Market capitalisation of approximately NOK 872 million The 12th listing on Euronext in 2026  Euronext today congratulates Jacktel AS (ticker: JACK), owner of the offshore accommodation unit Haven, on its listing on Euronext Growth Oslo. This is the 12th listing on Euronext in 2026. Jacktel is the sole owner of Haven, the only harsh-environment jack-up offshore accommodation rig that is compliant with the standards for the Norwegian Continental Shelf. The unit was built in 2011 and provides accommodation capacity for up to 444 persons, including recreational facilities, offices, hospital facilities, deck cranes, and lifesaving and fire-fighting equipment. Haven has a strong operational track record with blue‑chip clients in Norway and Denmark and offers 100% uptime when positioned alongside host installations. Macro Offshore Management serves as its commercial and technical manager. The company has been registered on Euronext NOTC, the Norwegian marketplace for unlisted shares, since April 2022. Jacktel was listed through the admission to trading of 207,531,066 issued and outstanding ordinary shares. The company completed a private placement prior to the listing, raising gross proceeds of NOK 29.2 million. The private placement was significantly oversubscribed and attracted substantial interest from more than 200 new investors, including a dedicated retail tranche.  At market opening today, the share price was NOK 4.20 per share, giving the company a market capitalisation of NOK 871.6 million. Harald Thorstein, Chairman of Jacktel, said: “We are pleased to welcome all new and existing Jacktel shareholders to Euronext Growth Oslo. The board of Jacktel believes Haven will be an important asset in supporting critical projects and infrastructure in the offshore energy markets going forward. Quarterly dividend payments will be an essential part of our commitment to creating value for our shareholders.” Caption: Morten Astrup, Board Member of Jacktel AS, rang the bell this morning together with Harald Thorstein, Chairman of Jacktel, to celebrate the listing of the company on Euronext Growth Oslo. The company was welcomed by Øivind Amundsen, CEO of Euronext Oslo Børs. (Photo: Thomas Brun | NTB) 

Apex Group Ltd (“Apex Group”), a global financial services provider with over $3.5 trillion in assets serviced, today announced that it has been appointed to provide digital asset servicing, tokenization technology, and operational infrastructure solutions to Chaince Digital Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: CD), a global technology company focused on institutional‑grade tokenization and blockchain‑based investment platforms. Under the mandate, Apex Group will deliver fund administration, operational support, regulatory reporting, tokenization infrastructure, and other servicing solutions designed to enable the tokenization of investment funds, public equities, and a range of real‑world assets. These services will support Chaince’s expansion into on‑chain investment vehicles and structured digital asset strategies launched for institutional and professional investors. Chaince Digital Holdings is developing a next‑generation platform for digital asset and tokenized investment infrastructure. The company enables the creation, management, and distribution of tokenized financial products across both traditional and blockchain‑based markets, providing institutional investors with transparent, efficient, and compliant access to tokenized funds, tokenized stocks, and other real‑world assets. Wilfred Daye, Chief Strategy Officer, Chaince Digital Holdings, said: “Institutional adoption of digital assets requires the same level of operational rigor and transparency investors expect from traditional financial markets. Apex Group’s tokenization infrastructure and fund administration expertise make them an ideal partner as we build institutional-grade digital asset platforms and tokenized financial products. With Nasdaq advancing its equity token design framework, regulatory and institutional alignment around on-chain equities is accelerating, positioning us to move quickly as tokenized capital markets take shape.” Angie Walker, Commercial Head of Apex Digital, added: “Chaince’s work in tokenized markets reflects a broader shift toward modernizing how financial products are structured, distributed, and accessed. Our appointment underscores Apex Group’s ability to support clients operating at the intersection of traditional market infrastructure and emerging digital asset ecosystems. We look forward to supporting Chaince as they scale institutional‑grade tokenized investment solutions globally.”

