Urban development is increasingly influenced by long-term investors rather than short-term speculators.

An investment company or a family office typically looks beyond immediate returns and focuses on how areas evolve over decades. This approach is especially visible in projects that combine real estate, business ecosystems, and community spaces.

Unlike traditional property development, these investors often view cities as living systems. The goal is not just to build structures, but to support environments where businesses, residents, and public life can grow together. As cities across Europe rethink how industrial areas and unused districts can be repurposed, patient capital has become a critical driver.

The Different Roles of Investment Companies and Family Offices

While both investment companies and family offices deploy long-term capital, their structures and motivations can differ. A family office usually manages private wealth for one or several families, often prioritising capital preservation and multi-generational planning. An investment company, by contrast, typically operates with a broader mandate, structured governance, and external stakeholders.

Despite these differences, both often share similar investment horizons. This makes them well suited to complex urban projects that require time, flexibility, and sustained commitment. Developments involving mixed-use spaces, innovation hubs, or cultural districts rarely succeed under pressure for rapid exits.

Krulli Quarter as an Example of Modern Urban Renewal

One of the most visible examples of this approach in Tallinn is Krulli Quarter. Located in a former industrial zone, the area is being transformed into a multifunctional urban environment that brings together offices, creative industries, public spaces, and local services.

Projects like Krulli Quarter reflect a broader shift in how cities grow. Instead of expanding outward, attention is turning inward, revitalising existing neighbourhoods and giving them new economic and social relevance. This requires investors who are willing to engage with local context, infrastructure challenges, and long planning cycles.

Why Location and Vision Matter to Investors

For both an investment company and a family office, location is more than a map reference. It determines talent access, mobility, sustainability, and long-term demand. Areas that support collaboration and adaptability tend to attract innovative businesses and resilient tenants.

Urban quarters designed with flexibility in mind are also better positioned to handle economic shifts. Spaces that can host startups today, scale-ups tomorrow, and community functions in between are more likely to remain relevant over time. This adaptability is often a key consideration for long-term investors.

Strategic Capital in a Changing Urban Landscape

Companies such as Skaala operate within this broader investment landscape, focusing on long-term value creation rather than short-term gains. While structures may differ from family offices, the underlying principle is similar: capital should support sustainable growth, not just immediate returns.

As cities continue to evolve, collaboration between developers, municipalities, and long-term investors will become even more important. Urban projects are no longer just about buildings; they are about creating places that function economically, socially, and culturally.

Looking Ahead

The future of urban development depends on investors who understand time, context, and responsibility. Whether through an investment company or a family office, long-term capital will continue to play a defining role in shaping how cities like Tallinn grow and adapt.

Anyone considering a financial commitment should carefully evaluate their ability to repay and assess all conditions before making a decision. Borrow responsibly.

The Trump administration is mulling an executive order or a different action that would have banks collecting citizenship information from their customers, according to reports.

The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that Treasury Department officials have discussed steps that could have banks gathering citizenship information from customers in a move that would align with Trump’s crackdown on immigrants living in the U.S. illegally.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the action could ultimately direct banks to request an unprecedented new category of documents — such as a passport — from customers looking to open or maintain accounts.

GOP FIREBRAND URGES TRUMP AGENCIES TO CLAW BACK MASSIVE TAXPAYER BENEFITS PAID OUT TO IMMIGRANTS

A Chase bank branch in New York July 2, 2024.  (Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

The report said the discussions have worried banks, some of the sources said, as executives consider operational burdens and the legal risks of imposing new documentation standards on millions of customers.

HOW TO MAKE PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S IMMIGRATION PAUSE STICK IN COURT

Banks are not required to collect or verify citizenship status specifically. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Under existing “know-your-customer” rules, banks are required to collect certain identifying information to guard against money laundering and financial crimes.

That typically includes a customer’s name, date of birth, address and taxpayer identification number and, in some cases, a passport or Social Security number.

Banks are not required to collect or verify citizenship status specifically, and there is no prohibition on opening accounts for noncitizens living in the U.S. Banks also do not routinely share customers’ citizenship information with the federal government.

TRUMP ADMIN HIT WITH FEDERAL LAWSUIT OVER IMMIGRANT VISA BAN AFFECTING 75 COUNTRIES WORLDWIDE

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said he supports the Trump administration “taking action to prevent illegal migrants from accessing our banking system.” (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images / Getty Images)

One option also under consideration is having the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network collect the information, according to people familiar with the matter.

