Activity

• ThreatLocker released a series of cybersecurity research highlights focusing on emerging threat analysis, industry commentary, and community outreach. • The report examines how China’s GLM-5.2 demonstrates the impact of open-source AI on the threat landscape and details the LLMShare campaign's use of ChatGPT to distribute malware. • Researchers analyzed several June incidents involving supply chain attacks, highlighting how attackers abuse trusted repositories, software, and SaaS integrations to compromise systems.

• Spotify removed over 500,000 registered streams from Malcolm Todd’s song "Earrings" following the detection of suspicious activity. • The removals occurred after the track became a target on Kalshi, a CFTC-regulated US prediction market where users bet real money on the most-streamed songs of the month. • This incident highlights the vulnerability of streaming metrics to financial manipulation and "gaming" by speculators seeking to influence prediction market outcomes.

• Global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) reached a record $2.8 trillion in the first half of 2026, primarily driven by a surge in "mega-deals" valued at over $10 billion. • The spike in activity was fueled by supportive financing, easing regulatory environments, and intense corporate interest in artificial intelligence and technology. • This trend highlights a significant shift toward large-scale corporate restructuring and an increase in cross-border transactions.

• Thailand's manufacturing sector experienced a rebound in June, with the Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) indicating growth in the goods-producing sector. • New business inflows rose for the 14th consecutive month, fueled by new client acquisitions, effective marketing, and large orders from existing customers. • The recovery is significant as it demonstrates a sustained upward trend in industrial demand and operational expansion.

• China's factory activity has returned to expansion, driven by a surge in global demand for semiconductors. • The growth is primarily fueled by the global AI boom, which has increased the need for advanced electronics and data center infrastructure. • This recovery is significant as it highlights China's pivotal role in the semiconductor supply chain despite ongoing geopolitical tensions.

• China's factory activity has returned to expansion, driven largely by the global surge in investment and demand for artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. • The AI boom is providing a critical economic cushion for Chinese manufacturers, offsetting other domestic industrial challenges. • This shift is significant as it signals a potential recovery in China's manufacturing sector amid broader global economic volatility.

• Indian markets are preparing for the June 25 session following mixed institutional activity, with FIIs selling ₹1,843.40 crore and DIIs buying ₹3,637 crore on Wednesday. • Global sentiment is bolstered by strong quarterly earnings from chipmakers Micron and Qualcomm, easing concerns regarding the sustainability of the AI-driven stock rally. • Asian markets showed varied performance, with South Korea's KOSPI surging 5% and Japan's Nikkei advancing 4%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng declined 1.5%.

• Stock market movements this week will be primarily driven by crude oil prices, foreign institutional investor (FII) trading activity, and the outcome of US-Iran diplomatic talks. • Technical-level discussions between the US and Iran are scheduled to take place this Sunday in Burgenstock, Switzerland. • Analysts indicate that the trajectory of the domestic monsoon will also be a critical factor for market performance.

• Indian deep technology startups have raised $1.23 billion across 120 funding rounds so far in 2026. • This activity follows a highly active 2025, during which the sector recorded a total of 372 funding rounds. • The trend highlights a maturing ecosystem as new funding platforms and specialized startup support programmes are launched to sustain growth.

• Deloitte released a new M&A Pulse Survey featuring insights from 500 corporate and private equity (PE) leaders regarding current market trends. • The findings reveal a sense of "cautious optimism" for deal activity leading into 2026, with leaders emphasizing a more disciplined approach to acquisitions. • Cross-border acquisitions are highlighted as a primary strategic path for growth as dealmakers seek new opportunities.

Community groups say some fear they could lose homes, jobs and access to healthcare if the new law is ratified by President John Dramani MahamaGhana’s LGBTQ community is living in fear after the country’s parliament approved a sweeping bill that criminalises the promotion of LGBTQ+ activities and identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer, rights groups have warned.The legislation, which was passed on Friday, mandates prison sentences of three to 10 years. Continue reading...

• India's manufacturing sector experienced its fastest expansion in three months during May, driven by sustained demand. • Despite the growth, businesses faced some of the most intense cost pressures seen in nearly four years. • Business optimism has declined, reaching its lowest level since February.

• Reality star Katie Price, 48, has shared an update regarding her husband, Lee Andrews, who has reportedly been detained and interrogated in Dubai. • Price revealed she is confronting Andrews over his recent phone activity and is planning to fly to Dubai to visit him and resolve the situation. • The incident highlights ongoing personal turmoil for the couple and raises questions about the nature of the legal issues Andrews is facing abroad.