Interactive Brokers (Nasdaq: IBKR), an automated global broker, today announced that clients can transfer their existing holdings in supported cryptocurrencies to their Interactive Brokers-linked crypto account, enabling them to trade crypto at lower costs while gaining access to global investment markets – all without selling their digital assets upfront. Interactive Brokers offers a comprehensive solution that brings digital assets and traditional investments together on a single platform, providing access to competitive cryptocurrency pricing and broader investment opportunities. IBKR clients can now move supported digital assets directly from external wallets or platforms into their IBKR‑linked crypto accounts without first liquidating their crypto positions. This enables them to manage digital assets alongside stocks, options, futures, currencies, bonds, and other investments. Interactive Brokers offers some of the lowest cryptocurrency trading costs available through a traditional brokerage platform. Cryptocurrency trading through Paxos or zerohash on the Interactive Brokers platform carries commissions of 0.12% to 0.18% of trade value, with a USD 1.75 minimum per order, and no added spreads or markups. By comparison, many crypto platforms charge trading fees of up to 2.00% of trade value or more, often with additional embedded costs. “Crypto investors should be able to access competitive crypto pricing and diversified investment opportunities without managing multiple accounts or liquidating their positions,” said Milan Galik, Chief Executive Officer of Interactive Brokers. “By enabling direct crypto portfolio transfers, we’re making it easy for traders to benefit from IBKR’s low-cost crypto trading and gain access to our full range of global markets within the same professional trading environment.” Eligible clients of Interactive Brokers LLC and Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Limited can transfer Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and other supported cryptocurrencies directly into their IBKR-linked crypto accounts at Paxos or zerohash. To learn more, please visit: US and countries served by IB LLC: Cryptocurrency Trading  United Kingdom: Cryptocurrency Trading Eligibility for cryptocurrency trading or deposits may vary by country of legal residence. The best-informed investors choose Interactive Brokers

The Federal Reserve Board on Wednesday released annual audited financial statements for the Federal Reserve System for 2025. An independent accounting firm issued unqualified opinions, stating that its audit found no material misstatements in accordance with applicable auditing standards. The Board released audited individual and combined statements for the 12 Federal Reserve Banks, the Board, and one limited liability company (LLC), relating to the Board's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The audited financial statements provide information about assets, liabilities, and operations as of December 31, 2025. The Federal Reserve Act requires the Board to order an annual independent audit of the financial statements of each Reserve Bank and the Board. A public accounting firm was engaged to conduct these audits. The accounting firm also conducted audits of internal controls over financial reporting for the 12 Reserve Banks and the Board. In addition to annual audited financial statements, the Board also publishes a weekly comprehensive balance sheet and quarterly financial reports.

Commenting on the first transaction on the London Stock Exchange’s Private Securities Market, Dame Julia Hoggett, CEO, London Stock Exchange plc said: “We are thrilled to see the first transaction take place on our Private Securities Market, marking a significant milestone for this new market. It demonstrates how private companies, and structures such as TPEIC, can leverage public market infrastructure and use the PISCES framework in innovative ways to suit their needs. This is just the beginning, and we look forward to expanding the opportunities available to companies, shareholders, and investors.” See the TPE statement here: https://t-pe.co.uk/

Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV), a leading global provider of payments and financial services technology, today announced it has been recognized as one of America’s Most Innovative Companies by Fortune for a fourth consecutive year. The prestigious ranking is based on three core pillars: product innovation, process innovation, and innovation culture, underscoring Fiserv’s commitment to driving transformation at the intersection of banking and commerce. Serving millions of merchants and thousands of financial institutions globally, Fiserv has a unique view of the global financial ecosystem that enables the design of innovative solutions that are helping shape the future of money movement. Over the past 12 months, Fiserv has introduced the first bank-friendly stablecoin, FIUSD, to broaden access to digital asset technology, developed strategic partnerships to introduce new agentic capabilities for merchants, and launched AI-driven solutions that help clients operate more efficiently. Other innovative solutions include INDX, a real-time cash-settlement platform for digital assets that provides additional deposit sources for community bank and credit union clients, and biometric payment capabilities for small businesses leveraging Clover®, the world’s smartest point-of-sale system and business management platform. To assess innovation culture and internal perspectives on process innovation for America’s Most Innovative Companies, Statista conducted online surveys allowing employees to evaluate their own organizations. External perspectives on process innovation and product innovation were gathered through surveys of industry experts, including recruiters, management consultants, and patent attorneys. To evaluate intellectual property portfolios, Statista partnered with LexisNexis® Intellectual Property Solutions, using its platform to analyze both the quantity and value of company patents. The 300 U.S. companies with the highest overall scores were included in the final ranking.

