Trending Market News

Panama officially transferred control of two strategic canal ports from CK Hutchison's subsidiary to Maersk's APM Terminals after the Supreme Court ruled the concessions unconstitutional. The move ends CK Hutchison's two-decade operation of the Balboa and Cristobal terminals and reflects efforts to reduce Chinese influence over infrastructure handling 5% of global maritime trade.

• The Supreme Court ruling annulled concessions for Balboa and Cristobal port terminals operated by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison's Panama Ports Company for over 20 years
• Maersk's APM Terminals will manage the ports temporarily under separate contracts while Panama develops a new long-term concession framework
• The transfer aligns with U.S. President Trump's push to curb Chinese influence over the Panama Canal amid growing U.S.-China rivalry over global trade routes

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary defended the agency's support for mRNA vaccines while justifying the Trump administration's decision to cut federal funding for mRNA research, arguing that pharmaceutical companies earned over $50 billion from COVID vaccines and can afford their own research. The HHS previously ended over $700 million in Moderna funding for pandemic preparedness, including bird flu vaccine development. Makary stated taxpayer funds should instead support research into rare diseases and underfunded conditions.

• HHS cut more than $700 million in Moderna funding for mRNA vaccines against pandemic threats like bird flu, despite an ongoing outbreak infecting workers
• Makary argued companies making mRNA vaccines earned over $50 billion and should self-fund research rather than rely on taxpayers
• The FDA has approved two mRNA vaccines for RSV from Moderna and GSK during Makary's tenure, and he expressed interest in reviewing mRNA cancer treatments

Amazon announced plans to invest $12 billion in new AI data centers in northwestern Louisiana, part of its broader $200 billion AI spending plan for the year. The facilities in Caddo and Bossier Parishes will create 540 full-time jobs and support approximately 1,700 additional roles. This investment comes as tech giants race to expand data center capacity to meet surging AI computing demands.

• Amazon's total AI spending is expected to reach $200 billion in 2026, exceeding all other hyperscalers and contributing to a combined $700 billion industry expenditure
• The company will pay 100% of costs for new energy infrastructure and invest up to $400 million in public water infrastructure, using only surplus water to address local resource concerns
• Amazon's stock declined for nine consecutive days following its February earnings report, losing over $450 billion in market value as Wall Street reacted skeptically to the massive capital expenditure plans

AbbVie announced a $380 million investment to build two new active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing facilities at its North Chicago, Illinois campus, expanding domestic production capacity for neuroscience and obesity medicines. The investment is part of a broader effort to scale up U.S. manufacturing amid the Trump administration's tariffs on pharmaceutical imports. Construction will begin in spring 2026, with full operations expected by 2029.

• The new facilities will create 300 jobs including engineers, scientists, manufacturing operators and lab technicians in North Chicago
• Construction timing allows AbbVie to potentially avoid tariffs on branded drugs imposed in October, which exempt producers who had already broken ground on U.S. plants
• The investment is part of AbbVie's larger commitment made in January to invest in U.S.-based R&D over the next decade, with the company planning to announce additional investments in 2026

PayPal is reportedly attracting takeover interest from potential buyers after its stock value dropped by nearly half. The payments company has held meetings with banks following unsolicited acquisition interest, with at least one major competitor considering acquiring the entire company while others are interested in specific assets.

• PayPal's stock has declined approximately 50% from previous levels, making it a potential takeover target
• At least one large rival is evaluating a full company acquisition, while other suitors are interested only in certain PayPal assets
• PayPal has fielded meetings with banks amid the unsolicited takeover interest but declined to comment on the report

German pharmaceutical company Bayer has filed a lawsuit in a New York court against Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary Janssen Biotech Inc. The lawsuit relates to Bayer's Nubeqa, a prostate cancer drug. The specific nature of the legal dispute was not disclosed in the brief announcement.

• The lawsuit was filed in a New York court and involves Bayer's prostate cancer treatment Nubeqa
• Defendants include Johnson & Johnson and its biotech subsidiary Janssen Biotech Inc
• No details were provided about the grounds for the lawsuit or whether it involves patent infringement, competition issues, or other claims

Volvo Cars is recalling 40,323 EX30 electric SUVs due to battery overheating risks that could cause fires. The recall affects the compact SUV crucial to Volvo's strategy to compete with Chinese brands and threatens the automaker's safety reputation. Volvo will replace the defective high-voltage battery packs supplied by Geely-backed Shandong Geely Sunwoda Power Battery Co. free of charge.

