Track the evolution of major financial and economic events
On March 20, Unilever entered talks to sell its food business, including the Hellmann's brand, to McCormick & Company. This strategic shift is part of Unilever's efforts to restructure its operations and focus on other areas.
U.S. packaging firm Silgan Holdings has expressed interest in acquiring German medical packaging maker Gerresheimer. This news is based on sources familiar with the matter and has not been officially announced yet.
On March 20, Spire Healthcare shares surged over 6% amid reports of a takeover bid from Bridgepoint. The rumored offer is around 230p per share, valuing the company at over £1 billion. The bid faces a 'put up or shut up' deadline today at 5pm under UK takeover rules.
On March 19, the FCC approved the merger between Nexstar and Tegna, creating a broadcast media giant. The approval came less than a day after California and other states filed a lawsuit to block the transaction. The agency granted Nexstar a waiver from the standard ownership cap. On March 20, eight states asked a U.S. judge to issue a temporary restraining order to stop the Nexstar and Tegna merger.
FedEx raised its sales and profit expectations for the current year despite rising fuel prices and geopolitical risks. FedEx shares rose following this positive report. Meanwhile, United Airlines announced it would cut more unprofitable flights due to high fuel prices stemming from the Iran war, with expectations that prices will remain above $100 until the end of 2027. Additionally, dry van spot rates have seen a significant increase, reaching their highest levels since 2022.
Tilray (TLRY) stock price dropped to $6.7, its lowest level since August last year, reflecting a 72% decline from its highest level recorded last year. The MSOS cannabis ETF also fell to $3.78 from its high of $7.25. This decline indicates waning interest in the cannabis sector.
J. M. Smucker (SJM) was upgraded to Buy following strong Q3 FY26 results. Elliott Management is involved as an activist investor supporting the company's turnaround plan. The company reported revenue and EPS beats, with pricing actions offsetting volume declines. Management targets over $1 billion in free cash flow and over 10% total shareholder returns, supported by a 4.3% dividend yield.
Eni launched a $1.72 billion share buyback program, aiming to increase oil and gas production while reducing investment spending. The company also intends to dilute its stake in its renewable and retail unit, Plenitude, as part of its strategic plan through 2030.
Signet Jewelers reported adjusted earnings of $6.25 per share for the fourth quarter, beating analyst expectations. The company's revenue reached $2.35 billion, which was roughly flat year-over-year. Shares of the company surged 12.5% in early trading following the report. However, the company flagged potential margin pressure and a cautious consumer environment ahead.
On March 19, Vecima announced a multi-year strategic agreement with Spectrum. The agreement aims to enable the evolution of Spectrum's next-generation DOCSIS/HFC and Fiber Access networks.
On March 19, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) upgraded its investigation into millions of Tesla vehicles to the engineering analysis phase. The intensified probe focuses on the driver assistance system known as FSD (Full Self-Driving). Dutch regulators are likely to approve FSD by April 10.
On March 19, Telecom Italia and Fastweb announced plans to build up to 6,000 telecom towers in Italy. This move is seen as a potential blow to INWIT, the country's leading mast operator.
On March 19, Vonovia reported a net profit of €3.72 billion in 2025. The company swung from a net loss of €896 million in the previous year, driven by strong rental performance.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) revenue growth accelerated to 24% in the fourth quarter, with operating cash flow surging 20% to $139.5 billion over the trailing 12 months. AWS secured a major agreement with OpenAI, bringing total expected spending on AWS to approximately $138 billion over the next seven to eight years. Barclays anticipates that AWS backlog will exceed $350 billion in the upcoming quarter and expects AWS growth to reach 34% in the third quarter of 2026.
SUNation Energy reported record revenue growth in Q4, with a 77% increase to $27.2 million. The company turned profitable with a net income of $2.6 million in Q4, compared to a net loss in the previous year. Gross margin expanded to 40.7%, exceeding the 2025 annual guidance.
On March 18, Logitech's board approved a new three-year share buyback program allowing for up to $1.4 billion in repurchases. This new program aligns with a previously approved amount of $600 million in March 2025. The company is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and Nasdaq under the tickers LOGN and LOGI.
The Trade Desk shares are under pressure after Jefferies analysts warned that recent developments involving one of its largest agency partners could impact future revenue growth. Media reports indicate that Publicis Groupe is no longer recommending The Trade Desk as a demand-side platform to clients following a third-party audit. The Trade Desk disputes and contests the claims regarding the audit and recommendation status.
Electronic Arts is facing the largest leveraged buyout since the 2008 financial crisis. The financing for this deal relies on a high equity component and favorable political conditions described as 'Trump stardust'.
NVIDIA Corporation held a call with shareholders and analysts to discuss financial performance and strategy. A strategic partnership was announced with Marvell, including a $2 billion investment to enhance NVIDIA's AI ecosystem. NVIDIA also received approval for chip exports to China, with strong growth forecasts and a $1 trillion order outlook. However, the stock has declined by 6.07% year-to-date in 2026.
Vision Marine Technologies reported a 446% year-over-year increase in contracted electric boat sales. This surge covers the period from September 1, 2025, through late February 2026. The company is focusing on high-margin sales and accelerating deployments for 2026.
Macy's reported sales growth for the third consecutive quarter, exceeding analyst expectations. Despite predictions of a sales decline, the actual results proved otherwise, leading to a significant 5% surge in Macy's stock price. The company registered $7.64 billion in Q4 sales, with strong performance from Bloomingdale's.
Perfect Corp., listed on NYSE under ticker PERF, received a preliminary non-binding proposal to go private. The proposal dated March 18, 2026, came from CyberLink International Technology Corp. and Chairwoman Alice H. Chang. This take-private proposal aims to remove the company from public trading and convert it to private ownership.
On March 18, Josh D'Amaro officially assumed the role of CEO of Disney during the annual shareholder meeting. This leadership transition occurs as the entertainment giant faces a period of profound change.
On March 18, unionized workers at Samsung Electronics in South Korea voted to authorize a strike over a dispute regarding bonuses and working conditions. The potential strike threatens to disrupt production at the world's largest memory chipmaker. On March 23, the Samsung Biologics union warned of 'structural supply chain risks' due to the labor dispute, highlighting severe governance failures impacting the global supply chain.