Venture capital (VC) funding activity in the US witnessed a sharp increase in value in early 2026, even as the number of deals edged down slightly. The total number of VC deals announced in the US declined by around 2% in January-February 2026 compared to the same period in the previous year, while the corresponding deals value jumped more than eightfold to $208 billion, according to GlobalData, a leading intelligence and productivity platform. Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “A key inflection point for market sentiment is the speed at which the funding crossed the $200 billion threshold. It took 11 months for US VC funding value to reach that level in 2025. This trend underscores how quickly capital is now being deployed into select, high-conviction themes.” A defining driver of this value surge was OpenAI’s $110 billion fundraising announced in February 2026, which significantly shaped the overall funding trajectory. This single deal accounted for around 53% of total US VC funding value in January–February 2026 and around 46% of global VC funding value over the same period. Bose adds: “The magnitude of this funding round demonstrates how a small number of outsized transactions can meaningfully influence aggregate funding outcomes, particularly when investors concentrate capital in fewer, perceived category-leading companies.” The US continued to remain the top market for VC funding activity globally and the massive jump in value has further strengthened its global dominance. An analysis of GlobalData’s Financial Deals Database revealed that the US accounted for 28% of the total number of VC deals announced globally during January-February 2026. Meanwhile, its share of global value stood at 87%, up from 58% during the same period a year earlier. Bose concludes: “The jump in global share highlights the extent to which the early-2026 surge was concentrated in the US, reinforcing its position as the central engine of global VC value and underscoring that mega-deals, particularly in AI, are shaping the pace and direction of the venture funding landscape.” Note: Historic data may change in case some deals get added to previous months because of a delay in disclosure of information in the public domain

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE), one of the world's leading providers of financial market technology and data powering global capital markets, today released the February 2026 ICE First Look at mortgage delinquency, foreclosure and prepayment trends. "February saw a clear rebound in prepayment activity, with speeds rising 14% month over month and 80% year over year as the wave of refinances triggered by lower rates in January reached closing,” said Andy Walden, Head of Mortgage and Housing Market Research at ICE. “Delinquencies also edged higher, driven by seasonal increases in early-stage delinquencies and a notable rise in seriously past-due loans, though overall delinquency rates remain below pre-pandemic levels. These dynamics bear watching in the coming months, as default activity continues to trend off recent record lows." Key takeaways from this month’s findings include: Prepayments rebounded: The single-month mortality (SMM) rate, a measure of prepayment speed, increased by 10 basis points (bps) in February to 0.82% and was up 80% from the same time last year. The uptick follows a refinance wave driven by January rate drops. Delinquencies edged up in February: The national delinquency rate rose by 7 bps in February to 3.72%, driven by a 4% seasonal rise in early (30-day) delinquencies and a 3% rise in seriously delinquent (90-plus day) loans. The rate is up 20 bps from the same time last year but remains 12 bps below its February 2020 pre-pandemic benchmark. Combined serious delinquency and foreclosure volumes increased: At the end of January, 878,000 loans were in a state of severe delinquency or foreclosure. That figure is up 175,000 (25%) over the past four months, the highest since June 2022, and the highest since June 2018 when excluding the immediate effect of the pandemic. FHA loans account for roughly 80% of the recent increase. Cure rates have slowed: The rise in seriously delinquent loans is driven primarily by a decline in cure activity rather than a spike in new defaults. While the number of new loans that have become 90-plus days delinquent over the past four months has remained roughly flat on an annual basis, cure rates among 90-plus day delinquent mortgages are down by more than 40%. Foreclosure activity is rising off recent record lows: February saw 35,000 foreclosure starts, down 16% from January but up 7% year over year. Foreclosure sales declined 13% in the month but rose 25% year over year. The share of loans in active foreclosure remains 6 bps below pre-pandemic levels, though it rose by 4% in February and is up 25% from a year ago. Data as of February 28, 2026Total U.S. loan delinquency rate (loans 30 or more days past due, but not in foreclosure): 3.72%Month-over-month change: 2.00%Year-over-year change: 5.61% Total U.S. foreclosure pre-sale inventory rate: 0.48%Month-over-month change: 4.03%Year-over-year change: 24.63% Total U.S. foreclosure starts: 35,000Month-over-month change -15.86%Year-over-year change: 6.46% Monthly prepayment rate (SMM): 0.82%Month-over-month change: 14.13%Year-over-year change: 79.89% Foreclosure sales: 7,000Month-over-month change: -13.60%Year-over-year change: 24.70% Number of properties that are 30 or more days past due, but not in foreclosure: 2,046,000Month-over-month change: 40,000Year-over-year change: 133,000 Number of properties that are 90 or more days past due, but not in foreclosure: 612,000Month-over-month change: 17,000Year-over-year change: 84,000 Number of properties in foreclosure pre-sale inventory: 266,000Month-over-month change: 10,000Year-over-year change: 55,000 Number of properties that are 30 or more days past due or in foreclosure: 2,312,000Month-over-month change: 50,000Year-over-year change: 188,000 Top 5 States by Non-Current* Percentage Louisiana: 8.64% Mississippi: 8.51% Alabama: 6.39% Arkansas: 6.08% Indiana: 5.96%   Bottom 5 States by Non-Current* Percentage Colorado: 2.41% Hawaii: 2.39% Montana: 2.35% Washington: 2.26% Idaho: 2.16%   Top 5 States by 90+ Days Delinquent Percentage Mississippi: 2.59% Louisiana: 2.47% Alabama: 1.93% Arkansas: 1.77% Georgia: 1.71%   Top 5 States by 12-Month Change in Non-Current* Percentage Hawaii: -2.93% South Dakota: -0.39% Florida: 1.96% Montana: 2.21% New York: 2.82%   Bottom 5 States by 12-Month Change in Non-Current* Percentage Utah: 18.83% Arizona: 14.90% Maryland: 14.36% Nevada: 12.96% Minnesota: 12.05% *Non-current totals combine foreclosures and delinquencies as a percent of active loans in that state. Notes: 1) Totals are extrapolated based on ICE’s loan-level database of mortgage assets. 2) All whole numbers are rounded to the nearest thousand, except foreclosure starts and sales, which are rounded to the nearest hundred. The company will provide a more in-depth review of mortgage performance data in its monthly Mortgage Monitor report, an in-depth analysis of mortgage and housing market trends that is supplemented by charts and graphs. The Mortgage Monitor report is available online at https://www.icemortgagetechnology.com/resources/data-reports. For more information about gaining access to ICE’s loan-level database, email ICE-MortgageMonitor@ice.com.

