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Finance teams are rapidly adopting artificial intelligence, but most are still struggling to demonstrate clear returns on their investments, according to Deloitte’s Finance Trends 2026 survey. While 63% of finance leaders say AI is fully deployed in their functions, only 21% report clear, measurable value so far, and just 14% have fully integrated AI agents into day-to-day finance operations. The gap reflects challenges moving beyond pilots, with legacy systems, unclear ROI, and data complexity slowing progress. Data privacy is also a major concern, especially given the sensitivity of financial information. Despite these hurdles, confidence remains high: nearly nine in 10 chief financial officers expect AI to be critical to finance operations. Leaders increasingly see promise in agentic AI for forecasting, working capital, profitability, and expense management, but success will depend on redesigning workflows, strengthening data foundations, and taking a more holistic view of AI’s value beyond short-term cost savings.

 

Wall Street Journal

Amazon chief executive Andy Jassy has named Dharmesh Mehta, vice president of worldwide selling partner services, as his new technical or “shadow” advisor, a highly sought-after role that often leads to senior leadership positions. Mr Mehta will begin the role in March, accompanying Jassy to key meetings to gain exposure across Amazon’s businesses. As part of the change, senior vice president Amit Agarwal will assume Mehta’s marketplace responsibilities under an expanded remit. Mr Jassy himself once served as Jeff Bezos’ shadow, underscoring the role’s importance in Amazon’s leadership pipeline.

 

CNBC

Microsoft is replacing its chief security officer, Charlie Bell, with Hayete Gallot, a senior executive from Google Cloud, as it continues to strengthen its cybersecurity posture. Bell, who joined Microsoft in 2021 after a long career at Amazon Web Services, will move into an individual contributor role focused on engineering quality and cloud infrastructure, while continuing to report to CEO Satya Nadella. Gallot, formerly president of customer experience at Google Cloud and a Microsoft veteran of more than 15 years, will become executive vice president for security. Nadella said the leadership change had been planned for some time and follows Bell’s role in driving Microsoft’s Secure Future Initiative after a series of high-profile security breaches.

 

Bloomberg

U.S. service-sector activity posted its fastest back-to-back growth since 2024 in January, signaling continued expansion in the largest part of the economy. The Institute for Supply Management’s services index held steady at 53.8, matching its highest level since October 2024 and remaining firmly above the 50 mark that separates growth from contraction. The strength was driven by a sharp pickup in business activity, with that sub-index rising to its highest level since October 2024. Eleven industries, including health care, utilities, construction and retail, reported growth. However, the report showed signs of uneven momentum: new orders growth cooled, employment barely expanded, and export demand contracted at the fastest pace since March 2023. Separately, the January U.S. Services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) from S&P Global inched up 0.2 points to 52.7. Chris Williamson, the group's chief business economist, said that industry sentiment has been bolsetered by such factors as lower interest rates and favorable financial conditions, although he noted that inflationary pressures remain elevated.

 

Advisor Perspectives

Bloomberg

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is investigating Nike for alleged discrimination against white employees through its diversity policies. The inquiry, revealed in a court motion, seeks information on Nike's layoff criteria and race-based mentoring programs. Nike said it has cooperated with the EEOC, calling the subpoena "a surprising and unusual escalation". The investigation follows a complaint filed by EEOC chair Andrea Lucas, and not from any employee grievance. "When there are compelling indications, including corporate admissions in extensive public materials, that an employer's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion-related programs may violate federal prohibitions against race discrimination or other forms of unlawful discrimination, the EEOC will take all necessary steps including subpoena actions - to ensure the opportunity to fully and comprehensively investigate", Ms Lucas said. Nike said it follows “all applicable laws, including those that prohibit discrimination. We believe our programs and practices are consistent with those obligations and take these matters seriously”.

 

USA Today

New York Times

Reuters

US News and World Report

First Brands Group founder Patrick James and his brother Edward have pleaded not guilty to fraud charges and face a July 13 trial in New York. Federal prosecutors claim the pair used fake and inflated invoices to persuade lenders to provide billions of dollars in financing to the company. The brothers, who are Malaysian-born US citizens, were arrested in Ohio last week after they were indicted on charges including wire fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

 

Bloomberg

Financial Times

Google said Wednesday that it plans to spend at least $55bn more on capital expenditure this year than Wall Street had forecast, as it doubles down on its huge spending on artificial intelligence. The company has forecast spending of $175bn-$185bn, well above analyst estimates of around $120bn. Alphabet’s fourth-quarter capex almost doubled year on year to $27.9bn, while full-year spending reached $91.4bn in 2025. The news came alongside results for the three months to the end of December, with revenues rising 18% to $113.8bn and net income up 30% to $34.5bn, beating expectations. Annual sales surpassed $400bn for the first time, while profit for 2025 reached $132bn. Growth was driven by search and advertising revenue of $63.1bn and a 48% surge in cloud revenues to $17.7bn, reflecting rising demand for AI computing power.

