All articles tagged with #capital markets
Alphabet, Amazon and Meta are leading a $660 billion AI infrastructure drive this year, funding chips and data centres with a mix of cash flow, debt and potential equity issues. The scale may outpace current cash generation, pressuring shareholders’ returns and prompting a surge in bond and equity issuances as analysts flag capital spending overhangs and funding risks.
Goldman Sachs posted strong fourth-quarter earnings as dealmaking surged and its stock rose about 60% over the past year, signaling a return to Wall Street dominance. CEO David Solomon predicts 2026 could exceed 2021’s peaks in M&A and capital markets, backed by a big AI-driven overhaul (One Goldman Sachs 3.0) and a sizable tech budget. The firm sharpened its focus on its two core units—global banking/markets and asset & wealth management—while continuing to monetize Marcus as a deposits platform despite its consumer-banking missteps, growing assets under supervision to roughly $3.6 trillion and pursuing зов acquisitions and partnerships (Innovator ETF platform, Industry Ventures, and a T. Rowe Price deal) even as it ceded the Apple Card partnership to JPMorgan. Competition remains fierce from Citi and Wells Fargo as Goldman navigates the path forward with AI as an accelerator.
Banks on Wall Street posted a record $134 billion in trading revenue last year and executives say the environment remains constructive for 2026, with strong momentum in M&A and capital-markets work, though they caution that asset prices are high and risks remain.
U.S. Bancorp announced a definitive agreement to acquire BTIG, expanding its capital-markets capabilities with BTIG’s institutional trading, investment banking, research and prime brokerage. The deal is valued at up to $1 billion, with about $725 million in base consideration ($362.5 million cash and 6.6 million U.S. Bancorp shares) and up to $275 million in additional cash over three years, and is expected to close in Q2 2026 subject to regulatory approvals. BTIG leadership will remain in place; the transaction is expected to have negligible 2026 EPS impact and a roughly 12 basis point decrease in the CET1 capital ratio, with no near-term change to capital returns.
The speech commemorates America's 250th anniversary by emphasizing the importance of revitalizing U.S. capital markets through regulatory reforms focused on transparency, scalability, and reducing regulatory burdens, aiming to foster innovation, economic growth, and individual agency, while reflecting on the nation's founding principles and history of financial innovation.
Strategy CEO Phong Le states the company has increased flexibility to continue accumulating Bitcoin, leveraging a strong capital structure with long-dated debt and opportunistic equity access, and plans to sustain its long-term Bitcoin strategy while maintaining a diversified capital approach.
Donald Trump's re-election and pro-Bitcoin stance could position the US as a global crypto leader, sparking a race in tokenized capital markets between developed and emerging economies. The success of Bitcoin ETFs has already increased institutional interest, and a supportive US administration may further drive Bitcoin adoption globally. This shift could challenge smaller economies like El Salvador, which have leveraged Bitcoin for economic growth. Meanwhile, traditional financial institutions are exploring tokenization, but often limit participation to institutional investors, contrasting with more inclusive models emerging in smaller markets.
SEC Commissioner Lizárraga announced his resignation effective January 17, 2025, to focus on family as his wife battles a serious illness. He expressed gratitude to President Biden, the U.S. Senate, and colleagues for their support during his tenure. Lizárraga praised the SEC's role in maintaining robust U.S. capital markets and thanked his team for their dedication.
Gary Gensler, the 33rd Chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), will step down on January 20, 2025. During his tenure, Gensler implemented significant reforms to enhance the efficiency, resiliency, and integrity of U.S. capital markets, including updates to the Treasury and equity markets, corporate governance, and disclosure rules. He also led high-impact enforcement actions, returning billions to harmed investors. Gensler's leadership saw the SEC tackle issues in the crypto markets and improve transparency and accountability in financial reporting and auditing.
Morgan Stanley and Bank of America have reported strong first quarter earnings, with both banks surpassing revenue and earnings estimates. According to Argus Research Director Stephen Biggar, the results reflect a resurgence in capital markets, particularly in investment banking, wealth management, and trading, while the lending business and net interest income have faced challenges. Biggar anticipates a durable upturn in investment banking and expects advisory revenues to gather speed in the latter quarters of the year.
El Salvador's Bitcoin bonds, also known as "Volcano Bonds," have received regulatory approval from the country's Digital Assets Commission and are expected to launch in Q1 2024. The bonds will be issued on the Bitfinex Securities Platform and will last for 10 years, offering a 6.5% annual return to holders. This marks the beginning of Bitcoin-based capital markets in El Salvador, supporting the country's pro-Bitcoin initiatives, including the construction of "Bitcoin City" and a recent $1 billion Bitcoin mining project.
CBRE Group, the world's largest commercial property brokerage, reported a 56% drop in profit for the third quarter as the sluggish real estate market and economic uncertainty continue to impact property markets. The company plans to cut costs by $150 million, primarily focused on its transaction-focused business lines. CBRE expects a recovery in the capital markets to be delayed until the second half of 2024 due to high interest rates and ongoing economic uncertainty. Despite the challenges, CBRE remains committed to seeking merger and acquisition opportunities and has earmarked funds for capitalizing on the current environment. The company also announced a partnership with the investment banking team from Sera Global to enhance its global investment banking capabilities.
Chinese stocks, including Alibaba, rose for a second day following stimulus measures from Beijing, but concerns about China's economy persist, making long-term gains more challenging.
Chinese stocks rallied after the Chinese government announced plans to reduce taxes on trading and implement other measures to stimulate the country's capital markets.
Banks in an industry working group have voted to exclude two-thirds of the emissions linked to their capital markets businesses from being attributed to them in carbon accounting, sparking discord with environmental advocates who argue that banks should assume full responsibility for emissions generated by activities financed through bonds and stock sales. The decision could impact banks' targets for becoming carbon-neutral, as almost half of the financing provided by the six biggest US banks for top fossil fuel companies came from capital markets. The accounting standard will not be mandatory, but the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF) hopes that others will follow the standard that emerges.