Food and grocery delivery major Swiggy has shut down Snacc, its standalone 15-minute food delivery app, just a year after piloting the service, signalling a sharper capital allocation strategy amid mounting losses and intensifying competition. Launched as an experiment, Snacc was operational in Bengaluru and Gurugram, but did not scale meaningfully over the past 12 months, according to people aware of the development. The move comes as the quick food delivery space sees rising action from incumbents and new ...

Economic Data - U.S. durable goods orders fell -1.4% m/m in December, better than the expected -1.8% m/m, while core durable goods orders rose +0.9% m/m, exceeding expectations of +0.3% m/m [1] - U.S. December housing starts increased +6.2% m/m to 1.404 million, surpassing expectations of 1.310 million, and building permits rose +4.3% m/m to 1.448 million, above the expected 1.400 million [1] - U.S. industrial production rose +0.7% m/m in January, stronger than the anticipated +0.4% m/m [1] Stock Market Movements - Wall Street's three main equity benchmarks closed higher, with Global Payments (GPN) surging over +16% after issuing above-consensus FY26 adjusted EPS guidance [2] - Micron Technology (MU) rose more than +5% and Applied Materials (AMAT) gained over +2% [2] - Palantir Technologies (PLTR) increased more than +1% following an upgrade from Mizuho [2] - Palo Alto Networks (PANW) fell over -6% after cutting its full-year adjusted EPS guidance [2] Investor Sentiment - Investors are awaiting new U.S. economic data, remarks from Federal Reserve officials, and Walmart's earnings report [3] - Renewed caution about the outlook for AI has negatively impacted sentiment, with most members of the Magnificent Seven stocks edging lower in pre-market trading [3] Geopolitical Concerns - Investors are concerned about the potential for U.S. military intervention in Iran, despite progress in nuclear talks [4] - The U.S. has reportedly assembled its largest air power presence in the Middle East since 2003, raising tensions [4] - WTI crude prices rose above $66 a barrel amid these geopolitical tensions [4] Federal Reserve Insights - U.S. rate futures indicate a 94.1% chance of no rate change and a 5.9% chance of a 25 basis point rate cut at the March FOMC meeting [6] - The FOMC minutes revealed that several policymakers suggested potential rate increases if inflation remains above target [5] - A majority of participants noted that downside risks to employment have moderated, while persistent inflation risks remain [5] Upcoming Economic Reports - U.S. Initial Jobless Claims data is expected to show a figure of 223K, down from 227K last week [6] - The Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index is anticipated to drop to 7.5 in February from 12.6 last month [7] - Trade Balance data is expected to show a narrowing deficit to -$55.5 billion in December from -$56.8 billion in November [7] - Pending home sales data is expected to rise +1.4% m/m in January after a -9.3% m/m drop in December [8] Corporate Earnings - Notable companies reporting quarterly figures include Walmart, Deere & Company, and Newmont [10] - Figma surged more than +11% in pre-market trading after posting strong Q4 results and guidance [16] - DoorDash climbed over +10% after reporting better-than-expected Q4 marketplace gross order value [16]

California-based Intuit Inc. (INTU) is a global financial technology company that develops tools designed to help individuals and businesses manage their finances more effectively. Serving roughly 100 million customers worldwide, its portfolio includes TurboTax, Credit Karma, QuickBooks, Mailchimp and the Intuit Enterprise Suite. Through these platforms, Intuit provides solutions spanning tax preparation, personal finance, accounting, marketing and business management. The company continues to invest in ...