A new study published by Europex and prepared by Frontier Economics provides compelling empirical evidence that EU electricity markets deliver efficient and resilient outcomes - both in normal times and under stress - while highlighting the need for further integration to unlock their full potential. Against the background of the European energy crisis (2021–2023) and the ongoing reform debate, the report examines market functioning and its performance under varying conditions. The analysis is based on data from 39 bidding zones - areas in which electricity is traded at a uniform price - covering 26 European countries over the period 2018–2024. Amid growing concerns over global energy supply disruptions linked to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, the findings show that European electricity markets continue to function as intended. Wholesale price levels and volatility reflect underlying supply and demand fundamentals - including gas prices, weather conditions and system tightness - rather than structural shortcomings in market design. The report confirms that short-term wholesale markets play a central role in enabling efficient price discovery, supporting security of supply and minimising system costs. Market coupling and cross-border trade have further enhanced system efficiency and contributed to reducing price volatility across Europe While volatility increased significantly during the energy crisis, this was largely driven by external shocks - most notably elevated and volatile gas prices, unfavourable weather conditions affecting renewables, hydro and nuclear generation, and insufficient cross-zonal transmission capacity. The report further underlines that price volatility is an inherent and necessary feature of wellfunctioning electricity markets. It provides essential signals for operational decisions and for investment in flexibility, including storage, demand-side response and interconnection capacity. Based on these findings, and in light of current geopolitical tensions, Europex calls on policymakers to prioritise measures that strengthen, rather than distort, market functioning. In particular, the report recommends: Preserving marginal pricing and avoiding market-distorting interventions; Maintaining efficient coupled single day-ahead and intraday markets across the EU; Supporting liquid forward markets to enable effective hedging of price risks; Deepening European market integration and expanding cross-border trade; and Addressing affordability concerns through a holistic view of retail electricity prices, including network costs and taxes, rather than focusing solely on wholesale prices.                                                     The report also highlights the importance of a coherent policy framework that accelerates investments in infrastructure, generation and flexibility, while maintaining efficient price signals across wholesale and retail markets. As Europe advances its energy transition, well-functioning and integrated electricity markets will remain essential to delivering an affordable, secure and decarbonised energy system. Read the full report here.

