Combining DS Smith with International Paper would further a post-Covid consolidation trend in the paper and packaging sector.

Power prices are surging in parts of the country as utilities race to fortify grids vulnerable to wildfires and try to satisfy electric demand from data centers, AI, EVs and industrial facilities.

Since the start of 2022, the combined number of fossil-fuel loans provided by Citizens Financial, BOK Financial, Truist Securities, Fifth Third and U.S. Bancorp rose more than 70 percent.

In October, the firm acquired a majority stake in Cibo Vita, which counts Nature’s Garden as its flagship brand.

The deal could push further consolidation in the software-as-a-service industry and attract regulatory scrutiny.