**Oil prices rising to $116 and Asian countries turning to coal underscore the severe global economic repercussions of the escalating Middle East conflict, impacting energy supplies, shipping, and food prices, prompting G7 crisis talks and concerns about wealth manager extractions**.

• Pete Hegseth’s broker looked to buy defence fund before Iran attack — Financial Times -
• Trump could ask Gulf states to contribute to war costs, says White House — Financial Times -
• Shipping industry casts doubt on Trump’s ‘present’ from Iran — Financial Times -

• Asia turns to coal as Iran war chokes off gas supplies — Financial Times -
• Energy & Utilities Roundup: Market Talk — Wall Street Journal -
• Oil Wavers, Stocks Fall on Mixed Signals in Middle East Talks — The New York Times Business -
• UK to receive last tanker of jet fuel from Middle East this week — Financial Times -
• Opinion | You May Already Have Won the Iran War — Wall Street Journal -
• Iranian strike on Kuwaiti power and water plant stokes infrastructure fears — Financial Times -
• See How Fast Gasoline Prices Are Rising — Wall Street Journal -
• Qatar-backed US LNG plant starts production as Iran war hits global supply — Financial Times -
• Alaska Air Says Higher Fuel Costs Will Exacerbate Losses — Wall Street Journal -
• Iran could emerge from the war stronger and more dangerous — Financial Times -
• Iran War’s Latest Economic Toll: Oil at $115 a Barrel — The New York Times Business -
• Why food prices are resisting the oil and fertiliser shock — for now — Financial Times -
• Iran shocks make their way inexorably to the grocery aisle — Financial Times -
• FirstFT: Trump says US could ‘take’ Iran oil — Financial Times -
• Need to be extracted from the Middle East? Call your wealth manager — Financial Times -
• G7 crisis talks as Iran war continues to roil global economy — Financial Times -
• Asia Depends on L.N.G. From the Middle East. This Is What Happens When It Runs Out. — The New York Times Business -
• Trapped seafarers suffer as Iran war rages — Financial Times -
• Insurers give Emirates ‘outrageously’ cheap war insurance cover — Financial Times -
• Food giants were finally starting to cut prices — then the war began — Financial Times -
• Oil Rises, Asian Equities Fall on Fears of Widening Middle East Conflict — Wall Street Journal -
• Oil rises to $116 as Trump stokes fears of protracted conflict — Financial Times -

Elon Musk's legal issues and influence on business disclosure laws are under scrutiny, as the Trump administration's crypto-friendly SEC policies and controversial rare earths deals continue to reshape US trade relations and domestic political dynamics, including Israel's death penalty law and border czar decisions.

• Opinion | Charlie Ergen, SpaceX and Trump — Wall Street Journal -
• Democrats Examine Elon Musk’s Role in Suspension of Business Disclosure Law — The New York Times Business -
• Israel approves death penalty law targeting Palestinians — Financial Times -

• From Foe to Ally: The S.E.C. Is Now Writing Crypto-Friendly Policies — The New York Times Business -
• Trump tracker: the latest data on US tariffs, trade and economy — Financial Times -
• Private-Credit Wobbles Could Prove Perilous for Trump — The New York Times Business -
• Subscriber webinar on May 20: the dollar under Trump — Financial Times -
• ICE May Remain at Airports Even After T.S.A. Pay Resumes, Border Czar Says — The New York Times Business -
• Orsted Shares Jump as Outlook Improves for U.S. Wind Farms — Wall Street Journal -
• Blackouts and health fears grip Cuba — Financial Times -
• Hammering Farage-Trump links could suppress Reform’s poll lead — Financial Times -
• US bets billions of dollars on unproven groups in rare earths deals — Financial Times -
• How Trump's tariffs ripped up the global trade order — Financial Times -

Asian currencies struggling amidst energy shocks and the Bank of Japan's intent to normalize rates highlight international financial pressures, while concerns grow over private credit downturns and WTO reform talks collapsing, with the UK considering nationalizing British Steel and Hungary's low return of EU fraud funds.

• FirstFT: Asian countries struggle to defend their currencies amid energy shock — Financial Times -
• U.S. Natural Gas Futures Fall As Spring Weather Curbs Demand — Wall Street Journal -
• Distressed-debt funds target private credit downturn as ‘greatest opportunity’ since 2008 — Financial Times -

• Starmer strikes upbeat note amid dismal polling ahead of May 7 local elections — Financial Times -
• Crypto has no place in UK political donations — Financial Times -
• UK government on verge of full nationalisation of British Steel — Financial Times -
• A blueprint for Chinese global leadership — Financial Times -
• Private credit: how worried should we be? — Financial Times -
• Can Europe make a difference? — Financial Times -
• Don’t speak to UK diplomats, Russians told — Financial Times -
• Yen and rupee rise as Asian countries struggle to defend their currencies — Financial Times -
• March summary of opinions shows BoJ still intends to normalise rates — Financial Times -
• Short rates have overshot — Financial Times -
• WTO reform talks collapse over US-Brazil stand-off — Financial Times -
• UK ministers explore ‘targeted’ energy bill relief for those most in need — Financial Times -
• Private capital: what are the risks? — Financial Times -
• Hungary returns just 18% of funds flagged by EU fraud watchdog — Financial Times -

