Billion

• Global venture capital investment hit a record $300 billion in Q1 2026 across approximately 6,000 startups, representing a 150% increase quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year. • AI funding dominated with $242 billion, or 80% of total venture funding, up from 55% in Q1 2025, with capital concentrating in frontier model builders, enterprise software, robotics, semiconductors, and life sciences. • Isomorphic Labs, a DeepMind spinout, raised a $2.1 billion Series B funding round backed by Thrive Capital, Google Ventures, and Alphabet, targeting AI-driven drug discovery applications.

Gautam Adani, richest man in Asia, was accused of conspiring to pay $250m in bribes to Indian government officialsThe US Department of Justice is dropping its fraud charges against the Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, the richest man in Asia, after he hired a new legal team led by Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, according to new reports.In an undisclosed April meeting at the justice department, Trump’s personal lawyer, Robert J Giuffra Jr, said that Adani would invest $10bn in the US economy and create 15,000 jobs if prosecutors dropped the charges against him, according to the New York Times and Bloomberg. Continue reading...

• Anduril Industries announced a $5 billion Series H funding round, doubling its valuation to $61 billion just one year after its previous multibillion-dollar raise. • The late-stage funding was jointly led by Thrive Capital and Andreessen Horowitz, demonstrating strong investor confidence in the defense and autonomous systems company. • The massive valuation increase reflects growing demand for advanced defense technology and autonomous systems in the current geopolitical environment.

• Tencent is reported to be joining a $4 billion funding round for Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, which would value the company at about $50 billion and mark its first external financing. • The report says the round would add fresh capital to one of China’s most watched AI model developers, with Tencent and other large investors among the backers. • The deal matters because DeepSeek has become a key rival in China’s fast-moving AI race, and a multibillion-dollar valuation would underline continued investor appetite for frontier-model startups.

Watchdog to examine whether Reform UK leader should have declared donation received before entering parliamentNigel Farage is facing a formal investigation by the parliamentary standards watchdog over a £5m gift from the crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne.The Reform UK leader received the money weeks before announcing he would stand as a candidate in the 2024 general election. Continue reading...

• Refresco announced a cash acquisition of SunOpta at $6.50 per share, valuing the transaction at approximately 1.1 billion dollars, representing a significant consolidation move in the beverage and specialty food ingredients sector. • The acquisition demonstrates ongoing M&A activity in the food and beverage industry as larger players seek to expand market share and diversify product portfolios through strategic purchases. • This transaction showcases investor appetite for acquisitions despite broader macroeconomic uncertainties, with Lazard acting as financial advisor on the transaction.

• HSBC Holdings plc announced a quarterly profit before tax of 10.1 billion US dollars for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, excluding notable items, demonstrating strong earnings performance in the first quarter. • The bank approved a first interim dividend for 2026 of 10 US cents per share, signaling confidence in financial performance and commitment to shareholder returns. • The results reflect HSBC's continued profitability across its global operations despite persistent economic headwinds and competitive pressures in banking sector margins.

• Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) announced plans to raise a record $20 billion for its largest-ever AI-focused megafund, surpassing previous funds by 25%. • The fundraising comes amid accelerating global AI industry growth, with a16z targeting investments in AI infrastructure, models, and applications. • This megafund underscores VC confidence in AI's transformative potential, potentially fueling startups in compute, data, and enterprise software amid competition from rivals like Sequoia and SoftBank.

• Akamai Technologies announced a major cloud infrastructure services contract worth $1.8 billion over seven years with a leading frontier AI model provider, identified by Bloomberg as Anthropic. • The company's stock posted its best weekly performance since April 2013, gaining 42% for the week including a 27% jump on Friday to reach a record high. • Akamai provides cloud computing, cybersecurity, and content delivery services critical for accelerating websites, apps, and AI workloads amid surging demand for compute infrastructure.

