viewpoint - Paramount Skydance has increased its offer for Warner Brothers, with Larry Ellison personally guaranteeing $48 billion in equity financing for the $108 billion takeover bid [1][7]. Financing and Offer Details - Larry Ellison's commitment is significant as it addresses the financing vulnerabilities of Paramount's offer, which is more financially robust than Netflix's, although Netflix is not interested in acquiring the entire Warner Brothers portfolio [3][4]. - Paramount has secured a revolving credit facility of $5 billion and is on track for $210 billion in loans, with plans to syndicate approximately $34 billion [5]. - The deal includes a breakup fee of $5.8 billion if the acquisition does not proceed, matching Netflix's offer [7][8]. Competitive Landscape - The competitive dynamics are influenced by the differing valuations of cable networks, with David Zaslav believing they hold more value than what Paramount is currently offering [9][13]. - Paramount is extending its tender offer to January 21st, indicating a strategic move to engage directly with shareholders [10]. Regulatory and Strategic Considerations - There are implications regarding the relationship between the Ellison family and the administration, particularly concerning the potential ownership of CNN and other assets [12].

The saga of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. ( WBD ) and Netflix, Inc. ( NFLX ) continues, with, of course, the continuing maneuvers of Paramount Skydance Corporation ( PSKY ) thrown in for good measure.Max Greve is a graduate of Northwestern University with a quadruple major in History, Economics, Political Science, and International Studies. Max is a full-time writer and in addition to stock market trends also writes articles on government, current events, macroeconomic trends, and last but not least, the ong ...

Group 1 - Larry Ellison has provided a personal guarantee of $40.4 billion in equity financing to support Paramount Skydance's all-cash bid for Warner Bros Discovery [1] - Paramount's offer remains at $30 per share, and Warner Bros shares increased by 2.5% in premarket trading, while Paramount Skydance shares rose nearly 1.6% [2] - The bidding war for Hollywood assets is intensifying, with the winner poised to gain a significant advantage in the streaming market by acquiring a valuable content library [2] Group 2 - Paramount has raised its regulatory reverse termination fee to $5.8 billion from $5 billion to align with competing offers and extended the expiration date of its tender offer to January 21, 2026 [3] - Warner Bros has urged its shareholders to reject Paramount's $108.4 billion offer due to concerns over financing and the absence of a full guarantee from the Ellison family [4] - Some Warner Bros investors, including Harris Associates, are open to revised offers from Paramount if they address financing concerns and improve deal terms [4]