One White House official reportedly said the potential executive order has been discussed within the Treasury Department but has not been approved.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., shared a letter online that he had sent Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent last year and said the “American banking system is a privilege that should be reserved for those who respect our laws and sovereignty.”

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“I strongly support President Trump taking action to prevent illegal migrants from accessing our banking system,” Cotton wrote in an X post Tuesday.

FOX Business reached out to the White House for comment.

In Australia, the humble shed is more than just a spot to stash tools or knock together a DIY project — it’s practically sacred ground.

Traditionally, it’s been a place to escape the family chaos, but these days the shed’s potential stretches way beyond that. The old-school “man cave” has levelled up: now a steel shed can morph into a high-tech sports sanctuary. Forget just plonking a telly in the corner — this is about creating a proper setup that captures the atmosphere of the best sports bars.

Inspiration — Royal Reels Sports Bar

Royal Reels Australia, tucked away in suburban Sydney, has built a rep for its cracking atmosphere around live sport. It’s not just a bar, it’s a proper footy hub where the vibe hits as soon as you walk in.

Inside, dark timber mixes with soft leather, and the couches feel like you’ve scored a seat in a stadium VIP box. The polished concrete bar glows with LED strips, giving the place a slick, modern edge.

One of the big drawcards is the “History Zone” — plasma screens looping legendary sporting moments between live matches. It’s the kind of setup that gets punters reminiscing while waiting for the next kick-off. Lighting is zoned smartly: warm and cosy over the bar, pitch-black in the viewing area so the game takes centre stage.

The venue screens a wide mix — rugby league, cricket, international football, tennis, even Formula 1. Anyone can wander in off the street, but there’s also a booking system through a mobile app. Tables and prime viewing spots can be reserved ahead of time, especially for the big-ticket events.

This mix of atmosphere, tech, and organisation has turned Royalreels into a benchmark for sports spaces. More about the venue can be found at Royal Reesl. In discussions of modern fan spaces, Royalereels is frequently highlighted as a model of innovation in layout and presentation.

Shaping Your Own Space

Before you start swinging a hammer, nail down the vision. Is your shed going to be a shrine to one sport — say rugby league or cricket — or a multi-sport arena covering everything from Formula 1 to the Aussie Open?

Going all-in on one sport lets you deck the place out with rare posters, signed jerseys, or autographed balls. But versatility has its perks too. Either way, this isn’t about making a buck — it’s about creating a magnet for mates who love the tactics and beauty of the game. It’s a lifestyle, not just a hangout.

Tech Fit-Out — From Insulation to Screens

Turning a bare steel shed into a comfy sports den means tackling three biggies: climate control, lighting, and the screen.

• Insulation & Climate: Aussie weather doesn’t muck around — sheds roast in summer and freeze in winter. Layer up with foil sarking plus 50–75 mm of mineral wool. Rubber tiles or carpet on the floor add soundproofing and comfort. A split-system air con will keep temps and humidity sweet.
• Lighting: Rule number one — no daggy ceiling chandeliers. Keep the screen zone dark. Use wall-mounted spotlights or LED strips with dimmers around the ceiling. Over the bar or chill zone, go for pendant lights with a warm glow.
• Screens: The heart of the sanctuary. For smaller sheds, a 65–75 inch TV does the trick. Bigger sheds call for an 85-inch monster or even a laser projector blasting out 120 inches of sporting action.

Once those three pillars are sorted — climate, lighting, and the screen — the place already feels like a proper sports den. The trick is mixing comfort with atmosphere, so the shed shifts from workshop vibes to stadium lounge energy. From there it’s easy to stack on the extras: sound that rattles the walls, décor that shows off the passion, and a bar to keep the cold ones handy.

Budget & Planning

Building your sports nook is scalable — start small and upgrade as you go. Here’s a quick comparison:

The transformation shows how a simple shed can turn into a proper fan zone where sport takes centre stage.

Creating the Perfect Space

Transforming a shed into a sports sanctuary isn’t just a reno job — it’s about crafting a place where sport comes alive. The shed turns into a spot where mates pile in not for background chatter, but for the pure buzz of the game. It’s a fair-dinkum fan’s hideaway, knocked together with grit, passion, and a dash of creativity.

