Blue Owl Capital outlook cut to negative amid private credit woes April 8, 2026 The outlook on Blue Owl Capital’s flagship fund has been downgraded to negative by a leading ratings firm in the latest blow to the industry as it continues to be plagued by investors pulling money from funds. Moody’s Ratings changed its outlook from stable to negative after “significantly higher-than-peer redemption requests in the first financial [...]
US markets hold steady after Trump’s expletive weekend ultimatum April 6, 2026 US markets held their nerve on Monday, as Wall Street traders returned to their desks for the first full session after President Donald Trump’s explosive, expletive-strewn demands for Iran to re-open the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude oil held the $107-a-barrel mark. But the global benchmark eased overall, by $1.50 to $107.54. European stock exchanges [...]
Not just oil: Fertiliser and helium are at risk in the Strait of Hormuz standoff March 24, 2026 Since the start of the Middle Eastern conflict nearly a month ago, analysts have kept their eyes glued to the latest energy market data. On 2 March, Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway which is responsible for shipping roughly one fifth of the world’s oil and gas, was “closed” and oil prices have [...]
Cambridge grads launch trading exchange to take on established industry March 5, 2026 As more retail investors look to allocate capital in private assets a new exchange has entered the fray, looking to provide a substitute to traditional financial markets. Global trading exchange start-up QFEX, founded by two Cambridge maths graduates, launched on Wednesday, aiming to bring high leverage, 24/7 trading of assets to investors. The exchange, valued [...]
Hong Kong exchange reports record profits as listings rocket February 26, 2026 Hong Kong’s stock exchange operator has posted a second consecutive year of record profits, after the city became one of the top listing destinations globally, following a slump. Net profit rose 36 per cent to HK$17.8bn (£1.7bn) in 2025, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing confirmed. Core business revenues, which include fees from trading and clearing [...]
US markets rally as tech stocks look to boost AI capabilities February 19, 2026 US markets closed higher on Wednesday, as tech stocks reaped the benefits of investors once again brushing off fears of an AI bubble. Tech stock share prices boomed, following reports from Bloomberg that Open AI is close to finalising the first phase of a new funding round, which is expected to bring in more than [...]
Asian markets surge after Takaichi secures historic election victory February 9, 2026 Japanese stocks surged to a record high on Monday, while wider Asian markets also experienced a boost, after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party secured a historic election victory. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) secured 316 out of 465 seats in Sunday’s election, winning a two-thirds super majority. In response, the Nikkei 225 rocketed [...]
Private equity firms sell assets to themselves at a record rate in 2025 December 30, 2025 Private equity firms sold companies to themselves at an unprecedented rate this year, using a controversial tactic to hold on to assets as managers struggled to find buyers or list their investments. First reported in the Financial Times, roughly a fifth of all private equity (PE) sales in 2025 involved groups raising money from new [...]
Could this be 2026’s hottest stock market? December 29, 2025 Global equity markets were dominated by US tech stocks this year, with indices whipsawing as investors either piled money into markets or abruptly pulled out depending on the strength of AI sentiment. The Nasdaq rocketed up 19.5 per cent, hitting its peak of $23,958.47 (£17,949.09) in October, while Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ caused the index to hit [...]
Why are asset managers turning away from the US? October 28, 2025 Asset managers are increasingly choosing to diversify their portfolios away from US stocks, despite Wall Street’s pronounced rally, as fears over being overexposed to secular markets grows. US markets saw a significant bounce back in recent months, shaking off the lows that followed Trump’s tariff announcement in April, with investors not yet losing their appetite [...]