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(1) The Japanese government is considering allowing foreign-flagged oil tankers to participate in the transportation of national oil reserves in order to cope with the record-breaking release of reserves triggered by the worsening situation in Iran. Due to the unprecedented scale of this release, Japanese-flagged tankers alone cannot handle all transportation tasks from reserve bases to refineries. (2) Japan generally restricts foreign vessels from participating in domestic crude oil transportation, aiming to ensure stable domestic maritime capacity. However, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism may approve foreign oil tankers as a special exception, and relevant coordination work is underway. A spokesperson from the ministry stated: "First, it is necessary to confirm whether Japanese-flagged oil tankers can cope, but issuing permits to foreign oil tankers is also under discussion." (3) The fundamental purpose of this move is to ensure that oil products enter market circulation smoothly and to prevent supply delays caused by transportation bottlenecks, which could further increase upward pressure on oil prices. Against the backdrop of dramatic fluctuations in the global energy market due to Middle East conflicts, Japan is attempting to stabilize the domestic market by releasing reserves, but shortcomings in the transportation sector are becoming a new constraint.

格隆汇 March 19｜According to the UK Financial Times, Unilever and Kraft Heinz have recently held talks about merging some of their food businesses. Due to uncertain economic conditions and weak demand for packaged foods, these two consumer goods companies are striving to cope with this challenge. According to sources familiar with the matter, negotiations involving the merger of Unilever's food division with Kraft Heinz's condiments business have already concluded. If an agreement is reached, the new company could be valued at tens of billions of dollars, with brands including Hellmann's mayonnaise and Heinz ketchup.

According to ChainCatcher, based on BBX data, yesterday global listed companies showed a significant shift in crypto treasury expansion from “mining company competition” to the entry of “traditional industrial/financial giants”: $100 million spot purchase: Bitdeer (NASDAQ: $BTDR) Yesterday, the board approved an allocation of $100 million in cash to purchase bitcoin as a strategic reserve over the next two quarters. 10 billion yen special fund: SBI Holdings (TSE: 8473) announced the establishment of a 1 billion yen (approximately $67 million) corporate crypto treasury special fund, aimed at providing bitcoin allocation consulting and custodial services for Japanese manufacturing enterprises. 10% gold asset swap: Metals One PLC (LSE: $MET1) disclosed its treasury reform plan, intending to swap 10% of its gold reserves for bitcoin, citing “BTC’s superior liquidity premium expected in 2026.” 100% output retention: Digihost (NASDAQ: $DGHI) confirmed that its bitcoin output from February to mid-March has achieved 100% retention. Through energy cost optimization, the company currently does not need to sell any BTC to cover all operating expenses. 25% profit conversion: Banxa (TSX-V: $BNXA) announced that 25% of its net profit for the first quarter of 2026 will be directly converted into bitcoin, establishing a “profit-driven” accumulation financial strategy.