Mark Mobius, the intrepid investor widely credited with pioneering emerging-markets investing, died on April 15 at the age of 89, his LinkedIn page said. Known as the “Indiana Jones of emerging markets,” Mobius spent decades travelling to understudied jurisdictions to find undervalued opportunities, helping channel billions of dollars into countries such as India, China, Brazil and other developing economies. He rose to prominence at Templeton Emerging Markets Group, where he served as executive chairman for more than 30 years and later founded Mobius Capital Partners and Mobius Investments. Mobius authored several books, including Passport to Profits and The Little Book of Emerging Markets, and was noted for on-the-ground research and a conviction that volatility signalled opportunity. The announcement did not give a cause of death. In recent years he was based in Dubai and remained an active commentator on markets; he had said as recently as January that changes in Venezuela could reopen investment opportunities. His partners John Ninia and Eric Nguyen will assume leadership responsibilities at Mobius Investments.

SpaceX’s newly public S-1 and related reporting show founder Elon Musk and a small group of insiders will retain dominant voting control after the company’s planned IPO. The prospectus details a dual-class share structure (Class B shares with 10 votes each versus one vote for Class A), giving Musk disproportionate influence despite holding roughly 42% of equity and about 79% of voting power. The filing targets a roughly $1.75 trillion valuation and a $75 billion raise, with an unusual allocation of up to 30% of shares for retail investors and a planned June listing. The documents also disclose Musk bought about $1.4 billion of SpaceX shares last year and could receive up to 60 million additional shares tied to steep market-cap milestones and an ambitious “orbital data center” plan. Financials show strong Starlink profits offsetting heavy AI-related capital spending after SpaceX’s acquisition of xAI; the combined business reported large capex and consolidated losses in 2025 even as cash and subscriber figures remain significant. The prospectus includes provisions restricting shareholder litigation and arbitration requirements.

Associated British Foods (ABF) announced on April 21, 2026, that it will spin off its Primark fashion chain from its food operations in a demerger expected to complete by the end of 2027. The move will create two separately listed London companies—Primark as a standalone retailer and a food-focused group that will retain the Associated British Foods name. Primark, headquartered in Dublin, operates 486 stores in 19 markets with about £9.5 billion in annual revenue; ABF’s food, sugar and ingredients operations generate roughly £9.8 billion. Management said shareholders will receive shares in both entities, with Wittington Investments (the Weston family vehicle) remaining the majority holder in both. ABF flagged one-off separation and transaction costs of about £75 million and estimated lost synergies below £45 million. The group reported weaker first-half results—group revenue down around 2% and adjusted operating profit of £691 million—and its shares fell on the announcement. Company executives and analysts cited ongoing risks from the Middle East conflict, pressure in European retail, intensifying competition from fast-fashion online rivals, and headwinds in the sugar and U.S. grocery markets.

OTTAWA, April 21, 2026 — Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday reconstituted and renamed the government’s Canada-U.S. advisory body as the Advisory Committee on Canada‑U.S. Economic Relations, tapping a mix of former politicians, union leaders and senior corporate executives to help steer strategy ahead of the review of the Canada‑United States‑Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). The panel, to be chaired by Canada‑U.S. trade minister Dominic LeBlanc, will hold its first meeting on April 27. Members include former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole, ex‑Quebec premier Jean Charest, Ralph Goodale, Lisa Raitt and former Nunavut premier P.J. Akeeagok, alongside industry chiefs such as BMO’s Darryl White, CN’s Tracy Robinson, TC Energy’s François Poirier, Teck’s Jonathan Price, Nutrien’s Ken Seitz, Canfor’s Susan Yurkovich, Auto Parts Association head Flavio Volpe, Unifor president Lana Payne, and Canadian Chamber CEO Candace Laing. The government says the committee will provide “expertise and strategy” as Canada prepares for CUSMA talks amid U.S. tariffs and unresolved bilateral negotiating timelines, with U.S. officials indicating talks may not conclude by the July 1 review deadline. The move replaces the Trudeau-era body and shifts composition toward senior executives and sectoral representation.

JPMorgan Chase on April 21, 2026 said it is extending its $1.5 trillion, 10‑year Security and Resiliency Initiative (SRI) across Europe and the U.K., building on a U.S. programme launched last year. The bank will focus on sectors it deems critical to economic and national security — including supply chains and advanced manufacturing, defense and aerospace, energy resilience, healthcare, semiconductors, critical minerals and strategic technologies such as AI and quantum computing. JPMorgan named Jay Horine and regional CEOs Conor Hillery and Matthieu Wiltz to lead SRI in Europe and said it intends, subject to regulatory approval, to appoint former UK chief of defence staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin to an external advisory council. The bank will deploy its own capital (about $10 billion cited in prior announcements) and mobilise client debt and equity to finance projects across roughly 30 subsectors, with initial country focus on the U.K., France, Germany, Poland and Italy while offering support to EU and NATO members more broadly. JPMorgan framed the move as reducing reliance on unpredictable sources of strategic goods and strengthening transatlantic resilience.

The UK government announced plans to weaken the link between wholesale electricity prices and volatile gas markets to shield households from price shocks driven by the Middle East conflict. Ministers will offer voluntary long-term fixed-price deals — a Wholesale Contract for Difference (WCfD) — to older “legacy” renewable projects that currently earn subsidies on top of market prices; around 30% of Britain’s generation could be affected. The Treasury will raise the Electricity Generators Levy (EGL) on excess profits from 45% to 55% (effective from 1 July) to incentivise sign-up and to fund household support. Officials said the WCfD scheme will be launched later this year with an allocation process expected in 2027, and reforms could be in place within about a year following consultation. The package also includes planning-law changes to expand EV charging for homes without driveways and to make it easier for businesses to install solar. The government declined to give a firm estimate of consumer savings, though analysts and the UK Energy Research Centre have previously suggested fixed-price approaches could save billions if market prices remain high. Opposition parties and industry groups voiced mixed reactions, warning of added costs or market distortions.