ETFGI reports Asia Pacific ex‑Japan ETF industry Assets Hit Record US$1.81 Trillion at the end of February. During February the ETFs industry in Asia Pacific (ex-Japan) gathered net inflows of US$34.37 billion, bringing YTD net outflows to US$62.01 Bn, according to ETFGI's February 2026 Asia Pacific (ex-Japan) ETFs and ETPs industry landscape insights report, the monthly report which is part of an annual paid-for research subscription service. ETFGI, is a 14 year old leading independent research and consultancy firm renowned for its expertise in subscription research, consulting services, 6 annual ETFGI Global ETFs Insights Summits, and ETF TV on global ETF industry trends. (All dollar values in USD unless otherwise noted.) Highlights Assets in the Asia Pacific (ex‑Japan) ETF industry reached a new record of $1.81 trillion at the end of February, surpassing the previous high of $1.76 trillion set in December 2025. Assets rose 2.9% year‑to‑date in 2026, increasing from $1.76 trillion at year‑end 2025 to $1.81 trillion. ETFs s saw $34.37 billion in net inflows during February. Despite February’s inflows, year‑to‑date net outflows total $62.01 billion, the highest YTD net inflows were US$71.17 billion in 2024, followed by US$31.38 billion in 2022. February marked the first month of net inflows in 2026. “The S&P 500 declined by 0.76% in February and was up 0.68% year‑to‑date in 2026. Developed markets excluding the U.S. rose 6.03% during February and were up 12.55% year‑to‑date, with Korea (up 20.11%) and Luxembourg (up 16.61%) recording the strongest gains among developed markets for the month. Emerging markets increased by 2.47% in February and were up 8.11% year‑to‑date, led by Thailand (up 19.48%) and Taiwan (up 11.63%),” said Deborah Fuhr, Managing Partner, Founder, and Owner of ETFGI. Growth in assets in the ETFs industry in Asia Pacific (ex-Japan) as of the end of February The Asia Pacific (ex-Japan) ETF industry had 4,445 ETFs, with 4,690 listings, assets of US$1.81 Tn, from 301 providers on 21 exchanges in 15 countries at the end of February. China Asset Management is the largest provider in terms of assets with $115.72 Bn, reflecting 6.4% market share; Samsung Asset Management is second with $109.06 Bn and 6.0% market share, followed by E Fund Management with $100.50 Bn and 5.5% market share. The top three providers, out of 301, account for 17.9% of Asia Pacific (ex-Japan) ETF AUM, while the remaining 298 providers each have less than 6% market share. Net flows: During February, ETFs in the region gathered $34.37 billion in net inflows.Equity ETFs recorded $8.88 billion in net inflows for the month, bringing year‑to‑date net outflows to $86.59 billion, compared to $2.82 billion in net inflows at this point in 2025. Fixed income ETFs attracted $5.50 billion in net inflows during February, resulting in YTD net outflows of $8.12 billion, down from the $5.47 billion in net inflows seen by the end of February 2025. Commodities ETFs reported $5.47 billion in net inflows in February, lifting YTD net inflows to $15.89 billion, well above the $2.65 billion reported year‑to‑date in 2025. Active ETFs saw $5.23 billion in net inflows during the month, bringing YTD net inflows to $5.99 billion, higher than the $3.12 billion gathered over the same period in 2025. Substantial inflows can be attributed to the top 20 ETFs by net new assets, which collectively gathered $19.92 Bn during February. Samsung KODEX KOSDAQ 150 ETF (229200 KS) gathered $2.31 Bn, the largest individual net inflow. Top 20 ETFs by net new assets in February 2026: Asia Pacific (ex-Japan) Source: ETFGI data sourced from ETF/ETP sponsors, exchanges, regulatory filings, Thomson Reuters/Lipper, Bloomberg, publicly available sources and data generated in-house. Note: This report is based on the most recent data available at the time of publication. Asset and flow data may change slightly as additional data becomes available. The top 20 ETPs by net new assets collectively gathered $6.71 Bn during February. MERITZ SECURITIES MERITZ KIS CD RATE ETN 63 (610063 KS) gathered $909 Mn, the largest individual net inflow. Top 20 ETPs by net inflows in February 2026: Asia Pacific (ex-Japan) Source: ETFGI data sourced from ETF/ETP sponsors, exchanges, regulatory filings, Thomson Reuters/Lipper, Bloomberg, publicly available sources and data generated in-house. Note: This report is based on the most recent data available at the time of publication. Asset and flow data may change slightly as additional data becomes available. Investors have tended to invest in Equity ETFs/ETPs during February.

The Monitoring Group (MG) is a group of regulatory and international organizations committed to advancing the public interest. It meets this objective by supporting the development of high-quality international auditing, assurance, ethics, and independence standards that are responsive to the public interest and by exchanging views related to international audit quality, regulatory, and market developments having an impact on auditing. including periodic effectiveness reviews and appointment of board members to the Public Interest Oversight Board (PIOB). The members of the Monitoring Group are the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, European Commission, Financial Stability Board, International Association of Insurance Supervisors, International Forum of Independent Audit Regulators, International Organization of Securities Commissions, and the World Bank. The MG is pleased to announce the term extensions for the following PIOB members: Mr. Philippe Christelle Mr. Tom Furusawa Mr. Mark Smith Each of these PIOB members are currently serving their second term, which will be extended through December 31, 2027. The MG is also pleased to announce the extension of Ms. Tshego Modise’s term as Chair of the PIOB through December 31, 2027. Emily Fitts, Chair of the MG stated: “On behalf of the Monitoring Group, we look forward to our continued collaboration with the PIOB, under Tshego Modise’s leadership. I want to thank each of the PIOB members for their service and dedication to promoting high quality international auditing, assurance, ethics, and independence standards.”

