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In Q1 2026, private equity firms acquired over 100 US companies with at least 500 employees, primarily in professional, scientific, and technical services, followed by information technology (20%) and manufacturing (16%). The report highlights concerns that the private equity focus on short-term returns leads to deferred maintenance and downsizing in manufacturing, and financial instability in food services through high debt loads. Notably, a $10.7 billion consortium led by BlackRock and EQT to acquire AES Corporation would significantly increase their fossil fuel power plant portfolios. Other tracked activities include acquisitions in education staffing, childcare franchises, professional sports, and the restructuring of TikTok's US operations.

The report examines the vulnerability of Kenya's private sector to climate change, specifically highlighting risks to hydropower, agriculture, and tourism. It evaluates fifteen risk assessment tools based on cost, complexity, and applicability, recommending four specific frameworks for Kenyan businesses. The document also identifies gaps in private sector adaptation, such as lack of specific geographic data and cost-benefit information, and suggests the development of a Kenyan-specific climate risk assessment tool.

The report examines India's energy subsidy regime, highlighting the significant fiscal burden of fuel subsidies, which cost an average of 1.4 per cent of GDP since FY 2008. It details policy shifts in diesel, LPG, kerosene, and natural gas markets, noting that while the government has pursued incremental price increases for diesel and consumption caps for LPG, currency depreciation and high international oil prices have maintained high under-recoveries. The document also analyzes the regressive nature of these subsidies, their impact on the trucking industry, and the inefficiencies of subsidized agricultural electricity, which encourages groundwater depletion. It recommends transitioning toward market-based pricing, targeted cash transfers, and structural improvements in transport and irrigation management.