Sovereign & Capital Markets: Qatar’s QFMA received five acquisition and merger applications worth QR1.322bn in 2025, spanning telecoms, consumer goods and services, and industrial deals, with a “single window” committee streamlining listings and M&A reviews. Startup Finance: Woori Financial Group unveiled a 7 trillion won ($4.5bn) roadmap to fund startups across their full life cycle, from incubation to IPO support. Asia-Pacific Expansion: Korea Investment Corp. opened a Tokyo office as it expands Asia-Pacific investing across equities, fixed income, and alternatives like private equity and real estate. Energy & Critical Minerals: Eni agreed to buy a 25% stake in EnergyX’s Chile lithium subsidiary Black Giant, investing $225m in phases using direct lithium extraction. Defense Deals: RENK plans to acquire UK’s David Brown Defence to expand naval propulsion and add submarine transmission tech. Corporate Restructuring: Microsoft will cut 4,800 jobs, including 1,600 at Xbox immediately, as it reshapes the gaming unit around AI. Markets & Macro: Gold slipped ahead of Fed meeting minutes, while Samsung’s record profit forecast still sent its shares down as investors questioned durability of the AI memory boom. Regulation & Trade: The US moved to investigate Canada’s ban on American alcohol under a new Section 301 push. Business Growth & Jobs: Ukraine’s government advanced tender rules for 1.5GW of new generating capacity, seeking investor input and outlining de-risking options.