{"id":59115,"date":"2026-02-25T13:38:34","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T17:38:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/thrives-1b-openai-bet-and-elliotts-lse-pledge-lead-global-market-news\/59115\/"},"modified":"2026-02-25T13:38:34","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T17:38:34","slug":"thrives-1b-openai-bet-and-elliotts-lse-pledge-lead-global-market-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/thrives-1b-openai-bet-and-elliotts-lse-pledge-lead-global-market-news\/59115\/","title":{"rendered":"Thrive\u2019s $1B OpenAI Bet and Elliott\u2019s LSE Pledge Lead Global Market News"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/thrives-1b-openai-bet-and-elliotts-lse-pledge-lead-global-market-news\/59115\/#Key_Takeaways\" >Key Takeaways<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/thrives-1b-openai-bet-and-elliotts-lse-pledge-lead-global-market-news\/59115\/#Thrive_Capitals_Strategic_OpenAI_Position\" >Thrive Capital\u2019s Strategic OpenAI Position<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/thrives-1b-openai-bet-and-elliotts-lse-pledge-lead-global-market-news\/59115\/#Elliott_Management_Reassures_UK_on_LSE_Future\" >Elliott Management Reassures UK on LSE Future<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/thrives-1b-openai-bet-and-elliotts-lse-pledge-lead-global-market-news\/59115\/#Federal_Reserves_Schmid_on_the_Future_of_Payments\" >Federal Reserve\u2019s Schmid on the Future of Payments<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/thrives-1b-openai-bet-and-elliotts-lse-pledge-lead-global-market-news\/59115\/#Eiffage_Reports_Strong_FY25_Earnings\" >Eiffage Reports Strong FY25 Earnings<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/thrives-1b-openai-bet-and-elliotts-lse-pledge-lead-global-market-news\/59115\/#Global_Personnel_and_Political_Developments\" >Global Personnel and Political Developments<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Takeaways\"><\/span>Key Takeaways<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Thrive Capital completed a $1 billion investment in OpenAI<\/strong> this past December, purchasing shares at a significant discount to the company&#39;s current multi-billion dollar valuation.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Elliott Management has privately assured the UK government<\/strong> that it is not seeking a spin-off of the London Stock Exchange Group (<a href=\"\/stock\/LSEG\">LSEG<\/a>), easing fears of a potential breakup of the exchange.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Kansas City Fed President Jeff Schmid<\/strong> predicts the eventual disappearance of paper checks and characterized <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/market-trends\/stablecoins\/2025-report\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Stablecoins\">stablecoins<\/a> as &quot;Venmo on steroids&quot; while emphasizing the Fed&#39;s role in maintaining price stability.<\/li>\n<li><strong>French construction giant Eiffage (<a href=\"\/stock\/FGR\">FGR<\/a>)<\/strong> reported robust FY25 results, with revenue reaching <strong>\u20ac25.31 billion<\/strong> and a proposed dividend of <strong>\u20ac4.80 per share<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Thrive_Capitals_Strategic_OpenAI_Position\"><\/span>Thrive Capital\u2019s Strategic OpenAI Position<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Thrive Capital recently finalized a major investment in OpenAI, deploying approximately <strong>$1 billion<\/strong> from its latest fund. According to reports from the <em>Wall Street Journal<\/em>, the deal was completed in December and involved purchasing shares at a <strong>fraction of the startup&#39;s current valuation<\/strong>. This move underscores Thrive\u2019s continued conviction in the generative AI leader, even as broader market enthusiasm for AI spending faces increased scrutiny regarding long-term profitability.<\/p>\n<p>The investment follows a period of rapid growth for OpenAI, which has seen its valuation soar toward the <strong>$150 billion<\/strong> mark in recent funding rounds. By securing shares at a lower entry point, Thrive Capital positions itself for significant upside as OpenAI continues to scale its enterprise offerings and compute capacity.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Elliott_Management_Reassures_UK_on_LSE_Future\"><\/span>Elliott Management Reassures UK on LSE Future<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Activist investor Elliott Management has moved to quell concerns regarding the future of the London Stock Exchange Group (<a href=\"\/stock\/LSEG\">LSEG<\/a>). The firm privately informed the British government that it is <strong>not pushing for a spin-off<\/strong> of the exchange&#39;s core business units. This development comes after Elliott built a significant stake in the group, sparking speculation that it might advocate for a structural breakup or a move to a New York listing.