Equities

Brazil’s Bolsonaro campaign adds ex-minister, market figures to policy team
Senator Flavio Bolsonaro appoints Adolfo Sachsida, Daniella Marques, and other market-linked advisors to bolster his economic policy team ahead of October’s election.

NowVertical shares surge 32% on Q2 2026 profit growth, revenue beat
NowVertical Group reported an 18% year-over-year revenue increase to $9.7 million in Q2 2026, with adjusted EBITDA rising 41% to $1.5 million. The company’s stock climbed 31.82% following the earnings update.

Steve Cohen buys stakes in JPMorgan and U.S. Treasuries via managed account
Congressman Steve Cohen disclosed investments in JPMorgan Chase CDs and Treasury bills through his Stephens Advantage Account, with both positions maturing in August 2027. Holdings valued between $100,001 and $250,000 each.

Singularity Future Technology raises $1.8M via registered direct offering
Singularity Future Technology priced a $1.8 million registered direct offering of 600,000 shares at $3 each. The deal, led by Univest Securities, is expected to close Wednesday pending customary conditions.

Hays board reshuffles committees, disbands sustainability panel
Helen Cunningham named Remuneration Committee chair as Joe Hurd joins; sustainability oversight moves to the board after panel is dissolved.

HSBC upgrades South Korea to overweight on easing deleveraging risks
HSBC shifts Korean equities to overweight as margin debt falls $21 billion and leveraged ETF assets shrink. Analyst cites strong earnings outlook through 2027, including a potential 7% dividend yield at Samsung Electronics.

Volkswagen seeks India partner deal by year-end, Skoda CEO says
German automaker targets local joint venture to expand in India’s fast-growing car market amid regulatory challenges and emissions rules. Skoda CEO cites need for deeper local roots.

Nordic Mining shares slide 6.3% as liquidity crunch hits Engebø ramp-up
The Oslo-listed miner’s stock extended losses after second-quarter results showed a NOK 154.3 million operating loss and no revenue amid production delays at its flagship Engebø project.

Finland’s OMX Helsinki 25 falls 1.61% as Nokia, Metso weigh on market
Telecoms, industrials and technology led declines on the Helsinki exchange. Nokia dropped 7.29% while Metso fell 4.71% as broader benchmark slid.

Halyk Bank posts 15% profit drop in H1 2026 as margins tighten
Kazakh lender reports KZT 447.6 billion net income, cites rising credit costs and regulatory pressures. Digital adoption accelerates despite margin squeeze.

Swiss stocks edge up as Roche, Novartis lead; ABB, Amrize weigh
The SMI rose 0.13% to 14,321 points, with healthcare heavyweights Roche and Novartis offsetting losses in ABB and Amrize. Global bond yields surged to multi-year highs, unsettling investors.

US stocks mixed pre-market; Moderna surges 72% on Merck trial data
SMI edges higher as Moderna jumps on positive melanoma trial results with Merck’s Keytruda. Geberit, Implenia lead Swiss gains; DocMorris, Straumann lag. Brent crude hits $92 amid Iran conflict.

UGI shares surge 14% on KKR takeover report
Private equity giant KKR reportedly offers $9 billion for UGI Corporation at $42.50 per share, lifting the utility distributor's stock nearly 20% above its pre-announcement level.

US stocks rise as Moderna surges 150% on cancer vaccine data
Moderna’s mRNA cancer vaccine trial results drive a 150% jump in its shares, lifting the S&P 500 and Swiss pharma stocks. US net interest payments hit a record 3.3% of GDP.

Nasdaq slips as Moderna surges; US net interest payments hit record high
Moderna’s 72% rally fuels gains in biotech and Swiss pharma shares, while U.S. net interest costs rise to 3.3% of GDP—the highest on record. SMI edges higher as defensive stocks offset semiconductor weakness.

Basilea Pharmaceutica posts 32% profit surge in H1 2026, raises guidance
Swiss drugmaker reports CHF 27.9 million net profit for the first half, driven by strong Cresemba sales and non-dilutive funding. Full-year outlook upgraded on revenue and profit growth.

Basilea raises 2026 revenue, profit forecasts after strong H1 results
Swiss drugmaker posts CHF 119 million in H1 revenue, a 14% rise, and doubles full-year profit guidance as Cresemba and Zevtera sales accelerate.

JDC posts record H1 2026 profit, eyes AVD launch in 2027
First-half revenue rose 18.7% to €143.5 million as AI-driven efficiency gains offset weak contract transfers. Altersvorsorgedepot platform to target 50 million eligible Germans from January.

Conduit Holdings names Mark Pickering as new CFO, effective Nov 2026
Pickering, former Aspen Insurance CFO, will replace Elaine Whelan and join the board. His appointment follows Aspen’s IPO and acquisition by Sompo earlier this year.

Klarna shares plunge 22% after profit warning, forecast cut
Swedish fintech’s U.S.-listed stock fell sharply after it lowered annual revenue guidance and cited weak performance in its largest market, Germany. CFO and CMO roles to be refilled in 2027.

Shaires Holdings delays retail share offer deadline to Aug 24
London-based investment firm extends closing date for $20 share offer to Aug 24, 2026, at 4:30 pm, maintaining trading pause until further notice.

Six small-cap energy stocks trading below 7x P/E with 29% average upside
StealthGas, SandRidge Energy and four others show strong free cash flow yields and minimal leverage amid elevated energy prices. Analyst coverage remains sparse for most names.

S&P affirms Nvidia's AA rating, cites Ohio AI campus guarantee
Credit agency S&P Global Ratings maintains Nvidia's AA issuer credit rating with a stable outlook, citing a $105 billion guarantee tied to an Ohio AI data center campus. The rating agency also adjusted future debt projections based on the facility's development schedule.

Basilea Pharmaceutica lifts H1 2026 outlook as stock surges 8.7%
Swiss biotech raised its full-year revenue and profit guidance after reporting a 14% revenue jump in H1 2026. Shares rose 8.7% in pre-market trading.

