Trending Market News

Lyft announced a $1 billion share buyback program but forecast first-quarter bookings and adjusted core profit below expectations due to severe winter storms disrupting ride demand across the U.S., particularly on the East Coast. Despite the weak Q1 outlook, the company reported its most profitable fourth quarter on record with adjusted core earnings of $154.1 million, surpassing analyst expectations.

• Q1 forecast disappointed with expected adjusted core profit of $120-140 million versus estimates of $139.4 million, impacted by Winter Storm Fern
• The $1 billion buyback represents roughly 15% of Lyft's market cap and follows a previous $750 million repurchase program, reflecting confidence in long-term growth
• Q4 results showed strong performance with 19% bookings growth to $5.07 billion and $1.12 billion in free cash flow for 2025, exceeding estimates of $993.4 million

Ford Motor reported a $11.1 billion net loss in Q4 2025 due to substantial writedowns on its EV programs, though quarterly revenue of $45.9 billion beat expectations. CEO Jim Farley projects $8-10 billion in EBIT for 2026 despite facing approximately $2 billion in costs from Trump administration tariffs and ongoing challenges from an aluminum supplier fire that impacted production.

• Ford's quarterly core profit fell 50% to $1 billion, with adjusted EPS of 13 cents missing analyst expectations, while the company narrowly missed its revised annual EBIT guidance of $7 billion, posting $6.8 billion
• The automaker's EV and software unit recorded $4.8 billion in losses for 2025 and projects $4-4.5 billion in losses for 2026 as it pivots strategy to focus on a new $30,000 EV platform and electric pickup designed by a California-based team
• Trump's tariffs will add roughly $2 billion in costs in 2026, primarily affecting aluminum sourcing for F-150 trucks, while Ford stock has risen 47% to around $14 per share despite industrywide challenges facing legacy automakers

Gilead Sciences reported fourth-quarter sales and profit that exceeded Wall Street estimates, driven by strong performance from its HIV drugs including newly launched Yeztugo. However, the company's 2026 financial forecast came in at the lower end of analyst expectations, with management citing uncertainty related to Trump Administration policies and expired Affordable Care Act subsidies.

• Yeztugo, Gilead's twice-yearly HIV prevention injection launched in 2025, generated $96 million in Q4 sales versus $88 million expected, with 2026 sales projected at $800 million
• HIV drug Biktarvy posted $4 billion in quarterly sales, beating the $3.8 billion analyst estimate, with CEO calling the HIV business 'going from strength to strength'
• The company forecasts 2026 product sales of $29.6-$30 billion compared to analyst expectations of $30.2 billion, trimming its outlook by about 2% due to policy uncertainty and insurance coverage concerns

Blackstone is increasing its investment in AI startup Anthropic by $200 million, bringing its total stake to approximately $1 billion. The investment values Anthropic, maker of the Claude chatbot, at roughly $350 billion, reflecting strong investor appetite for leading generative AI companies backed by Amazon and Alphabet.

• Blackstone, the world's largest alternative asset manager, is adding $200 million to its position as part of Anthropic's ongoing funding round
• Anthropic recently launched Opus 4.6, a new flagship AI model with improved reasoning, coding, and complex text-generation capabilities designed for enterprise and consumer use
• The investment comes amid growing concerns that rapid AI advances could disrupt traditional software companies, triggering a selloff in software stocks in Europe and the U.S.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), the country's largest bank by market value, reported record first-half cash earnings of A$5.45 billion for the six months ended December 31, beating analyst estimates. The strong performance was driven by robust lending and deposit growth, though net interest margins contracted 4 basis points to 2.04% due to intense competition in a low-interest-rate environment.

• Cash net profit rose 6.2% year-over-year to A$5.45 billion ($3.86 billion), surpassing the consensus estimate of A$5.19 billion
• Home lending volumes grew 3.7% and business lending increased 6.0%, both outpacing overall system growth, while household deposits climbed 7.5%
• Net interest margin fell 4 basis points to 2.04% from the prior year, reflecting pressure from tight competition in the low-rate environment; CBA declared an interim dividend of A$2.35 per share

TotalEnergies has acquired full ownership of the Zeeland refinery in the Netherlands by re-acquiring the 45% stake previously held by Russia's Lukoil. The transaction follows U.S. sanctions imposed on Lukoil in October 2024 aimed at pressuring Russia over the Ukraine conflict, which prompted Lukoil to sell its assets. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

• Lukoil originally purchased its 45% stake in the Zeeland refinery from Total for approximately $725 million in 2009 during a Russian state visit, in a deal seen as expanding Moscow's influence in northwest Europe
• U.S. Treasury sanctions on Lukoil in October 2024 forced the company to launch a sale of its assets, though the Zeeland refinery was not formally subject to sanctions as Lukoil held only a minority stake
• TotalEnergies CEO previously attributed challenges in profitable refining to sanctions on Russian oil companies Lukoil and Rosneft, with the company expecting weak profit margins for European refining in Q4 2025

The delayed January jobs report, set for Wednesday release, is expected to show minimal or zero job growth, with economists forecasting around 55,000 new positions or less. Additionally, annual benchmark revisions could erase 600,000 to 900,000 previously reported jobs from the past year, significantly undermining confidence in labor market strength and potentially influencing Federal Reserve policy decisions.

