Grant Cardone has publicly disclosed that he carries debt on $2.2 billion worth of real estate, a position he frames as intentional leverage strategy rather than financial risk. The statement, delivered in characteristically provocative fashion, is accompanied by Cardone's acknowledgment that this approach draws significant public criticism. Cardone, who built his profile through aggressive promotion of leveraged real estate investing via his Cardone Capital platform, positions high debt loads on income-producing properties as a mechanism for wealth accumulation that most retail investors are culturally conditioned to avoid. The practical tension is real: leveraged commercial real estate portfolios face heightened exposure to interest rate cycles, refinancing risk, and cap rate compression, all of which have tightened materially since 2022. For investors in Cardone Capital funds or observers of the private multifamily market, the disclosure raises straightforward due diligence questions around debt structure, maturity schedules, and coverage ratios that the public statement does not address.
HDFC Bank's board has approved Rajiv Kumar, former Chief Election Commissioner and financial services secretary, as its Part-time Non-Executive Chairman from June 30, 2026. His chairmanship still requires RBI approval, but the move ends the bank's prolonged search for a permanent board leader.
Indian startups raised $1.1 billion across 16 deals in the week of June 21-26, 2026, up 2.5 times from the prior week, with CRED's $900 million Series H led by Meta accounting for most of the total. Square Yards became India's 131st unicorn after closing a $95 million round.
Jet fuel costs dropped sharply after a US-Iran interim peace deal, but airlines are expected to use the savings to rebuild margins rather than cut fares. Tight capacity, aircraft delivery delays, and weak budget carriers give major carriers unusual pricing power heading into the second half of 2026.
Meta is investing $900 million in CRED at a $4.5 billion valuation, the largest Indian startup round of 2026, as founder Kunal Shah moves to a global leadership role at WhatsApp. Miten Sampat takes over as interim CEO, and a major employee stock buyback is expected within weeks.
