Business

Anthropic has signed a term sheet for a $10 billion funding round at a $350 billion valuation, and Coatue and Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC are reported to be leading the financing.

Economists expect the Bank of Canada to keep the benchmark rate at 2.25% in 2026, and the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board reported an annual average selling price of $1,067,968 in 2025, down 4.7% from 2024.

Job openings dropped to 7.15 million in November and hiring fell to 5.1 million, the Labor Department reported.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said on state television that no external power is governing Venezuela, responding to comments that the U.S. would oversee a transition. Bloomberg reported that Chevron has chartered at least 11 vessels to load Venezuelan crude under a U.S. license amid a U.S. naval presence enforcing a blockade.

President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he will not permit dividends or stock buybacks by U.S. defense companies until they increase production; defense stocks fell after the posts.

The Congressional Budget Office now projects the U.S. population will reach about 364 million in 30 years, a forecast about 2.2% smaller than its estimate a year ago and partly attributed to stricter immigration measures and an aging population.

Alaska Air is ordering 110 Boeing jets — 105 737 Max 10s and five 787-10s — to support international expansion from Seattle and to help the airline serve at least 12 long‑haul destinations by 2030.

The U.S. seized two sanctioned tankers carrying Venezuelan oil and announced steps to relax some sanctions so it can oversee sales of Venezuela's petroleum worldwide; officials say oil movement will be limited to approved channels under U.S. law.

Taiwan's new vehicle market rose 14.5% in December 2025 to 47,303 units, and the rebound followed government increases to purchase incentives in September.

Emerging Growth Research kept a Buy-Extended rating and a $9.00 12-month price target on SBC Medical Group after the company made a minority investment and collaboration with U.S. MedSpa chain OrangeTwist.

India Energy Week 2026 will take place in Goa from January 27–30, 2026 and will bring ministers, CEOs and policymakers together to discuss energy security, investment and decarbonisation.

States and offshore wind developers have filed federal suits challenging the Trump administration's Dec. 22 order to suspend work on five East Coast projects for at least 90 days; the administration cited national security concerns but has not provided specifics.

DHS has deployed more than 2,000 agents to Minneapolis and reported over 300 arrests in two days amid a human services fraud investigation.

Auto industry experts expect U.S. car sales to ease in 2026 after 2025's rise to about 16.3 million, with forecasts clustering around 15.8–16.0 million.

Officials say a 53-year-old Ypsilanti man went door-to-door with a sword, barricaded himself upstairs for about 30 hours and was arrested on Jan. 5; the sheriff's office says the incident is under investigation and no charges have been announced.

Venezuelan stocks more than doubled this week after the ouster of Nicolás Maduro, and Teucrium filed an application with the SEC for a Venezuela Exposure ETF that aims to track companies with significant ties to the country.

An Investopedia scan found more than $110 million wagered across 20 geopolitically linked contracts on Polymarket and Kalshi, and a Polymarket question about a possible U.S. invasion of Venezuela has generated over $10.5 million in trading volume.

A Nova Scotia community has organized fundraisers and a raffle to support the family of a 13-year-old boy who died after an attack by three large-breed dogs; RCMP said the dogs were euthanized and no charges have been laid.

MSCI said it will maintain current index treatment for digital asset treasury companies and will launch a broader consultation on how to treat non-operating or investment-oriented entities; the article says Strategy, which holds over $60 billion in Bitcoin, will remain in MSCI indexes and its shares rose about 5% in after-hours trading.

Ubisoft announced it has closed its Halifax studio and said 71 positions were impacted; the move was announced about one month after 61 of 71 workers voted to unionize.

A global study from the IBM Institute for Business Value and the National Retail Federation reports that 72% of surveyed consumers still shop in stores while 45% use AI during their buying journeys; many use AI to research products, interpret reviews, and hunt for deals.

The Singapore Food Agency will replace the current A–D annual grading system with the Safety Assurance for Food Establishment (SAFE) framework, covering about 45,000 licensed food establishments; rollout begins in phases from 19 January 2026.

China criticized a U.S. announcement that Venezuelan oil shipments bound for China could be rerouted after Washington said it would import up to $2 billion of embargoed crude, and global oil prices fell about 1%.

The Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council said it removed Aidarous al-Zubaidi from membership and referred him to the public prosecutor on charges including high treason after he did not board a flight to Riyadh for Saudi-brokered talks; a Saudi-led coalition spokesman said it launched preemptive strikes after Zubaidi mobilized armed units.

The article mentions Rothschild & Co Redburn initiated coverage of Societe Generale and said its investment-banking focus could benefit from the EU's Savings and Investments Union; the article reports SocGen has risen 159% over the past 12 months.

Above Food expects to file audited financial results for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2025 before the end of January 2026 and says a significant portion of the audit work is complete with no known audit issues; the company has received a Nasdaq staff determination letter and requested the standard 180‑day extension.

An S&P Global survey showed the housebuilding subindex fell to 33.5 in December, its weakest since early 2020, while the overall construction PMI was 40.1, indicating continued contraction.

Marubeni has acquired Jacobson Group, owner of Gola and other footwear brands, and said its U.S. consumer unit RG Barry will run the portfolio; financial terms were not disclosed.

Brandon Fisher filed a $10 million lawsuit in Oregon alleging Boeing tried to shift blame onto the flight crew after a midflight panel loss; the NTSB reported the aircraft left Boeing's facility missing bolts that would have secured the door plug.

Edmunds ranked five affordable cars and SUVs for 2026, weighing base price, fuel economy and safety ratings. The article highlights the Honda Civic, Toyota Camry and Hyundai Kona among its top choices.