ING and UniCredit have structured a €375 million mini-perm project financing for Retelit Datacentre, the data centre arm of leading Italian telecommunications and ICT operator Retelit. The operation intends to support the expansion of the national data centre interconnection platform, backing the construction of three new data centres across Milan and Rome. This will expand Retelit's current 18 MW total capacity by 27 MW, reinforcing Italy's role as a critical connectivity hub in Southern Europe. Retelit Datacentre operates Italy's leading interconnection platform, with 38 data centres including the Avalon Campus in Milan, serving telecommunications operators, businesses, public administrations and global technology companies. ING and UniCredit acted as Structuring Banks, Debt Advisors, Global Coordinators and Bookrunners on the transaction. ING Italia also served as Facility Agent. Andrea Diamanti, CEO and Head of Wholesale Banking at ING Italy, said: "ING has long been recognised as a pioneer in data centre financing, with over 200 transactions completed globally. This deal reflects the strength of our Wholesale Banking division in Italy and the value of our global network, with ING's Italian and Dutch teams collaborating closely to bring it to completion." Sicco Boomsma, Global Head Digital Infrastructure Advisory at ING Bank: “this is a very relevant transaction for the Italian DC market, allowing enterprises, carriers and cloud service providers to optimize their DC communications function across a network of distributed DC infrastructure in Italy. It was an absolute honor to support the company in this transaction during a phase of transition in the group, where they carved out the DC platform from the carrier-based business. During this process, we structured a brownfield PF structure for them, which was really well received in the market.”  The deal underscores ING's commitment to financing infrastructure that aims to balance growth with responsibility. Retelit powers its data centres entirely from renewable energy sources and maintains Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) levels below the market benchmark. Since entering this sector almost two decades ago, ING has closed over 200 financing structures for data centre operators including Equinix, Atlas Edge and Ark Data Centres – one of the largest sustainability-linked loans ever completed for a UK operator at the time. As Europe's leading data centre finance house, ING has financed some of the largest data centres deals across the continent. ING remains committed to financing the digital infrastructure underpinning Europe's technological future. Click here for the full press release of the deal.

More people could access financial advice, under proposals set out by FCA. The FCA is consulting on how to make it easier for firms to give more simplified forms of individualised financial advice to consumers. Simplified forms of advice can help consumers with more straightforward needs and do not require a full assessment of all their financial circumstances, making it more accessible and affordable. Sarah Pritchard, deputy chief executive of the FCA, said: 'For too long the support people need to make important financial decisions has been out of reach for many.   'A market that provides good quality, lower cost simplified advice alongside comprehensive financial advice and targeted support will better support people making decisions about their financial lives. We want to see more people getting supported, who aren’t currently, and a market that innovates and offers tailored services to meet differing consumer needs. 'We welcome everyone’s views on whether our proposals will achieve our aim of building firms’ confidence to offer a wider range of advice and ultimately to help consumers navigate their financial lives.' Firms are already able to provide more simplified forms of advice but not many offer it. To encourage innovation and open access, the FCA is proposing to make small changes while maintaining appropriate consumer protections, which it believes can revitalise the sector, including:  Simplifying and consolidating the suitability framework into one set of common rules and expectations. Clarifying existing flexibilities in suitability rules with an expectation that advisers consider ‘sufficient’ information. Rebalancing the role and purpose of suitability communications to support firms making them concise, consumer-focused and proportionate. Changes to give firms greater flexibility in how they design and deliver ongoing advice services. This includes moving from a fixed annual suitability review to periodic reviews based on clients’ needs. The FCA is starting a discussion about the future of trail commission to modernise the rules and to prevent potential consumer harm. Qualification standards for advisers will remain unchanged. The FCA is also not proposing to change the adviser charging rules. Advice will still need to be paid via agreed-upon adviser charges rather than provider-paid commission or through cross-subsidisation. The FCA has already acted to help consumers get more support. From April some financial firms   will be allowed to offer targeted support and suggest products to consumers based on what they would recommend to those in similar circumstances. While targeted support will enable support to be given to groups of consumers, many consumers will need or value individual advice tailored to their specific circumstances. Other than updating our perimeter guidance, this is the final piece in the FCA’s policy work to make sure that the advice market works for the millions who depend on it for their financial futures. Background Read the full consultation (PDF).  The consultation closes on 22 May 2026. There are many situations in which simplified forms of advice may help. An example could be if a client wants to invest a one-off lump sum into a single investment. But where the financial situation is more complicated, such as deciding how to draw income in retirement from multiple sources, comprehensive forms of advice will likely be more appropriate as a firm will need to take account of more information.