Shares opened higher in Japan, South Korea and Australia, helping the MSCI Asia Pacific Index extend its advance to a third day. A rebound in the battered software stocks drove the Nasdaq 100 up 1.1%, while the S&P 500 also advanced, ahead of the key earnings from Nvidia Corp. on Wednesday. Advanced Micro Devices Inc.’s deal with Meta Platforms Inc. also boosted sentiment.

A Bloomberg gauge of the dollar was steady ahead of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address late in Washington Tuesday. Treasuries were a touch lower with the yield on the benchmark 10-year rising almost one basis point to 4.04%. Gold pared some losses from the prior session, while Bitcoin headed for its worst month since crypto’s collapse of June 2022.

The disruptive potential of artificial intelligence has roiled stocks across sectors for weeks in what’s become known as the AI scare trade. Tuesday’s rebound followed comments from Anthropic PBC, which said it plans to build partnerships — easing concerns that its Claude chatbot technology will integrate with, rather than displace, existing businesses.

“This ‘we’re here to help, not hurt’ message from Anthropic is helping to trigger a fairly healthy rebound rally in software,” said Adam Crisafulli at Vital Knowledge.

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Before Tuesday’s recovery, investors had been skittish for weeks on AI-related selloffs targeting a range of industries such as software, insurance brokerage, wealth management and cybersecurity, among others.
Earlier this week, concerns over tariffs and geopolitics coupled with a report by Citrini Research and worries about the potential disruption caused by another tool from Anthropic were enough to send the stock market careening.While US stocks have been volatile, Asian markets have outperformed their global peers and largely avoided the tech volatility. The standout gainer was South Korea, which advanced as much as 1.2% to a record on Wednesday.

South Korea’s Kospi Index has gained about 43% this year and is the world’s best-performing stock market.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google, saw its shares close at $311.69 on Monday, February 23, 2026, down 1.02% from the previous session but remaining resilient in a volatile tech sector. The stock has traded in a range of roughly $302 to $344 so far in 2026, reflecting investor confidence in the company’s AI investments despite broader market pressures from tariffs and economic uncertainty.

Alphabet’s Class C shares (GOOG) and Class A shares (GOOGL) have gained more than 75% over the past 52 weeks, driven by strong performance in core businesses like Search, YouTube, and Google Cloud. The company’s market capitalization stands at approximately $3.77 trillion, making it one of the world’s most valuable firms. Recent analyst upgrades and earnings momentum continue to support the stock, even as capital expenditure forecasts raise questions about near-term profitability.

The latest catalyst came February 23 when Wells Fargo upgraded Alphabet from Equal-Weight to Overweight, raising its 12-month price target to $387 from $353. Analyst Ken Gawrelski cited Alphabet’s aggressive AI infrastructure expansion — from 15 gigawatts to 35 gigawatts by 2028 — as a key driver, positioning the company to outpace rivals in compute capacity. The upgrade implies about 22-24% upside from current levels, with Wall Street consensus around $338-340 per share.

Alphabet’s fourth-quarter 2025 earnings, reported February 4, 2026, beat expectations with revenue of $113.83 billion (up 18% year-over-year) and earnings per share of $2.82 (versus $2.59 expected). Google Services grew 14% to $95.9 billion, led by Search and YouTube, while Google Cloud surged 48% to $17.7 billion, driven by enterprise AI demand. Annual revenue topped $400 billion for the first time, a milestone shared with peers like Apple and Amazon.

Management guided capital expenditures for 2026 at $175 billion to $185 billion — potentially doubling prior levels — to fuel AI data centers, servers, and networking. CEO Sundar Pichai highlighted momentum in Gemini models, with the Gemini App reaching over 750 million monthly active users and first-party models processing more than 10 billion tokens per minute via API. YouTube crossed $60 billion in annual revenue across ads and subscriptions, underscoring diversified growth.

Despite the positive earnings, shares have pulled back about 7% month-to-date amid concerns over AI spending sustainability. Investor Michael Burry questioned the scale of hyperscaler capex in a February 21 X post, estimating significant depreciation impacts and potential free cash flow declines for companies like Alphabet. Some analysts project Alphabet’s free cash flow could drop sharply in 2026 as investments ramp up, though others view the spending as essential to maintain AI leadership against Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta.

