This live blog is refreshed periodically throughout the day with the latest updates from the market.To find the latest Stock Market Today threads, click here. Happy Wednesday. This is TheStreet’s Stock Market Today for Feb. 25, 2026. You can follow the latest updates on the market here in our daily live blog. Update: 9:30 a.m. ET Opening Bell The U.S. markets are now open for the day, starting off the day in strong form. The Nasdaq (+1.12%) is up more than one percent already, while the S&P 500(+0.63%), ...

Group 1 - XRP's price has declined, with analysts warning it could fall below $1 as investors shift to safer assets [1][4] - The Federal Reserve has proposed a dedicated "crypto" risk class for derivatives models, which includes XRP, but the short-term impact remains uncertain [5][6][7] - Analysts suggest that XRP's real-world utility may not be sufficient to support its valuation during macroeconomic stress, leading to potential normalization toward $1 or lower [2][3][8] Group 2 - The Federal Reserve's proposal aims to categorize digital assets, including XRP, into a new risk class, separating them from traditional asset categories [6] - Despite some online optimism regarding XRP's future price projections, analysts caution against overestimating its potential without measurable growth in market share and adoption [3][8]

Core Insights - Apple Inc. reported strong sales growth in Q4 2025, achieving a market share of 69%, up from 65% the previous year, despite overall U.S. smartphone sales increasing only 1% Y/Y [1][2] Group 1: Sales Performance - Apple achieved its best sales quarter, driven by strong sales of iPhone 16e and 17 models in mid-range and premium segments [2] - The iPhone segment led Apple's growth with sales rising to $85.27 billion, up from $69.14 billion last year [9] - AT&T recorded its highest share of Apple sales at 89%, with T-Mobile and Verizon also seeing increases [3] Group 2: Market Trends - The mid-range price band ($300-$600) grew by 27% Y/Y, as consumers opted for more affordable devices due to macroeconomic conditions [3] - The sub-$300 market segment declined by 7% Y/Y due to weak demand and consolidation in low-end smartphones [4] Group 3: Strategic Adjustments - Apple is shifting its focus to high-margin premium devices, prioritizing production of its top three devices, including a foldable iPhone [7] - Supply chain challenges are limiting Apple's ability to meet rising handset demand, with expectations of a more significant impact from rising memory prices in the coming quarters [8] Group 4: Future Outlook - Analysts are monitoring whether momentum in the $300 to $600 segment can be sustained beyond the holiday season, indicating potential consumer trading down amid economic uncertainty [6] - Rising memory prices are expected to pressure low-cost smartphone makers, with a projected increase in bills of materials by at least 15% over the next two quarters [5]

Core Insights - The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is in the final stage of consultations on proposed crypto regulations, seeking feedback on 10 rules to enhance market trust and competitiveness [1] - The cryptocurrency market capitalization has decreased by 0.8% to $3.05 trillion, with 93 of the top 100 coins experiencing price drops [5][4] - Macro uncertainty has led to over $550 million in crypto liquidations, impacting major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) [4][6] Market Performance - Bitcoin (BTC) is currently trading at $87,860, having fallen by 0.7%, while Ethereum (ETH) is at $2,892, down 1.5% [4][11] - Over the past week, BTC has decreased by 5.1%, and ETH has fallen by 9.2%, indicating a broader trend of declining prices in the crypto market [10][12] - The crypto fear and greed index has dropped to 29, reflecting a sentiment shift towards fear in the market [13][14] Regulatory Developments - The FCA's proposed regulations aim to create a more open and sustainable crypto market, marking a significant step in regulatory oversight [1] - Japan is expected to approve its first set of spot crypto ETFs by 2028, indicating a potential shift in regulatory stance towards cryptocurrencies [17] Investment Trends - Recent outflows from US spot BTC and ETH ETFs totaled $103.57 million and $41.74 million respectively, marking the fifth consecutive day of negative flows [14][15] - The total net inflow for BTC ETFs has decreased to $56.49 billion, while ETH ETFs stand at $12.3 billion [15][14] Market Sentiment - The current market sentiment is characterized by caution and fear, with investors shifting towards safer assets amid heightened geopolitical tensions and macroeconomic pressures [6][8][14] - Traditional commodities have seen a rally, contrasting with Bitcoin's underperformance, suggesting a divergence in asset class responses to current market conditions [7][6]

