April 29, 2025 • By Ahmad Muzdaffar Fauzan, Yashinta Difa

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April 29, 2025 • By Ashley Coutinho

The global asset management industry reached $128 trillion in assets under management in 2024, a 12% increase from the previous year. According to Boston Consulting Group's report, the industry's growth was driven by market performance rather than investor inflows, making it vulnerable to external forces. The report highlights three key forces reshaping the industry: the shift towards actively managed assets, strategic partnerships and M&A, and the use of AI to enhance operational efficiency and client engagement. Despite the growth, the industry faces mounting structural pressures, including fee compression and digital disruption, requiring firms to reinvent their business models.

April 29, 2025 • By Marie GIFFARD

A nationwide blackout in Spain and Portugal left residents without power, internet, or phone coverage. People were forced to rely on candles, cash, and battery-powered radios for information. Many had to walk for hours to get home, and some were helped by strangers. The blackout highlighted the importance of being prepared for emergencies, with many vowing to stock up on essentials like candles, batteries, and non-perishable food. An investigation into the cause of the blackout has been launched, with no firm cause yet determined. The incident served as a reminder of the need for emergency kits and the vulnerability of modern society to technological disruptions.

April 29, 2025 • By ET Online

The article discusses rising tensions between India and Pakistan. India is considering closing its airspace to Pakistani carriers and may launch a strike against Pakistan. The Indian government has held a high-level meeting to discuss the situation after a terrorist attack in Pahalgam. The article also mentions India's "Cold Start" strategy, a swift strike plan in response to Pakistan's nuclear threats.

April 29, 2025 • By Chance Miller

A new version of Parallels Desktop, 20.3.0, is rolling out with key enhancements for Mac users. The update includes support for macOS OBS virtual cameras, allowing users to select their OBS feed in Windows apps for more control over livestreams. It also adds USB device support for macOS virtual machines on Apple Silicon Macs, enabling security professionals, developers, and testers to work with external devices. Additionally, the update introduces Touch ID authentication for Parallels Desktop installation and improves x86_64 emulation, ensuring full compatibility with M4 chips and allowing more users to run legacy x86_64 apps on the latest Apple hardware. Other improvements include better Mac integration for the Dragon Medical One app. The update is available now, and users can learn more on the Parallels website.

April 29, 2025 • By Jean Leon

Samsung and Qualcomm are collaborating to produce a 2nm version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 chip. The chip is expected to be used in Galaxy flagships, including the Galaxy Z Flip and Fold models, starting in the second quarter of 2026. Samsung Foundry is working to improve its 2nm process, which has shown positive results in initial tests. The dedicated 2nm chip will offer better performance than the standard 3nm version manufactured by TSMC. Qualcomm will launch the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 in September, and Samsung aims to finalize the chip design in Q2 2025, with mass production starting in Q1 2026. A successful partnership could help Samsung regain its prestige and potentially lead to orders from other big tech players.

April 29, 2025 • By Susanne Sclafane

Progressive, the nation's second-largest auto insurer, has announced 12,000 job openings in claims, customer call centers, and legal areas. This is due to a significant increase in policies and premiums, with an 18% growth in in-force policy counts and a 21% increase in total net premiums to $74.4 billion in 2024. The company's workforce has more than doubled in the past decade, with over 66,000 employees, and it is committed to flexible workplace offerings, including remote, in-office, and hybrid roles. Progressive is seeking qualified candidates to fill various roles, including territory sales reps, data scientists, and production print mail specialists, and has launched an employer brand campaign to highlight career growth opportunities.

April 29, 2025 • By Victoria Giardina

House of Atlas is a new grooming brand for men that prioritizes quality, performance, and style. The brand offers a range of products, including a razor with a Smartflex head and precision trim edge, a precision shave cream, and a calming aftershave. These products are designed to provide a luxurious and effective grooming experience, with attention to detail and a focus on skin health. House of Atlas is committed to using high-quality materials and the latest technology to deliver exceptional results. The brand's products are available at an accessible price point, exclusively at Target stores and on their website. With House of Atlas, grooming becomes a statement, and the brand aims to provide men with the tools they need to look and feel their best.

April 29, 2025 • By Lauren Wadowsky

The Nothing CMF Buds 2 Plus earbuds offer a personalized audio experience with a 12mm LCP driver, hybrid ANC, and tailored listening through Audiodo Personal Sound. They feature six HD microphones, Clear Voice Technology, and an IP55 rating for durability. The earbuds have a battery life of up to 61.5 hours and can be customized using the Nothing X app.

April 29, 2025 • By Bill Desowitz

The Academy Scientific and Technical Awards will honor 37 recipients for 14 achievements in film technology. The awards, hosted by Diego Luna, recognize advancements in areas such as fire stunt safety, camera stabilization, and digital character simulation. Winners of the Scientific and Engineering Awards include Jayson Dumenigo for safer fire stunt materials, and Thijs Vogels and team for Disney's machine learning denoiser, which saves rendering time. Other winners include Curt Schaller and Dr. Roman Foltyn for the ARRI Trinity 2 camera stabilization system, and Dave Freeth for the hand-held Stabileye camera stabilization system. Technical Achievement Awards winners include Essex Edwards and team for Ziva VFX, a system for simulating muscles and skin for digital characters, and Javor Kalojanov and Kimball Thurston for Wētā FX's machine learning denoiser. Other winners include Neeme Vaino for Fireskin360 Naked Burn Gel, which allows for longer targeted burns directly on the skin, and Mark Noel for the NACMO series of modular motion bases, which enhance special effects. The awards ceremony will take place on April 29 at the Academy Museum.

