Our Scans · (FS.1.00) Investment Banking · Weekly Summary

• [New] Morgan Stanley raised its Brent crude forecast for the first half of 2026 to $60 a barrel from $57.5, citing the OPEC + decision to pause quota hikes in the first quarter of 2026 and recent U.S. and EU sanctions on Russian oil assets. TradingView
• [New] While financial institutions face mixed impacts, diversified banks like JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America could benefit from renewed economic activity and loan demand if rates decline further, showcasing their resilience compared to more specialized lenders. FinancialContent
• [New] The Reserve Bank of India expects GST rate cuts to boost consumption and investment, supporting economic recovery. Guidely
• [New] Combined, the softer data and fiscal head-winds underpin Goldman Sachs' expectation that the BoE will embark on a more aggressive path of rate cuts than previously anticipated, bringing its terminal rate down toward 3% by mid-2026. investingLive
• [New] Goldman Sachs has shifted its view for the Bank of England's monetary policy, now expecting a rate cut of 25 basis points in November. investingLive
• [New] Companies like Wells Fargo & Company and JPMorgan Chase & Co., with significant mortgage lending operations, will see reduced refinancing activity as existing homeowners are locked into lower rates. FinancialContent
• [New] Goldman Sachs Research projects the U.S. power sector will need 510,000 new positions by 2030, yet current apprenticeship rates (45,000 annually) fall short of the 65,000 needed. Presage Global
• [New] Goldman Sachs Research forecasts global power demand from data centers will increase 50% by 2027 and by as much as 165% by the end of the decade compared with 2023. Educational Technology and Change Journal
• [New] Citigroup sees further downward pressure on crude prices, expecting it to hit $50 if economic momentum and geopolitical risk premiums fade. Khaleej Times
• [New] Major financial institutions have set ambitious targets, with Goldman Sachs forecasting gold to reach $4,900 per ounce by the end of 2026, and Bank of America maintaining a $6,000 per ounce target by mid-2026. FinancialContent
• [New] Goldman Sachs anticipates demand growth for another decade, driven by emerging markets and petrochemicals. FinancialContent
• [New] Goldman Sachs analysts said on Tuesday that they expect Brent prices to drop to $52 per barrel by the end of 2026. AtCoMedia. Inc
• [New] Earlier this week, JPMorgan Chase & Co. announced it will put as much as $10 billion in direct equity and venture capital investment as part of a $1.5 trillion initiative for what it's deemed critical industries that batteries, nuclear and solar technology. Economic Times
• [New] Conversely, while major banks like JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and Wells Fargo have reported strong earnings, a prolonged cycle of rate cuts could compress Net Interest Margins for local banks, posing a future challenge for the broader banking sector. FinancialContent
• [New] Analysts question long-term sustainability as Morgan Stanley downgraded Nestle, citing margin risks from increased marketing costs and growth targets. Ainvest
• [New] Goldman Sachs Group is predicting a major ramp-up in dealmaking towards the end of 2025, with a chance that 2026 will be a record year for M&A. ST
• [New] The Goldman Sachs researchers developed a baseline assumption that 6% or 7% of the U.S. workforce could be displaced if AI is widely adopted, though they said displacement rates could vary from 3% to 14% under different assumptions. Baltimore Sun
• [New] Citigroup projects Bitcoin will hit $133,000 by year-end, while JPMorgan sets its target at $165,000. Yahoo Finance
• [New] Morgan Stanley plans to allow customers on its E Trade retail platform to access to popular cryptocurrencies beginning in the first half of 2026. ST
• [New] JPMorgan Chase plans to allow institutional clients to use their holdings of Bitcoin and Ether as collateral for loans by the end of the year, in a significant deepening of Wall Street's crypto integration. ST
• [New] JPMorgan Chase plans to accept Bitcoin (BTC-USD) and Ethereum (ETH-USD) as collateral for institutional loans by the end of 2025. investing.com
• [New] Morgan Stanley has set out plans to allow access to top crypto coins on its retail trading platform for the first half of 2026 and new regulatory changes have permitted the likes of Blackrock to accept Bitcoin and swap them for ETF holdings. City AM
• [New] Citigroup analysts further anticipate hyperscalers to spend $490 billion on infrastructure and capital goods in 2026, an increase from earlier estimates. FinancialContent

Last updated: 06 November 2025