 

Bloomberg

CNBC

Financial Times

New York Times

CrossCountry Consulting has acquired CDS, a San Francisco-based financial due diligence specialist, strengthening its transaction advisory capabilities for mergers and acquisitions. Founded in 2022, CDS works with private equity, investors, lenders and corporates, and brings a team of more than 35 professionals with buy-side and sell-side expertise. The acquisition establishes a new financial due diligence practice within CrossCountry, led by CDS partners Brian Drue and Anthony Azevedo, and expands the consultancy’s ability to support private equity sponsors and CFOs across the full deal and investment lifecycle.

 

Consulting

Texas Instruments is in advanced talks to acquire Silicon Laboratories in a deal valued at around $7bn, marking TI’s largest acquisition in more than a decade and highlighting growing consolidation in the semiconductor industry. The potential deal, which could be announced in the coming days, would represent a significant premium to Silicon Labs’ market value and sent its shares surging in after-hours trading. The acquisition would expand Texas Instruments’ footprint beyond its core analogue semiconductor business into wireless chips for the Internet of Things, an area Silicon Labs has focused on since divesting other divisions in 2021. The talks come as chipmakers pursue mergers to strengthen their positions amid the AI-driven technology shift, rising manufacturing investment, and geopolitical pressures.

 

Financial Times

Reuters

The Financial Stability Board (FSB) has raised the alarm about the potential risks in the leveraged short-term repo market. The global financial watchdog warned that asset managers, particularly hedge funds, may need to liquidate holdings during market stress, causing significant downward pressure on bond prices. The FSB's report highlights the need for regulators to address data gaps in the $16trn repo market and develop metrics to monitor vulnerabilities. "Strains in repo and government bond markets may spill over into each other or across multiple jurisdictions, given the international nature of repo markets," the report said, adding: "Given the importance of repo markets within the global financial system, it is critical to preserve their functionality, particularly during periods of stress."

 

Financial Stability Board

Reuters

The Daily Telegraph

As organizations increasingly depend on HR-led solutions and third-party vendors for managing benefits, payroll, and compensation, they may inadvertently incur hidden tax liabilities. These liabilities can lead to audits, penalties, and remediation costs. Julie M. Bradlow, chair of DarrowEverett's Tax Practice Group, emphasizes the importance of early collaboration between HR and tax departments to avoid costly errors. The article outlines common pressure points, such as ACA reporting and payroll tax deposit failures, and stresses the need for proactive measures to manage risks. Companies are advised to conduct self-audits and involve tax advisors in HR policy design to enhance compliance and mitigate unforeseen tax penalties.

 

Bloomberg Tax

The Washington Post has announced widespread layoffs that will will impact a third of all employees, according to the newspaper's spokesperson. The newsroom is losing "hundreds" of staffers, according to a spokesperson for the Washington-Baltimore News Guild union, which represents Post employees. "For too long, we've operated with a structure that's too rooted in the days when we were a quasi-monopoly local newspaper," executive editor Matt Murray said on a staff call, adding that "we need a new way forward and a sounder foundation."

 

BBC News

Volkswagen and the United Auto Workers (UAW) have reached a tentative first contract for about 3,000 employees at VW’s Chattanooga, Tennessee plant, featuring a 20% across-the-board wage increase. The agreement, pending member ratification, also includes improvements to healthcare, safety, and job-security protections, plus more paid time off, according to the parties. The UAW said workers would receive a $6,550 bonus upon ratification and $2,550 in annual bonuses for the life of the deal. A UAW-represented employee, Kelcey Smith, called the deal “proof” that solidarity can “win a better life.”

 

Bloomberg

United States Vice President JD Vance has proposed creating a new critical mineral trading bloc and coordinating pricing floors as Washington seeks to loosen China’s control over rare earth mineral manufacturing. “We want members to form a trading bloc among allies and partners, one that guarantees American access to American industrial might while also expanding production across the entire zone,” Vance said at a meeting of foreign ministers at the U.S. State Department. “What is before all of us is an opportunity at self-reliance that we never have to rely on anybody else except for each other, for the critical minerals necessary to sustain our industries and to sustain growth.”

 

AP News

Al Jazeera

Financial Times

Mining.com

Lenders Itau, Santander Brasil and Citi have reached settlement deals with Brazil's National Treasury Attorney General's Office that have resulted in about 2.4 billion reais ($458m) in tax payments in recent weeks. The agreements bring to an end court battles that had continued for years. Mariana Lellis, PGFN's chief negotiation coordinator, said the figure reflects net payments after average discounts of 21% on fines, interest and penalties.

 

Reuters