Finance, Banking & Insurance

Düsseldorf – November 06, 2026 -- The TARGOBANK Stiftung is funding nine water protection projects with about EUR 367,000 in its 2026 grant round, covering coastal protection, river and stream restoration and the rewetting of peatlands.

The projects are intended to improve natural water retention and make ecosystems more resilient to climate change, while securing habitats for animals and plants. Funded organizations include the Bergwaldprojekt, the BUND Auenzentrum, the Stiftung Biosphäre Schaalsee and the German Red Cross water rescue service (Wasserwacht).

Low river levels frame the funding round

The foundation cited extremely low water levels in the Rhine, Elbe and Danube, along with dried-out landscapes and growing water scarcity, as the backdrop for the round.

Dover – November 06, 2026 -- The global stablecoins and central bank digital currency (CBDC) market, valued at USD 32.24 billion in 2025, will reach USD 409.57 billion by 2034, according to Polaris Market Research. That implies a 32.7% compound annual growth rate from 2026 to 2034, as banks, payment providers and central banks extend digital currencies beyond crypto trading into payments, settlement and remittances.

GENIUS Act and MiCA pull banks into stablecoin issuance

Rules on issuance, reserves and redemption are encouraging banks, card networks and payment providers to build stablecoin services. The GENIUS Act in the United States and the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework in Europe supply those rules.

NEW YORK – November 06, 2026 -- Guardian Life Insurance Company of America will route about 1 million yearly dental benefit verification calls through Sierra's AI-native customer engagement platform under a multi-year strategic partnership.

Guardian targets its highest-volume service interactions

Beyond dental benefit verification, Guardian is applying Sierra's technology to payment processing and claim status inquiries. The insurer aims to make these routine requests faster and let customers complete them without waiting on a live agent.

Michael Prestileo, Guardian's Chief Strategy Officer, said the goal is to remove friction from everyday interactions so colleagues can focus on moments where human judgment matters most. He described the deal as part of Guardian's approach of pairing its business with external technology providers to modernize operations.

PHOENIX – November 06, 2026 -- Arixa Capital has originated more than $500 million in residential bridge, construction and renovation loans in Arizona, and has financed over 1,100 housing units statewide since entering the market.

Arixa finances single-family, multifamily and subdivision projects across Arizona

The private real estate lender's deals range from ground-up construction loans for custom residences to homebuilder financing for large-scale community developments. Recent financings span Phoenix, Paradise Valley, Scottsdale and Flagstaff.

President Seth Davis said there is "no substitute for being based in Arizona," adding that a local presence lets Arixa stay involved from initial funding through project completion.

Birmingham – November 06, 2026 -- 1919 Investment Counsel, a Stifel Financial Corp. subsidiary managing about $27.4 billion in assets, has appointed James Russell Sugg, Jr. as Principal, Senior Client Advisor in its Birmingham office.

Sugg brings 17 years of legal practice and trust advisory experience

Sugg is a licensed North Carolina attorney with expertise in trusts and investment management. After 17 years practicing law, he moved into wealth management, serving as Senior Trust Advisor at Wachovia Trust and later at Sterne Agee.

Sugg will advise individuals, families, foundations and endowments from North Carolina

He will deliver investment counsel to individuals, families, foundations and endowments, building tailored solutions for each client's long-term wealth and investment objectives. Sugg is based in North Carolina and joins the Birmingham team.

Schaan – November 05, 2026 -- Nearly two-thirds of insurance intermediaries expect the pension reform to have a strong or very strong impact on client advisory demand, according to a survey of 225 brokers commissioned by Liechtenstein Life Assurance AG. Of those polled, 49.3% anticipate a strong effect and a further 14.2% a very strong one. The survey was run by bbg Betriebsberatungs GmbH in August 2026.

About a quarter (24.9%) foresee hardly any change, and 0.9% expect no impact at all. Another 10.7% could not assess the effect.

Retirement depot tops the list of business-model disruptors at 57.8%

Asked which trends will most change independent brokers' business models over the next five years, 57.8% named the retirement depot (Altersvorsorgedepot). NAV remuneration and AI-based advice each drew 42.2%. Under NAV remuneration, ongoing pay is tied to the development of the insurance portfolio a broker manages.

VANCOUVER – November 05, 2026 -- Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. has declared its fourth quarterly cash dividend for 2026 of US$0.195 per common share, an 18% increase from the fourth quarterly dividend declared in 2025.

Wheaton sets November 19 record date and December 3 payment

Holders of record at the close of business on November 19, 2026 will receive the payout, which the company will distribute on or about December 3, 2026. The ex-dividend trading date is also November 19, 2026.

The dividend qualifies as an 'eligible dividend' for Canadian income tax purposes. The board retains discretion over the declaration, timing, amount and payment of future dividends.

Vancouver – November 05, 2026 -- Wheaton Precious Metals reported record nine-month revenue of $2.6 billion, net earnings of $1.5 billion and operating cash flow of $2.1 billion for the period ended September 30, 2026, as a 64% jump in the average realized gold equivalent price drove margins higher.

Q3 revenue reaches $772 million on 36% higher realized prices

Third-quarter revenue of $772 million was split 51% gold, 46% silver, 0.5% palladium and 2% cobalt. The $295 million increase from the prior-year period came from a 36% rise in the average realized gold equivalent price and a 19% increase in gold equivalent ounces (GEOs) sold. Net earnings were $410 million and operating cash flow was $645 million, up $262 million year over year on higher gross margin.

For the nine months, revenue rose $1.2 billion, with the realized price up 64% and GEOs sold up 9%. Operating cash flow increased $901 million.

BEIJING – -- Cheche Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CCG) will ask shareholders on November 25, 2026 to approve a new class of ordinary shares carrying 300 votes each, and 10,000,000 of these Class C shares would be authorized.

Cheche sets November 25 meeting in Beijing with a November 5 record date

The extraordinary general meeting starts at 10 A.M. Beijing time on November 25, 2026 (9 P.M. U.S. Eastern time on November 24). It will take place at 8/F, Desheng Hopson Fortune Plaza, 13-1 Deshengmenwai Avenue, Xicheng District, Beijing. Shareholders of record at the close of business on November 5, 2026, Eastern time, are entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting, including any adjournments or postponements.

NEW YORK – – November 05, 2026 -- Hyperliquid Strategies Inc (NASDAQ: PURR) reported net income of $620.6 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2026, driven almost entirely by $803.0 million in net unrealized gains on its HYPE token holdings. The digital asset treasury company also disclosed that a subsidiary has applied to become a futures commission merchant (FCM).

HYPE treasury grows to 38.5 million tokens on $802 million deployment

The company raised $911 million in equity under its committed equity facility during the quarter and deployed $802 million. Of that, $785 million bought 9.1 million HYPE tokens, lifting holdings from 29.3 million at June 30 to 38.5 million at September 30. Another $17 million repurchased 2.7 million PURR shares.