• Chenbro Micom, a Taiwan-based tech firm, posted Q1 2026 sales of TWD 7.1 billion, up 70% year-over-year, with net income doubling to TWD 1.34 billion. • The company achieved annual revenue growth of 31.1% and earnings growth of 32.7%, outperforming industry averages amid Asia's tech momentum. • This performance highlights Chenbro's strong positioning in high-tech sectors like server components, bolstered by resilient Asian demand.

• Sunrun exceeded Q1 2026 expectations by adding nearly 19,000 customers, generating aggregate subscriber value of $1.1 billion through sales force expansion and productivity gains. • Volume performance topped guidance, underscoring strong demand in residential solar sector amid renewable energy push. • Results position Sunrun for sustained growth in customer acquisitions and revenue momentum.

• Kraft Heinz reported Q1 2026 sales of $6,047 million, net income of $798 million, and basic EPS of $0.67, beating expectations. • Company completed $1.51 billion share repurchase and launched $1.10 billion tender offer for long-dated debt notes, affirming quarterly dividend of $0.40 payable June 26. • Results highlight early turnaround progress under CEO Steve Cahillane amid weak North American volumes and inflation pressures; projects $24.8 billion revenue by 2029.

• Shield AI, headquartered in San Diego and founded in 2015, secured $1.5 billion in its Series G funding round in March 2026, bringing total funding to $2.5 billion. • The investment supports advancements in AI-driven autonomous systems for defense applications, enhancing national security capabilities. • This massive round underscores surging investor confidence in US defense tech startups amid rising geopolitical tensions.

• WESCO International reported Q1 2026 sales of $6,080.1 million and net income of $153.8 million, both higher than the prior year. • Basic earnings per share from continuing operations increased to $3.16, demonstrating stronger profitability. • The results signal robust demand in capital goods distribution, potentially boosting sector confidence amid economic recovery signals.

Reform’s deputy leader, Richard Tice, seeks to present issue as irrelevant in interview with Laura Kuenssberg Labour has accused Nigel Farage of attempting to dodge scrutiny as the Reform leader continued to face questions over the £5m gift he received from a crypto billionaire shortly before the last general election.Asked about the gift from Christopher Harborne on Sunday, the party’s deputy leader, Richard Tice, sought to present it as an irrelevance to voters and said it had complied with all the rules. Continue reading...

• China is aggressively scaling its AI-driven cyber defense market as US developers Anthropic and OpenAI unveil new models with enhanced cybersecurity capabilities, intensifying competition in AI security innovation. • IDC projects China's AI cybersecurity industry will reach 59.35 billion yuan ($8.7 billion) by 2030, representing a more than 37-fold increase from 1.58 billion yuan ($230 million) in 2025. • Anthropic's Mythos model, launched in April, sparked rapid global response due to its unprecedented speed and efficiency in discovering and exploiting cybersecurity vulnerabilities, prompting competitive responses from Chinese developers.

• Pop Mart [HKG: 9992] shares jumped 7% in Hong Kong trading after billionaire investor Duan Yongping announced on social media he had swapped all his coal holdings, including China Shenhua Energy, for the toymaker's stock. • The move signals confidence in Pop Mart's business model and reflects a broader shift among major investors away from traditional energy sectors toward consumer discretionary stocks. • The swap demonstrates continued investor appetite for Chinese consumer-focused companies despite macroeconomic headwinds and regulatory scrutiny in the technology and finance sectors.

• On May 6, 2026, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) announced a $40 billion investment to build a new AI‑optimized fabrication plant in Taichung, focused on 2‑nm and 1.4‑nm process nodes. • The fab is projected to reach full capacity by 2029, capable of supplying 250,000 12‑inch wafers monthly to AI‑chip design firms, including NVIDIA‑style accelerators and custom ASICs for hyperscalers. • TSMC’s CEO, C.C. Wei, emphasized that 70% of the facility’s planned capacity is already pre‑booked by cloud providers and AI‑hardware vendors, underscoring the sustained global shortage of advanced nodes.

