Economic Outlook - The Bank of England is urged to implement quick interest rate cuts to alleviate the cost-of-living crisis and boost consumer spending and business confidence [1][2] - Trade unions support interest rate cuts, citing easing inflation as beneficial for working families, with expectations of further softening due to government support for energy bills and other costs [2] - Firms are looking for inflation easing to be accompanied by measures to reduce business costs, such as business rates reform, to stimulate economic growth [3] Inflation and Interest Rates - The Consumer Price Index (CPI) has dropped to 3.0%, the lowest level in nearly a year, indicating potential for interest rate cuts by the Bank of England [25][28] - Analysts predict a 25 basis point cut in interest rates at the next Bank of England meeting, with further cuts anticipated if inflation continues to decline [19][21][20] - Despite the drop in headline inflation, services inflation remains sticky, suggesting caution from the Monetary Policy Committee [22] Market Performance - The FTSE 100 index has reached new record highs, driven by gains in sectors such as mining, defense, and banking [6][15][28] - BAE Systems has reported a 10% increase in sales to £30.7 billion and a record order book of £83.6 billion, reflecting strong demand in the defense sector [23][10] - Glencore's revenue for 2025 increased by 7% to $247.54 billion, with adjusted EBIT falling less than expected, indicating resilience in the mining sector [16][17] Company-Specific Developments - BAE Systems has increased its dividend by 10% and expects sales growth of 7-9% for the current year, supported by rising global defense spending [23][13] - Glencore's performance improved significantly in the second half of the year, aided by stronger metals prices and higher copper output [17] - BAE's free cash flow is projected to exceed £1.3 billion, contributing to a reduction in net debt by 22% [13][24]

European stocks closed mostly higher on Tuesday with the mood largely staying positive right through the day's session amid hopes of some monetary easing by a few central banks, including the Bank of England. Investors continued to follow geopolitical news and awaited fresh data from the U.S. for directional clues.Data showing an increase in UK's unemployment rate raised expectations of another rate cut by the Bank of England.The pan European Stoxx 600 gained 0.45%. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 climbed 0.79%, Germa ...

StackAdapt Partners With Experian to Supercharge First-party Data Activation for AdvertisersFeb 17, 2026 9:30 AM Eastern Standard Time# StackAdapt Partners With Experian to Supercharge First-party Data Activation for AdvertisersShare---Partnership to connect UK brands with customers through smarter targeting and measurementLONDON--([BUSINESS WIRE])-- [StackAdapt], the leading AI advertising and orchestration platform, has announced a strategic partnership with global data and technology company, [Experian]. ...

Economic Overview - The UK unemployment rate has risen to 5.2%, the highest level in nearly five years, indicating a potential upward trend in joblessness [14] - Average weekly earnings growth has decreased to 4.2%, down from 4.6% in November, which is below market expectations [14] - The jobs market is showing signs of distress, with private sector wages not keeping pace with inflation for the first time in two and a half years [1][2] Labor Market Insights - The single month jobless rate is currently at 5.4%, with expectations that it could climb higher as redundancies are anticipated [2] - The number of payrolled employees fell by 11,000 month-to-month in January, following a drop of 6,000 in December, which was better than the consensus forecast of a 20,000 decline [15] - Youth unemployment has reached a new high of 16.1%, highlighting ongoing challenges in the labor market [3] Company Performance - Antofagasta reported a 53% increase in pre-tax profits, with earnings per share more than doubling, driven by higher copper prices and disciplined cost control [3] - The final dividend declared by Antofagasta was 48 cents, lower than the consensus estimate of 56.5 cents, while revenue of $8.6 billion was in line with forecasts [4] - InterContinental Hotels announced a 10% increase in its dividend and a $950 million share buyback following a year of record hotel openings [9] Market Reactions - The FTSE 100 opened higher, gaining 39 points, with companies previously affected by the 'AI scare trade' leading the way [7] - Miners, including Antofagasta and Fresnillo, were among the main fallers as copper and precious metals prices declined [8] - The pound has weakened by 0.5% against the dollar, influenced by rising unemployment and softer wage growth, which have increased the likelihood of a Bank of England rate cut [12]

Experian, the consumer credit reporting agency, has introduced a savings account for its members that earns 2% to 4% annual percentage yield (APY). The account, called the Smart Money Digital Savings Account, has a tiered-rate structure that’s based on customers’ Experian membership level. The savings account doesn’t have a set minimum deposit amount — nor does it charge a monthly fee — although you may be paying monthly for the Experian membership, depending on the plan you select. Your Experian members ...

