Oct 22, 2025

I recently came across news about the potential Argentina bailout facing challenges due to the country’s fiscal issues outweighing monetary interventions. Despite the U.S. Treasury’s support for the peso, high borrowing costs and exchange rate concerns persist, hindering the government’s efforts to stabilize the economy. A credit boom to the private sector has complicated debt and currency stability management for Argentina.

Moreover, the delay in Unilever’s ice cream unit spinoff, which includes brands like Ben & Jerry’s, was attributed to the U.S. government shutdown impacting capital markets and regulatory processes. Unilever plans to complete the demerger in 2025 once regulatory approvals and operational constraints caused by the shutdown are resolved. The railway industry is also witnessing significant consolidation, with Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern planning an $85 billion megamerger that could lead to broader industry consolidation.

In the startup funding landscape, various companies have successfully raised significant amounts. From Bronto’s $14 million seed funding to Cyclana Bio’s £5 million pre-seed funding, startups across different sectors are attracting investor interest. Notable raises include Acelab’s $13.5 million Series A funding and Magic’s $10 million seed funding, showcasing diverse investment opportunities in the market.

In the metals market, the London Metal Exchange (LME) experienced increased base metals contracts, particularly for copper, while Comex saw a drop in copper trading volumes due to tariff confusion. Traders rushed to import copper to Comex warehouses before expected tariffs, driving up premiums over LME prices. Additionally, news about 777 Partners, a structured settlement investment firm facing legal issues, and a trend of large Bitcoin holders converting holdings into ETF shares offered by asset managers like BlackRock were also highlighted.

Lastly, an Amazon Web Services (AWS) outage affected core internet services for various companies, yet Amazon’s stock price remained unaffected. Despite the glitch showcasing the importance of AWS services, the market’s resilience was demonstrated through Amazon’s stock gains amid the disruption, underscoring operational risks associated with reliance on a single provider for critical internet services.

Stay Well!