April 29, 2025 • By Matt Varga

Aries and PUMA have collaborated on the Mostro Mid, a moccasin-inspired shoe with elevated suede treatments and neutral color palettes. The shoe features cloth laces, a reinterpreted Formstrip, and metallic gradients on the shanks. The PUMA Aries Mostro Craft will release on May 3rd for $170, with select retailers already listing stock. The capsule collection also includes Muay Thai-inspired pieces, showcasing Aries' experimental approach to footwear collaborations.

April 29, 2025 • By Kevin Williams

Starbucks is testing a new technology pilot at dozens of US locations, which has reduced wait times by up to 2 minutes. The pilot has been successful, with 3/4 of orders completed in 4 minutes or less during busy times. The company plans to expand the pilot to hundreds more locations. The new technology is part of CEO Brian Niccol's efforts to cut wait times and improve customer experience. Niccol has also streamlined the menu by 30% and added vegan-friendly options. The goal is to reclaim Starbucks' position as a "third place" and reduce complaints about long wait times.

April 29, 2025 • By AstuteAnalytica India Pvt. Ltd.

The global microgrid market is expected to grow from $40.08 billion in 2024 to $191.01 billion by 2033, at a CAGR of 19.28%. This growth is driven by the demand for resilient and decarbonized energy systems, with solar-wind-storage hybrids dominating deployments. Regulatory bodies are prioritizing dynamic adaptations, and modular microgrids are enabling rapid electrification in remote areas. However, supply chain bottlenecks and cybersecurity concerns persist. The market is also seeing the emergence of Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) models, which are disrupting traditional ownership structures. Interoperability standards are unlocking multi-grid collaboration and trading, with standardized protocols enabling real-time energy markets between microgrids. Key players in the market include manufacturers, microgrid developers, and power companies. The market is segmented by connectivity, type, business model, power source, energy storage, end-user, and region.

April 29, 2025 • By Muiris O'Cearbhaill

Intel is facing significant challenges as it attempts to catch up with competitors in the artificial intelligence (AI) industry. The company reported a loss of approximately €720m in the first quarter of this year and expects further losses. To address this, Intel plans to slash jobs and cut bureaucracy to streamline decision-making processes. The company has struggled to keep up with competitors such as ARM and Nvidia, and has lost market share in the PC industry to AMD. Intel's CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, aims to refocus on engineering and remove organizational complexity. Despite potential job cuts, Ireland's employment minister, Peter Burke, believes workers in the country may be spared due to the significance of Intel's Irish operations to its AI business.

April 29, 2025 • By Nia Prater

Amazon and the Trump administration are at odds over the company's plan to display tariff costs on its products. The plan was seen as a counter to the government's argument that tariffs don't pass costs to consumers. After White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt denounced the plan, Amazon backtracked, saying it never intended to display tariff numbers on its main site. However, the company's stock prices dropped after Leavitt's comments. Trump personally called Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to complain, and Bezos quickly resolved the issue. The incident has strained the previously cozy relationship between Bezos and Trump.

April 29, 2025 • By Ian Barker

A recent study by Optiv and the Ponemon Institute found that 79% of organizations are changing their cybersecurity budgets, with 71% increasing their budgets to an average of $24 million. Despite this, 66% of respondents reported an increase in cybersecurity incidents over the past year. The study highlights a shift towards data-driven decision-making, with 67% of organizations using risk and threat assessments to inform budget decisions. Additionally, 58% of organizations are now outsourcing to managed security service providers (MSSPs), particularly for cloud security guidance. The use of AI/ML to prevent cyberattacks is also on the rise, with 46% of respondents adopting these technologies to improve operational efficiency and maintain competitive advantage. However, 74% of respondents identified a lack of understanding of potential vulnerabilities as their biggest challenge to effective vulnerability management.

April 29, 2025 • By Juan Zarate and Elaine Dezenski

The US tariffs announced by President Donald Trump have caused market instability and raised concerns about the country's attractiveness as an investment destination. However, the 90-day pause on most tariffs presents an opportunity for the White House to negotiate new trade and investment deals with friendly countries. The America First Investment Policy (AFIP) aims to create a new alliance of capital that isolates China and other US adversaries by making investment in the US easier and more attractive, especially in technology and manufacturing. The policy seeks to substantially open up and fast-track friendly investment in US industry and financial assets, while setting rules and guardrails to prevent economic manipulation by adversaries. The administration expects future economic allies to align with its views on trade imbalances, China, and investment in US industrial rejuvenation. Potential economic allies may include countries like Argentina, Israel, Japan, and Saudi Arabia. Early signs of new foreign direct investment include Saudi Arabia's interest in deploying $600 million in new investments in the US industrial base and Hyundai's announcement of $21 billion in new investments in steel, automotive technologies, and artificial intelligence. However, conflicts over tariffs could still impede investments, and the administration's actions have not been helpful in maintaining a stable investment environment. The attractiveness of US assets has been directly related to respect for the rule of law and the stability of the US investment system. The administration should prioritize transparency and fair play in investment, establishing financial walls and guardrails that limit adversaries to passive ownership with no control or voting rights. By building out its new investment policy, the Trump administration can harness friendly foreign capital to drive US innovation and growth while closing the door to countries that seek to harm US national and economic security.