Merz under pressure to ease ‘firewall’ against Germany’s far-right
Upcoming regional elections have reignited debate about CDU’s policy of excluding AfD
Financial Times 
Elon Musk Responds To xAI Retention Criticism, Says Company's 'Regretted Departures' Are Minimal: 'We Are Accelerating Faster Than...'
Elon Musk defends xAI's talent retention, says they are expanding rapidly with few regretted departures, amid massive spending. read more
Benzinga 
HSBC Opens Asset Mgmt Branch in UAE
Daisy Ho, Asia & Middle East CEO at HSBC Asset Management, says the bank will offer 10 onshore funds to investors out of its new branch in Dubai after receiving a license from local authorities. She discusses HSBC's commitment in the Middle East with Yvonne Man and David Ingles on "Bloomberg: The China Show." (Source: Bloomberg)
Bloomberg Markets 
Trump Weighs Military Action In Iran: Crude Rallies As Geopolitical Risk Returns To World's Busiest Oil Route
As tensions continue to flare between the U.S. and Iran, global energy markets remain on edge, bringing the Middle East's famed Strait of Hormuz back in focus. read more
Trump Declares Himself 'Acting President Of Venezuela' On Truth Social
Trump posts image on Truth Social as Acting President of Venezuela with titles as US President, VP as JD Vance and office date of Jan 2025. read more
Yahoo Finance 
Elon Musk's X Launching In-App Crypto Trading? Changpeng Zhao Amplifies Claim, Gets Flagged After Sharing Old Announcement
A social post shared by Binance (CRYPTO: BNB ) co-founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao was flagged on Sunday for misrepresenting an old announcement read more
Trump says he’s ‘inclined to keep Exxon out’ of Venezuela after CEO’s skepticism
President Donald Trump on Sunday threatened to exclude Exxon Mobil from any oil deals in Venezuela, after the oil giant apparently didn’t display enough enthusiasm during a Friday meeting at the White House.
MarketWatch 
Bernie Sanders Renews Criticism Of Tech Industry's AI, Robotics Push: 'Multi-Multi-Billionaires Are Pouring…'
Bernie Sanders slams the tech industry's investment in Robotics, calling out companies for prioritizing profit over improving human life. read more
New Trump Portrait With 'Unmatched Aura' Unveiled At National Portrait Gallery As Label On Impeachments Disappear
Trump's new portrait is unveiled at National Portrait Gallery with minimal context, removing mentions of his impeachments and Capitol attack. read more
Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Gain, While XRP Slips: Analyst Says BTC Remains 'Structurally Weak' With No 'Credible' Signs Of Bottom
Leading cryptocurrencies spiked on Sunday, but stock futures plunged after the Justice Department served subpoenas to the Federal Reserve. read more
Jerome Powell Hits Back With Video After Trump's DOJ Threatens Federal Reserve With 'Criminal Indictment': These Are Just 'Pretexts'
On Sunday, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the Department of Justice had threatened the central bank with "criminal indictment" over his testimony before Congress, relating to its building renovation costs. read more
Stock Traders Seek Earnings Spark as India Selloff Intensifies
Mutual fund investors turn selective, spread bets.
Chinese Solar Shares Rally on Plan to Scrap Export Tax Rebates
Shares of major Chinese solar companies jumped after the government said it will cancel export tax rebates on some products, potentially accelerating consolidation in a sector that has been grappling with severe overcapacity.
Apple’s stock can climb 35% this year — if these four scenarios play out
The biggest bull on Apple’s stock is looking for the company to address its “invisible AI strategy’ and keep Tim Cook around as CEO for this transformative period.