Federal Reserve Vice Chair Calls for Potential Rate Cuts
Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman stated that the central bank should be prepared to cut interest rates further due to signs of fragility in the labor market. Speaking at the New England Economic Forum, Bowman highlighted a significant increase in the unemployment rate to 4.4% in December and a slowdown in job growth, with only 50,000 jobs added that month. She emphasized the need for a proactive approach to monetary policy, cautioning against signaling a pause in rate adjustments without clear improvements in employment conditions.
European Stocks Rise on AI Confidence and Novo Nordisk Surge
European stocks recorded their fifth consecutive weekly gain as investor confidence in artificial intelligence demand remained robust, with the Stoxx Europe 600 Index advancing 0.8% for the week. Novo Nordisk A/S shares surged by 6.5% following the UK regulator's approval of a higher dose of its obesity drug, Wegovy, which is set to launch in the US this month.
ClickHouse raises $400 million, valuation hits $15 billion
ClickHouse Inc. has secured $400 million in a funding round led by Dragoneer Investment Group, resulting in a valuation of $15 billion, more than double its value from less than a year ago. The company, which provides database software for AI applications, now serves over 3,000 customers through its ClickHouse Cloud service and plans to enhance its offerings with unified transactional and analytical workloads. Additionally, ClickHouse announced the acquisition of Langfuse, an open-source platform for large language model observability.
RedBird Capital's Gerry Cardinale Pushes Hostile Bid for Warner
Gerry Cardinale, CEO of RedBird Capital Partners, is advocating for his firm's $77.9 billion hostile bid for Warner, positioning it as a more favorable option in the competitive landscape against Paramount. This move comes as both companies navigate the complexities of the media industry amid ongoing negotiations.
OpenAI to Test Targeted Ads in ChatGPT App
OpenAI will begin testing targeted advertisements in the ChatGPT app for select US users, marking a significant shift in its revenue strategy. The ads will appear for users of the free version and a new $8-a-month subscription tier called ChatGPT Go, which was first launched in India. This move comes as OpenAI seeks to diversify its revenue sources amid ongoing losses, having reported an $8 billion loss in the first half of 2025, while only 5% of its 800 million users are paid subscribers.
Belron explores €24 billion IPO in New York or Amsterdam
Belron, the vehicle glass repair and replacement firm, is in early discussions for a potential €24 billion ($27.84 billion) initial public offering, according to reports. The company, led by former Anheuser-Busch InBev chief Carlos Brito, is considering a listing in either New York or Amsterdam by the end of this year. Belron, which is part of Belgian holding group D'Ieteren, generates over half of its sales in North America and employs around 30,000 people across 40 countries.
