American asset manager investing in credit, private equity, and real assets
Dallas City Council has approved a Morgan Stanley expansion plan, offering a major downtown office and up to a decade of property tax abatements. The deal includes a new tower, thousands of jobs, and tens of millions in net economic benefit for the city, while Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase expand elsewhere in Texas.
Publicly traded crypto treasury vehicles are reshaping how institutions access digital assets. Flutterwave’s Series E values it at $3.2B with Ripple as an investor; Avalanche Treasury Co. debuts on Nasdaq; Axios notes Wall Street’s shift toward crypto amid rising tokenization of assets.
The House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed former Apollo CEO Leon Black to produce nondisclosure agreements and to return for a sworn deposition on July 16 after he declined to answer questions about NDAs during a closed-door interview. Committee chair James Comer says the NDAs may connect Black to Jeffrey Epstein; Black denies wrongdoing.
Banks and asset managers are shifting funding as borrowers chase capital for AI-related growth. Bloomberg reports a $3.25 billion loan facility led by JPMorgan for QTS Realty Trust, with a parallel pivot away from a planned $1 billion bond sale. Other Bloomberg notes show new funds targeting market dislocations.
The AI industry has reached a tipping point as hyperscalers project rising returns from chips and data centers. New analyses forecast trillions in 2026 revenue to justify the AI build-out, even as token costs and cheaper models pressure profitability.
Apollo Global Management is in talks to back the Yankees with a debt-heavy financing package worth about $3 billion, as the franchise seeks to refinance obligations and fund expansion. The deal would mark Apollo’s largest US sports investment and underscores the growing financial heft of professional sports.
FIFA has proposed selling up to 20% of a new commercial arm, FIFA Forward Enterprise, to raise about $4.2bn and offer one‑off $20m payments to each of its 211 member associations. UEFA and several confederations have threatened boycotts, lodged legal and ethics warnings, and flagged potential arbitration over links to investors including Joshua Kushners firm.
Lenders to Thames Water have revised their rescue proposal, incorporating a “golden share” and greater local oversight as Andy Burnham’s government signals plans for stronger public control of essential services. Regulators are being consulted while the government weighs temporary nationalisation as a pathway to stabilising the troubled utility serving 16 million people.
Brent crude has fallen about 8–9% to below $88–$92 a barrel after prices briefly topped $100 last week. The drop follows pauses in US–Iran strikes and reports that both sides have halted attacks to allow diplomacy. Markets remain volatile because shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea is still disrupted and analysts warn supply risks and inflationary pressure persist.
EasyJet has reported a sharp drop in pre-tax profits for the quarter, hit by a surge in jet-fuel costs following the Middle East conflict. The group says bookings remain volatile and its takeover battle in the background continues to unfold as two US private equity firms vie for ownership.
Paramount+ is rolling out a free, ad-supported tier and testing micro dramas as part of a broader product revamp. The moves are designed to attract new users, boost engagement, and drive future subscriptions, while streaming peers remain constrained by antitrust scrutiny over Paramount’s potential WBD acquisition.
EY has warned the UK economy could slip into recession if Hormuz remains closed, while a reopening could keep growth resilient at 0.9% in 2026 and 1.2% in 2027. The outlook shifts with oil prices easing and talks of a potential AstraZeneca–BMS merger, set against a backdrop of manufacturing activity data and a stretched timetable for a takeover.
MLS has named Larry Berg as the league’s next commissioner, with Don Garber transitioning to a chairman role by 2027. Berg will divest from LAFC and lead the league into a new calendar and media rights era following the 2026 World Cup boost.
Warsh has moved to reduce forward guidance and may cut meetings, aiming to give the Fed more flexibility as markets react to his new approach while inflation remains above target.
The Federal Reserve has kept the benchmark rate steady in a nine-to-three vote, amid persistent inflation above the 2% goal. Dissenters argue for earlier tightening, while others urge patience; investors await July inflation data to gauge the path for policy.
Apollo has won the bid to take EasyJet private at 715p a share, valuing the carrier at about $7.7 billion. Castlelake has withdrawn, clearing Apollo to move forward. The deal is expected to complete by Q1 2027, with Stelios Haji-Ioannou and family retaining shares. Shareholders face a vote and delisting of EasyJet.
AGoogle‑reported campaign shows hackers using voice phishing to target private equity firms, law firms and ratings agencies, stealing passwords and MFA codes via spoofed help desks. Several victims reportedly paid ransoms; researchers warn that the human element remains the biggest weakness in corporate security.
Nvidia has enlisted six Wall Street firms to finance a $500 billion buildout of AI infrastructure, treating compute as a new asset class. The plan centers on financing data centers and GPU clusters for customers unable to pay upfront, with OpenAI-related projects and neoclouds in focus. Executives cite long-term value and revenue generation, while cautions focus on depreciation risk and China’s potential price competition.
A wave of AI adoption is changing how companies evaluate workers, hire, and define job roles. Leaders are balancing performance metrics with new tools while concerns over fairness and training persist. Early surveys show AI’s impact on hiring and layoffs varies by sector and company strategy.
Mari has entered a definitive agreement to buy ATG Entertainment from Providence, valuing around £4.5 billion per reports. ATG operates about 70 theatres globally, with West End venues and regional theatres. The deal keeps ATG operating under its brand and leadership while expanding Mari’s live-entertainment portfolio.
Investors have renewed focus on AI infrastructure after strong earnings from hyperscalers and Nvidia partners; CoreWeave reports extend-into-2029 A100 contracts, suggesting longer GPU lifespans and steadier demand. The sector has moved from a rough patch to renewed optimism as data-center spend shows monetization potential.
Tech layoffs persist amid mass AI adoption, with industry workers reporting burnout and shifting career plans as companies trial new evaluation methods for AI usage.