Trending Market News

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced a $252 million settlement with Applied Materials to resolve alleged illegal exports of U.S. semiconductor manufacturing equipment to China. The settlement addresses violations of export controls that restrict the transfer of advanced chip-making technology to China.

• Applied Materials agreed to pay $252 million to settle charges of illegally exporting semiconductor manufacturing equipment to China
• The case involves violations of U.S. export controls designed to prevent advanced chip-making technology from reaching China
• The settlement was announced by the Commerce Department on February 11, 2026

Russian authorities have blocked WhatsApp by removing it from the internet regulator's online directory, affecting a service that had at least 100 million users in the country until recently. The move targets Meta Platforms-owned WhatsApp, escalating Russia's restrictions on Western technology platforms.

• WhatsApp had at least 100 million users in Russia before the service was blocked
• The messaging app was removed from an online directory maintained by Russia's internet regulator
• This represents another restriction on Meta Platforms' services in Russia, following previous bans on Facebook and Instagram

Motorola Solutions forecast 2026 annual sales of approximately $12.7 billion and adjusted profit above Wall Street estimates, driven by sustained government spending on public safety technology. The company is benefiting from North American public safety agencies upgrading radio systems and investing in video security and command center software. Fourth-quarter sales of $3.38 billion also exceeded analyst expectations.

• Annual sales forecast of $12.7 billion exceeds analyst estimates of $12.61 billion, supported by government agency upgrades to radio systems and security software
• The company generates recurring revenue from its software and services segment, which includes command center software, video analytics, and cybersecurity services
• Fourth-quarter sales reached $3.38 billion, beating estimates of $3.35 billion, as CEO Greg Brown's focus on integrated hardware-software platforms drives higher recurring revenue

Instagram head Adam Mosseri testified in Los Angeles Superior Court in a trial alleging Meta and other social media companies misled the public about platform safety for young users. Mosseri distinguished between 'clinical addiction' and 'problematic use' of social media, comparing excessive Instagram use to binge-watching Netflix. The case centers on allegations that design features like infinite scroll caused addictive behavior and mental health harm in minors.

• The plaintiff alleges Meta, YouTube, TikTok and Snap knowingly designed features fostering detrimental mental health effects in young users, though TikTok and Snap reached settlements and exited the case
• Court exhibits revealed internal Meta debates over plastic surgery filters in 2019, with executives weighing well-being risks against growth impacts and competitive concerns in Asian markets
• Mosseri testified that protecting minors is 'good for business and for profit' in the long run, while emphasizing he is not a medical professional when discussing addiction terminology

Deutsche Bank continued providing services to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein for seven months after telling him in December 2018 it would end their relationship, only closing all accounts after his July 2019 arrest. Newly released U.S. Justice Department documents reveal the German bank facilitated cash withdrawals and currency orders during this wind-down period, despite earlier claiming it would cease servicing his accounts by February 2019.

• Epstein held at least nine accounts totaling $1.78 million with Deutsche as of May 2019, including arranging 50,000 euros in cash for a European trip in April 2019
• Deutsche paid regulators $150 million in 2020 for banking Epstein from 2013-2019, criticized for weak oversight despite public reports linking him to trafficking young women
• The bank's wealth management head sent an email immediately after Epstein's arrest, triggering an internal review that finally closed all remaining accounts

Cisco Systems raised its full-year revenue and profit forecasts on Wednesday, driven by strong enterprise demand for networking equipment amid the AI boom. The company increased its 2026 revenue outlook to $61.2-$61.7 billion from a prior range of $60.2-$61 billion, reflecting robust data center investments by technology companies building AI computing infrastructure.

• Surge in data center investments has driven strong demand for Cisco's core networking products including switches and routers
• Enterprises are prioritizing 'AI ready' campus networks as infrastructure readiness becomes crucial for AI-era workloads and modernization across switching, wireless, and IoT systems
• New revenue guidance for 2026 represents an increase of approximately $1 billion at the midpoint compared to previous forecast

Bill Ackman's Pershing Square Capital Management disclosed a new stake in Meta on Wednesday, with Ackman describing the social media company as having a 'deeply discounted valuation.' The investment represents a notable vote of confidence from the prominent activist investor in Meta's current market position.

• Pershing Square Capital Management, led by billionaire investor Bill Ackman, revealed the Meta position as breaking news
• Ackman characterized Meta as 'deeply undervalued,' suggesting he sees significant upside potential in the stock
• The disclosure marks a new investment position for the activist hedge fund manager known for concentrated, high-conviction bets

McDonald's is set to report fourth-quarter earnings on Wednesday, with Wall Street expecting revenue of $6.84 billion. The fast-food giant has been responding to weakened low-income consumer spending by launching value promotions, while successfully attracting high-income diners trading down from fast-casual options. Analysts project same-store sales growth of 3.9%, driven by a 5.4% increase in U.S. locations.

