May 17, 2025

I recently came across news about a new book titled “Breaking the Engagement” by David Shambaugh, which delves into the complexities of US-China policy and outlines different schools of thought shaping the future American China strategy. The book highlights the lack of a clear bipartisan consensus on countering China and forecasts various scenarios to watch out for in US-China policy in the coming years. It emphasizes factors like intellectual property and network effects in shaping policy decisions.

In a separate development, Charter Communications has agreed to acquire Cox Communications in a deal valued at around $34.5 billion, making Charter the largest cable TV and broadband provider in the US. The deal includes Cox Enterprises holding a 23% stake in the merged entity and Charter assuming approximately $12 billion in debt. This acquisition signifies the evolving landscape of US-China relations and the changing dynamics in the telecommunications industry.

Moreover, there were significant funding rounds in the financial sector, with Prediction Guard securing $3.7 million, Studio 42 raising $3.6 million, and Pronto raising $2 million in seed funding. Private equity deals included Five Point Infrastructure committing $1 billion to PowerBridge and MediaMint acquiring Indian data engineering firm DataBeat. Public offerings and liquidity events also made headlines, with Columbus Circle Capital I raising $220 million in an upsized IPO and eToro considering a dual listing on other exchanges.

Additionally, fundraising activities were notable, with Blue Owl Capital raising $7 billion for its third digital infrastructure fund, Metric Capital Partners raising €1 billion for its fifth fund, Redpoint Ventures raising $650 million for its 10th flagship fund, and Rockaway Ventures raising €55 million for its second fund. These developments underscore the importance of understanding geopolitical trends, business strategies, and investment opportunities in the current global environment.

Stay Well!