Core Insights - Asia's equity capital markets are projected to have a strong performance in 2026, continuing the momentum from 2025, which saw significant growth in share sales across the region [1][2] Group 1: Market Performance - In 2025, share listings, placements, and block trades in Asia Pacific raised $262.7 billion, marking the highest total in four years [2] - For the first time, four of the world's five busiest deal venues were located in Asia, driven by a rebound in Hong Kong and record IPOs in India [2] Group 2: Upcoming IPOs - Major IPOs expected in 2026 include Baidu Inc., Zepto Ltd., ChangXin Memory Technologies Inc., and Coca-Cola's India bottling unit [3] - Hong Kong listings of Chinese firms already traded in mainland China are anticipated to continue contributing to the IPO pipeline [3] Group 3: Regional Highlights - Hong Kong listings may raise up to $45 billion in 2026, potentially the largest amount in six years, while Indian IPOs are expected to achieve a third consecutive annual record [4] - Jio Platforms Ltd. is preparing for what could be India's largest-ever IPO, while A.S. Watson Group is considering a listing that could raise over $2 billion [8] Group 4: Notable Companies and Their Plans - Syngenta Group is in preliminary talks for a potential listing in 2026 after previously withdrawing a $9 billion plan [8] - Baidu's AI chip unit has confidentially filed for a Hong Kong IPO, valued at a minimum of $3 billion [8] - Other companies like Luxshare Precision Industry Co. and Muyuan Foods Co. are also pursuing significant IPOs in Hong Kong [8] Group 5: Indian Market Developments - PhonePe Ltd. has filed for an IPO that could raise up to $1.5 billion, valuing the fintech firm at approximately $15 billion [13] - Flipkart is exploring an IPO after moving its holding company to India, while Zepto aims to raise about $500 million through its IPO [13] Group 6: International Listings - SK Hynix Inc. is considering a potential New York listing to align its valuation with global peers [13] - Shein Group Ltd. has confidentially filed for a Hong Kong IPO, pending approval from Beijing [13]

Group 1: Novo Nordisk and Obesity Treatment - Novo Nordisk received FDA approval for the first-ever obesity treatment pill, set to launch early next year at a starting dose of 1.5 milligrams for $149 per month [7] - The approval is seen as a landmark decision that could expand access for patients suffering from obesity [1] - Following the news, shares of Novo Nordisk surged by 7%, while competitor Eli Lilly's shares fell by over 1% as it attempts to launch its own obesity pill [7] Group 2: Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery - Paramount Skydance secured the backing of billionaire Larry Ellison in its bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, addressing concerns about financing from WBD's board [2][3] - WBD investors face a decision to either accept a sale to Netflix or tender their shares to Paramount, with potential implications for shareholder value [3] Group 3: Alphabet and Data Center Acquisition - Alphabet announced its acquisition of data center company Intersect for $4.75 billion in cash, which includes assuming its debt, aimed at enhancing data center capacity [5] Group 4: Janus Henderson Acquisition - Trian Fund Management and General Catalyst are set to acquire asset manager Janus Henderson for $49 per share, valuing the company at approximately $7.4 billion, with shares rising over 3% following the announcement [6] Group 5: Electric Vehicle Market Trends - The initial excitement around electric vehicles (EVs) has diminished, with legacy automakers now prioritizing traditional trucks and SUVs over EVs due to unmet demand expectations [9][10] Group 6: Instacart Pricing Strategy - Instacart announced the end of its AI-driven pricing tests after consumer concerns about price discrepancies for identical items, indicating a shift in its pricing strategy [11][12]

Core Viewpoint - Instacart will stop using AI-driven pricing tests on its grocery delivery platform due to scrutiny from a study and criticism from lawmakers [1][2] Group 1: Company Actions - The company announced that retailers can no longer utilize its Eversight technology for pricing experiments, effective immediately [1] - Instacart acquired Eversight for $59 million in 2022, which allowed retailers to conduct pricing tests [2] Group 2: Customer Impact - The company acknowledged that the pricing tests led to different prices for the same item at the same store, which caused confusion among customers [2] - Instacart emphasized the importance of trust, transparency, and affordability, especially during challenging economic times for families [2] Group 3: Technology Purpose - The technology was initially intended to help retailers enhance sales and growth while providing customers with the best deals [3]