Institutional activity remains robust. Stevens Capital Management increased its stake by 401% in Q3 2025, while major funds like Norges Bank, JPMorgan, and Vanguard adjusted positions. Insider sales occurred, including CAO Amie Thuener O’Toole disposing of shares in early February, but overall ownership stays strong.

The stock’s valuation trades at a forward P/E around 22-24, considered reasonable given growth prospects. AI Overviews and AI Mode in Search are expanding usage, while Cloud’s $240 billion backlog signals sustained demand. Challenges include regulatory scrutiny, competition in AI, and macroeconomic factors like tariffs that could raise costs.

As Alphabet navigates 2026, its dual focus on core advertising strength and AI/cloud acceleration positions it well. The next earnings report is expected in late April, with analysts forecasting EPS around $2.67 for Q1 2026.

With upgrades and AI tailwinds, Alphabet remains a cornerstone of tech portfolios, balancing short-term caution with long-term optimism.

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Thailand has officially entered a state of technical deflation, marked by ten straight months of declining inflation rates.

Key Takeaways on Thailand’s Technical Deflation

• Definition & Context
  • Thailand has entered technical deflation, defined as a sustained decline in prices for more than six months.
  • Inflation has been negative for 10 consecutive months, averaging -0.13% in 2025.
• Economic Risks
  • Deflation often signals weak demand: households consume less, businesses cut investments, and margins shrink.
  • Thailand’s growth slowed to 2.4% in 2025, raising concerns about a deflationary spiral similar to Japan’s post-1990 stagnation.
  • Deflation can cause consumers and businesses to delay spending and investment, worsening recessionary pressures.
• Nuances in Thailand’s Case
  • Household consumption remains weak but still positive.
  • The Bank of Thailand emphasizes that underlying inflation (excluding energy) is still positive, framing this as “negative inflation” rather than full deflation.
  • Authorities expect recovery through tourism rebound and household consumption growth.

The statistics of the kingdom have shown for 10 months inflation results lower than the experts’ statistical forecasts (these being on average negative for the whole of 2025 with -0.13% annual average) according to Thanavath Phonvichai (the associate professor and president of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the Economic and Trade Forecast Center) in technical deflation.

Although the growth forecasts for 2026 suggest a simultaneous recovery in inflation, it appears to show no signs of slowing down, which could have adverse effects on the Thai economy.

If Europe and the world are much more aware of the dangers of inflation, the opposite phenomenon remains rare since Covid and the recent global geopolitical crises are rather synonymous with rising raw material costs.

Price deflation is a general and long-lasting corollary, often indicative of a marked weakening in demand and economic activity. It reflects a deep slowdown: households consume less, businesses reduce their investments and margins contract.

The Thai case, however, appears more nuanced. The growth and consumption of households in the kingdom are certainly at half-mast but appear positive. Experts define a «technical deflation» as a lasting decrease in prices for more than 6 months due, according to Phonvichai, to the general decrease in fuel costs and agricultural prices.

Government measures also pushed global prices down, the consumer price index (CPI) dropped by -0.66% at the beginning of 2026 compared to the same month last year, more than expected.

Nevertheless, Bank of Thailand reassures and talks more about negative inflation, highlighting that the figures for underlying inflation (excluding energy costs) remain positive.  Under the vigilance of the kingdom’s economic institutions, the financial system remains. More than a classic deflationary episode, Thailand would go through a cyclical adjustment, prelude to an upturn due to the increase in household consumption and the recovery of tourism, planned by those same authorities.

The possibility of a return to deflation cannot be ruled out, says Thanavath Phonvichai. Indeed, the weak growth that the country is experiencing (2.4% in 2025) may, if monetary and budgetary policies to restart the kingdom’s growth can degenerate into a deflationary spiral.

A scenario feared by the economic authorities of the country of smiles, given the consequences it had on Japan after the crash of 1990. Deflation indeed pushes consumers and all economic actors to wait: they postpone their investments in anticipation of lower prices, demand collapses, companies suffer revenue losses, cut jobs creating a loop in which the economy sinks into a deeper recession.

This scenario also concerns and worries the Chinese neighbor, which has been observing a slowdown in its dynamic real estate sector and household consumption since 2023. 

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