Trending Market News

Walmart reached a $1 trillion market valuation for the first time, marking a significant milestone for the retail giant. The achievement was celebrated at the Nasdaq Market in New York on February 3, as the company's market capitalization crossed this threshold.

• Walmart becomes one of the few companies to achieve the $1 trillion market cap milestone, joining an elite group of mega-cap corporations
• The company celebrated its listing transfer at Nasdaq Market on December 9, 2025, several months before reaching this valuation milestone
• This milestone reflects Walmart's continued strength in the retail sector amid broader market conditions

Rocket Companies stock rose 6% after CEO Varun Krishna reported the company is on track for its highest mortgage loan production in four years. The surge follows a 22 basis point drop in 30-year mortgage rates to 5.99% in recent weeks, partly driven by presidential instruction for mortgage giants to purchase $200 billion in mortgage bonds.

• 30-year mortgage rates fell to 5.99%, matching the low from February 2, 2023, creating favorable conditions for refinancing and new mortgages
• Rocket's competitive advantage comes from linking mortgage servicing and origination, allowing the company to retain and recapture customers for future transactions using AI-powered platforms
• Industry forecasts project mortgage market growth of up to 25% through 2026, with existing home sales potentially rising 10% as affordability improves

PayPal announced the appointment of Enrique Lores as its new president and CEO, effective March 1. Lores, currently the President and CEO of HP Inc., will take the helm at the digital payments company. This leadership change marks a significant transition for PayPal as it brings in an executive with experience leading a major technology company.

• Enrique Lores will assume the role of PayPal's president and CEO starting March 1
• Lores is currently serving as President and Chief Executive Officer of HP Inc., bringing cross-industry tech leadership experience
• The announcement was made on February 3, representing a major executive transition for the digital payments platform

Pfizer reported fourth-quarter profit exceeding Wall Street expectations, driven by strong demand for older drugs like blood thinner Eliquis, which offset declining COVID-19 product sales. The company faces significant challenges ahead, including patent expirations on key drugs and does not expect revenue growth to return until 2029. Pfizer is pursuing new blockbuster medicines, including obesity drugs from recent acquisitions, to fuel future recovery.

• Q4 sales reached $17.56 billion, surpassing analyst estimates of $16.95 billion, with adjusted profit of 66 cents per share
• Strong performance in heart and oncology drugs compensated for fading COVID product demand
• Company anticipates multi-year challenges from patent expirations allowing generic competition, with revenue growth not expected before 2029

Pfizer announced that its experimental obesity drug, acquired through the Metsera deal, demonstrated up to 12.3% weight loss in patients without diabetes during a mid-stage clinical trial. This development positions Pfizer as a competitor in the growing weight-loss drug market, which has seen significant success from rival medications.

• The drug achieved 12.3% weight loss in non-diabetic patients in mid-stage trials, marking a significant efficacy milestone
• Pfizer obtained the experimental obesity medication through its acquisition of Metsera, expanding its pipeline in the lucrative weight-loss treatment sector
• The results represent mid-stage trial data, meaning further Phase 3 trials will be needed before potential regulatory approval

India's Supreme Court warned it could reimpose a ban on WhatsApp sharing user data with Meta entities, criticizing the privacy policy as misleadingly designed. The case stems from a November 2024 antitrust ruling that fined WhatsApp $25.4 million and imposed a five-year data-sharing ban, though an appeals court later lifted the sharing restriction. The Supreme Court will continue hearings next week without issuing a final verdict.

• India's Chief Justice questioned how vulnerable users like elderly or rural citizens could understand WhatsApp's 'very cleverly designed' privacy policy that misleads about data-sharing intentions
• India is Meta's largest market by users, with an estimated 535.8 million WhatsApp users, making any restrictions potentially damaging to the company's business operations
• The original antitrust ruling found WhatsApp's policy forced users to accept changes or lose service access, with no opt-out feature for data sharing with Meta entities for advertising

The Nintendo Switch has become Nintendo's best-selling console ever with over 155 million units sold, surpassing the previous record held by the Nintendo DS at 154 million units. Released in March 2017, the Switch marked a major turnaround for Nintendo following the Wii U's failure with only 13.56 million units sold. The console's hybrid design, combining handheld and TV gaming, along with strong first-party titles like Mario Kart and Animal Crossing, drove its unprecedented success.

