Daily Recap: Business — 13 August 2026

Business news centers on trade and capital as governments and companies navigate strain and opportunity at the same time. Strong export growth in India still comes with a wider deficit, AI companies are reshuffling leaders and chasing enormous valuations, and investors are testin...

Anthropic is moving toward an IPO that investors value at about $2 trillion, a level that would make it the largest public offering on record if achieved. The projected valuation reflects intense investor appetite for leading AI companies and expectations that revenue from enterprise artificial-intelligence products will continue to expand rapidly.

India’s merchandise exports rise 19.6% from a year earlier to $44.24 billion in July, but imports climb even faster to $76.22 billion. That leaves a trade deficit of $31.98 billion for the month, one of the widest gaps in recent months, highlighting continued pressure from strong import demand.

OpenAI’s chief revenue officer, Denise Dresser, is leaving less than a year after joining the company, as Dali Rajic takes over the sales role ahead of a planned IPO. The departure marks another senior leadership change at a company trying to scale revenue while preparing for public markets.

Warnings are growing in Canada that Donald Trump’s threatened new tariffs could deepen divisions between provinces at a sensitive moment for trade policy. Analysts say renewed U.S. pressure may sharpen regional grievances and make it harder for Canada to maintain a unified front in negotiations with its largest trading partner.

Robinhood’s second venture fund for retail investors starts trading on the New York Stock Exchange after raising $225.5 million. The fund gives individual investors exposure to early-stage private companies, extending Robinhood’s push to open parts of private-market investing to a broader public despite a weak first trading price.

Telstra says chief executive Vicki Brady receives $6.8 million for the year, including a pay rise of about $700,000, even after the board cuts part of her bonus following a nationwide outage in July. The disclosure is likely to draw scrutiny over executive pay and accountability after a major service failure.

Tax-paid alcohol consumption in South Africa rises 24.2% between 2017 and 2024 even as household wealth declines, pointing to resilient demand despite economic pressure. The figures surface as the Treasury considers higher excise taxes, raising the prospect of a fresh debate over revenue, public health and consumer costs.