Deal activity in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region contracted during the early months of 2026 amid heightened economic challenges and shifting investor priorities. The total number of deals (comprising mergers & acquisitions (M&A), private equity and venture financing deals) announced in the region decreased by around 6% during January-February 2026 compared to the same period in the previous year, according to GlobalData, a leading intelligence and productivity platform. An analysis of GlobalData’s Financial Deals Database revealed contrasting performance across deal types. The total number of M&A deals announced in the APAC region fell by 32% during January-February 2026 compared to January-February 2025, while private equity deals volume reduced by more than half. Meanwhile, venture financing deals volume registered a year-on-year (YoY) growth of 28%. Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “While the growth in venture financing is encouraging, the significant declines in M&A and private equity highlight the challenges facing the APAC deals landscape, reflecting broader economic uncertainties that have dampened deal-making sentiments.” The deal activity trend across the key markets in the region also remained a mixed bag. China stood out, with a 47% jump in deal volume during January-February 2026 compared to the same period a year earlier. This growth helped offset the declines faced by other APAC markets to some extent. India, Japan, Australia and South Korea were among some of the key APAC markets that registered declines. These markets saw respective deal volume fall by 5%, 51%, 17% and 26% YoY during January-February 2026. Note: Historic data may change in case some deals get added to previous months because of a delay in disclosure of information in the public domain

Joint pilot extends Tradefeedr’s FX pre- and post-trade analytics into new asset classes, powered by BMLL historical datasets Outputs delivered through Tradefeedr’s existing client network and distribution model Market participants will be invited to join a year-long pilot to shape what AI-ready analytics APIs look like for the industry BMLL, the leading independent provider of harmonised, historical Level 3, 2 and 1 data and analytics across global equity, ETFs, futures and US equity options, today announced a partnership with Tradefeedr, the leading network for trading analytics and collaborative data sharing. The partnership will support Tradefeedr’s expansion into equities and futures, powered by BMLL’s high-fidelity historical market datasets.   A new foundation for trading analytics in the AI eraAs institutions accelerate the automation of trading workflows and begin deploying AI applications across the front office, the need for clean, accessible, enriched trading data has never been greater. Yet for many firms, execution data remains fragmented across asset classes, brokers and platforms - making it difficult to standardise, benchmark or feed into downstream analytics and AI tools.  Tradefeedr and BMLL are partnering to address this gap.Combining best-in-class data with best-in-class API service The partnership brings together BMLL's harmonised historical order book datasets across equities and futures with Tradefeedr's analytics APIs, common data layer and connected community of more than 100 institutional clients. Together, they will deliver enriched, standardised trading data through a single unified API — creating a foundational layer to power the next wave of innovation in execution analytics across the industry. Paul Humphrey, Chief Executive Officer of BMLL, said: “Tradefeedr has built a strong distribution model for execution analytics but the sourcing of high quality market data has always been a challenge until now. This partnership brings BMLL’s harmonised historical order book datasets into that workflow to support more consistent benchmarking across futures and equities.” Balraj Bassi, Chief Executive Officer at Tradefeedr, added: “Clients want multi-asset execution analytics that are consistent, scalable and easy to operationalise. Access to harmonised historical order book datasets from BMLL gives us the foundation to expand our TCA coverage into equities and futures. We're inviting market participants to join this pilot to shape what comes next — building the analytics delivery stack for the AI era.” Call to the industry BMLL and Tradefeedr are inviting market participants to join a year-long pilot to help build and validate this new capability from the ground up. Participants will work alongside both firms to define metrics, stress-test data quality, shape AI-ready context layers and provide feedback on benchmarks and reporting outputs — all delivered through Tradefeedr's existing network and legal framework. This is an opportunity to help define what AI-ready trading analytics looks like for the industry. Enabled through Tradefeedr’s participation in the BMLL Activate: Data Credits Program The partnership is supported by Tradefeedr’s participation in the BMLL Activate: Data Credits Program. This initiative enables qualified partners to build and validate new products on BMLL data with a route to long term deployment.