<\/p>\n<p>The assurance is seen as a major relief for the UK\u2019s financial sector, which has been grappling with a lacklustre listings market and the departure of several high-profile companies to international exchanges. Elliott\u2019s current focus appears to be on improving the group&#39;s operational performance rather than forcing a divestiture of its data and analytics divisions.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Federal_Reserves_Schmid_on_the_Future_of_Payments\"><\/span>Federal Reserve\u2019s Schmid on the Future of Payments<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Kansas City Fed President Jeff Schmid delivered a series of forward-looking comments on the evolution of the U.S. financial system. Schmid stated that he expects <strong>paper checks to eventually go away<\/strong>, replaced by more efficient digital alternatives. He specifically noted that <strong>instant payment systems<\/strong> are likely to &quot;leapfrog&quot; <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/market-trends\/stablecoins\/2025-report\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Stablecoins\">stablecoins<\/a>, which he characterized as &quot;Venmo on steroids&quot; due to their current lack of regulatory integration compared to traditional banking wrappers.<\/p>\n<p>Regarding monetary policy, Schmid emphasized that the Federal Reserve remains in a &quot;pretty good place&quot; concerning the job market but acknowledged that <strong>work remains to be done on inflation<\/strong>. He argued that keeping prices stable is the most effective tool the Fed has to help close the wealth gap, as inflation disproportionately affects lower-income households.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Eiffage_Reports_Strong_FY25_Earnings\"><\/span>Eiffage Reports Strong FY25 Earnings<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>French infrastructure and construction firm Eiffage (<a href=\"\/stock\/FGR\">FGR<\/a>) posted solid financial results for the 2025 fiscal year. The company reported <strong>total revenue of \u20ac25.31 billion<\/strong> and a <strong>net profit attributable to the group of \u20ac1 billion<\/strong>. Operating income for the period stood at <strong>\u20ac2.60 billion<\/strong>, supported by a massive construction order book that has grown to <strong>\u20ac29.9 billion<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Reflecting its strong cash position, Eiffage reported <strong>free cash flow of \u20ac2.11 billion<\/strong> and proposed a dividend of <strong>\u20ac4.80 per share<\/strong>. The results highlight the group&#39;s resilience in the European construction market, particularly as it expands its footprint in renewable energy infrastructure and energy systems.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Global_Personnel_and_Political_Developments\"><\/span>Global Personnel and Political Developments<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In central banking news, the European Central Bank (ECB) announced that <strong>Massimo Rostagno will leave his position on February 28<\/strong> for personal reasons. Rostagno has been a key figure in the ECB&#39;s monetary policy department, and his departure comes at a time of significant transition for the Eurozone&#39;s central bank leadership.<\/p>\n<p>On the political front, former President Donald <a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/live\/trump-stock-market\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Trump\">Trump<\/a> utilized his Truth Social platform to congratulate <strong>Gianni Infantino on 10 years as President of FIFA<\/strong>, calling him a &quot;GREAT Leader.&quot; In the same series of posts, <a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/live\/trump-stock-market\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Trump\">Trump<\/a> launched sharp critiques against public figures including <strong>Robert De Niro<\/strong>, as well as Representatives <strong>Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib<\/strong>, following their reactions to the recent State of the Union address.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Thrive Capital completed a $1 billion investment in OpenAI this past December, purchasing shares at a significant discount [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":50383,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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