From Bangkok to SoftBank, a Sunday of moves on global markets
The annual IMF and World Bank meeting has concluded, hedge funds are absorbing the decline in artificial intelligence-related stocks, Italian banks launch the Qivalis stablecoin, and SoftBank is weighing an $18 billion acquisition.
The 2026 Annual Meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank has concluded in Bangkok, bringing together central bankers, finance ministers, private sector executives and academics in Thailand to discuss the state of the global economy. The gathering comes in a week marked by sharp turbulence on international technology markets.
The sell-off of artificial intelligence-related stocks has in fact hit hedge funds worldwide in recent days, with Asian fund managers among those most exposed to the losses recorded over the course of the week. The decline in AI-linked technology stocks translated into a direct effect on these operators’ portfolios, according to specialized financial media reports.
On the Italian front, the green light has been given to Qivalis, a euro-denominated stablecoin developed by national banks. The instrument aims to transfer millions of euros without waiting for traditional markets to open, with payments executed in real time and smart contracts designed for transactions between businesses: an attempt by the Italian banking system to directly oversee digital payments infrastructure rather than leave it to outside players.
On the front of major corporate deals, Japanese group SoftBank is reportedly weighing the acquisition of US security company Allied Universal for an estimated value of $18 billion, according to sources cited by financial media. This would be one of the largest deals in the private security sector, should it be confirmed and completed.
These four stories — the conclusion of the Bangkok summit, the sell-off hitting hedge funds, the debut of Qivalis and SoftBank’s possible acquisition — together paint the picture of a day of market movement on multiple fronts at once, from digital exchange rates to major corporate mergers, by way of international macroeconomic coordination.
Each of these stories currently stems from a single source (Borsa Italiana-Radiocor, MarketScreener and Il Messaggero, respectively); no independent confirmation is currently available for any of the four.
Sources: Borsa Italiana - Radiocor; MarketScreener; Il Messaggero
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