• The recall covers EX30 Single-Motor Extended Range and Twin-Motor Performance models, with owners advised to limit charging to 70% and park away from buildings until batteries are replaced
• Battery replacement costs could reach $195 million excluding logistics and repair expenses, according to Reuters analysis, though Volvo disputes this as 'speculative'
• Industry analysts warn the issue is particularly damaging for Volvo since safety is central to its brand identity, with the EX30 being critical to its electric vehicle strategy and competition with Chinese manufacturers

Stellantis is relaunching the Jeep Cherokee after a three-year hiatus to drive a U.S. sales turnaround, targeting a 25% retail sales increase in 2026 to 1.15 million vehicles. The Cherokee is Jeep's first traditional hybrid and most fuel-efficient gas-powered vehicle ever, achieving 37 combined mpg, positioned to compete against the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V in the largest U.S. vehicle segments.

• Jeep sales declined 39% from 2018 to 2025 (973,200 to 593,401 units), while Stellantis posted its seventh consecutive annual U.S. sales decline in 2025 (down 3%)
• The Cherokee features a 1.6-liter turbocharged hybrid powertrain with 210 hp, priced from $37,000-$46,000, with the bestselling Laredo model expected at $39,995
• Production capacity constraints at the Toluca, Mexico plant (303,000 annual capacity shared with other models) may limit initial sales volume until U.S. expansion at an Illinois plant begins next year

Gossamer Bio announced on Monday that its experimental drug failed to meet the primary endpoint in a late-stage clinical trial for patients with a serious lung and heart condition. This represents a significant setback for the biotech company's drug development pipeline.

• The drug missed its main goal in the late-stage study, indicating it did not demonstrate sufficient efficacy for regulatory approval
• The condition being treated affects both lung and heart function, representing a serious medical need
• Late-stage trial failures typically have negative implications for a company's stock price and future development strategy

Oil prices retreated from a six-month high on Monday after Oman announced a third round of U.S.-Iran talks will continue in Geneva on Thursday. Brent crude had rallied to $71 last week on supply fears, with analysts estimating around $6 in geopolitical risk premium embedded in prices. The moderation follows signals that any potential U.S. military action would be limited in scope.

• Brent crude reached a six-month high of $71 last week before pulling back as diplomatic tensions eased with the announcement of continued negotiations
• The talks focus on Iran's nuclear program, with the U.S. demanding concessions on uranium enrichment while Iran maintains its program is for civilian purposes only
• A recent Supreme Court ruling found many of Trump's tariffs illegal, potentially constraining his policy options and adding uncertainty to his approach on Iran

Gilead Sciences announced it will acquire cancer therapy developer Arcellx for $7.8 billion in implied equity value. The deal values Arcellx shares at $115 each, representing a significant premium that sent the target company's stock surging. This acquisition expands Gilead's oncology portfolio through access to Arcellx's cancer treatment pipeline.

• Gilead will pay $115 per share for Arcellx in the $7.8 billion acquisition
• The announcement caused Arcellx shares to surge following the deal disclosure
• The acquisition strengthens Gilead's position in cancer therapeutics development

Chevron has entered exclusive negotiations with Iraq's Basra Oil Company for the West Qurna 2 oilfield after U.S. sanctions forced Russia's Lukoil to exit. The agreements require approval from Iraq's Council of Ministers and the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control. West Qurna 2 is one of the world's largest oilfields, representing about 0.5% of global oil supply and nearly 10% of Iraq's output.

• The deal follows U.S. sanctions on Lukoil that required the Russian company to sell its assets by February 28 as part of pressure on Russia
• West Qurna 2 accounts for approximately 0.5% of global oil supply and nearly 10% of Iraq's total oil output
• The agreements include data exchange provisions and exclusive negotiation rights, pending multiple regulatory approvals from Iraqi and U.S. authorities

Novo Nordisk announced that its experimental obesity drug CagriSema failed to meet its primary endpoint in a clinical trial comparing it to Eli Lilly's tirzepatide. The trial aimed to show CagriSema was non-inferior but achieved only 23% body weight reduction over 84 weeks versus 25.5% for tirzepatide, representing a setback in the competitive obesity drug market.

• CagriSema achieved 23% weight reduction compared to 25.5% for Eli Lilly's tirzepatide over 84 weeks
• The drug failed to meet the non-inferiority threshold, meaning it did not demonstrate comparable effectiveness to the competitor
• This outcome represents a competitive disadvantage for Novo Nordisk in the rapidly growing obesity treatment market

U.S. Treasury yields remained largely flat as investors assessed President Trump's decision to raise global tariffs to 15% from 10%, announced immediately after the Supreme Court struck down his previous tariff framework in a 6-3 ruling. The 10-year Treasury yield held near 4.076% while markets await key economic data including durable goods orders and the producer price index.

