LONDON: Legal & General Group Plc (L&G) has agreed to sell its U.S. protection business to longstanding partner Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company, forming a strategic partnership to enhance its U.S. Pension Risk Transfer (PRT) business. The transaction, valued at $2.3 billion, is expected to close towards the end of 2025, pending regulatory approvals. The deal includes…
Larry Williams forecasts bullish 2025 for U.S. stocks, warns of potential volatility
Veteran trader and market analyst Larry Williams has released his highly anticipated annual forecast for 2025, predicting a bullish year for the U.S. stock market but cautioning investors to brace for potential volatility and a possible downturn in 2026. In his 20th annual report, Williams, known for his cycle-based market predictions, outlined a positive outlook for 2025,…
Corient acquires Rootstock Advisors to expand UHNW client services
MIAMI: Corient, one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing national wealth advisors, announced on Thursday that it has acquired Rootstock Advisors, a Pennsylvania-based registered investment advisory firm with approximately $600 million in assets under management as of January 31, 2025. This acquisition bolsters Corient’s ability to serve ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) clients and extends its presence in…
Northamber acquires Epatra in €2 million deal
Northamber NL B.V. announced today the acquisition of EPATRA B.V. and Epatra B.V. from PreHold B.V. and Lumen Vera B.V. The acquisition was completed through a share purchase agreement. EPATRA, founded in 2003, is a key distributor of professional audiovisual solutions, focusing on smart offices. Headquartered in the Netherlands, it boasts a warehouse and sales…
BenevolentAI to delist from Euronext and merge into Osaka Holdings
AMSTERDAM: BenevolentAI (Euronext Amsterdam: BAI), a leader in AI-driven drug discovery, announced plans to delist from Euronext Amsterdam via a merger with Osaka Holdings S.à r.l., a private entity. This move, subject to shareholder approval, aims to simplify the company’s structure and reduce administrative overhead. Following an extensive review, the Board concluded that the costs…
Codex Acquisitions to acquire Technologies New Energy S.A. for £28 million
LONDON: Codex Acquisitions plc (LSE: CODX) has signed an agreement to acquire Technologies New Energy S.A. (TNE), a Portuguese renewable energy company, for £28 million. The deal will be settled through the issuance of new ordinary shares, conditional upon the listing of the enlarged share capital on the equity shares transition category of the Official…
British Columbia Investment Management to acquire BBGI Global Infrastructure for £1.062 billion
LONDON: The British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI) and BBGI Global Infrastructure S.A. have agreed on terms for an all-cash offer for the entirety of BBGI’s issued and to-be-issued share capital. The offer, to be made by Bidco, a special limited partnership based in Luxembourg and indirectly controlled by BCI, will see BBGI shareholders receive…
REA Group CEO Owen Wilson to retire
SYDNEY: REA Group Ltd (ASX:REA) announced Thursday that Chief Executive Officer Owen Wilson will step down from his role in the second half of 2025 after a decade with the company, including six years as CEO. The company’s board praised Wilson for his transformative leadership and strong financial performance during his tenure. The board has…
ReNu Energy to sell hydrogen business
SYDNEY: ReNu Energy Limited (ASX: RNE) announced Thursday it has agreed, subject to shareholder approval, to sell its Countrywide Hydrogen Business, including its Tasmanian green hydrogen project, to Countrywide Hydrogen Holdings Pty Ltd, an entity controlled by ReNu Energy’s management team. On October 14, 2024, ReNu Energy received a non-binding indicative offer from its management…
Vow ASA appoints Gunnar Pedersen as its new Chief Executive Officer
OSLO: Vow ASA announced the appointment of Gunnar Pedersen as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective no later than 1 August 2025. Gunnar Pedersen brings extensive leadership experience from the maritime and industrial sectors. He is currently Executive Vice President, Automation & Control at Kongsberg Maritime, and he has worked within the Kongsberg Group since 2002. Throughout…
Barkat Frisian Agro announces IPO on Pakistan Stock Exchange
Barkat Frisian Agro Limited (BFAL) has announced a PKR 880.5 million ($3.1 million) Initial Public Offering (IPO) as the company plans to expand pasteurized egg product output by 70% to 29,000 metric tons. Arif Habib Limited (AHL) has been appointed by BFAL as the lead manager and book runner for raising funds through an offering. The proceeds…
Pandora reports 13% organic growth in 2024, targets 7-8% in 2025
LONDON: Pandora, the global jewelry brand, announced a successful year in 2024, achieving a 13% organic growth rate and setting a target of 7-8% growth for 2025. The company’s full-year revenue reached DKK 31.7 billion, with an EBIT of DKK 8.0 billion, both reflecting a 13% increase. In 2024, Pandora’s gross margin improved to 79.8%,…