When Global Order Begins To Fracture

OpenAI Secures Record $110 Billion Funding Round Backed By Amazon, Nvidia, & SoftBank OpenAI has closed a new funding round that could total $110 billion, valuing the ChatGPT maker at $730 billion pre-money and potentially putting it on course for an IPO in the second half of the year, according to a new Financial Times report. The three investors in the deal are Nvidia, Amazon, and SoftBank. People familiar with the deal say this opens the pathway to the public markets at the end of this year. Breaking down funding numbers by...

UBS Calls Brazil Election "Extremely Close" - Bolsonaro Win Would Cement LatAm's Political Shift Socialist Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's polling lead over right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro has eroded in recent weeks, leaving both statistically tied in UBS' latest runoff polling average.  Arend Kapteyn, UBS' global head of economics and strategy research, described the upcoming election in early October as "extremely close" in a note to clients on Monday. Lula (Left); Bolsonaro (Right) Kapteyn's note today puts Bolsonaro at 50.4% in a hypothetical runoff, against 49.6% for Lula, adding that the narrowing...

French Commandos Board & Seize 4th Russian 'Shadow Fleet' Vessel Since September France announced Monday another weekend interdiction of a Russian "shadow fleet" vessel in international waters near its coast. The French Navy boarded and detained a sanctioned oil tanker, President Emmanuel Macron announced Monday, in an operation which had the assistance from the UK Royal Navy and other allies. This marks the fourth time since September that French commandoes have intercepted a boarded a sanctioned Russian vessel in regional waters. via AFP/French military The vessel, identified as the Tagor, originated from Murmansk,...