Core Insights - Intuit Inc. is a leading financial software company known for products like TurboTax, QuickBooks, and Mint, serving individuals, small businesses, and accountants in tax preparation, accounting, and personal finance management [1] - BMO Capital has set a new price target for Intuit at $624, indicating a potential increase of 42.63% from the current stock price of $437.50, attributed to recent innovations in ecommerce tools by Intuit Mailchimp [2][6] - Intuit Mailchimp's new ecommerce tools utilize data, automation, and artificial intelligence to enhance marketing strategies, linking marketing campaigns directly to revenue generation [3][6] Stock Performance - Intuit's current stock price is $437.50, reflecting a decrease of $6.27 or approximately -1.41% today, with fluctuations between $431 and $441.16 [4] - Over the past year, Intuit's stock reached a peak of $813.70 and a trough of $411.11, with a market capitalization of around $121.8 billion [4] - Today's trading volume for Intuit is 3,716,493 shares, indicating active market participation despite the recent dip in stock price [5]

Abaxx’s proprietary market infrastructure innovation demonstrates that identity-anchored digital instruments can deliver T+0 finality and capital efficiency while reducing the regulatory risks and cross-jurisdictional ownership uncertainties inherent in blockchain tokenizationTORONTO, Feb. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Abaxx Technologies Inc. (CBOE:ABXX)(OTCQX:ABXXF) (“Abaxx” or the “Company”), a financial software and market infrastructure company, majority shareholder of Abaxx Singapore Pte Ltd., the owner ...

Core Insights - The Baron Financials ETF experienced a decline of 2.22% in the fourth quarter of 2025, underperforming the FactSet Global FinTech Index, which fell by 7.19%, but slightly trailing the MSCI USA Financials Index, which gained 2.07% [2][3][7] - Since its inception on December 31, 2019, the Fund has achieved an annualized return of 10.21%, outperforming the FinTech Index's 2.55% but lagging behind the Financials Index's 11.97% [2][3] Performance Overview - In the fourth quarter, the Fund's performance was driven by favorable stock selection within Information Services and an overweighting in Tech-Enabled Financials, while underexposure to banks negatively impacted relative performance [7][8] - The Fund's average weighting in banks was only 6%, which cost nearly 2 percentage points of relative performance against the Financials Index, where banks had a 38% weighting and were the top-performing industry [7][8] Sector Analysis - The Fund's holdings are segmented into various industries, with Capital Markets representing 31.7%, Information Services at 20.7%, and Payments at 17.4% as of December 31, 2025 [20][23] - The Fund has a significant overweight in Information Services and Capital Markets compared to the Financials Index, while being underweight in Banks and Insurance [20][21] Key Contributors and Detractors - Top contributors to the Fund's performance included Fair Isaac Corporation, S&P Global Inc., and Jack Henry & Associates, with Fair Isaac contributing 0.37% to returns due to strong quarterly results and positive fiscal guidance [12][13][14] - Major detractors included Robinhood Markets, which fell 0.93% due to a decline in customer engagement and cryptocurrency trading volumes, and MercadoLibre, which faced competitive pressures and margin concerns [16][17] Recent Activity - The Fund made significant net purchases in Morgan Stanley, Capital One Financial Corporation, and The Charles Schwab Corporation, focusing on firms with strong growth prospects and diversified revenue streams [25][31] - The Fund trimmed positions in Guidewire Software and Interactive Brokers to manage exposure to the volatile software sector and to fund purchases with better expected returns [32][33] Market Outlook - The macroeconomic environment is viewed as generally healthy, with stable credit trends and a low unemployment rate of 4.4% as of December 2025, supporting growth in the financial sector [34][35] - The Fund anticipates continued growth driven by favorable fiscal policies and easing monetary conditions, with expectations for two rate cuts in the upcoming year [35][36]