• McDonald's has warned for over a year that low-income consumers are spending less, prompting the chain to embrace value-focused promotions including a new value menu and relaunched Extra Value combo meals
• High-income consumers trading down from fast-casual restaurants have become a bright spot, attracted by buzzy promotions like the return of Monopoly and the holiday-timed Grinch meal in Q4
• Wall Street analysts expect same-store sales to rise 3.9% overall, with U.S. locations showing stronger growth at 5.4%, according to StreetAccount estimates

A new study by health data firm Truveta found that 36% of early users of Novo Nordisk's new Wegovy weight-loss pill had no prior experience with GLP-1 medications. The analysis reviewed health records from 8,762 patients who received prescriptions for the pill, which was FDA-approved on December 22. The remaining users switched from either injectable Wegovy or Eli Lilly's competing GLP-1 drug Zepbound.

• Among patients starting the new pill, 21.1% had previously used injectable Wegovy and 15.8% switched from Eli Lilly's Zepbound injectable
• The oral pill formulation appears to be attracting a significant portion of first-time GLP-1 users, potentially expanding the overall market for these weight-loss medications
• Truveta's analysis was based on 8,762 patient health records following the FDA's December 22 approval of the oral Wegovy formulation

Stellantis issued a 'Do Not Drive' warning for approximately 225,000 older U.S. vehicles with unrepaired defective Takata air bag inflators. The affected vehicles include various Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, and Mitsubishi models from 2003-2016 that have not completed recall repairs. The defective inflators have been linked to 28 deaths in the United States.

• The warning covers multiple vehicle brands including Dodge Ram, Durango, Dakota, Magnum, Challenger, Chrysler Aspen and 300, Jeep Wrangler, and Mitsubishi Raider from model years 2003-2016
• NHTSA reports 28 U.S. deaths from crashes involving defective Takata air bag inflators, warning that even minor crashes can cause the air bags to explode and cause fatal or severe injuries
• The 225,000 vehicles subject to the warning have outstanding recall repairs that remain incomplete despite previous recall notices

Unity Software shares plummeted nearly 30% on Wednesday after the company issued a disappointing first-quarter revenue forecast of $480-$490 million, falling short of Wall Street's $492.1 million estimate. The weak guidance signals sluggish demand for Unity's game development software amid growing concerns about competition from AI-powered alternatives.

• Unity's Q1 revenue forecast of $480-$490 million missed analyst expectations of $492.1 million, triggering the sharp sell-off
• The company faces rising competitive pressure from AI tools like Google's Genie 2, which can generate interactive worlds and potentially replace traditional game engine work
• Unity's platform has expanded beyond videogame development into simulations, filmmaking, and digital modeling applications

The Trump administration's $500 million Venezuelan oil revenue deal, temporarily parked in Qatar, raises legal questions about government recognition. The U.S. officially recognizes Venezuela's 2015 opposition-led National Assembly but is cooperating with interim President Delcy Rodriguez's regime remnant to facilitate oil sales. This creates uncertainty about who controls Venezuela's resources and future governance.

• Trump's executive order requires Venezuelan oil proceeds be held in U.S. Treasury custody, but it's unclear which government controls the funds since the U.S. recognizes the 2015 National Assembly, not the Rodriguez regime
• The arrangement involves Venezuela shipping 50 million barrels of crude to the U.S., with Secretary of State Rubio describing it as a 'short-term mechanism' during a 'transition and stabilization' phase
• Democrats question the legality of using IEEPA (International Emergency Economic Powers Act) authority, arguing it requires armed hostilities or an attack on the U.S., neither of which applies to Venezuela

T-Mobile missed analyst expectations for subscriber growth in Q4, adding 962,000 postpaid phone customers versus the expected 981,330, amid intensified competition from rivals during the holiday season. The company also projected annual adjusted free cash flow below analyst estimates at $18-18.7 billion compared to expectations of $18.9 billion, partly due to integration costs from its UScellular merger.

• Customer churn rate increased to 1.02% from 0.92% year-over-year, indicating higher customer turnover despite T-Mobile adding the most subscribers among the big three U.S. carriers
• Total revenue of $24.33 billion exceeded estimates of $24.11 billion, boosted by 60% of new accounts choosing premium plans bundled with Netflix and Hulu subscriptions
• T-Mobile's finance chief attributed the competitive pressure to a 'principal competitor' aggressively pursuing device-centric promotions to drive postpaid phone growth during the holiday quarter

Kraft Heinz has paused its efforts to split the company, with the new CEO expressing confidence that the company's current challenges can be resolved without pursuing a breakup. This strategic shift represents a change in direction for the food giant as leadership prioritizes operational fixes over corporate restructuring.