• Asia-Pacific stock markets rose as investors balanced concerns over Iranian military activity with optimism regarding a potential temporary U.S.-Iran ceasefire deal. • Key gains were seen across the region, with South Korea's Kospi jumping 2.68%, Japan's Nikkei 225 rising 0.88%, and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 increasing by 0.72%. • The market movement reflects a cautious but positive sentiment, as hopes for diplomatic resolution currently outweigh the risks posed by geopolitical tensions.

• A May 27 AI news roundup reported that Celonis unveiled what it called AI’s next top model and announced an acquisition aimed at addressing the lack of operational context in enterprise AI. • The same roundup also noted several earlier May developments, including OpenAI’s GPT-5.5 Instant release, described as improving factual accuracy, reducing hallucinations and adding stronger personalization. • It said Google’s Gemma 4 update delivered up to 3x faster inference using multi-token prediction drafters, underscoring how model efficiency remains a major competitive theme.

Firms hit by ‘perfect storm’ of uncertainty about Labour leadership and impact of Iran warBusiness live – latest updatesCompanies in the UK’s dominant services sector have reported one of the sharpest declines in business activity in a decade, according to a closely watched index.Businesses are grappling with a “perfect storm” of domestic political uncertainty around Keir Starmer’s leadership as prime minister and the growing impact of the Iran war, leading to soaring costs, supply shortages and job cuts, the report said. Continue reading...

• U.S. IPO deal count increased 36% quarter-over-quarter and 78% year-over-year in Q1 2026, with transaction values up 91% from Q1 2025 but flat from Q4 2025. • Top 10 IPOs totaled over $6 billion, led by Forgent Power Solutions at $1.74 billion in industrials, followed by Janus Living at $966 million in real estate. • Healthcare dominated with 40% of top IPO volume including Minimed Group, Generate Biomedicines, Eikon Therapeutics, and Aktis Oncology; industrials claimed three spots.

• BJP's central office in Assam shows early festivities and preparations as vote counting begins for the 2026 assembly elections, with the party aiming for a third consecutive term. • Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma faces Congress's Gaurav Gogoi in a key contest, testing BJP's dominance after previous wins. • Results will determine if BJP secures hat-trick amid NDA performance scrutiny and Congress comeback hopes.

Bristol University project aims to help directors make better movies and take greater risks – with one already onboardAt first glance, it looks like any high-end cinema: booming surround sound, a razor-sharp 4K projector and rows of reclining seats. But instead of clutching popcorn, a headset records my brain activity and a heart rate monitor wraps around my arm while infra-red cameras capture every blink and fidget.I’m sitting in a one-of-a-kind cinema at the University of Bristol where researchers are studying how people respond to what they see on screen. By combining viewers’ physical reactions with verbal feedback on the parts of the film they found most compelling, the team hopes to understand which moments truly grip attention – and whether that insight could help film-makers create better movies and take greater creative risks. Continue reading...

30m adults hitting 150 minutes moderate activity a weekBut report shows progress not being felt equallyLevels of physical activity in England have broken new records, with more than 30 million adults now meeting the recommended 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, the latest Active Lives survey has revealed.The 10th edition of the gold standard report finds a striking rise in activity among older people with 11% growth among the over-75s in the past decade. There is also a consistent improvement among people with disabilities. But other inequalities have proven stubborn, with no change among black and asian communities in 10 years and a decline in activity among the least affluent over that period. Continue reading...

• The US Geological Survey documented unusual seismic activity patterns beneath Yellowstone National Park over the past 72 hours, including 127 small earthquakes concentrated in a previously stable subsurface region. • Monitoring stations recorded magnitude 2.0-3.8 events with distinct directional propagation, suggesting possible magma chamber adjustments rather than typical tectonic shifts, announced April 21 by USGS geophysicists. • Scientists emphasize current volcanic threat levels remain low based on gas emissions and ground deformation data, though real-time monitoring has been intensified as a precautionary measure.

• U.S. secondary-level economic statistics including construction indicators and business activity assessments will provide key signals for market sentiment early in the week. • Investors are preparing for a busier trading week with March flash PMI surveys from major economies, inflation data from Japan and UK, and U.S. consumer indicators due for release. • Market focus has shifted from traditional macro releases to monitoring oil prices, bond yields, and geopolitical developments, with these factors now setting the primary tone for equity sector rotations.

• A UC Riverside-led study analyzing thousands of samples from unrelated studies found that no places in the ocean remain completely untouched by human chemical impacts. • Researchers combined consistent, high-resolution mass spectrometry methods across multiple laboratories with computational tools to create a unified dataset revealing the extent of human chemical alterations to marine environments. • The study reveals significant data gaps, with heavy concentration in North America and Europe while the Southern Hemisphere and regions like Southeast Asia, India, and Australia remain largely understudied, limiting full understanding of global ocean impacts.