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KPMG forecasts 2026 as a pivotal year for mergers and acquisitions, with carve-outs emerging as a dominant strategy and artificial intelligence (AI) playing an increasingly central role in deal execution. The firm’s global survey of 700 dealmakers shows rising confidence, particularly among private equity firms, with 71% pursuing or considering portfolio separations to improve efficiency and unlock value. Deal activity is expected to focus on mid-sized transactions under $1bn, while companies also target geographic expansion and technology acquisition. AI is now widely embedded across the M&A lifecycle, supporting due diligence, valuation, and deal sourcing, and delivering measurable efficiency gains, though increasing deal complexity, especially around operational and IT separation, remains a key risk to successful execution.

 

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The 2026 State of AI

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Paramount President Jeff Shell has resigned and stepped down from the board following a lawsuit alleging he disclosed confidential company information, despite an internal investigation finding no wrongdoing. The claims, brought by R.J. Cipriani, accuse Mr. Shell of sharing nonpublic details about major deals, including a $7.7bn UFC media rights agreement, though Paramount has dismissed the allegations as baseless and said Mr. Shell is leaving to focus on legal action. Mr. Shell has filed a counterclaim for defamation and extortion, and his departure was reportedly expected amid broader leadership changes following Skydance Media’s takeover.

 

Los Angeles Times

Wall Street Journal

SEC chair Paul Atkins has said federal regulators should take a back seat to states in policing executive conduct. Atkins told a conference in Miami, in comments posted on the SEC’s website: “we are focused on ensuring that states, and not the SEC, regulate matters of corporate governance . . . Over time, the agency has used its disclosure authority to attempt to indirectly establish governance standards that state corporate law should and can address. We must stay in our lane as a disclosure agency and not be a merit regulator.” 

 

Financial Times

SEC.gov

Walt Disney plans to cut ​as many as 1,000 roles in ‌the coming weeks. Many of the cuts will be made in the company's recently consolidated marketing department. The ⁠plans pre-date Josh D'Amaro stepping into his new role ​as Disney's chief executive officer in March. Disney employed about ​231,000 people as of the end of fiscal ‌year ⁠2025. The planned layoffs would affect less than 1% of ​the company's total employees. 

 

Wall Street Journal

FedEx management has reached a tentative agreement with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) ​union, representing over 5,000 pilots, potentially ending years of stalled negotiations and paving the way for significant pay increases. Under ​the terms of the tentative agreement, pilots' hourly wages would increase by ⁠about 40% in 2026, followed by an ​annual increases of 3% from 2028 through 2030, ​ALPA  said. The deal was reached during talks overseen by the National Mediation Board.

 

Reuters

Seven & i Holdings has postponed the planned IPO of its North American 7-Eleven business to 2027 or later, dealing a setback to its turnaround strategy designed to fend off a previous $47bn takeover approach from Couche-Tard. The listing had been a central element of the group’s plan to boost valuation, fund expansion, and return capital to shareholders, but has been delayed amid weak sales performance across more than 13,000 U.S. and Canadian stores and volatile equity markets linked to geopolitical tensions. The company continues to struggle with declining same-store sales as inflation-hit consumers shift toward discount retailers, raising investor doubts over its standalone growth strategy despite efforts to expand food offerings and restructure operations. Shares fell this morning following the announcement, with the group’s performance further highlighting challenges in its international business, where annual U.S. sales declined and overall revenues dropped 13% to ¥10.4tn ($65.4bn), although net profit rose 68% to ¥292.7bn due to one-off gains from divestments.

 

Financial Times

Japan Times

Nippon.com

Reuters

Federal Reserve officials have indicated they still expect to cut interest rates in 2026, despite heightened uncertainty from the Iran war and tariffs, according to minutes from the March meeting. Policymakers unanimously held rates at 3.5%–3.75%, with most signalling that easing would be appropriate if inflation continues to fall, though they stressed the need to remain “nimble” given risks from higher oil prices, persistent inflation and a fragile labor market. The minutes also highlighted downside risks to employment and growth - amid slowing economic activity and weak job creation - while noting that prolonged geopolitical tensions could alternatively sustain inflation and delay cuts or even require tighter policy.

 

CNBC

New York Times

Reuters

The IMF warns that rising defence spending amid escalating geopolitical tensions risks widening fiscal deficits and increasing global debt, despite providing a short-term boost to economic activity. Analysis of over 160 countries shows defence spending booms are largely financed through borrowing, with wartime surges particularly costly - raising public debt by around 14 percentage points of GDP while reducing real social spending. With global debt already at a record $348tn and countries ramping up military budgets in response to conflicts such as the Iran war, the IMF cautions that policymakers face growing trade-offs between security priorities and long-term fiscal sustainability.

 

Bloomberg

Financial Times

A sharp rise in plastic prices - up to 55% in parts of Asia due to Iran war-related supply disruptions - has prompted U.S. toymaker Learning Resources to accelerate inventory purchases ahead of the key Christmas season. The company is stockpiling goods earlier than usual to mitigate risks of shortages and further cost increases, as factories in China, Vietnam and India face higher input costs and constrained supply of materials such as low-density polyethylene. Despite rising costs, the toymaker is attempting to hold retail prices steady, with suppliers absorbing much of the increase, while also preparing for potential additional U.S. tariffs later this year. The disruption to petrochemical supply chains - exacerbated by restricted flows through the Strait of Hormuz and damage to production facilities - means elevated input costs could persist for months, raising broader concerns for manufacturing and consumer goods availability.

 

Bloomberg

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) plans to vote on April 30th to prohibit all Chinese labs from testing electronic devices for use in the U.S. This follows a previous ban on labs owned or controlled by the Chinese government, which affected 23 labs. Currently, about 75% of electronics testing occurs in China. The FCC will also adopt a streamlined approval process for devices tested in U.S. labs or those from countries not posing national security risks. The action is part of a broader effort by Washington to address technology-related concerns with China.

 

Reuters

The FASB has initiated a new project to explore current trends and challenges in areas like data infrastructure and nontraditional lending, particularly the private credit market, which is under scrutiny. The FASB's staff will gather feedback from stakeholders to assess the relevance of existing standards and identify potential enhancements. This initiative comes as investors express concerns over the private credit market, leading firms like Blue Owl Capital to limit redemption requests. Additionally, data infrastructure providers are struggling to meet the rising demand for data centers, especially for artificial intelligence, amid local opposition to new constructions.

 

Bloomberg Tax

Accounting Today

Government offices in Singapore are being told to reduce electricity consumption in a bid to boost the nation’s energy resilience. Measures highlighted by the National Environment Agency include managing operating times and settings for air-conditioning, and turning off non-essential equipment when not in use. Singapore is just one of many countries which is taking steps to save energy as the conflict in the Middle East tightens global supplies. South Korea is considering curbs on driving to ameliorate the impact of the conflict, while government facilities in the Philippines have shortened their work week to save energy.

 

Bloomberg