• Chinese firms completed offshore mergers and acquisitions worth nearly $10 billion in the first quarter of 2026, marking a five-year high despite ongoing regulatory barriers. • Transactions targeted key sectors including resources, consumer goods, and manufacturing, as companies seek growth opportunities abroad. • The surge underscores China's push for global expansion amid domestic economic pressures and trade tensions.

• Sierra, an AI customer experience startup, secured $950 million in a Series E funding round led by Tiger Global and Google Ventures on May 8, 2026, achieving a valuation exceeding $15 billion. • The round highlights the strength of high-growth vertical AI companies amid surging demand for agentic AI solutions in enterprise settings. • This funding victory underscores investor confidence in specialized AI applications, positioning Sierra as a leader in automating customer interactions.

• ServiceNow announced on May 8, 2026, a goal of $32 billion in revenue by 2030, introducing the 'Action Fabric' AI agent pricing layer. • The strategy counters SaaS market challenges by embedding advanced AI agents into its platform for automated workflows. • This move signals enterprise software's pivot toward AI orchestration, potentially reshaping IT service management.

Reform leader irritated when asked about money from Christopher Harborne on day of party’s election gainsElection 2026 live: latest news updatesNigel Farage has repeatedly refused to answer questions about a personal gift of £5m he received from the billionaire Christopher Harborne, as the Reform UK leader sought on Friday to focus attention on the party’s election gains.Farage was clearly irritated when asked on a number of occasions on Friday about the money, which the Guardian revealed he had received shortly before announcing he would stand in the 2024 general election and which was not declared. Continue reading...

• Syfe, a regional investment platform, announced it has reached $10 billion in assets under management, marking significant growth in the Asia-Pacific investment sector as of May 2026. • The platform reported a threefold increase in trading activity, driven by investors shifting away from US-only portfolios to explore broader geographic exposure and diversified investment strategies. • The milestone reflects growing investor appetite for digital wealth management solutions in Asia and indicates expanding confidence in regional investment opportunities beyond traditional US-focused strategies.

• Moonshot AI, a leading Chinese chatbot maker focused on commercial AI applications, secured $20 billion in its Series E funding round led by Meituan. • The massive investment, one of the largest in AI history, will accelerate development of advanced AI models and expand commercial deployments across Asia. • This funding underscores China's aggressive push in AI amid global competition, positioning Moonshot to challenge U.S. giants like OpenAI.

• Cerebras, a leading AI chipmaker, announced plans to raise up to $3.5 billion through an initial public offering (IPO). • The fundraising effort signals strong market confidence in specialized AI chip manufacturers as enterprises scale artificial intelligence infrastructure deployments. • Going public positions Cerebras to compete aggressively with established semiconductor giants while investing in next-generation AI computing architecture.

• Meta Platforms has acquired Manus, a Singapore-based AI startup, in a $2 billion deal announced on May 7, 2026, focusing on autonomous agents that plan and execute complex tasks. • Manus specializes in agentic AI technology, enabling systems to independently handle multi-step processes without constant human oversight. • The acquisition positions Meta to expand its AI portfolio amid intensifying competition in generative and autonomous AI development globally.

• China's AI startup DeepSeek is closing in on a massive funding round that could value the company at approximately $45 billion, more than four times its valuation from discussions just two weeks prior. • China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund (Big Fund) is leading the financing round, with Tencent and Alibaba participating to provide strong domestic backing. • The funding round represents a dramatic increase in DeepSeek's valuation and underscores China's aggressive push to develop competitive AI capabilities independent of Western technology.

• TikTok has received approval from Thailand’s Board of Investment for three data centres in Bangkok, Samut Prakan, and Chachoengsao provinces valued at $25 billion or 842 billion THB. • The facilities will serve as regional hubs to store and process data, supporting TikTok's expanding user base across Southeast Asia. • This massive investment underscores TikTok's commitment to infrastructure growth amid rising demand, alongside other approvals like DAMAC Group's $1.4 billion and Bridge Data Centres' $746 million projects.