Core Viewpoint - McCormick forecasts fiscal 2026 profit below analysts' estimates due to higher costs from tariffs and commodities, which are squeezing margins amid macroeconomic uncertainty [1] Company Summary - McCormick is facing increased costs that are impacting its profit margins, primarily due to tariffs and rising commodity prices [1] - The company's profit forecast for fiscal 2026 is lower than what analysts had anticipated, indicating potential challenges ahead [1] Industry Summary - The food industry, particularly companies like McCormick, is experiencing margin pressures due to macroeconomic factors, including tariffs and commodity price fluctuations [1]

Market Overview - Stock markets have had a challenging start in 2026, with investors expressing concerns over high valuations in the S&P 500 amid increasing macroeconomic uncertainty [1] Industry Insights - Gary Alexander, with extensive experience in technology sectors on Wall Street and Silicon Valley, has been actively involved in shaping industry themes and has contributed to Seeking Alpha since 2017 [2]

Market Overview - Stock markets have had a challenging start in 2026, with investors expressing concerns over high valuations in the S&P 500 amid increasing macroeconomic uncertainty [1] Industry Insights - Gary Alexander, with extensive experience in technology sectors on Wall Street and Silicon Valley, has been actively involved in shaping industry themes and has contributed to Seeking Alpha since 2017 [2]

Core Insights - Infosys Ltd risks losing over a third of its $400 million annual revenue from Daimler due to the German automaker seeking a new vendor for software and equipment following execution delays [1][2] - The loss primarily concerns the contract for IT services, including the provision of iPhone cases, laptops, and Microsoft 365 subscriptions for Daimler's IT operations [2] - Infosys ended FY25 with $19.28 billion in revenue and now needs to backfill $150 million, or 0.7% of its business, amid macroeconomic uncertainties and client spending pressures [3] Contractual Details - Infosys signed a $3.2 billion, eight-year IT transformation deal with Daimler in December 2020, covering six business divisions [4] - The contract includes services such as network services, cybersecurity, and data centers, but the workplace solutions segment is pending renewal [5][6] - Daimler owes Infosys nearly $47 million in dues since 2021, highlighting ongoing issues with execution and billing [6] Competitive Landscape - Another Indian IT services provider is eyeing a portion of Infosys' contract with Daimler and has already made a bid [7] - The Daimler contract is one of the largest for Infosys, which has secured multiple mega deals since CEO Salil Parekh took over in January 2018 [8] Financial Performance - Revenue from Infosys Automotive and Mobility GmbH, created for the Daimler project, declined by 8.5% to $418 million in FY25, marking the first decline after two years of growth [12][13] - The overall revenue for Infosys grew 42% to $19.28 billion in FY25, with the Daimler project significantly contributing to this growth [10] Industry Trends - The trend of clients terminating contracts with IT service providers mid-way through deals is becoming more common, as seen with other companies like Transamerica and HCL Technologies [14][15]

Core Viewpoint - Payoneer (PAYO) experienced a nearly 4% decline in stock price due to a price target cut by an analyst, despite maintaining a buy recommendation for the company [1][2]. Group 1: Analyst Insights - Benchmark's Mark Palmer reduced Payoneer's price target from $12 to $10 per share, citing macroeconomic uncertainty as a key factor affecting the company's fundamentals [2][4]. - Palmer adjusted his full-year 2026 revenue and profitability estimates, leading to a decrease in his fair value assessment of the stock, but he remains optimistic about Payoneer's long-term growth potential [4]. Group 2: Company Performance - Payoneer specializes in providing fintech services to small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), a sector with significant growth potential as successful SMBs tend to expand and require more services [7]. - Since going public in 2021, Payoneer's revenue has more than doubled, reaching $987 million last year, indicating strong performance despite recent economic challenges [8].

Leadership Changes - Coty is undergoing a leadership change with Markus Strobel, a veteran from Procter & Gamble, set to become the executive chair and interim CEO starting in 2026 [1][7] - Current CEO Sue Nabi will step down after five years, and executive chair Peter Harf will retire after over 30 years of service [2] Company Performance - Coty has experienced a significant decline in its stock value, losing more than 50% since the beginning of the year due to falling sales amid macroeconomic uncertainty and higher tariffs [3][7] - The company reported fiscal first-quarter earnings that missed estimates, indicating ongoing challenges in sales performance [5] Strategic Direction - The appointment of Strobel may signal potential changes in Coty's strategy, particularly as the company launched a strategic review of its consumer beauty business in September [4] - Despite current challenges, Coty anticipates a return to growth by the second half of the fiscal year, although it has noted that retailers are being cautious in their ordering habits [5]