Core Insights - The Baron Financials ETF experienced a decline of 2.22% in the fourth quarter of 2025, underperforming the MSCI USA Financials Index which gained 2.07% and the S&P 500 Index which rose by 2.66% [2][3][7] - Since its inception, the Fund has achieved a 10.21% annualized return, outperforming the FactSet Global FinTech Index which only rose by 2.55% [2][3] Performance Overview - In the fourth quarter, the Fund's performance was influenced by favorable stock selection within Information Services and an overweighting in Tech-Enabled Financials, despite underperformance against the Financials Index due to low exposure to banks [7][8] - The Fund's annualized performance over various periods shows a 0.91% gain over one year, 16.52% over three years, and 4.01% over five years [3] Market Context - The fourth quarter of 2025 saw a steady finish for equity markets, driven by easing economic pressures and lower interest rates, with large-cap technology stocks leading the market [6] - The Federal Reserve's rate cuts contributed to a favorable environment for financial markets, with large-cap stocks outperforming mid and small-cap stocks [6] Fund Strategy and Holdings - The Fund maintains a growth-oriented investment strategy focused on financial and financial-related companies, emphasizing those with sustainable competitive advantages and strong management [5] - As of December 31, 2025, the Fund held 43 positions, with the top 10 holdings representing 43.8% of net assets [19][22] Sector Allocation - The Fund's sector allocation includes 31.7% in Capital Markets, 20.7% in Information Services, and 17.4% in Payments, with a notable underweight in Banks at 8.2% [20][23] - The Fund's holdings are primarily classified as Leaders (75.6% of net assets) and Challengers (24.2% of net assets), indicating a focus on established companies with stable growth [21] Recent Activity - The Fund made significant net purchases in Morgan Stanley and Capital One Financial Corporation, reflecting a strategy to invest in firms with strong growth potential and diversified revenue streams [25][31] - The Fund trimmed positions in Guidewire Software and Interactive Brokers to manage exposure to the volatile software sector [32] Outlook - The macroeconomic environment is viewed as generally healthy, with expectations for continued growth supported by fiscal stimulus and easing monetary policy [34][35] - Political developments are seen as a potential risk, particularly regarding regulatory changes that could impact the financial sector [36]

Hellman & Friedman has been in talks to acquire business payments firm Bill Holdings, people familiar with the matter said, in what would be another sizable buyout of a financial software company https://t.co/HSAMeSVsJd ...

Core Insights - The ongoing debate between in-office work and remote work is shifting towards the concept of time autonomy, focusing on when employees work rather than where they work [2][5]. Group 1: Employee Preferences - Work-life balance has become the top priority for 65% of office workers globally, an increase from 59% four years ago [3]. - Employees are increasingly valuing control over their work schedules, including start and stop times, over the choice of workplace location [4]. Group 2: Industry Trends - A significant 83% of CEOs globally expect a return to full-time office work by 2027, while 30% of companies plan to eliminate remote work by 2026 [2]. - The rise in workload intensity and meeting volume has made time management and calendar control essential for improving employee effectiveness and well-being [5]. Group 3: Leadership Perspectives - Leaders are beginning to recognize that flexibility in work arrangements has evolved beyond location to include time autonomy, which reflects real-life demands such as caregiving and health routines [5][6]. - The focus on time autonomy indicates a shift towards a work environment that prioritizes cognitive output over physical presence, suggesting that control over time is more critical than merely having a desk [7].

Group 1 - Parnassus Investments reported a 5.49% return for the Parnassus Mid Cap Fund in Q3 2025, outperforming the Russell Midcap Index which returned 5.33% [1] - The Russell Mid Cap Index continued to rise following a strong second quarter, indicating a positive market trend [1] Group 2 - Parnassus Core Equity Fund highlighted BILL Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:BILL) as a key investment, noting a one-month return of 16.66% despite a 52-week decline of 45.78% [2] - BILL Holdings, Inc. closed at $51.76 per share on December 03, 2025, with a market capitalization of $5.196 billion [2] - The company is positioned in a large and underpenetrated market for small and medium-sized businesses, with potential for revenue growth as digitization of back-office workflows increases [3] - BILL Holdings benefits from strong distribution partnerships and network effects, providing a competitive advantage in its market [3] Group 3 - BILL Holdings, Inc. was held by 52 hedge fund portfolios at the end of Q3 2025, an increase from 45 in the previous quarter [4] - Despite its potential, some analysts believe that certain AI stocks may offer greater upside potential and lower downside risk compared to BILL Holdings [4]