Bain Capital (NYSE:BCSF), PowerSchool Holdings (NYSE:PWSC) – Bain Capital is in talks to purchase PowerSchool, an educational software provider, in a private deal that could value the company at about $6 billion, including debt. PowerSchool provides cloud-based software for primary education in North America, serving over 50 million students in more than 90 countries.

Blackstone (NYSE:BX) – Concord has finalized its offer for Hipgnosis Songs Fund, ending a bidding dispute and consolidating the sale to Blackstone. Offering $1.25 per share, Concord, backed by Apollo Global Management, stated that the price will not be increased, after Blackstone had offered $1.30 per share the previous week.

Digital Realty Trust (NYSE:DLR) – Digital Realty Trust completed a $1.5 billion stock sale, marking the largest sale of new shares by a public company in the U.S. since March. The activity of public company stock sales in the U.S. is rebounding in 2024, with about $52 billion raised so far this year, indicating a return to pre-pandemic norms.

Lazard (NYSE:LAZ) – The investment bank Lazard Ltd appointed Michele Colocci, a veteran healthcare dealmaker and former chairman of mergers and acquisitions at Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS), as vice chairman and managing director to drive the growth of its healthcare advisory.

JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) – JPMorgan’s Australian arm was fined $509,252.50 for allowing suspicious client orders in the wheat futures market. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission considered its failure to identify and act promptly as “careless.” The company did not contest the charges.

Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) – Wells Fargo appointed former JPMorgan Chase executive Fernando Rivas as co-CEO of its corporate and investment bank (CIB), aiming to expand its presence on Wall Street. He will report to Wells Fargo CEO Charlie Scharf.

Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) – Alphabet seeks to block a mass lawsuit in London, alleging market dominance abuse in the online advertising market. Lawyers for the action, seeking up to $16.9 billion in damages, accuse Google of harming British publishers. Additionally, Google Deepmind launched the third version of “AlphaFold,” its AI intended to assist in drug discovery and disease combat. The model predicts molecular interactions, such as those of proteins, speeding up the development of treatments. The new AlphaFold server facilitates virtual testing for non-commercial researchers.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) – The competition board in Turkey fined Meta Platforms for data sharing violations on its platforms, while measures to protect user privacy were ordered. In China, WhatsApp users, typically limited by government restrictions, reported access without the need for a VPN in Beijing and Shanghai. Although not a trend, the release lasted weeks, even after WhatsApp was removed from the Apple app store in compliance with Beijing’s orders.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) – Apple’s design team, led by Jony Ive, has virtually disappeared, with Duncan Kerr, one of the few remaining members, set to leave soon. Since Ive’s departure in 2019, many key designers have left, leading to the near-total dissolution of the team. In Towson, Maryland, Apple’s unionized store will vote on Saturday on authorizing a strike before new negotiations with the company. The union distributed packets detailing the plan and will provide financial support to strikers.

Spotify (NYSE:SPOT) – Audio streaming companies, including Spotify and Deezer, urged the European Commission to reject Apple’s proposal in a music streaming case. They argue that the proposal does not offer effective solutions following the EU’s $1.98 billion fine to Apple in March.

Intel (NASDAQ:INTC), Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) – Intel announced on Wednesday that its sales would be impacted after the U.S. revoked some export licenses for a client in China, without naming, raising national security concerns. Qualcomm also had licenses revoked.

Upstart Holdings (NASDAQ:UPST) – Upstart received a subpoena from the SEC regarding its disclosures, including the use of artificial intelligence in its loan models. The company is cooperating, but the outcome is uncertain. The disclosure was made during its quarterly earnings report.

Instacart (NASDAQ:CART) – Instacart named Emily Reuter, former head of corporate finance at Uber, as its new chief financial officer, replacing the retired Nick Giovanni. In the first quarter, the company exceeded analysts’ expectations, driven by high demand during winter storms.

Costco (NASDAQ:COST) – In April, Costco Wholesale’s revenue grew 7.1% year-over-year, reaching $19.8 billion, driven by another double-digit increase in online sales at the same stores. Same-store sales increased 5.6% year-over-year in April, a slowdown compared to the 7.7% increase in March, due to the Easter holiday.

Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS), Warner Bros Discovery (NASDAQ:WBD) – Walt Disney and Warner Bros Discovery will merge their streaming services Disney+, Hulu, and Max in the U.S. in the third quarter, allowing customers to subscribe on any site and choose from plans with or without ads. The bundle will simplify payment and possibly offer discounts. Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that Warner Bros Discovery was seeking cost cuts and price increases for its streaming platform Max, aiming to achieve $1 billion in earnings next year. The move includes possible layoffs and cuts of hundreds of millions of dollars in marketing and technology.

Paramount Global (NASDAQ:PARA) – Paramount Global is in discussions to open its records to a consortium led by Sony Pictures (NYSE:SONY) and Apollo Global Management (NYSE:APO), interested in acquiring the U.S. media company for about $26 billion, challenging the offer from Skydance Media. The Paramount committee allowed the exclusivity period to expire in negotiations with Skydance. The combination with Sony would bring a vast catalog of films and consolidate Paramount as a heavyweight studio in Hollywood. According to sources cited by The New York Times on Wednesday, Sony and Apollo are planning to spin off the company.

US Steel (NYSE:X) – Nippon Steel is persisting in a deal to acquire US Steel by the end of 2024, despite resistance in the U.S. The offer of nearly $15 billion attracted criticism from Biden and Trump. The commitments include preserving jobs and investments, and the goal is to increase production to 86 million tons of raw steel annually.

Chevron (NYSE:CVX) – Three insurers rejected Chevron’s claim regarding the seizure of an oil cargo by Iran in 2023. Chevron, which chartered the tanker Advantage Sweet, contests the denial of coverage, arguing that the Iranian military act is covered by the insurance policies. The insurers claim otherwise.

General Motors (NYSE:GM) – GM will end the production of the gasoline Chevrolet Malibu this year, focusing on electric vehicles. GM has sold more than 10 million Malibus since 1964. Malibu sales fell 12.5% in the first quarter. The company will invest $390 million in the Kansas plant to produce the next generation of the Chevrolet Bolt EV.

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) – U.S. prosecutors are investigating Tesla for possible securities fraud, suspecting the company exaggerated about its autonomous driving capabilities. Regulators are examining internal communications to determine misleading statements. The investigation faces challenges in interpreting Tesla’s statements. Additionally, Tesla directors express an intention to avoid a legal battle in Texas, similar to one in Delaware, which nullified Elon Musk’s salary package, even if shareholders approve the headquarters move to the Lone Star State. They dismiss litigation in other jurisdictions, highlighting that the vote occurs under Delaware law. Concurrently, Tesla is increasing job cuts in China amid pressure to revive sales in its largest market. The move, which began earlier this week, affects various departments, including customer service, engineering, and logistics. Tesla also plans to move Tom Zhu to China to lead the expansion, in response to falling deliveries in Shanghai and growing local competition. Elsewhere, Elon Musk’s AI startup X.AI is set to close a funding round of about $18 billion this week. The round, led by Sequoia Capital, aims to raise $6 billion for the chatbot Grok. Finally, the company Neuralink is working to improve a mechanical problem implanted in the first human patient, which required software corrections after some wires retracted from brain tissue. Neuralink plans to expand the use for robotic arms and wheelchairs.

Aercap (NYSE:AER) – AerCap CEO Aengus Kelly predicted that challenges in the global jet markets would persist until the end of the decade, citing supply chain issues and conservative engine production. AerCap sought solutions, acquiring LEAP engines from CFM.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) – Pfizer agreed to settle over 10,000 lawsuits related to Zantac, a discontinued heartburn medication, addressing cases in U.S. state courts. Financial details of the settlement were not disclosed. The market withdrawal occurred after the discovery of NDMA, a carcinogenic substance, in samples of the medication.

Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) – Moderna, thanks to its pioneering Covid vaccine, has become a biotechnology giant, but its second vaccine faces challenges. The next one, against RSV, is a chance to show the versatility of mRNA, although the projections are not as optimistic as CEO Stéphane Bancel portrays. Dedicated to mRNA, Moderna aspires to treat various diseases, including cancer. While some see its potential, others question its business model.

Teva Pharmaceutical (NYSE:TEVA) – Teva Pharmaceutical announced that it would soon launch its biosimilar of the medication Humira, in addition to revealing mixed results in the first quarter of 2024. The company also plans to launch six biosimilars by 2027.