BlackRock power players

The end of the week is in sight.

So, just as I predicted, we've already had some big news hit despite it being late August. Palantir Technologies officially revealed its documents to go public (ok, Rebecca Ungarino and Becky Peterson actually predicted this one). The super secretive tech company, which is backed by Peter Thiel, will come to the public markets via a direct listing (that funky way of going public done by Spotify and Slack).

Palantir is an interesting company in a multitude of ways (it's had a long history as a dealer of government spy tech). I encourage you to stay up on the latest Palantir news, of which there is plenty, by clicking here.

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BlackRock is all in on alts

Alts are totally in.

Investing in nontraditional assets like hedge funds and private equity has become very in vogue over the past few years. BlackRock, the largest asset manager in the world, has recognized the trend, building out teams dedicated to alternative-asset businesses.

Rebecca Ungarino profiled the 17 people at BlackRock leading that strategy. It's an interesting look into how one of the world's most powerful financial firms is approaching one of the industry's hottest trends.

Click here for the full story.

Speaking of alternative investments, Casey Sullivan and Meghan Morris have the details on private-equity firms' growing infatuation with tech companies. Casey and Meghan spoke to 12 industry insiders about the current landscape and how big players like KKR, Blackstone, and Carlyle are pushing into the space. Click here for the full story.

Apple is in talks to potentially expand its NYC footprint. It shows how tech is becoming a lone bright spot for a battered commercial real-estate market.

Don't count out NYC real estate just yet. Dan Geiger has the scoop on Apple's interest in expanding its Manhattan office. Read the full story here.

Here's the 20-slide pitch deck Finix used to sell its vision of payments-as-a-service and nab $30 million from backers including Amex's VC arm

Who doesn't love a good pitch deck? Shannen Balogh has the deck used by fintech Finix, which is pitching itself as a payments-as-a-service company and has raised $96 million to date. Check out the deck here.

A first-of-its kind ETF focused solely on the burgeoning US cannabis industry is prepping a launch after spending a year navigating regulatory red tape

Investing in cannabis companies in the US can be a tricky endeavor. However, Jeremy Berke and I have info on an upcoming ETF that will offer exposure to US cannabis companies and be listed on a US exchange. Click here for all the details on how it was created.

Odd lots:

A senior Facebook executive reveals how the company's recent blockbuster office deal in NYC offers vision into the future of the workplace (BI)

Ford Rethinks the Office, Betting That Work Will Be Partly Remote Longer-Term (WSJ)

For the first time, the SEC will allow people who are not already rich to invest in startups and venture funds (BI)

Former Goldman President Gary Cohn Joins Cliff Robbins's Blank-Check IPO (Bloomberg)

New blank-check company from Bancorp founder lays groundwork for a fintech deal (CNBC)

SoftBank Eyes Joining Deal for TikTok (The Information)

Four Lawsuits, 17 Companies, and $900 Million: The Story Behind Citi's 'Mistaken' Loan Repayment (Institutional Investor)