Latest news with #Opportunities
Economic Times
07-07-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC announces first close of ABSL Structured Opportunities Fund Series 2
Synopsis Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC achieved the first close of its Structured Opportunities Fund – Series II, raising ₹700 crore. The fund targets ₹2,500 crore to invest in structured credit for mid-to-large corporates across asset-heavy sectors, aiming mid-teens IRR. Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC's AIF raises ₹700 crore in first close; targets ₹2,500 crore to support structured credit deals in growth-focused sectors. Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC has announced the first close of its Structured Opportunities Fund – Series II, a Category II Alternative Investment Fund (AIF), raising Rs 700 crore, including co-investments. The fund aims to raise Rs 1,250 crore with a greenshoe option of an additional Rs 1,250 crore, aiming for a total possible mobilization of Rs 2,500 fund, managed by Amit Kansal, Head Alternate Investments – Fixed Income, focuses on performing credit opportunities, offering bespoke capital solutions across growth, strategic, and opportunistic requirements. Also Read | Mutual fund SIP guide: How to invest for the rest of 2025 With an emphasis on structured credit transactions for mid-to-large corporates in asset-heavy sectors like manufacturing, infrastructure and industrials, the fund seeks to build a diversified portfolio of 10–12 investments targeting mid-teens internal rate of return (IRR) range, a press release the extensive experience in the credit space and a robust governance framework, the fund has already deployed part of the committed capital across select opportunities in sectors such as chemicals, auto and financials. These deals are backed by well-established sponsor groups and feature strong collateral and cash flow profiles, aligning with the fund's 4C investment philosophy – Character, Capacity, Collateral and Cashflows, the release said. 'The successful first close of our Structured Opportunities Fund – Series II is a strong endorsement of the trust placed in us by investors seeking attractive risk adjusted returns in the private credit space. This maiden strategy is a natural extension of our deep investment expertise across sectors and our long-standing ecosystem relationships,' said A. Balasubramanian, Managing Director & CEO, Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC. Also Read | Mazagon Dock and Radico Khaitan among 19 stocks which are upgraded in H2 CY25'With flexible drawdown structures to navigate market volatility, we have garnered strong traction across a broad investor base including institutional investors, HNIs, UHNIs and family offices and remain confident in our ability to unlock meaningful value while supporting the next wave of corporate growth,' he added.
Straits Times
23-06-2025
- Straits Times
The secret to finding the best travel bargains
Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms offers global farm stays for volunteers who participate in farm work, and they can use their free time to explore. PHOTO: PIXABAY The secret to finding the best travel bargains To save the most on travel, resist the mainstream. Instead, think in every way – including where to go, how to go and when to go – like a contrarian. I call this frugal secret the off-travel mindset, a willingness to chart your own course to savings and possibly a better experience. The following are a few off-travel strategies I rely on. Off-peak travel Off-peak travel, or going when everyone else is not, generally gets you the best prices on costs that change with demand, including flights and accommodations. Ms Kayla DeLoache, the US travel expert for travel search site Kayak, said midweek flights tend to offer the best value, while Fridays and Sundays are the most expensive, thanks to the weekend surge. 'Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays are generally where we see airfare around 20 per cent cheaper than on other days of the week,' said Ms Katy Nastro of a membership service for cheap airfare. She cited a round-trip flight between Boston and San Francisco in August at US$241 (S$309) for Monday to Friday, which drops to US$208 when the departure shifts to Tuesday. The same approach applies to the calendar. For summer travel, flights in late May and late August can save travellers 15 to 20 per cent on airfare, compared with those in mid-July, when traffic peaks, according to Ms DeLoache. Off-season travel Would you sacrifice the best weather in a destination for the best price? That is the prospect of off-season travel, going when the crowds ease, usually because of weather or school holidays. In addition to lower airfares and hotel rates, off-season triggers its own specials. For example, several recreational vehicle rental companies offer one-way relocation deals to get their vehicles from one destination post-season to the next, often 40 to 60 per cent off normal prices and starting as low as US$14 a night. Rental car company Hertz regularly offers one-way rentals at up to 50 per cent off during transition seasons. 