• The company has halted work on splitting into separate entities, reversing previous strategic considerations
• New CEO has stated that the company's 'challenges are fixable,' signaling confidence in a turnaround strategy
• The decision suggests management believes operational improvements are preferable to corporate separation

Shopify projected first-quarter revenue growth above market expectations, forecasting a low-thirties percentage increase versus analysts' estimate of 25.2%. The e-commerce platform is benefiting from resilient U.S. consumer spending, particularly among higher-income households, despite economic headwinds from tariffs and rising prices. Fourth-quarter revenue rose 31% to $3.67 billion, beating the $3.59 billion analyst estimate.

• Q1 revenue expected to grow at 'low-thirties' percentage rate, exceeding the 25.2% analyst consensus estimate
• Q4 revenue reached $3.67 billion, up 31% year-over-year and above the $3.59 billion analyst estimate
• Growth driven by strong U.S. consumer spending led by higher-income households, with improved sentiment in early February despite tariff concerns and cost-of-living pressures

Lufthansa is facing an all-day pilots strike on Thursday, February 11, affecting its core airline and cargo operations, as unions demand more generous pension benefits. The airline's management says it lacks financial leeway to meet the demands and calls the escalation unnecessary. Flight attendants at Lufthansa's CityLine are also striking separately over planned operational shutdowns.

• German pilots' union VC called a 24-hour strike affecting all flights departing from German airports on Thursday, with tens of thousands of passengers potentially impacted
• Lufthansa's HR head Michael Niggemann criticized the demands as excessive, stating the core airline 'simply has no financial leeway' amid ongoing cost-cutting efforts
• A separate strike by UFO flight attendants union at CityLine is also planned for Thursday over the planned shutdown of flight operations and lack of a collective social plan

Amazon Pharmacy is expanding same-day prescription delivery to approximately 4,500 U.S. cities and towns by the end of 2025, adding nearly 2,000 new communities including states like Idaho and Massachusetts. This expansion builds on Amazon's growing healthcare presence following its 2018 entry into pharmaceuticals through PillPack acquisition and subsequent partnerships with weight-loss providers and integration with its One Medical primary care network.

• The expansion nearly doubles Amazon Pharmacy's same-day delivery footprint, reaching approximately 4,500 locations by year-end from the current network
• Amazon partnered with WeightWatchers in October to deliver GLP-1 injectable obesity treatments for weight-loss management members
• The company integrated pharmacy services with One Medical (acquired in 2023), including prescription kiosks at primary care locations where patients pay $199 annual subscription fees

India has definitively ruled out relaxing its 2019 ban on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, rejecting a four-year lobbying campaign by Philip Morris International to introduce its IQOS device. The decision affects India's massive cigarette market of over 100 billion units sold annually, where Philip Morris currently holds just 7.6% market share and had hoped IQOS would provide a growth opportunity.

• Philip Morris CEO called India's ban 'illogical' and said the company privately lobbied top officials and parliamentary panels from 2021-2025 to exempt heat-not-burn products from the prohibition
• India's health ministry stated it 'is not considering revoking, amending or relaxing this ban' and remains committed to evidence-based tobacco control measures
• IQOS has 35 million users globally across 79 markets with 151 billion units sold in 2024, but analysts say an India launch would have offered the 'next leg of the growth story' as other markets mature

AirAsia X is canceling its order for 15 Airbus A330neo jets and instead plans a significant order for smaller regional aircraft to serve new routes targeting first-time travelers in Asia. CEO Tony Fernandes indicated the airline will choose between Airbus or Embraer regional models, with an announcement expected within a month.

• Industry sources suggest AirAsia is considering up to 150 Airbus A220 jets, larger than previously reported
• The shift from widebody A330neo jets to smaller regional aircraft reflects a strategic pivot toward targeting Asia's growing first-time traveler market
• The announcement follows parent company Capital A's recent restructuring of its aviation operations

Activist investor Elliott Management has built a stake in London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) and is engaging with the company to improve performance. LSEG has faced concerns about rising competition and artificial intelligence threatening its data and analytics income, part of broader pressures on the software sector. Elliott reportedly does not want LSEG to pursue a full sale or spin-off of its stock exchange business.

• Elliott's exact stake size in LSEG remains undisclosed, but the firm is actively engaging with management to drive performance improvements
• LSEG has been under pressure amid concerns that AI and competition will squeeze income from its data and analytics business, following a global software sector selloff that erased nearly $1 trillion in value
• This marks Elliott's latest major campaign in a British company after previously pressuring Shell to improve operations and boost cash flow