Here are the top reads on deals and financial services over the past 24 hours:
Fintech: Amid a digital revolution that is changing norms in nearly every industry, Royal Bank of Canada is investing heavily in a new division that will fundamentally alter the way it targets and attracts personal and commercial banking customers. Story (Tim Kiladze and James Bradshaw)
Media sector: Corus Entertainment Inc. CEO Doug Murphy took the stage on Wednesday to talk up his vision of the media company of the future. It was a pitch targeted at both investors and potential buyers of the TV and radio station owner, which has been put in play by major shareholder Shaw Communications Inc. Story (Andrew Willis, for subscribers)
Energy sector: Iron Bridge Resources Inc. is urging its shareholders to reject a $116-million hostile offer from privately held Velvet Energy Ltd., saying the suitor aims to wrest potentially big production from its key property on the cheap. Story (Jeffrey Jones, for subscribers)
Insider trading: The Ontario Securities Commission has reached a settlement agreement with former star Bay Street money manager Ben Cheng, following allegations that he broke securities laws by leaking confidential information about a multibillion-dollar takeover deal involving online gambling company Amaya Inc. Story (Niall McGee, for subscribers)
Insider trading: Ontario’s securities watchdog has approved a settlement with Peter Volk over allegations that he traded on insider information while acting as general counsel for Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp. Story (Alexandra Posadzki, for subscribers)
MORE FINANCIAL SERVICES NEWS
Loyalty programs: WestJet Airlines Ltd. is teaming up with the Royal Bank of Canada to create a new loyalty program that aims to attract a “very substantial” group of “very unhappy” customers from the Aeroplan program, which its rival Air Canada is preparing to replace in 2020. Story
MORE DEAL NEWS
Media sector: Comcast Corp offered US$65 billion on Wednesday for Twenty-First Century Fox Inc media assets, emboldened by AT&T Inc prevailing over the Trump administration’s attempt to block a merger with Time Warner Inc. Story
Utility sector: Canadian utility AltaGas Ltd. said on Wednesday it would sell a 35-per-cent stake in three hydroelectric projects in Northwest British Columbia for $922-million to help fund its acquisition of U.S.-based WGL Holdings Inc. Story
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
On the block: Shaw Communications Inc. is attempting to sell its stake in broadcaster Corus Entertainment Inc. as part of a strategy to build a war chest for expansion of its Freedom Mobile wireless network. Story (Andrew Willis and Christine Dobby, for subscribers)
The Streetwise newsletter is Tuesday to Saturday. If you’re reading this on the web, or if someone forwarded this e-mail to you, you can sign up for Streetwise and all Globe newsletters on our signup page.