Market Performance - European stocks exhibited a mixed performance for the third consecutive session, influenced by corporate earnings updates and regional economic data [1] - The pan-European Stoxx 600 index decreased by 0.13%, while the U.K.'s FTSE 100 rose by 0.42% and Germany's DAX increased by 0.25% [1] - France's CAC 40 closed down by 0.35%, and Switzerland's SMI gained 0.52% [1] Sector Performance - In the U.K. market, defense stocks saw gains, while banks experienced weakness [2] - Notable gainers included Relx, which soared by 10%, and Experian and 3i Group, which rose by 5.5% and 5.1%, respectively [2] - Rolls-Royce Holdings, Halma, Endeavour Mining, Melrose Industries, Tesco, Fresnillo, and BAE Systems gained between 2% and 4% [2] Company-Specific Updates - Entain declined by 4.7%, while Natwest Group, Croda International, HSBC Holdings, Barclays Group, Lloyds Banking Group, and others lost between 1% and 2.5% [3] - In Germany, companies like Deutsche Boerse, MTU Aero Engines, and BMW saw gains ranging from 1% to 5.2% [3] - Rheinmetall's stock rose sharply due to news of an automotive divestment and a €200 million NATO contract for 120mm ammunition [4] - In France, Safran's stock surged over 8% on strong revenue growth and an upward revision of future financial targets [5] - Capgemini increased by 5.6% due to strong full-year revenue growth, with other companies like Eurofins Scientific and Publicis Groupe also closing with strong gains [5] Economic Indicators - The euro area experienced steady GDP growth of 0.3% in the fourth quarter, matching the growth rate of the previous quarter [7] - Year-on-year GDP growth was recorded at 1.3%, slightly below the 1.4% seen in the prior quarter [7] - Employment in the euro area increased by 0.2% in the fourth quarter, with a yearly rise of 0.6% [7] - The euro area trade surplus decreased to €12.6 billion in December from €13.9 billion the previous year, with exports increasing by 3.4% [8] - Germany's wholesale prices rose by 1.2% year-on-year in January, consistent with the previous month's increase [9]

市场近期对人工智能将颠覆传统软件行业的恐慌情绪导致相关板块遭受重创，但来自华尔街主流机构的最新分析指出，这种抛售可能被严重夸大 了。汇丰银行在最新的报告中驳斥了"AI取代软件"的论调，认为这一辩论本身存在逻辑缺陷，软件供应商正在通过嵌入AI技术来扩展其总潜在市 场（TAM），而非被其取代。 此次市场震荡中，软件与服务板块面临了最严峻的估值下调。根据摩根士丹利的数据，市场抛售不仅剧烈而且缺乏区分度，大量基本面稳健、商 业模式优质的公司遭到无差别打击。该行指出，部分被市场误判为"受AI干扰"的企业，实际上正面临着巨大的估值修复机会。 与此同时，高盛的数据显示，软件行业的估值已经经历了剧烈的修正。仅仅一年前，软件行业曾以51倍的市盈率（P/E）位居股市之首，而如今其 市盈率已降至27倍，不仅不再是最昂贵的行业，甚至低于媒体、汽车、半导体和资本货物等板块。这表明市场对AI负面影响的定价可能已过度反 应。 机构普遍认为，AI对企业的初期影响更多体现在成本效率而非收入增长上。摩根士丹利调查显示，74%至90%的分析师认为AI将在未来12至24个 月内通过成本节约推动利润率提升，而仅有少数预计会带来营收的显著加速。这意味着 ...

Core Insights - Experian has been recognized as a winner of the 2026 HousingWire Tech100 Mortgage award for its product, Experian Self-Service Prescreen [1] Company Summary - Experian's Self-Service Prescreen has been acknowledged for its innovation and contribution to the mortgage technology sector [1]

Core Viewpoint - The recent launch of AI products by Anthropic has triggered a significant decline in the share prices of major UK companies in the data sector, despite the overall FTSE 100 index nearing all-time highs [1][2]. Company Performance - Relx, a prominent player in the data sector, saw its share price rise from £5 in 2012 to £41 in May last year, valuing the company at approximately £70 billion [3]. - Following the introduction of AI tools, Relx's share price has halved, with market sentiment shifting from viewing it as an AI winner to fearing a collapse in its profit margins [4]. - In its latest full-year results, Relx reported a 7% increase in revenues to £9.6 billion and a 9% rise in operating profits to £3.3 billion, alongside a forecast for strong growth in 2026 and a 7% increase in dividends [5]. AI Impact and Strategy - The CEO of Relx, Erik Engström, emphasized that AI will continue to drive customer value and growth for the company in the long term [6]. - Relx operates in a niche market that relies on comprehensive and reliable information, which may be public or proprietary, and AI tools are seen as a means to enhance the value of this information [7]. - The company retains the option to engage in limited licensing deals with AI firms while maintaining its proprietary information, which is central to its business value [8]. Market Reaction and Future Outlook - Despite a slight 2% bounce in share price following the positive earnings report, market concerns about the future of AI and Relx's competitive position remain [9]. - Relx plans to continue its share buy-back program, which has increased to £2.25 billion, representing 6% of its equity base, potentially boosting earnings per share if business projections hold true [10].

COSTA MESA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Experian today announced the launch of the Experian Insurance Marketplace app on ChatGPT. ...