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Online broker eToro has agreed to go public at a $10.4bn valuation by merging with Fintech Acquisition Corp V, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) set up by banking veteran Betsy Cohen, in one of the largest SPAC deals so far this year. The Israeli stockbroking and spread betting platform Continue Reading -
With my time as CIBS Research Group Director coming to an end, I thought the most fitting way to write my last article would be to reflect back on my first. 2021 has marked the busiest-ever start to a year for M&A activity in China, with a record pace of Continue Reading -
Often referred to as the “Korean” Amazon, South Korean e-commerce retailer Coupang saw its share price pop — peaking at $69 a share, up 84% — after originally listing at $35/share on the NYSE last Thursday. With its IPO, Coupang raised $4.6bn in an enlarged offering after raising its share Continue Reading -
Alongside the Budget announcement on March 3rd, Rishi Sunak published the findings of a 5-month independent review into the UK public listing regime, headed by ex-financial services commissioner for the EU, Jonathan Hill. The review has called for an overhaul of the UK’s listing rules to enable London to compete Continue Reading -
We have seen an enormous amount of volatility within the bond market recently, inflicting fear onto investors who were preparing for a steady recovery from the pandemic. Most have taken it as a given that we will soon be able to return to normal with the rapid rollout of vaccines Continue Reading -
As organisations continue to transition to online working and shift towards cloud computing, it is imperative to invest in robust identity verification systems to help protect against cyber attacks. It is no wonder, then, that the total addressable market for cyber identity management is estimated to be $55bn. On March Continue Reading -
The travel industry has been one of the worst-hit during the pandemic, with lockdowns grounding flights, keeping cruises in docks, and tourists at home. A year into the COVID-19 pandemic, travel companies have made huge losses and they are yet to see revenues flooding back in. However, the success of Continue Reading -
In 2009, a mysterious and anonymous whitepaper was published under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, which described the principle of a peer-to-peer and purely digital currency. It described advantages such as lower transaction fees than traditional online payment infrastructure and a shift to a decentralised authority, unlike government-issued currencies. Since Bitcoin Continue Reading -
Last month, Atlas Crest Investment Corp., chaired by founder of Moelis & Company Ken Moelis, agreed to merge with electric aircraft company Archer Aviation, in a deal that values the company at around $3.8bn. Despite Archer having not generated any revenues or created a commercially viable product as of yet, Continue Reading -
On Friday February 19th, following a lengthy legal fight, Uber lost a momentous battle at the Supreme Court in one of the most significant employment cases in recent decades. The UK’s highest court ruled against the firm, concluding that its drivers should be classed as workers rather than independent third-party Continue Reading -
With the huge amounts of government spending that have taken place throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, it is no surprise the question of how it will be paid for has arisen. For the month of January 2021, the UK government budget was £8.8bn in the red; the first time there has Continue Reading -
Italy is a country that has faced numerous economic and social problems in the past decade, and has been struggling to integrate into the world economy. These problems include political volatility and excessive bureaucratism for firms, and have hindered economic progress for numerous decades as the country fell behind its Continue Reading -
The biotech industry has stolen the limelight after being pushed to the forefront of people’s minds as the world races to manufacture vaccines and restore a sense of normality. Early this month, we passed a historic milestone – the number of Covid-19 vaccinations globally finally surpassed the total number of Continue Reading -
On February 11th 2021, Kraft Heinz agreed to sell its Planters peanuts and snacks business to rival Hormel Foods, owner of Spam, for $3.35bn in an all-cash deal. The transaction, expected to close in the first half of this year, follows Kraft Heinz’s $3.2bn sale of its cheese business to Continue Reading -
In October 2020, billionaire brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa, owners of EG Group, together with TDR Capital, announced the purchase of a majority stake in Asda, the UK’s third largest supermarket, that valued the company at £6.8bn. Rishi Sunak was quick to praise the buyers for “returning ASDA to majority Continue Reading -
China’s Property Bubble: Will it Stabilise or Burst? Long-sustained housing investment has been consistently observed in China over the last decade, which has prompted both fear and trepidation amongst economists, analysts and governments globally. The signs of overbuilding are apparent. The debt levels are high. At the peak of the Continue Reading -
Billionaire Tilman Fertitta is taking his restaurant and casino empire public by merging with Fast Acquisition Corp, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) that raised $200m in its IPO in August 2020, taking advantage of recent investor enthusiasm for SPAC deals. After a difficult period for the company due to Continue Reading -
On February 1st 2021, private space enterprise Astra announced its merger with special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), Holicity. The deal, which values Astra at $2.1bn, aims to see the company go public in Q2 of 2021 and represents a raise of $500m in capital for the space enterprise. The company Continue Reading -
On September 10th 2020, Citigroup announced Jane Fraser is set to take over from current CEO Michael Corbat when he steps down in February 2021. This makes them the first big Wall Street bank to be run by a female CEO, a great achievement for the bank despite being long Continue Reading -
The events of the past week (beginning 25th of January), have challenged the role that retail traders in the global financial markets have traditionally played. The demographic has never had as much influence as it currently does, as it disrupts spaces previously dominated by large institutions such as hedge funds, Continue Reading -
Matchmaking is a lucrative business. On January 15th 2021, Bumble — the women-centric dating app — filed for its initial public offering (IPO). This filing is set to be yet another successful listing in the booming US consumer tech-led IPO market. Despite Bumble’s niche user base and growing popularity within Continue Reading -
As of the time of writing, the current valuation of GameStop stands at 8.94bn USD with a closing price on January 28th of $193.60 per common unit — this is after a one-day drop of 44%. It truly is a sign of the times when in a short few days Continue Reading -
Around the world, sports organising bodies, teams, and leagues have been hugely impacted financially by the pandemic, suspended for a period of time and deprived of vital ticket revenues. In 2020, it’s estimated that the three big US sports leagues (NBA, NFL, MLB) lost $13bn in revenue, the English Premier Continue Reading -
With the inauguration of the 46th US President on Wednesday January 20th, a new page turned for the US economy. Stocks opened higher on Wall Street ahead of the inauguration ceremony. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) was up 1% shortly after the open, while the Dow Jones Index (^DJI) was up Continue Reading
