Daily Strategic Briefing

Court approves $305M sale of 23andMe to co-founder's nonprofit

Summary: The acquisition caps a tumultuous year for the genetic testing company, which filed for bankruptcy amid mounting losses and privacy concerns., Description: A federal bankruptcy court approved the $305 million sale of genetic testing company 23andMe to a nonprofit led by the company's co-founder Anne Wojcicki on Monday, ending months of legal wrangling over the fate of genetic data belonging to 15 million customers. The acquisition by Wojcicki's TTAM Research Institute caps a tumultuous year for the once-$6 billion company, which filed for Chapter...

Judge Brian Cogan blocks Trump move to prematurely end Haitian TPS

Summary: Federal judge rules Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem lacked authority to terminate protections for up to 520,000 Haitians before February 2026., Description: U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan, a George W. Bush appointee, has blocked the Trump administration's attempt to end Temporary Protected Status for between 260,000 and 520,000 Haitian immigrants, ruling that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's termination was "unlawful" because it ignored statutory provisions designed to provide early notice to recipients and that she lacked authority to...

Jurors reach partial verdict in Diddy case, racketeering conspiracy charge undecided

Summary: Jurors decided on four sex trafficking counts but remain split on racketeering conspiracy charge that could bring life sentence., Description: Jurors in Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial have reached a partial verdict on four counts related to sex trafficking and transportation for prostitution, but remain deadlocked on the racketeering conspiracy charge, which alleges he led a criminal enterprise spanning two decades and carries a potential life sentence if convicted.

Swiatek wins Wimbledon opener

Summary: The five-time Grand Slam champion defeated Russia's Polina Kudermetova 7-5, 6-1 to extend the longest opening-round streak by any woman this century., Description: Iga Swiatek, seeded eighth, secured her place in Wimbledon 2025's second round on Tuesday with a decisive 7-5, 6-1 win against Russia's Polina Kudermetova. The five-time Grand Slam champion is aiming to achieve her best performance yet at the prestigious All England Club tournament. The Polish star secured her position for a second-round encounter with American Catherine McNally, extending her...

U.S. halts weapons shipments to Ukraine over stockpile fears

Summary: Pentagon review found American munitions supplies dropping to levels that could compromise U.S. military readiness amid intense Russian attacks., Description: The United States has halted shipments of some air defense missiles and precision munitions to Ukraine, citing concerns that American weapons stockpiles have dropped to levels that could compromise U.S. military readiness. The decision affects munitions previously promised to Ukraine under the Biden administration and comes as Kyiv faces some of the most intense Russian missile and drone attacks...

X is piloting a program that lets AI chatbots generate Community Notes

Summary:

The social platform X will pilot a feature that allows AI chatbots to generate Community Notes, a Twitter-era feature that Elon Musk has expanded under his ownership of the service now called X.

Winning capital for your AI startup? Kleida Martiro is leading the conversation at TechCrunch All Stage

Summary:

AI-native startups are rewriting the rules of what early traction looks like — and too often, investors are still playing by the old ones. At TechCrunch All Stage, happening in Boston on July 15, Kleida Martiro, partner at Glasswing Ventures, will lead a breakout that cuts straight to the core of this disconnect.

Amazon deploys its 1 millionth robot, releases generative AI model

Summary:

As Amazon’s fleet of robots has reaches a milestone, the company is also releasing a new AI model to make them more efficient.

How Circle co-founder Sean Neville plans to build the first AI-native financial institution

Summary:

This week on StrictlyVC Download, Circle co-founder Sean Neville joins Alex Gove of StrictlyVC to discuss building banking infrastructure for AI agents. Fresh off Circle’s 450% IPO surge, Neville has raised $18 million from a16z to create Catena Labs, the first fully regulated AI-native financial institution. They explore what “agent-native finance” actually means, how AI […]

Grammarly acquires AI email client Superhuman

Summary:

In its announcement, Grammarly said it wants to build AI agents for emails using Superhuman’s tech.

Fabheads raises $10M in Series A led by Accel

The new capital will be used to expand manufacturing capacity, grow the leadership team, and strengthen client-facing engineering and R&D functions.

Broking platform Sahi raises $10.5M in Series A funding from Accel, Elevation Capital

Sahi will use the funding to enhance product capabilities with advanced automation, expand into new markets to reach more active traders across India, and grow the team.

Jumbotail turns unicorn after raising $120M in Series D round; completes acquisition of Solv

With fresh capital and a broader portfolio, the Bengaluru-based firm aims to scale its commerce and credit stack for India’s small retailers.

JSW Ventures leads Rs 40 Cr investment round in Stayvista

Existing investors DSG Consumer Partners and Capri Global Family Office also participated in the investment round in villa rental company Stayvista. The newly raised money will be deployed for expansion purposes.

Infra.Market raises $50M from MARS Growth Capital in debt funding

Infra.Market has an existing $100 million of credit from MARS Growth Capital.