TikTok and ByteDance - TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, has signed binding agreements to establish a U.S. joint venture that will be majority-owned by American investors, involving partners such as Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX [3] - The new U.S. joint venture will focus on U.S. data protection, algorithm security, content moderation, and software assurance, operating as an independent entity [4] Instacart - Instacart has reached a $60 million settlement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over claims of deceptive consumer practices, including misleading advertising regarding free delivery services [5][6] - The settlement prohibits Instacart from making misrepresentations about delivery costs and requires clear disclosure of subscription terms, with the $60 million to be offered as refunds to consumers [7] Nike - Nike reported better-than-expected fiscal second quarter results, driven by strong wholesale and North America sales, which account for 40% of its total business [8] - Despite a profit of $0.53 per share, down 32% year-over-year but 16 cents above expectations, Nike faces challenges from tariffs and margin compression, leading to a gross margin decline of over 300 basis points to 40.6% [9][10]

TikTok and ByteDance - TikTok's parent company ByteDance has signed binding agreements to establish a U.S. joint venture that will be majority-owned by American investors, involving partners such as Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX [3][4] - The new joint venture will focus on U.S. data protection, algorithm security, content moderation, and software assurance, operating as an independent entity [4] Instacart - Instacart has reached a $60 million settlement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over claims of deceptive consumer practices, including misleading advertising regarding free delivery services [5][6] - The settlement prohibits Instacart from making misrepresentations about delivery costs and requires clear disclosure of subscription terms, with the $60 million to be offered as refunds to consumers [7] Nike - Nike reported better-than-expected fiscal second quarter results, driven by strong wholesale and North America sales, which account for 40% of its total business [8] - Despite a profit of $0.53 per share, down 32% year-over-year but 16 cents above expectations, Nike faces challenges from tariffs and margin compression, leading to a gross margin decline of over 300 basis points to 40.6% [9][10]

Grocery delivery firm Instacart will pay $60 million to refund consumers who were deceived into enrolling in the company’s subscription service https://t.co/hDoVPcaQWq ...

Group 1 - Micron's shares surged 11% after reporting earnings that were approximately 80% higher than consensus estimates, driven by strong demand for memory chips used in data centers [6][4] - Insmed's stock fell 20% following the failure of its Phase 2b BiRCh study for brensocatib in chronic rhinosinusitis, leading to the discontinuation of the program [6] - Instacart's shares dropped 6.6% after the Federal Trade Commission issued a civil investigative demand [6] - Lululemon's shares rose 6.2% as Elliott Management is reportedly building a stake worth over $1 billion [6] - PayPal's stock declined 1.7% after Morgan Stanley downgraded the company to underweight, citing slow progress on strategic initiatives [6] Group 2 - The tech sector faced scrutiny as investors questioned the sustainability of valuations amid concerns over AI-driven revenue disclosures, with 57% of Deutsche Bank survey participants identifying potential AI valuation declines as a major risk to market stability by 2026 [4][5] - The Nasdaq experienced a nearly 2% decline, reflecting investor anxiety regarding the AI sector and its impact on tech valuations [4] - European stocks showed mixed performance, with retailers like H&M outperforming while automakers lagged, as investors awaited monetary policy decisions from the European Central Bank and Bank of England [9][19]

The company is working with The 10-minute delivery platform’s offering is expected to include a fresh issue as well as secondary share sales by existing investors, with proceeds earmarked for expansion, the people said. Deliberations are ongoing and details including the size and timing of the IPO may still change, they said. Representatives for Zepto, Goldman Sachs and HSBC declined to comment, while other banks didn’t respond to requests for comments.India’s quick-commerce sector is undergoing rapid expa ...

Grocery delivery firm Zepto is preparing to file for an IPO of about $500 million in Mumbai as early as next week https://t.co/ZrYCCuQZQx ...

Core Insights - The grocery-delivery company's stock experienced a decline in morning trading due to a report indicating that it displayed varying prices for the same item added by users from the same store simultaneously [1] Company Summary - The grocery-delivery company is facing scrutiny as it was reported to show different prices for identical items added to the cart by users at the same time from the same store [1]