'It's really a win-win,' wrote Mr Henry Kuykendall, executive vice-president of customer operations for Hertz, in an e-mail. 'Customers get a great deal on one-way journeys, while we move our vehicles where they'll serve customers best.' Off-the-beaten-path travel In travel economics, popularity triggers higher prices. If everyone wants to go to Dubrovnik, Croatia, which has a finite number of guest rooms, then the prices for those rooms tend to go up. And if you find long wait times at attractions and restaurants, the quality of the experience tends to go down. One way to avoid the beaten-path pinch is to get off it by looking for similarities in less popular places, or 'dupes'. 'These dupes offer similar experiences, landscapes or cultural vibes, allowing travellers to avoid crowds and save money while still enjoying a memorable trip,' wrote Ms Melanie Fish, vice-president of global public relations for Expedia Group Brands, in an e-mail. She identified alternatives, including Baton Rouge, Louisiana, over New Orleans for a similar cultural spirit but a cheaper cost of living. With its walkable streets, small hotels and culinary scene, Charleston, South Carolina, can substitute for Europe and save you money on airfare. (Expedia noted that round-trip airfare to Charleston from New York recently started at US$217.) Off-ramp travel Whether you call it off-road, off-grid or offline, leaving the world behind usually means saving money. In the US, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) allows dispersed camping – meaning camping apart from developed campgrounds – for free for up to 14 days on its public lands. (Travellers should expect to forgo toilets and running water and adhere to Leave No Trace wilderness principles.) The federal website manages camping reservations on lands managed by several agencies, including the National Park Service and the BLM, which also offers campgrounds. also takes reservations for rustic cabins on Forest Service lands. Several camping platforms, including The Dyrt, Hipcamp and Campspot, identify campgrounds, dispersed camping areas and campsites on private lands. Off-speed travel Transport is one of the biggest expenses of a trip. But what if you tried moving at the speed of humans when you got there? Slow travel, such as following ancient routes – think of pilgrimage trails such as the Camino de Santiago in Spain – can offer relatively affordable ways to travel. Walking routes that do not require camping can be a lot easier to find in Europe – hikes in Switzerland range from vineyard ambles to high Alpine treks. W ith some planning, w alkers can also tackle sections of the 1,609km-long Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin using shuttle services from trailheads to lodgings in local communities arranged in advance with volunteers . Going by bike – or bikepacking – allows you to cover more ground. The Adventure Cycling Association offers information on long-distance bike routes across the country and into Canada. It also offers its own guided biking trips (a four-day, inn-to-inn trip in Maine costs about US$1,700) and a list of cyclists-only lodgings found along bike touring routes. Off-the-cuff travel While it may be difficult to find a cheap flight at the last minute, spontaneous lodging and package deals abound. The app HotelTonight offers discounted last-minute lodgings – which range from basic to luxury hotels – in cities from Albuquerque, the US, to Zurich, Switzerland. Among short-term rental platforms, Whimstay offers deals on vacation homes, usually with booking dates within 30 days. Online travel agencies often maintain pages devoted to deals on short notice. Expedia recently listed a trip to Orlando, Florida, from Baltimore for US$171 a person a night, including airfare and hotel accommodations. Travelocity and discount retailer Costco also list travel sales. Tour companies such as Intrepid Travel offer last-minute deals, recently including a nine-day trip to Bali in June for US$772, or about US$200 off, not including airfare. Offset travel In some cases, travellers can trade their sweat equity for free or discounted travel by volunteering. Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms, for example, offers global farm stays for volunteers who participate in farm work and can use their free time to explore. Experiences range from making goat cheese in Greece to working on an organic 8ha farm in Missouri. The organisation emphasises education and cultural exchange, and hosts provide meals and lodging to their volunteers, who usually work around 25 hours a week. Other organisations charge a fee to cover a volunteer's lodging and food. The non-profit ConservationVIP, for example, offers week-long trail restoration trips in Yosemite National Park for US$1,095 a person. If your idea of travel involves getting to know the locals, consider a day of volunteering. In Hawaii, the programme Malama Hawaii offers a range of traveller-friendly volunteer opportunities across the islands, such as beach clean-ups and tree-planting. NYTIMES Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Qatar Tribune
