Banking M&A: EverBank agreed to acquire WaFd in a $3.9 billion reverse merger, creating a regional bank with about $75B in assets and targeting a ~29% EPS lift by 2027. Private Credit Watch: Australia’s regulator flagged “significant cracks” in private credit as a developer collapse threatens thousands of homes, spotlighting how super funds are exposed to higher-risk lending. Office Real Estate & Work Culture: Employers are redesigning offices to attract and retain talent, with demand shifting toward newer, well-located spaces that support employee wellness and in-person culture. Regional Growth & Jobs: New Zealand’s recovery is underway but constrained by cost-of-living pressure, fiscal limits and infrastructure needs, while Taranaki secured $3M to form an alliance helping engineering and manufacturing firms win bigger contracts. Energy & Infrastructure: Gas Malaysia and Petronas Gas will study a pipeline link for the Yan regasification terminal; GE Vernova T&D was named L1 bidder for a major HVDC terminal station; and REC issued India’s first pilot tokenized corporate bond under SEBI’s sandbox. Arctic & Trade: EU leaders announced a €200M Greenland investment package to deepen connectivity, clean energy and small-business support amid renewed Arctic security debate. Business Confidence: Canterbury businesses reported rising confidence and investment intentions heading into late 2026. Market/Investor Alerts: Multiple securities class-action deadlines and claims were issued for companies including Alibaba, Primoris, Bloom Energy and others.