Elon Musk is aggressively pursuing ambitious space and autonomous vehicle projects while clashing with U.S. regulatory agencies and officials, notably criticizing the Trump administration's NASA leadership and introducing controversial features like Tesla's 'Mad Max' mode, which has prompted federal investigations into traffic violations.
Elon Musk is escalating conflicts with U.S. government agencies, criticizing NASA and the Department of Transportation while pushing forward with ambitious projects like lunar missions and autonomous vehicles, risking regulatory pushback and business setbacks.
President-elect Donald Trump has promised to expedite permits and approvals, including environmental ones, for anyone investing $1 billion in the U.S. This proposal raises questions about eligibility and the process for bypassing regulatory hurdles. Trump's mention of quick environmental approvals highlights the role of Lee Zeldin, his pick to lead the EPA, who supports Trump's deregulatory agenda. This move could significantly impact investment strategies in climate tech under a potential second Trump administration.
Qualcomm has cooled its interest in acquiring Intel due to financial and regulatory complexities, though it may consider acquiring parts of Intel or revisiting the deal in the future.
Bitcoin ETFs are experiencing a surge in investment, surpassing the daily production of newly mined Bitcoins, with a record $1.05 billion influx on March 11th. Analysts predict potential inflows of up to $220 billion over the next three years, potentially quadrupling Bitcoin's price to $280,000. Institutional interest, exemplified by BlackRock's record-breaking inflows, and the conclusion of GBTC share sales by Genesis Holdings, are driving this momentum. However, regulatory hurdles, particularly from the SEC, pose uncertainties for issuers like BlackRock, despite their bullish outlook and plans for expansion into emerging markets.
Adobe has decided to terminate its $20 billion cash-and-stock deal to acquire cloud-based designer platform Figma due to regulatory hurdles in the European Union and the UK. The deal faced scrutiny from antitrust regulators concerned about Big Tech acquisitions and market power. Adobe will pay a termination fee of $1 billion to Figma. Shares of Adobe rose about 1.7% premarket. The company argued that it does not compete with Figma and disagreed with the regulatory findings. The deal was seen as a bet on the future of work but faced investor concerns over the price tag.
JetBlue is offering slot divestiture agreements to Frontier and Allegiant as part of its efforts to convince regulators that its merger with Spirit is good for consumers. The agreements involve transferring gates and slots at various airports to the two airlines. With the recent breakup of the Northeast Alliance between American and JetBlue, the chances of the JetBlue and Spirit merger being approved may be increasing.
Francis deSouza, the CEO of Illumina, has resigned amid regulatory hurdles and a proxy fight. The company's board has appointed an interim CEO while they search for a permanent replacement.