18-06-2025
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
QR270 billion invested to operate over 1,000 factories in Qatar: MoCI
DOHA: Saleh Majed Al Khulaifi, who serves as Assistant Undersecretary for Industry and Business Development at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, stated that Qatar's industrial sector is growing rapidly, with 1,004 operating factories in the country by the end of last year and a cumulative investment of QR270 billion. He made this statement during a ceremony organized by the Ministry to honour entities that contributed to the success of several national initiatives, including National Product Week, the Opportunities initiative, the Ramadan discounted consumer goods list, and the initiative supporting red meat during Ramadan and Eid Al Adha. Attending the event was Assistant Undersecretary for Consumer Affairs Hassan Sultan Al Ghanem, alongside representatives from participating entities and companies. Al Khulaifi highlighted that these initiatives aim to empower the private sector and enhance its role as a key partner in achieving economic growth and diversification. He emphasized that the 1,000 Opportunities initiative, launched in collaboration with Qatar Development Bank in 2022, was part of the Ministry's digital tools on the Single Window platform. The initiative helps local investors access existing and future investment opportunities and encourages broader participation in the industrial sector. He also noted that the Manufacturing Strategy (2024-2030) targets increasing the value added by manufacturing industries to over QR70.5 billion, boosting non-hydrocarbon exports to around QR49 billion, and growing industrial investments to more than QR326 billion by 2030. It also aims to diversify manufacturing by 50% and accelerate the shift toward smart, knowledge-based industries. Meanwhile, Al Ghanem praised the success of the Ramadan discounted consumer goods list for 1446 AH, calling it a model of successful public-private cooperation to ease the economic burden on citizens and residents and help balance the local market. He said that around 18 retail outlets participated in the initiative, which resulted in total savings for consumers of QR5,317,311 out of QR52,712,765 in total sales, a 10% price reduction overall. Consumer spending on goods during Ramadan reached QR47,395,454, reflecting strong demand for discounted products. He noted that 2025 recorded the highest sales volume since the initiative began, signaling increased consumer awareness of the importance of such national programs. Commenting on the programe's success, he said that protecting the consumer was not the responsibility of a single party, but a shared duty that requires the combined efforts of all relevant stakeholders. He reaffirmed the Ministry's commitment to creating a fair and secure consumer environment and enhancing transparency in commercial dealings. Director of the National Product Competitiveness Support Department at the Ministry Dr Mohammed Ahmed Al Buhashim Al Sayed, expressed pride in the achievements of National Product Week, describing it as a prominent annual event that showcases the quality of Qatari products and boosts their visibility in the local market. He added that the latest edition saw a significant increase in footfall and recorded a 75% surge in sales at some retail outlets, reflecting growing consumer trust in Qatari products and heightened awareness of the importance of supporting national industries. He also announced the launch of a dedicated webpage for Qatari products on the Ministry's official website, allowing factories to apply for the Qatari Product label and to report unfair trade practices and industrial obstacles, supporting the principle of fair competition. Reviewing industrial growth indicators, Dr Al Sayed revealed that the number of national products had risen to 1,815, a testament to the effectiveness of the Ministry's industrial policies in line with Qatar National Vision 2030. The ceremony included a video presentation showcasing key national initiatives launched by the Ministry during the year and their developmental and economic objectives. The event concluded with an awards presentation honoring participating entities and companies for their significant contributions to economic development and community partnership.
