First Pass

24 stories from 11 sources

Antitrust Delay and AI Infrastructure Define Deal Day

Day’s Recap

Supporting Articles

Paramount Skydance is seeking a $1.88 billion bond from state attorneys general pursuing an antitrust case against its proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. The company has agreed to delay the transaction until as late as June 2027 while the case moves toward trial.

6:07 PMCNBC

California’s attorney general opposed Paramount’s proposed $1.88 billion bond tied to its agreement to delay the Warner Bros. merger until an antitrust trial next March. The state argues Paramount understood the terms and is improperly seeking to revise them.

5:18 PMVariety

Stripe has agreed to acquire OpenRouter, an AI gateway that helps route access to artificial intelligence models, for $7 billion, according to the report.

8:01 PMFinextra

Abu Dhabi wealth fund L’imad Holding has offered to buy out minority shareholders in the city’s port operator, valuing the company at 31.8 billion dirhams, or $8.66 billion. The deal would support Abu Dhabi’s push to expand infrastructure that could reduce reliance on routes through the Strait of Hormuz.

12:52 AMBloomberg Markets

Goldman Sachs plans to acquire Neos Investments for as much as $2.25 billion, expanding its asset-management business in actively managed ETFs.

4:33 PMBloomberg Markets

Aegis Logistics is in advanced, exclusive negotiations to acquire UAE-based Tristar for about $1.5 billion. Aegis is seeking lender financing, while the bilateral talks remain ongoing and no deal has been completed.

8:00 PMEconomic Times

Other Developments

A curated list of other prominent stories from this day.

Jeanie Buss is reportedly challenging a plan approved by her siblings to sell the Buss family’s remaining 18% stake in the Los Angeles Lakers to investors Bob Iger and Josh Kushner. Buss has led the franchise since her father Jerry Buss died in 2013.

11:22 PMVariety

Extell Development has acquired the 19-story Midtown office building at 110 East 55th Street, also known as Park 55, from the Parkoff Organization for $65 million. Property records confirm the deal after months of negotiations, with an affiliate of JT Magen involved in the transaction.

5:09 PMHousing Wire

CNN has secured new deals with key prime-time anchors, including Abby Phillip of NewsNight, ahead of Paramount Skydance’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. The agreements limit how quickly new ownership could impose its own programming changes at CNN.

4:03 PMVariety

Datavault AI plans to acquire CyberCatch for $94.5 million and integrate its AI-enabled continuous compliance and cyber risk mitigation platform into Datavault's Data Vault Artificial Intelligence Platform. The deal is also intended to add quantum-resistant cyber protection.

3:36 PMPYMNTS

Google plans to acquire Spirit Airlines' business data and software code in a bankruptcy sale. It intends to use those assets to improve its AI models and products.

3:11 PMSkift

Varia US and Brookfield formed a $694 million joint venture focused on expanding Varia's multifamily portfolio. The partnership is expected to provide liquidity, strengthen Varia's balance sheet, and give it more flexibility to manage the business.

2:49 PMHousing Wire

Make it yours

Build Your First Pass.

Pick your topics, set your cadence, and receive your personalized First Pass in your inbox. It’s that simple!