• Nintendo has more than tripled its valuation since the Switch's 2017 launch, combining its historically separate handheld and TV console audiences into a single product line
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe led sales with over 70 million units, while the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2023 Super Mario movie helped sustain interest throughout the console's lifecycle
• The Switch 2 successor has already sold over 14 million units, with Nintendo aiming to replicate the original's success through continued expansion into movies, theme parks, and toys

U.S. stock futures rose on Tuesday with the S&P 500 up 0.18% and Nasdaq up 0.48% as investors prepared for a heavy week of corporate earnings reports. About one quarter of S&P 500 companies are set to report quarterly results this week, with analysts expecting nearly 11% earnings growth for the December quarter. Key tech giants including Alphabet and Amazon are scheduled to report, while investors focus on whether AI infrastructure spending is translating into tangible returns.

• Palantir Technologies surged 10.4% on strong quarterly sales driven by U.S. defense spending and military-grade AI tools, while AMD and Super Micro Computer gained over 2% ahead of their earnings reports
• Investors are scrutinizing companies for returns on soaring AI-related capital expenditure, particularly spending on data centers and infrastructure, as 'Magnificent Seven' tech stocks prepare to report results
• January employment report due Friday has been delayed due to a partial federal shutdown that began Saturday after Congress failed to approve funding, with the JOLTS report also postponed

PepsiCo exceeded fourth-quarter revenue expectations, reporting $29.34 billion versus estimates of $28.97 billion, driven by strong international soda demand and U.S. low-sugar beverage sales. The company is responding to consumer price concerns and activist pressure by planning to cut prices up to 15% on snacks, reduce its U.S. product portfolio by 20%, and overhaul its North America operations.

• International beverages volume grew 3% in Q4, boosted by localized flavors in markets like India and Brazil, while North America food volumes declined 1%
• PepsiCo plans price cuts up to 15% on products like Lay's and Cheetos following consumer complaints about high costs and activist investor Elliott Management's push for changes
• The company is reducing its U.S. product offerings by roughly 20% and rebranding key products to appeal to consumers seeking cleaner ingredients amid weight-loss drug usage and the 'Make America Healthy Again' movement

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Novak stated that the global oil market is currently balanced and predicted oil demand will gradually increase in March and April. His comments follow OPEC+'s decision on Sunday to keep oil output unchanged for March, with no announcement about production policy beyond that month.

• OPEC+ agreed to maintain current oil output levels for March at a meeting on Sunday, but made no statement regarding production decisions for April and beyond
• Novak indicated that rising demand beginning in March-April will be 'an additional factor helping to maintain balance' in the oil market
• The Russian official did not directly address what OPEC+ production steps might be taken starting in April

The FDA rejected AstraZeneca's application for a self-injectable subcutaneous version of lupus drug Saphnelo, delaying potential approval until the first half of 2026. The rejection came despite the drug meeting its primary goal in late-stage trials for treating systemic lupus erythematosus, which affects over 3.4 million people globally. The intravenous version remains commercially available in the U.S., while the EU approved the subcutaneous formulation in December.

• The FDA issued a complete response letter requesting additional information for the at-home injectable version, though the clinic-administered intravenous formulation continues to be sold
• Saphnelo successfully reduced disease activity in late-stage trials for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a chronic autoimmune disease affecting more than 3.4 million people worldwide
• The European Union already approved the subcutaneous formulation for adult patients with moderate to severe SLE in December, while AstraZeneca works with the FDA to advance the U.S. application

Boeing announced on Tuesday that Air Cambodia has ordered up to 20 of its 737 MAX 8 aircraft. The deal was publicly revealed at a Singapore event attended by U.S. and Cambodian officials and diplomats, marking a commercial win for Boeing's MAX program.

• The order is for up to 20 Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes, though the article title references 10 jets suggesting a firm order with options
• The agreement was formalized at a public event in Singapore with diplomatic representation from both the United States and Cambodia
• This represents a boost for Boeing's 737 MAX program as it continues to rebuild market presence following previous operational challenges

Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury acknowledged significant supply chain challenges facing the aircraft manufacturer, particularly in engine procurement during 2025 and 2026, resulting in a delivery backlog. Speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Faury also noted accelerating demand for defense products and growing competition from Chinese manufacturers like Comac.

• Engine procurement has been the most difficult supply chain issue for Airbus in 2025 and 2026, contributing to aircraft delivery delays
• The company is experiencing increased demand for defense products amid the supply chain constraints
• Airbus is taking Chinese aircraft maker Comac seriously as a competitor, with Faury noting there is sufficient market demand to accommodate additional players

Elon Musk's companies SpaceX and xAI have agreed on a share exchange deal where xAI investors will receive 0.1433 SpaceX shares for each xAI share they hold. The agreement allows some xAI executives to opt for cash payment instead of SpaceX stock. This deal represents a significant consolidation move between two of Musk's major ventures.

