GREY Journal Daily News Podcast

Semafor reported that Kevin Warsh faced his first Capitol Hill hearing as Federal Reserve chair on July 14, 2026. The testimony is part of the Semiannual Monetary Policy Report to the House Financial Services Committee and the Senate Banking Committee. Lawmakers typically question the Fed chair on inflation, employment, interest rates, the balance sheet, and bank supervision. Founders watch for signals about the policy rate path, balance sheet runoff, and credit conditions that shape borrowing costs and growth plans. Supervisory priorities, including capital rules and stress tests, can influence banks' lending appetite to small and mid sized firms. Businesses can prepare by modeling multiple rate scenarios, reassessing fixed versus floating exposure, and reviewing covenant headroom with lenders.Learn more on this news by visiting us at: https://greyjournal.net/news/

The Financial Times reports that Wall Street is earning larger fees from SpaceX's initial public offering and renewed mega-merger activity. IPO underwriting fees typically range from three to seven percent of proceeds, with greenshoe options and lockups shaping liquidity. Advisory fees on transactions above $10 billion can reach into the high tens or hundreds of millions of dollars. Recent examples of large announced deals include ExxonMobil's move for Pioneer Natural Resources and Chevron's agreement to acquire Hess. A stronger fee environment draws resources to exchanges, law firms, auditors, and secondary platforms. Founders and CFOs face choices among IPOs, direct listings, spin-offs, and sales as they prepare for shifting market conditions.Learn more on this news by visiting us at: https://greyjournal.net/news/

CNBC reported that Helsing raised $1.8 billion at an $18 billion valuation, positioning the company as a European counterpart to Anduril. The funding equips Helsing to finance research and development, certifications, field trials, and working capital for milestone based government contracts. Anduril Industries, founded by Palmer Luckey, provides a comparison point for venture backed defense software outcomes. Rising European defense budgets and NATO’s two percent of GDP guideline are shaping demand for software centric systems. Startups face long sales cycles and strict security requirements, often partnering with primes like BAE Systems, Airbus, Thales, Leonardo, and Rheinmetall. The round sets a visible benchmark for late stage defense software valuations in Europe and heightens expectations for delivery capacity and security readiness.Learn more on this news by visiting us at: https://greyjournal.net/news/

Morningstar's Markets Brief urges investors to watch second-quarter earnings because guidance and revisions can reset valuations. Large banks will set the tone on credit by reporting net interest income, deposit costs, and credit losses. Technology platforms including Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet will update cloud and AI demand, with Nvidia supply as a factor. Consumer and advertising signals will come from Walmart, Target, Costco, Starbucks, McDonald's, Meta, Alphabet, and Snap. Logistics and industrials such as UPS, FedEx, Union Pacific, CSX, C.H. Robinson, Caterpillar, and Honeywell will detail volumes, rates, and backlogs. Energy and utilities including Exxon Mobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, NextEra Energy, and Duke Energy will connect commodity and power trends to cost structures. Founders can use these disclosures to recalibrate budgets, vendor terms, hiring, and capital spending for the rest of the year.Learn more on this news by visiting us at: https://greyjournal.net/news/

Financial Times reported that Tencent is leading a deal to unwind Meta's $2 billion acquisition of Manus. The parties have not disclosed terms, and it is unclear whether Manus would return to independence, join a Tencent led consortium, or be split. The potential reversal aligns with Meta's recent portfolio adjustments, including the 2023 sale of Giphy and a shift toward AI infrastructure. Tencent's involvement reflects its cross border investment strategy built around minority stakes and partnerships. Regulators in the United States, Europe, the United Kingdom, and China continue to shape deal structures, though there is no indication a specific authority prompted this unwind. The transaction would require new arrangements for employees, customers, contracts, and intellectual property, with deal mechanics determining valuation and timeline.Learn more on this news by visiting us at: https://greyjournal.net/news/

Micron Technology is benefiting from rising AI server demand for DRAM, NAND, and high bandwidth memory, which has improved pricing and mix since 2024. Stock splits increase share count and reduce price per share without changing market capitalization, cash, or operating performance, but can improve liquidity and employee equity access. Nvidia completed a 10-for-1 split in June 2024 and joined the Dow in 2024, while Broadcom executed a 10-for-1 split in July 2024; Alphabet and Amazon completed 20-for-1 splits in 2022, and Apple and Tesla split 4-for-1 in 2020 and 3-for-1 in 2022, respectively. If Micron considers a split, its board would evaluate nominal price, trading volume, employee plan design, and timing alongside earnings or capital returns. Micron’s capital plans, including a Boise DRAM fab and a long-term project in Clay, New York, depend on cash flow, incentives, and debt markets rather than share price. Index effects matter primarily for the Dow’s price-weighted structure, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 are market-cap weighted and less sensitive to nominal prices.Learn more on this news by visiting us at: https://greyjournal.net/news/

SK Hynix raised $26.5 billion in a US share offering to fund capacity expansion, advanced packaging, and HBM production. The company is a key supplier of high bandwidth memory for Nvidia and other chip designers. In 2024, it announced an advanced packaging and R&D facility in West Lafayette, Indiana, with an investment of about $3.9 billion. US CHIPS Act incentives are drawing semiconductor investment, with grants and loans previously announced for TSMC, Samsung, Micron, and Intel. Demand from Microsoft, Amazon, and Google continues to pressure memory supply. Founders and operators should plan multi-quarter procurement, diversify suppliers, and use long-term agreements to manage risk.Learn more on this news by visiting us at: https://greyjournal.net/news/

PitchBook reported US venture funding of $412.7 billion in the first half of 2026, with AI deals dominating capital allocation. The total reflects larger average check sizes, more late-stage financings, and a concentration of dollars in mega-deals. Investors are prioritizing foundation model development, AI infrastructure, and semiconductor design, with venture firms and corporate investors both active. Outside AI, capital remains available where unit economics are strong and AI features create measurable value, but diligence and timelines have tightened. Deal structures include more inside rounds, extensions, and selective use of structured terms, while secondary markets offer limited liquidity. The exit environment shows tentative IPO activity and steady M&A under regulatory scrutiny, prompting late-stage companies to emphasize profitability and multi-year contracts.Learn more on this news by visiting us at: https://greyjournal.net/news/

Axios reported that an AI startup CEO entered a secret fraud plea and continued closing deals. Private companies may not be obligated to disclose sealed legal matters outside of specific contracts, which shifts more risk management to diligence and contract design. Customers can strengthen vendor reviews with structured background checks, verified security attestations, and termination and notification clauses. Investors can add third party background investigations, watchlist screening, and updated representations and covenants with enforcement remedies. Boards can form special committees, engage outside counsel, limit executive authority during reviews, and tighten controls and whistleblower channels. Founders can operationalize governance to speed sales and fundraising while reducing counterparties' risk exposure.Learn more on this news by visiting us at: https://greyjournal.net/news/