IBM has completed its acquisition of HashiCorp for $6.4 billion following regulatory approvals from the U.S. FTC and the U.K.'s CMA. The integration will focus on combining HashiCorp's Terraform with IBM's Ansible for enhanced infrastructure automation. HashiCorp's Vault will also integrate with IBM's OpenShift and Guardium. The acquisition is expected to boost IBM's earnings and free cash flow within two years. HashiCorp recently reported $11 million in adjusted operating income on $173.4 million in revenue.

In merger news, HashiCorp is set to merge with IBM (NYSE:IBM) for $35.00 per share in cash, with the transaction expected to close in the first quarter of 2025, pending closing conditions.

36Kr reports that the Australian regulator has begun reviewing IBM's acquisition of software company HashiCorp. Meanwhile, a report from Guosheng Securities suggests that monetary easing remains a major trend, with expectations of interest rate cuts of around 40 basis points and reserve requirement ratio cuts of 50-100 basis points by 2025. Despite recent setbacks, the overall policy outlook remains positive, with improved US-China relations adding to the optimism.