• Economists predict January nonfarm payrolls growth near zero (consensus: 55,000), with some forecasting as low as 45,000, while unemployment is expected to hold at 4.4%
• Annual benchmark revisions may eliminate 600,000-900,000 jobs from prior reports (March 2024-2025), with every 2025 month already revised down by a total of 624,000 jobs
• White House officials are preemptively lowering expectations, citing immigration policy impacts and AI-driven productivity gains that reduce hiring needs despite economic growth

Estee Lauder filed a lawsuit against Walmart in California federal court alleging the retailer sold counterfeit beauty products from brands including La Mer, Le Labo, Clinique, Aveda, and Tom Ford on its online marketplace. While the products were sold by third-party sellers, Estee Lauder claims Walmart actively facilitated sales and failed to adequately vet sellers and products, calling the conduct 'despicable.' The lawsuit follows a CNBC investigation that exposed counterfeit goods on Walmart.com.

• Estee Lauder purchased and tested products sold on Walmart.com that were determined to be counterfeit, including Advanced Night Repair serum and various other branded items across multiple luxury beauty lines.
• The lawsuit alleges Walmart profited from counterfeit sales, used Estee Lauder trademarks in search optimization, and misled shoppers who would reasonably believe Walmart itself was the seller rather than third-party marketplace vendors.
• The case highlights risks in Walmart's marketplace growth strategy, which has been key to its profit expansion and recent $1 trillion market cap milestone, but exposes the company to liability that could erode customer trust.

Stellantis is seeking to exit its U.S. battery joint venture with Samsung SDI as the automaker scales back electric vehicle ambitions, according to Bloomberg News. The move follows Stellantis reporting over $26.5 billion in writedowns last week. No final decision has been made, and an exit could be costly and lengthy.

• Stellantis reported more than $26.5 billion in writedowns last week, driving the reassessment of its EV strategy
• The automaker is exploring divestment options including selling its stake to a third party, though the process could be expensive and time-consuming
• Stellantis stated it continues to have 'ongoing collaborative discussions' with Samsung on the future of their StarPlus Energy joint venture

Polish arms manufacturer Niewiadow-PGM signed a framework agreement with U.S. defense contractor Northrop Grumman to produce 155mm artillery ammunition in Poland, primarily targeting the European market. The deal covers cooperation on preparation, production, certification, and market introduction, though financial terms were not disclosed. The 155mm shell is widely used by Ukraine but has been in short supply.

• The partnership involves Niewiadow and its subsidiaries Elaboracja Niewiadow and Zaklady Sprzetu Precyzyjnego Niewiadow in joint production efforts
• The first cooperation area focuses on 155mm artillery shells currently at an advanced stage of preparation for certification
• The agreement aims to develop production capacity in Poland and enable joint market initiatives for ready-made ammunition solutions in Europe

German pilots' union VC has called for a 24-hour strike on February 12, 2026, at Lufthansa's main airline and Lufthansa Cargo over a dispute regarding pension benefits and working conditions. The strike will affect all flights departing from German airports on that date. Negotiations have been ongoing since union members voted to authorize strike action in September 2025, but talks have been intermittent without resolution.

• The strike will impact Lufthansa Group's core German airline and Lufthansa Cargo for a full 24-hour period on February 12
• Union demands include more generous retirement benefits and improved working conditions at subsidiaries CityLine, City Airlines, and Discover
• Members authorized strike action in late September 2025, and subsequent negotiations have been sporadic and unsuccessful

Ford Motor is scheduled to report fourth-quarter and year-end earnings after market close on Tuesday, with Wall Street expecting a significant decline in performance. Analysts forecast a 6.8% revenue drop and more than 50% fall in adjusted earnings per share compared to the prior year. The results will include one-time charges related to postretirement benefit adjustments and restructuring costs tied to pullbacks in electric vehicle investments.

• Wall Street expects automotive revenue of $41.83 billion, representing a 6.8% year-over-year decline, with adjusted earnings per share falling more than 50%
• Fourth-quarter results will include special charges for postretirement benefit adjustments and restructuring costs from business priority changes and reduced EV investments
• Investors will focus on Ford's 2026 forecast and production updates for F-Series pickup trucks following a supplier fire that has impacted operations

Tesla has filed a criminal complaint against a member of Germany's IG Metall trade union for allegedly secretly recording a works council meeting at its German production plant. The complaint was disclosed in a staff memo and confirmed by Tesla, highlighting tensions between the automaker and union representatives at its facility outside Berlin.

