The fallout from Lending Club’s surprise news about Renaud Laplanche’s departure continues, with Goldman Sachs and Jeffries LLC hitting the pause on planned LC bond sales – WSJ

A Treasury Department white paper indicated that LC’s industry (and fintech in general) can expect new rules in short order too—rules that “could dampen marketplace lenders’ ability to disrupt the finance world” – Law360

An interesting Deal Professor installment this week featuring Bill Gates, his foundation and personal investment fund, and a “brutal shareholder dispute” over Swiss specialty chemical maker Sika.  The public fight is a distinct departure for the very private approach Gates generally favors – NYTimes

Citi’s doing what it can to keep two settlement class members from disrupting its $2 billion forex manipulation deal – Law360

Some surprisingly harsh navel-gazing from the venture capitalist industry means the concession that a lot of money has been poured into start-ups that are “largely worthless.” But in the current dead-IPO market, it’s increasingly difficult to distinguish dumb money from smart, and that could mean big trouble for new ideas if the current bubble bursts – NYTimes

Here’s some shiny optimism from Moneybeat on a Wednesday morning: “The Economy’s Going Nowhere and Stocks Could be About to Tank.” But, you know, other than that everything’s fine – WSJ

Speaking of economic woes, lest anyone here on the mainland get judgy judgy about Puerto Rico’s debt crises, there are a large handful of cities and states that are awfully close to the same fate – NYTimes

Allergan’s dropping $10 billion on share buybacks following its failed merger with Pfizer – Bloomberg

Notably missing in some of 2016’s biggest mergers: investment bankers (and their big-time fees) – WSJ

Also missing – a Staples/Home Depot deal, thanks in large part to a federal judge with competition concerns – NYTimes and WSJ

Expect to hear more about the current “baby lull” in coming years and its impact on the economy, social programs, and everything in between – WSJ

And you thought your job was tough—try being the ad wizards attempting to keep up with teens, social media, and the latest memes of choice – MarketWatch

Well, folks, there’s your election right there.  Hillary Clinton has promised—if elected—to open up the US’s UFO and Area 51 files “as much as we can.” Does she want to believe?  Yes, apparently – NYTimes