• xAI investors will receive 0.1433 SpaceX shares per xAI share held under the exchange agreement
• xAI executives have the option to receive $75.46 in cash per share instead of SpaceX stock
• The deal consolidates ownership between two major Elon Musk companies, linking his AI venture with his aerospace business

Tesla has introduced a new Model Y variant in the United States with a starting price of $41,990, according to the company's website. This launch expands Tesla's electric vehicle lineup with a more accessible price point for its popular crossover SUV model.

• The new Model Y variant is priced at $41,990, potentially making it more competitive in the mid-range EV market
• The launch was announced through Tesla's website, following the company's typical direct-to-consumer communication strategy
• This pricing strategy may help Tesla maintain market share amid increasing competition in the electric vehicle segment

Silver's dramatic price surge and volatility in recent weeks has led market analysts to compare it to meme stocks like GameStop, with retail investors driving sharp, fundamentally disconnected moves. The metal has experienced 10 moves of 5% or more in the past month, with retail traders pouring record amounts into silver ETFs and coordinating on social media platforms like Reddit. Experts warn that silver has entered a 'self-fulfilling frenzy' that risks burning new investors drawn by headlines rather than fundamentals.

• Retail investors poured $171 million net into silver ETFs on Jan. 26, nearly double the previous peak during the 2021 'silver squeeze', while spot silver rose almost 4% to $4,852.76 per ounce on Tuesday.
• Silver has recorded 10 price moves of 5% or more in either direction over the past month, with analysts noting it is 'totally disconnected' from fundamentals and driven by retail flows.
• Reddit communities like Silverbugs are using meme-stock terminology such as 'diamond hands' to encourage holding positions despite volatility, mirroring the GameStop phenomenon from 2021.

Palantir Technologies significantly exceeded Q4 earnings estimates, reporting revenue of $1.41 billion versus $1.33 billion expected, driven by surging demand for its AI tools from both commercial clients and the U.S. government. The company issued strong guidance for Q1 2026 ($1.532-$1.536 billion) and full-year 2026 ($7.182-$7.198 billion), well above analyst expectations of $1.32 billion and $6.22 billion respectively.

• Q4 revenue grew 70% year-over-year to $1.41 billion, with U.S. government revenue up 66% and U.S. commercial revenue more than doubling from the prior year
• Full fiscal year 2026 revenue guidance of $7.182-$7.198 billion significantly exceeds Wall Street's $6.22 billion estimate, reflecting strong AI adoption momentum
• CEO Alex Karp called the results 'indisputably the best results in tech in the last decade' and noted demand is so strong that Palantir has delayed selling new products to international allies to focus on U.S. government clients

The United States and India have reached a trade agreement that will result in immediate tariff reductions on goods exchanged between the two countries. President Donald Trump announced the deal on Monday following a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House. The agreement marks a significant development in U.S.-India trade relations.

• President Trump and Prime Minister Modi met at the White House on February 13, 2025, where the trade deal was announced
• Both countries will immediately begin lowering tariffs on each other's goods as part of the agreement
• The announcement was classified as breaking news, indicating the deal's significance for bilateral trade between the world's largest economy and one of its fastest-growing partners

Swiss miner Glencore is close to appointing Citi as its lead investment bank for a potential merger with Rio Tinto that could create the world's largest mining company valued at over $200 billion. Citi filed disclosures with the UK Takeover Panel in January identifying its connection to Glencore regarding the possible deal. Under UK takeover rules, Glencore faces a February 5 deadline to announce a firm offer or walk away, though an extension is possible.

• The combined entity would be worth over $200 billion, making it the world's largest miner
• Citi has a longstanding relationship with Glencore, having advised on its 2011 IPO and recent Teck Resources coal business buyout
• Rio Tinto has reportedly appointed JP Morgan, Evercore and Macquarie as advisors, while other banks are competing for roles on Glencore's side

Snowflake announced a $200 million partnership with OpenAI on February 2 to integrate advanced AI models directly into its cloud data platform. The collaboration will develop AI agents that allow users to query company data using natural language without coding, reflecting enterprises' shift from basic AI chatbots to integrated systems with proprietary data access. Customers including Canva and WHOOP are already using the joint offering for research and analytics.

• The partnership makes OpenAI's models available within Snowflake across all three major cloud providers, expanding beyond the previous focus on Microsoft Azure
• AI agents will handle complex workflows by analyzing data, searching internal documents, and automating tasks while maintaining strict data security and governance controls
• The deal intensifies competition in the data and AI market, where rival Databricks recently raised funds at a $134 billion valuation for its 'Agentbricks' framework