• The alleged secret recording took place during a works council meeting on Tuesday at Tesla's Gruenheide plant near Berlin
• Tesla confirmed filing the criminal complaint and notified staff through an internal memo
• IG Metall representatives were not immediately available to comment on the allegations

Boeing delivered 46 aircraft in January 2026, marking the third-highest January total in company history, and secured 103 net new orders. The U.S. planemaker outperformed European rival Airbus in both deliveries and orders for the month, with deliveries including 38 of its 737 MAX jets and five 787 Dreamliners.

• Boeing beat Airbus with 46 deliveries versus 19, and 103 net orders versus 49 in January, though Boeing's total was down from 63 deliveries in December
• Major orders included Aviation Capital Group purchasing 50 737 MAX jets split between 737-8 and 737-10 variants, and Delta ordering 30 787s
• Aircraft deliveries are critical to Boeing's cash flow as planemakers collect the majority of payment upon jet delivery to customers

Google received unconditional EU antitrust approval for its $32 billion acquisition of cybersecurity firm Wiz, its largest deal ever. European regulators determined the transaction would not raise competition concerns, as any data acquired is not commercially sensitive and remains accessible to other security software companies. The deal strengthens Google's position in cybersecurity and cloud computing, where it trails rivals Amazon and Microsoft.

• The $32 billion Wiz acquisition, announced in March 2025, is Google's biggest deal to date and aims to boost its cloud computing presence against larger competitors Amazon and Microsoft
• The European Commission granted unconditional approval, stating that data acquired through the deal is not commercially sensitive and can be accessed by other security software firms
• Tech acquisitions face heightened regulatory scrutiny amid concerns about big companies expanding market power and potentially excluding smaller competitors

Lawyers for AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile will testify before a Senate Judiciary subcommittee on February 10 regarding the FBI's 2023 acquisition of phone toll records from eight senators' phones. The records were obtained via subpoenas issued during special prosecutor Jack Smith's investigation into the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack and efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The hearing addresses concerns about privacy protections for members of Congress when their phone data is sought by law enforcement.

• All three telecom companies received subpoenas for phone records as part of Jack Smith's investigation, which targeted several Republican senators who supported efforts to overturn the 2020 election
• AT&T and Verizon announced new procedures including identifying all congressional phone numbers (not just official ones) and requiring senior leadership notification before disclosing member data to law enforcement
• The underlying criminal case against Trump was dropped after his 2024 election victory due to Justice Department policy against prosecuting sitting presidents, though Smith stated evidence would have been sufficient for conviction

Executives from AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile will testify before a Senate Judiciary subcommittee on Tuesday regarding their disclosure of senators' phone records to the FBI. The records were obtained via subpoenas as part of Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigation into the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack and efforts to overturn the 2020 election. All three companies are promising enhanced privacy protections for congressional members going forward.

• The FBI obtained 'toll records' from eight senators' phones in 2023 as part of the January 6 investigation, with many targeted senators having supported Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election
• AT&T pledged to develop procedures to identify all congressional phone numbers, not just official ones, to better protect members' privacy expectations
• Verizon and T-Mobile committed to notifying senior leadership before disclosing information on lawmakers and will challenge non-disclosure orders in court when possible

Paramount has revised its $30-per-share acquisition offer for Warner Bros Discovery by adding a 25-cent quarterly ticking fee, equaling approximately $650 million in cash per quarter. Paramount also agreed to fund the $2.8 billion termination fee that Warner Bros owes Netflix if the deal collapses.

• The quarterly ticking fee of 25 cents per share translates to roughly $650 million in additional cash value each quarter
• Paramount will cover the $2.8 billion termination fee Warner Bros Discovery owes to Netflix if the acquisition fails
• Neither Warner Bros Discovery nor Netflix immediately responded to requests for comment on the revised offer terms

U.S. retail sales remained flat in December, falling short of economist expectations for a 0.5% increase according to the Dow Jones consensus. The stagnation in consumer spending suggests potential weakness in the economy heading into year-end.

• Retail sales showed 0% growth in December versus the 0.5% increase expected by economists
• The miss indicates softer consumer demand during the critical holiday shopping season
• Flat sales performance may signal concerns about economic momentum and consumer confidence

Hasbro and Warner Bros Discovery's global consumer products division announced a multi-year partnership on February 10 to develop toys and games based on the Harry Potter franchise. The deal extends Hasbro's presence in the entertainment licensing space while giving Warner Bros Discovery a major toy manufacturer partner for one of its most valuable intellectual properties.

• The partnership grants Hasbro rights to create Harry Potter-themed toys and games for multiple years
• Warner Bros Discovery's global consumer products division is managing the licensing agreement on behalf of the media company
• The deal positions Hasbro to capitalize on the enduring popularity of the Harry Potter universe across multiple product categories