**Unilever's potential $60 billion food giant deal with McCormick and Sysco's $29 billion acquisition of Restaurant Depot** dominate M&A news, contrasting with BYD's first annual profit decline and Fermi shares plunging, while **Eli Lilly invests $2 billion in AI drug development and CVS plans significant store footprint growth**.

• Unilever Nears Deal to Create $60 Billion Food Giant With McCormick — Wall Street Journal -
• The Reclusive 94-Year-Old Who Just Sold His Food Empire for $29 Billion — Wall Street Journal -
• Fermi shares plunge 13% on $486mn net loss — Financial Times -

• GM to Boost Heavy-Duty Truck Production — Wall Street Journal -
• Eli Lilly signs $2bn deal for AI drug development with Hong Kong biotech — Financial Times -
• CVS to Grow Store Footprint This Year With 60 New Locations — Wall Street Journal -
• Sysco to Buy Restaurant Depot in $29 Billion Deal — Wall Street Journal -
• Plaid CFO Says Fintech Company Has Earned the Right to ‘Pick Our Time’ for IPO — Wall Street Journal -
• BBVA to Sell Romania Business to Raiffeisen for $680 Million — Wall Street Journal -
• BYD Posts First Annual Profit Decline in Four Years — Wall Street Journal -

Fox News winning an employee lawsuit dismissal and **Beasley Allen facing a legal boot from the J&J trial exemplify ongoing legal battles, while UK regulators cut car finance redress costs and the ECB warns Monte dei Paschi over CEO succession, with Apple's UK subsidiary fined for Russian sanctions breaches**.

• Employee Lawsuit Against Fox News Is Dismissed — The New York Times Business -
• Opinion | Beasley Allen Gets the Legal Boot — Wall Street Journal -
• UK regulator cuts £2bn from car finance redress costs for banks — Financial Times -

• Delaware judge reassigns Musk cases after LinkedIn row — Financial Times -
• ECB warns Monte dei Paschi over chief executive succession battle — Financial Times -
• UK fines Apple subsidiary for breaching Russian sanctions — Financial Times -

Air Canada's CEO stepping down amid language backlash after a fatal crash and TSA lines shortening as workers receive paychecks signal shifts in the aviation sector, while Alaska Air anticipates increased losses due to surging fuel costs impacting the broader auto and transport market.

• Michael Rousseau, Air Canada’s CEO, to Step Down Amid Backlash Over Comments After Crash — The New York Times Business -
• T.S.A. Lines Appear to Be Getting Shorter as Workers Begin to Receive Paychecks — The New York Times Business -
• Auto & Transport Roundup: Market Talk — Wall Street Journal -

• How Long Before Airport Security Lines Go Back to Normal? — Wall Street Journal -
• Air Canada CEO Exit Comes After Language Backlash Following Fatal Jet Crash — Wall Street Journal -

Netflix's aggressive pursuit of NFL game packages highlights media evolution, as Hollywood's job market collapses, while startups lure top AI talent with cash, and a **pro-AI group plans $100 million for US midterm elections, alongside a karaoke company's AI announcement triggering a trucking market rout**.

• Netflix, Eager for More NFL, Is Looking at a Four-Game Package — Wall Street Journal -
• See How Hollywood’s Job Market Is Collapsing — Wall Street Journal -
• How Working in America Became So Joyless — Wall Street Journal -

• To Lure Top AI Talent, Startups Are Turning to Cold Hard Cash — Wall Street Journal -
• The karaoke company, the penny stock investor and the $17bn trucking rout — Financial Times -
• Pro-AI group to spend $100mn on US midterm elections as backlash grows — Financial Times -

Hope for salmon recovery in Maine faces opposition, while Bard College becomes a significant real estate player, and China cracks down on unusual 'bone ash' burials, revealing diverse social and environmental challenges alongside start-up founders shifting green pitches.

• The Fragile Hope for Salmon Recovery in Maine — The New York Times Business -
• How Bard College Became a Major Real Estate Player 20 Miles Away — The New York Times Business -
• Start-up founders shrink from green pitches at progressive SXSW — Financial Times -

• Exclusive: inside west London’s new go-to dining destination — Financial Times -
• China cracks down on ‘bone ash’ burials in empty apartments — Financial Times -

For businesses seeking financial assistance, March 2026's best small-business loans offer flexible requirements, competitive rates, and various loan options.

• Best Small-Business Loans in March 2026 — Wall Street Journal -