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Blackstone Tactical Opportunities Hires Joseph Cassanelli as Senior Managing Director Focused on Financial Services Sector Investments
NEW YORK, June 16, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Blackstone (NYSE: BX) announced today that Joseph Cassanelli, former Co-Head of Lazard's U.S. Financial Institutions Group, has joined Blackstone Tactical Opportunities ("Tac Opps") as a Senior Managing Director. Mr. Cassanelli will be based in New York and serve as an investment professional within Tac Opps focused on the financial services sector. Chris James, Global Head of Tac Opps, said: "Joe's deep expertise and relationships in the financial services sector make him an ideal addition to Tac Opps – as we continue to seek to deliver differentiated performance for our investors. We believe our scale and flexible capital are particularly well suited for today's market environment, and look forward to working with Joe to continue serving as a trusted capital solutions provider to businesses in financial services and beyond." Joseph Cassanelli added: "I am thrilled to join Blackstone Tactical Opportunities, which has built a well-deserved reputation for creativity and innovation as a pioneer in hybrid capital with exceptional investment professionals. I look forward to providing bespoke capital solutions in partnership with outstanding management teams and companies across the financial services sector." Mr. Cassanelli spent more than two decades at Lazard, serving as a trusted strategic advisor to a broad range of global financial institutions. He has advised on more than half a trillion dollars of transactions, including many of the largest and most complex mergers, acquisitions, and strategic restructuring transactions in financial services. This included Blackstone's IPO and C-Corp conversion, and numerous financial services transactions for Tac Opps and insurance-related transactions for Blackstone Credit & Insurance. He also served as Chairman of Lazard's U.S. Fairness Opinion Committee. Prior to joining Lazard in 2002, Mr. Cassanelli spent several years at Wasserstein Perella & Co. and Deloitte. Blackstone launched its Tactical Opportunities platform in 2012 – a strategy the firm pioneered – to invest across the landscape of private investment opportunities outside of traditional private equity and private credit. Tac Opps today has $34 billion of assets under management and is the largest hybrid capital solutions platform in the world. The Tac Opps team invests globally across asset classes, industries, and geographies, utilizing bespoke and innovative structures to seek to deliver compelling risk-adjusted returns by identifying and executing on attractive, differentiated investment opportunities. Blackstone announced in 2023 the record close of Blackstone Tactical Opportunities Fund IV ("BTO IV"), which it is currently investing. Including other single-investor vehicles pursuing the same strategy, the combined BTO IV platform is currently expected to have nearly $10 billion of new capital in its fourth fundraising vintage. This is substantially higher than the BTO III platform and the largest-ever vintage of its kind. Marquee investments in BTO IV include CoreWeave, a specialized provider of critical cloud infrastructure pioneering the AI revolution, and the music royalty platform Recognition Music Group (f/k/a Hipgnosis). About BlackstoneBlackstone is the world's largest alternative asset manager. Blackstone seeks to deliver compelling returns for institutional and individual investors by strengthening the companies in which the firm invests. Blackstone's nearly $1.2 trillion in assets under management include global investment strategies focused on real estate, private equity, credit, infrastructure, life sciences, growth equity, secondaries and hedge funds. Further information is available at Follow @blackstone on LinkedIn, X (Twitter), and Instagram. View source version on Contacts Matt 518-248-7310
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Bees under threat: war in Ukraine tops global list of dangers to pollinators
The war in Ukraine, light pollution and microplastics are among the key threats putting the future of bees at risk worldwide. Scientists warn that this is not only an ecological issue but also a matter of global food security. Source: The Guardian Details: In a new report from the University of Reading titled Emerging Threats and Opportunities for Conservation of Global Pollinators, researchers identified 12 of the most dangerous emerging threats to bees and other pollinators expected to intensify over the next decade. The top threat highlighted by scientists is the war in Ukraine. Armed conflicts affect agriculture by reducing crop diversity, which deprives pollinators of access to flowers throughout the growing season. "This is not just a conservation issue," said Professor Simon Potts, the report's author. "Pollinators are central to our food systems, climate resilience, and economic security." The second most pressing concern is microplastic pollution. Synthetic polymer particles – such as PET plastic – were found in 315 bee colonies across Europe. These particles infiltrate honey and beehives, although their full impact on bee health remains unclear. Pollinators are also harmed by light pollution. For instance, in areas with street lighting, nocturnal pollinators are 62% less likely to visit flowers. Antibiotics used in agriculture can end up in hives and affect bee behaviour, reducing their activity and altering their foraging routes. Researchers also warned of the dangers of "pesticide cocktails" – combinations of chemicals that may be more harmful together than individually. Other threats listed include poorly planned tree planting for net-zero goals, air pollution, enclosed farming, heavy metal extraction, wildfires and more. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
