Group 1: Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery - Netflix has the capacity to increase its current offer of $27.75 per share for Warner Bros. Discovery's studio and streaming segments amid a bidding war with Paramount Skydance, which has proposed a $108.4 billion deal for the entire company [2][9] - Warner Bros. Discovery is set to hold a shareholder vote on Netflix's proposal on March 20, while giving Paramount seven days to submit a "best and final" offer [3] Group 2: U.S. Treasury and TIPS Auction - The recent auction of 30-year Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) yielded a high rate of 2.473%, down from 2.650% in the previous sale, indicating strong demand with a bid-to-cover ratio of 2.750 [4][5][9] Group 3: Federal Reserve Outlook - Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran has revised his interest rate projections for 2026, now suggesting a potential cut of 100 basis points instead of the previously anticipated 150 basis points, influenced by strong labor market data and rising goods inflation [6][7][9] Group 4: Corporate Finance Developments - Nippon Steel plans to raise $1.9 billion by selling off shareholdings to finance its $14.9 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel, which has recently cleared regulatory hurdles [8][9] Group 5: Biotech Developments - PureTech Health has received dual Orphan Drug Designation for its idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis candidate, LYT-100, from both the U.S. FDA and the European Commission, providing market exclusivity and development incentives [11][9] Group 6: Sovereign Debt Markets - Sri Lanka has initiated a tender offer for its $1 billion 5.875% bonds, offering to pay full principal plus 50.2% of accrued unpaid interest to bondholders, with results expected on March 16 [10]

Once your home equity loan is approved, you'll be sitting on a pile of cash. And depending on your plans, those funds may be in standby mode for several weeks or months. However, letting your cash sit idly could mean missing out on interest earnings in the meantime. So, here's how to maximize the earnings on your home equity loan money until you're ready to spend it. Step 1: Consider your time horizon The lump sum you're given at closing on a home equity loan is likely to be quite sizable. You may int ...

Key TakeawaysUS Crude inventories plunged by 9.014 million barrels, a massive surprise compared to analyst expectations of a 1.65 million barrel build, sending oil futures sharply higher.Blue Owl Capital (OWL) halted redemptions at one of its funds, triggering a broader sell-off in private credit stocks as liquidity concerns surfaced.The European Central Bank (ECB) sanctioned JPMorgan Chase (JPM) with a €12.18 million fine for misreporting capital requirements.Mortgage rates continued their downward trend, ...

Core Insights - Klarna's banking customer base doubled over the past year, reaching 15.8 million, representing a 101% year-over-year growth [2] - The company reported a net loss of $26 million for the fourth quarter and a total net loss of $273 million for the year, with shares dropping significantly [8][9] Financial Performance - Revenue increased by 38% year over year to $1.082 billion, marking Klarna's first quarter exceeding $1 billion [10] - Gross merchandise volume (GMV) grew by 32% year over year to $38.7 billion [10] - The number of active customers rose by 28% to 118 million, and the number of merchants increased by 42% to 966,000 [10] Customer Engagement - The number of active card users surged by 288% year over year to 4.2 million [3] - Fair Financing GMV grew by 165% year over year to reach $4.5 billion [3] - Consumer deposits increased by 37% to $13 billion [3] Strategic Initiatives - Klarna is focused on transforming its cost structure through AI-enabled productivity, having reduced headcount by 49% and operating expenses by 8% over the past three years while growing revenue by 104% [11] - The CEO emphasized that banking customers generate three times more revenue per user compared to base customers, highlighting the importance of deepening consumer relationships [8]

Economic Indicators - The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) will publish the Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) Price Index on February 20, which is closely monitored by the Federal Reserve and could influence monetary policy for 2026 [1] - The PCE Price Index is preferred by the Fed over the Consumer Price Index (CPI) because it provides a broader measure of inflation and quickly reflects changes in consumer behavior [2] Inflation Trends - Recent CPI data showed consumer prices rose 2.4% annually in January, slightly below the expected 2.5%, with core CPI (excluding food and energy) at 2.5%, the lowest since April 2021 [3] - If the upcoming PCE Price Index confirms a moderation in inflation, it would align with the CPI report, indicating inflation is moving closer to the Fed's target [4] Monetary Policy Implications - A confirmation of moderating inflation would give the Fed room to implement additional interest rate cuts, with the futures market currently pricing in two to three quarter-percentage point cuts in 2026 [5] - Lower interest rates or the expectation of them could positively impact the stock market by reducing borrowing costs for companies and consumers, potentially boosting spending [6]

The complete cohort of top banking executives earned more than $40 million each last year. https://t.co/mfthpxO0Uk ...

 name of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, a registered broker-dealer in the United States.© 2026 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC.## ContactsMedia Relations Contact: Lynn Cocchiola; [Lynn.Cocchiola@morganstanley.com]Industry:- [Finance]- [Professional Services]- [Asset Management]- [Banking]### Morgan StanleyNYSE:MS---Release Versions[English]---### ContactsMedia Relations Contact: Lynn Cocchiola; [Lynn.Cocchiola@morganstanley.com]More News From Morgan StanleyGet RSS Feed## Morgan Stanley Decla ...