Nifty Near 25,600, Sensex Up 160 Pts

Nifty opens near 25,600; Sensex gains 160 points. Asian Paints and RITES are key stocks in focus. Source: ScoutQuest

Aarti Industries Struggles as Agrochem Demand-Supply Mismatch Hits Volumes

Aarti Industries faces volume growth challenges due to demand-supply mismatch in agrochem. Source: ScoutQuest

Exhicon Shares Q1 FY25 Business Update

Exhicon Events Media Solutions Ltd shares business update for Q1 ending June 30, 2025. Source: ScoutQuest

Prostarm Info to List on BSE, NSE June 3, 2025

Prostarm Info Systems Ltd equity shares to list on BSE & NSE from June 3, 2025. Company status updated to Listed Public Company; new CIN L31900MH2008PLC368540. Source: ScoutQuest

Winsome Textile Gets CARE Rating Upgrade; Long-Term at BBB/Stable

Winsome Textile Industries Ltd's credit rating was upgraded by CARE Ratings for its bank facilities. Long-term facilities are rated CARE BBB/Stable, and short-term facilities are rated CARE A3. Source: BSE

Japan Seeks Trade Deal Amid Trump’s Tariff Ultimatum

Country: Japan, Description: Tokyo will continue pushing for a “win-win” trade deal with Washington, a senior official said Wednesday, as U.S. President Trump intensified threats to impose steep tariffs on Japanese goods. “We will vigorously continue sincere and diligent discussions toward reaching an agreement that benefits both Japan and the U.S.,” Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiko Aoki said. His remarks follow Trump’s warning that duties on Japanese imports could rise to 30% or 35%, expressing frustration over Japan’s limited purchases of American rice and cars. Japan has offered to support U.S. trade goals through investment rather than tariffs, but has not disclosed specific concessions. Aoki declined to comment on Trump’s latest remarks. Tensions are rising ahead of the July 9 deadline for new U.S. “reciprocal” tariffs, which would raise Japan’s duties to 24%. Trump has signaled he won’t extend the grace period. Japan’s negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, acknowledged persistent gaps between both sides.

India Stocks Muted in Morning Trade

Country: India, Description: The BSE Sensex was nearly flat, trading around 83,676 in early deals on Wednesday, after gains in the previous session, as traders remained cautious amid ongoing economic and geopolitical uncertainty. Investors assessed a statement from US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Tuesday, which signaled a cautious tone on interest rate cuts. Market participants also continued to monitor trade negotiations between India and the US ahead of President Donald Trump’s July 9 deadline for tariffs, as well as developments in the Middle East. Gains in the tech sector, auto, and healthcare offset declines in metals, banking, and financial services. Infosys rose 2.4%, Tata Consultancy Services gained 1.7%, and Tech Mahindra climbed 1.2%, while IndusInd Bank, Bajaj Finserv, and Nestlé India fell by 3.2%, 1.1%, and 0.9%, respectively.

Palm Oil Rebounds Above MYR 4,000

Country: Commodity, Description: Malaysian palm oil prices jumped around 1.5% to above MYR 4,000 per tonne, recovering from two sessions of losses. The upturn followed strength in Dalian and Chicago Board of Trade markets, while a retreat in the ringgit from an 8-month high improved export competitiveness. On the trade front, Malaysian palm oil shipments for June rose by 4.3% to 4.7% from the prior month, according to cargo surveyors. Sentiment was further lifted by a surprise uptick in manufacturing activity in China last month, the top buyer, signaling ongoing efforts by Beijing to revive its economy amid persistent trade headwinds. In top producer Indonesia, exports of crude and refined palm oil surged 53% year-on-year in May, official data showed. Separately, Jakarta raised its crude palm oil reference price for July to USD 877.89 per metric ton from USD 856.38 in June, reflecting stronger global demand. However, further upside was limited by investor caution ahead of U.S. President Trump's July 9 tariff deadline.

Singapore Stocks Hit Record High

Country: Singapore, Description: The Straits Times Index rose 19 points or 0.5% to a record peak of 4,009 around noon on Wednesday, continuing its upward momentum that began on June 23 amid gains across most sectors. Sentiment was supported by a modest uptick in U.S. futures following stronger-than-expected job openings data for May. Traders also welcomed a surprise rebound in China’s factory activity last month, a positive sign for Singapore’s economy given its deep trade ties with Beijing. On the domestic front, the annual inflation eased to 0.8% in May, the lowest since 2021, offering further relief to consumers and policymakers. However, gains were tempered after U.S. President Trump ruled out extending the July 9 tariff deadline and reiterated threats to abandon trade negotiations and impose additional duties on multiple countries. Leading gainers included YZJ Financial Holdings (4.0%), Genting Singapore (2.1%), Singapore Telecommunications (1.3%), and Sembcorp Industries (1.7%).

Copper Holds Near 3-Month High

Country: Commodity, Description: Copper futures held above $5 per pound on Wednesday, hovering near three-month highs amid mounting concerns over global supply shortages. Traders have been redirecting copper shipments to the US in anticipation of potential tariffs, leading to significant inventory drawdowns at both the London Metal Exchange and Shanghai Futures Exchange. This shift has triggered a sharp backwardation in the futures curve, with on-warrant inventories plunging 80% year-to-date and the tom/next spread widening to $90 per tonne. However, analysts cautioned that the copper rally could reverse quickly if US import demand weakens, particularly as markets await clarity on upcoming tariff decisions. Meanwhile, copper prices continued to find support from a strong demand outlook in China. A private survey showed that Chinese factory activity unexpectedly returned to expansion in June, indicating that the world’s largest copper consumer may be benefiting from the recent easing of US-China trade tensions.