Author: Lucas

Morning all, Irien Joseph here with the Europe edition of the Wire from the London newsroom.We begin with the utilities sector, featuring insights from EY’s Cord Stuemke and EY-Parthenon’s Robert Wienken on what makes Europe’s utilities landscape appealing to private equity and how long-term energy transition goals like decarbonization and electrification are driving PE engagement.Rounding things off with our weekly roundup of deals, where the spotlight is on technology. PE Hub reported 18 tech deals across the US and Europe. We also have insights from Adams Street Partners’ Brian Dudley, who shares his 2026 M&A outlook for enterprise software.Dynamic dealflow Europe’s…

The price of gold has beaten U.S. stocks, bitcoin and even shares of AI wonder-stock Nvidia this year. There’s no saying how far that epic run will go, but there are almost certainly better places to park your savings in the long run. History and common sense tell us so. Source link

Ukraine’s army launched devastating attacks on Vladimir Putin’s war machine, targeting Russia’s energy infrastructure and its navy. Over the summer, Ukraine has remorselessly bombed oil refineries across Russia, in a bid to disrupt fuel supplies to Putin’s army and hit energy exports that help finance the war.The unrelenting campaign has produced spectacular results, leading to a huge shortage of petrol and diesel in the country. Nearly 40% of Russia’s refinery capacities have stopped working, with analysts estimating that about 70% of the downtime is directly linked to Ukrainian drone attacks. In another carefully crafted operation, Ukraine drones struck the Kirshi…

The dream of becoming a millionaire overnight is a huge attraction for the 22 million savers who hold Premium Bonds.And with that much money on offer, a whole stack of Premium Bond myths has built up over the years.These range from the belief that only savers with the maximum holding win the draw, to savers being convinced old bonds don’t win big prizes, and that you must live in the South East to scoop the jackpot.But is there any truth in these theories? Using 31 years’ worth of exclusive data provided to us by NS&I, Money Mail analysed the past…

The Government has committed over €5bn in capital investment for housing delivery next year. This is in addition to investment by the Land Development Agency and Approved Housing Bodies. In his budget speech, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe announced €200m of additional external funding for Home Building Finance Ireland, which provides finance to homebuilders across the country. In a bid to support the upgrading of rental housing stock, the Government will be extending the income tax deduction for small landlords who retrofit their properties for a further three years. “These measures are designed to encourage more stock into the housing…

KUALA LUMPUR:  The manufacturing sector posted sales of RM168.3 billion in August 2025, expanding by 2.7 per cent, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the growth was mainly contributed by the food, beverages and tobacco sub-sector, improved by 9.6 per cent in August 2025 (July 2025: 8.9 per cent)The growth was further supported by the electrical and electronics (E&E) products and the non-metallic mineral products, basic metal and fabricated metal products sub-sectors, which rose by 3.7per cent (July 2025: 6.9 per cent) and 3.3 per cent (July 2025: 3.8 per…

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER Published: 23:28, 7 October 2025 | Updated: 00:41, 8 October 2025 Reform UK treasurer Nick Candy’s firm is seeking millions in damages from a technology start-up that claimed to be the ‘next Facebook’.Candy Ventures Sarl (CVS) insists it has been the victim of a ‘clear case of fraud’, the High Court heard yesterday.Dutch businessman Robert Bonnier faces allegations he ‘lied’ to ‘deceive’ CVS into investing around £6.5million in Aaqua BV, which he directs.Mr Candy owns 90 per cent of CVS, which is a portfolio of companies. Barristers for the company stated that Mr Bonnier claimed global giants…

A Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), like India’s e-rupee is the digital form of a country’s official currency, issued and backed by its central bank. Unlike decentralized cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, a CBDC is a centralized, government-guaranteed liability with the same legal status as physical cash. As the world becomes more cashless, central banks are exploring CBDCs to modernize payments, improve financial inclusion, and maintain control in an era of private digital assets like stablecoins. This guide explains what CBDCs are, how they work, and the profound implications they have for the future of money.Understanding Central Bank Digital CurrenciesA Central Bank…

The figure, revealed in The Future of Alternative Investments — the fifth edition of DIFC’s flagship Future of Finance series — highlights how the city is connecting global capital to high-growth opportunities across emerging markets. Once considered niche, alternative investments have entered the mainstream, attracting institutional investors, high-net-worth individuals, and family offices seeking diversification, inflation protection, and uncorrelated returns. Alternative investments in Dubai Key asset classes such as private equity, private credit, real estate, infrastructure, hedge funds, and digital assets are gaining importance, particularly in emerging economies. The report notes that emerging markets are now the growth engines of the…

In brief Union Minister Piyush Goyal announced India will introduce an RBI-guaranteed digital currency at a government event in Doha on Monday. The minister confirmed India has not banned unbacked cryptos but continues to tax them heavily to discourage use. Experts say India’s stance could favor regulated, asset-backed tokens but risk slowing private crypto innovation amid bureaucratic delays. India will introduce a digital currency backed by the Reserve Bank of India as part of a broader strategy to discourage private cryptocurrencies lacking sovereign or asset backing, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal announced on Monday.The “RBI-guaranteed” digital currency…