• The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that Trump wrongfully used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to enforce tariffs, but Trump responded by immediately raising global tariffs to 15%
• Treasury yields showed minimal movement: 10-year at 4.076% (down less than 1 basis point), 30-year at 4.72%, and 2-year at 3.47%
• Investors are monitoring the tariff situation closely while awaiting durable goods orders and factory orders data on Monday, with producer price index data due Friday

UK chemicals company Johnson Matthey agreed to sell its catalyst technologies business to Honeywell for £1.33 billion ($1.80 billion), representing a significant reduction from the previously agreed price of £1.8 billion. The revised deal marks a notable price cut in the transaction between the two industrial companies.

• The sale price was reduced by £470 million (approximately 26%) from the original agreement of £1.8 billion to £1.33 billion
• Honeywell is acquiring Johnson Matthey's catalyst technologies division, a key business unit in the chemicals sector
• The transaction value in US dollars is $1.80 billion at the current exchange rate of $1 = £0.7393

Rolls-Royce Holdings is expected to announce a shareholder buyback program worth up to $2 billion (approximately 1.5 billion pounds) alongside its annual results this week, according to Sky News. The announcement would follow the company's previous 1 billion pound buyback program and comes after Rolls-Royce upgraded its financial outlook. The company declined to comment on the report.

• The new buyback program of up to $2 billion would be Rolls-Royce's second major shareholder return initiative, following a previous 1 billion pound buyback
• The announcement is expected to accompany the company's annual results release this week
• Rolls-Royce recently upgraded its financial outlook, signaling improved financial performance

President Trump demanded Netflix fire board member Susan Rice or 'pay the consequences' after she predicted corporations that accommodated Trump would face accountability when Democrats regain power. The demand comes as the DOJ reviews Netflix's proposed $72 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, raising questions about potential political pressure on the regulatory process.

• Rice, who rejoined Netflix's board in 2023, warned that corporations who 'bent the knee' to Trump would be held accountable by future opposition administrations and should not expect forgiveness for violated principles and policies
• Netflix is pursuing a $72 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery (excluding cable networks like CNN), with the DOJ investigating potential anticompetitive effects on creative talent and content creator negotiations
• Trump previously stated he would stay out of the DOJ's deal review but is now publicly threatening Netflix, creating potential concerns about political interference in the regulatory approval process

American Girl, owned by Mattel, is marking its 40th anniversary while navigating significant challenges including digital competition and shifting consumer habits. Annual sales have plummeted from over $600 million at their mid-2010s peak to roughly $200 million in 2023, though the brand has posted five consecutive quarters of growth. Mattel is betting on nostalgia and 'kidult' consumers to revitalize the premium-priced doll brand amid broader toy industry headwinds.

• American Girl sales have fallen to just one-third of peak levels (from $600M+ to $200M annually), with dolls priced at $125+ facing pressure from lower-cost alternatives and digital entertainment competing for children's attention
• Mattel reported Q4 2025 revenue of $1.77 billion, missing Wall Street expectations due to weak holiday demand and heavy discounting, while its doll and preschool categories declined 7% and 17% respectively
• The brand is targeting adult collectors or 'kidults' as a growth strategy, releasing modernized versions of original characters and its first adult-focused book, while maintaining retail presence at seven U.S. stores down from 15 in 2019

President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he would raise global tariffs to 15% from 10%, effective immediately, one day after the Supreme Court struck down his 'reciprocal' tariffs in a 6-3 ruling. The move invokes Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows only temporary levies requiring congressional approval for extension.

• The Supreme Court ruled Friday that Trump wrongfully invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to implement his previous tariff levies
• Trump warned that additional tariffs would follow 'during the next short number of months' as his administration determines 'new and legally permissible Tariffs'
• Uncertainty remains over implementation timing as no official documents have been confirmed signed, despite Trump's claim of immediate effect

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug from Vanda Pharmaceuticals for treating two serious mental health conditions. The approval expands Vanda's psychiatric treatment portfolio and provides a new therapeutic option for patients with these undisclosed mental health disorders.

• Vanda Pharmaceuticals received FDA approval for a psychiatric drug targeting two serious mental health conditions
• The specific mental health conditions and drug name were not detailed in the announcement
• The approval represents a significant regulatory milestone for Vanda's product pipeline