London Stock Exchange Group plc (LSEG) announces today that it has purchased the following number of its ordinary shares of 679/86 pence each on the London Stock Exchange from Morgan Stanley & Co. International Plc (Morgan Stanley) as part of its share buyback programme, as announced on 26 February 2026: Ordinary Shares Date of purchase: 24 March 2026 Number of ordinary shares purchased: 353,594 Highest price paid per share: 8,570.00p Lowest price paid per share: 8,418.00p Volume weighted average price per share: 8,484.29p   LSEG intends to cancel all of the purchased shares. Following the cancellation of the repurchased shares, LSEG has 499,330,963 ordinary shares of 679/86 pence each in issue (excluding treasury shares) and holds 21,451,599 of its ordinary shares of 679/86 pence each in treasury. Therefore, the total voting rights in the Company will be 499,330,963. This figure for the total number of voting rights may be used by shareholders (and others with notification obligations) as the denominator for the calculation by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company under the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules. In accordance with Article 5(1)(b) of Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 (as it forms part of the law of the United Kingdom by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as implemented, retained, amended, extended, re-enacted or otherwise given effect in the United Kingdom from 1 January 2021 and as amended or supplemented in the United Kingdom thereafter) a full breakdown of the individual trades made by the Morgan Stanley on behalf of the Company as part of the buyback programme can be found at: http://www.rns-pdf.londonstockexchange.com/rns/9703X_1-2026-3-24.pdf This announcement does not constitute, or form part of, an offer or any solicitation of an offer for securities in any jurisdiction. Schedule of Purchases Shares purchased: 353,594 Date of purchases: 24 March 2026 Investment firm: Morgan Stanley & Co. International Plc   Aggregate Information: Venue Volume weighted average price Aggregated Volume Lowest price per share Highest price per share XLON 8,481.88p 327,238 8,418.00p 8,570.00p TRQX 8,514.22p 26,356 8,456.00p 8,570.00p

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Division of Market Oversight announced today it is amending no-action positions in connection with the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, known as Brexit. Specifically, DMO is amending Appendix A to CFTC Staff Letter 24-11 to include OptAxe Limited and Capitolis UK Limited as additional eligible U.K. trading facilities covered by the no-action positions in that staff letter.

At the end of the settlement date of March 13, 2026, short interest in 3,657 Nasdaq Global MarketSM securities totaled 16,179,628,406 shares compared with 15,794,218,322 shares in 3,629 Global Market issues reported for the prior settlement date of February 27, 2026. The mid-March short interest represents 2.42 days compared with 2.64 days for the prior reporting period. Short interest in 1,649 securities on The Nasdaq Capital MarketSM totaled 3,792,945,487 shares at the end of the settlement date of March 13, 2026, compared with 3,685,699,100 shares in 1,653 securities for the previous reporting period. This represents a 1.23 day average daily volume; the previous reporting period’s figure was 1.65. In summary, short interest in all 5,306 Nasdaq® securities totaled 19,972,573,893 shares at the March 13, 2026 settlement date, compared with 5,282 issues and 19,479,917,422 shares at the end of the previous reporting period. This is 2.05 days average daily volume, compared with an average of 2.37 days for the prior reporting period. The open short interest positions reported for each Nasdaq security reflect the total number of shares sold short by all broker/dealers regardless of their exchange affiliations. A short sale is generally understood to mean the sale of a security that the seller does not own or any sale that is consummated by the delivery of a security borrowed by or for the account of the seller. For more information on Nasdaq Short interest positions, including publication dates, visithttps://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/quotes/short-interestor http://www.nasdaqtrader.com/asp/short_interest.asp.  

NYSE today reported short interest as of the close of business on the settlement date of March 13, 2026. SETTLEMENT DATE EXCHANGE TOTAL CURRENT SHORT INTEREST TOTAL PREVIOUS SHORT INTEREST (Revised) NUMBER of SECURITIES with a SHORT POSITION NUMBER of SECURITIES with a POSITION >= 5,000 SHARES 03/13/2026 NYSE 17,370,033,675 16,960,274,257 2,878 2,602 03/13/2026 NYSE ARCA 2,464,649,623 2,323,468,564 2,568 1,748 03/13/2026 NYSE AMERICAN 862,273,062 869,085,668 306 259 03/13/2026 NYSE GROUP 20,696,956,360 20,152,828,489 5,752 4,609 *NYSE Group includes NYSE, NYSE American and NYSE Arca           Reports will be archived here.

Please refer to the Regulatory Circulars listed below for newly added symbols and the corresponding market for the underlying security used for openings on the MIAX Exchanges. The newly listed symbols will be available for trading beginning Wednesday, March 25, 2026. MIAX Options Regulatory Circular 2026-44 MIAX Pearl Options Regulatory Circular 2026-44 MIAX Emerald Options Regulatory Circular 2026-33 MIAX Sapphire Options Regulatory Circular 2026-45