Core Insights - Remitly has appointed Sebastian Gunningham as its new CEO, succeeding co-founder Matt Oppenheimer, who will transition to the role of board chair [1][2] Company Transition - Gunningham's previous experience includes roles at Santander Consumer Finance and Openbank, as well as executive positions at Amazon, Apple, and Oracle, highlighting his extensive background in the financial and tech sectors [2] - Oppenheimer emphasized Gunningham's multinational background and personal experience with cross-border connections, stating that he understands the emotional aspect of money transfers [3] Financial Performance - Remitly reported a 37% increase in send volume for 2025, reaching $74.9 billion, and a 29% year-over-year revenue growth to $1.6 billion [4] - The company achieved a net income of $67.9 million for the year, a significant turnaround from a $37 million loss in 2024 [4] - Remitly's customer base grew by 19%, totaling 9.3 million users compared to the previous year [4] Strategic Direction - Oppenheimer stated that Remitly is evolving from merely facilitating cross-border payments to becoming a comprehensive financial platform for globally connected individuals [5] - Gunningham expressed his commitment to enhancing customer value and capitalizing on growth opportunities, aligning with Remitly's refreshed strategy to expand services beyond global money movement [6]

Market Overview - Asian shares ended mostly higher, supported by easing AI concerns and positive U.S. economic data, despite thin trading volumes due to Lunar New Year holidays in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan [1] - The dollar remained firm, while gold prices rose above $5,000 an ounce amid reports of potential U.S. military strikes against Iran [2] - Oil prices extended gains after a more than 4% increase on Wednesday [2] Japan - The Nikkei average increased by 0.57% to 57,467.83, and the broader Topix index rose by 1.18% to close at 3,852.09, driven by tech stocks [3] - SoftBank and Tokyo Electron saw gains of 2.6% and 2.9%, respectively, while Advantest fell by 3.6% due to a ransomware cybersecurity incident [3] South Korea - The Kospi average surged by 3.09% to 5,677.25, marking a record high as traders returned from the Lunar New Year holiday [4] - Major semiconductor stocks led the gains, with Samsung Electronics up 4.9%, SK Hynix up 1.6%, and Hyundai Motor up 2.8% [4] Australia - Australian markets reached a four-month high, with the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 jumping 0.88% to 9,086.20, marking a fourth consecutive session of gains [6] - National Australia Bank rose by 2.4% following strong quarterly results, while BHP increased by 1.8% after reporting higher earnings and revenue for the half-year ended December 31, 2025 [6] New Zealand - New Zealand's S&P/NZX-50 index ended up 1.49% at 13,444.20 after a dovish hold from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand [7] U.S. Economic Data - U.S. industrial production growth for January exceeded market expectations, while new orders for manufactured durable goods declined less than expected in December [8] - Housing starts reached a five-month high, contributing to positive sentiment in the tech sector, particularly following Meta's announcement to deploy millions of Nvidia chips [8]

Core Insights - Société Générale is launching a euro-denominated stablecoin, EUR Coinvertible, on the XRP Ledger, marking the first major European bank to utilize XRPL for a regulated stablecoin deployment [1] - The move signifies a growing trend of major institutions transitioning to on-chain solutions, potentially validating XRPL's enterprise-grade infrastructure [2] - This initiative aligns with Ripple's strategy to provide efficient global value transfer solutions, emphasizing the importance of high-speed, low-cost networks in modern finance [3] Company Developments - SG FORGE previously launched EUR Coinvertible on Ethereum in 2023 and is now expanding its offerings to the XRP Ledger [1] - Jean-Marc Stenger, CEO of SG-FORGE, highlighted the strategic significance of this expansion for the company [4] - The successful launch reinforces the commitment to next-generation, compliant crypto-assets that enhance transparency, security, and scalability [5] Industry Trends - The XRP Ledger's capability to process transactions in 3-5 seconds with fees typically under $0.01 makes it appealing for institutional payment applications [6] - The integration of EUR Coinvertible allows Société Générale to explore new use cases, such as using the stablecoin for trading collateral, reflecting a broader trend of regulatory approvals benefiting major players in the sector [7]