Core Viewpoint - Turkey opposes Greece's unilateral activities in hydrocarbon fields south of Crete, claiming these actions violate international law and good neighborly relations [1] Group 1 - Turkey's opposition is directed towards a consortium led by U.S. oil major Chevron [1] - The activities in question are related to hydrocarbon exploration and extraction [1]

Core Viewpoint - The content emphasizes the importance of conducting personal due diligence and consulting with competent advisors before making any financial decisions, particularly in the context of investments in cryptocurrencies and CFDs [1]. Group 1 - The website provides general news, personal analysis, and third-party materials intended for educational and research purposes [1]. - It explicitly states that the information should not be interpreted as a recommendation or advice for investment actions [1]. - The accuracy and reliability of the information are not guaranteed, and users are cautioned against relying solely on the content provided [1]. Group 2 - The website discusses the complexities and high risks associated with cryptocurrencies and CFDs, highlighting the potential for significant financial loss [1]. - It encourages users to conduct their own research and fully understand the financial instruments before investing [1].

Market Overview - Equity benchmarks, including the Sensex and Nifty, reversed early gains to trade in the red despite positive global cues, influenced by selective profit booking [1] - The BSE Sensex opened at 83,969.82 but fell to 83,606.97, down ₹127.28 or 0.15% [2] - The NSE Nifty 50 opened at 25,873.35 and slipped to 25,783.45, shedding 35.90 points or 0.14% [2] Global Influences - The pullback occurred despite firm global cues, with the Nasdaq rising 1.07% overnight, partly due to a strategic partnership between Nvidia and Meta [3] - Asian equities rose, supported by Wall Street's technology gains, while crude oil surged to $64 amid reports of U.S. military mobilization towards potential operations in Iran [3] Sector Performance - Among the top gainers on the Nifty 50, ONGC led with a gain of 1.76% at ₹269.25, followed by Infosys at ₹1,391.70, up 1.31% [5] - The IT sector showed recovery with HCL Technologies gaining 1.20% to ₹1,484.80 and TCS adding 1.08% to ₹2,724.00, contrasting with the broader sectoral trend where the IT index had previously shed over 1.2% [5] - The metal index was the top sectoral performer on Wednesday, rallying over 1% [8] Institutional Activity - Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) bought equities worth ₹1,154 crore, marking their second consecutive session of net buying, while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) purchased ₹440 crore [8] - FII positioning in the derivatives segment reflects a net bullish bias, indicating a mildly constructive market undertone [8] Valuation Insights - The Nifty is trading at around 20 times FY27 estimated earnings, while midcap and smallcap indexes are trading at 28 and 24 times respectively, indicating a stock picker's market [8] - Positive prospects are noted for sectors including financials, autos, capital goods, pharmaceuticals, and hotels [8] Technical Analysis - The market found support near 25,650 on the Nifty and 83,400 on the Sensex, with an uptrend likely to continue as long as these levels hold [9] - Immediate resistance for traders is pegged at 25,950–26,000 on the Nifty and 84,700–85,000 on the Sensex [9] Commodities and Currency - MCX Gold futures are consolidating near the ₹1,50,000–₹1,60,000 zone after correcting from record highs, while MCX Silver trades near ₹2,30,000–₹2,50,000 [10] - The USD/INR pair hovers around 90.50–90.90, with the dollar index climbing to a one-week high of 97.70 following Federal Reserve meeting minutes [10]

Naval Buildup and Military Options - The U.S. Navy has increased its presence in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean to 13 ships, including the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, enhancing military readiness [2][9] - President Trump has been briefed on military strike options against Iran, focusing on crippling its nuclear infrastructure while avoiding a prolonged ground war [3][9] Market Impact: Defense Sector - The potential for military action has led to increased investor interest in defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and RTX Corporation, as the U.S. military repositions advanced assets [4][9] - Geopolitical developments are viewed as catalysts for sustained defense spending in the sector [4] Market Impact: Energy Sector - Crude oil prices have shown high volatility due to the potential disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, with energy companies like ExxonMobil and Chevron trading with heightened sensitivity to supply chain risks [5][9] Emerging Market Volatility - The Indonesian Rupiah has depreciated to 16,900 per dollar, driven by a flight to safety into the U.S. Dollar and concerns over regional war and global inflation [6][9] - Bank Indonesia may need to intervene as the currency approaches the 17,000 mark, impacting regional asset investors [7][9]

Market Overview - Major U.S. indices closed higher, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 0.26% to 49,662.66, the S&P 500 advancing 0.56% to 6,881.31, and the Nasdaq climbing 0.78% to 22,753.63 [1] Carvana Co. (NYSE:CVNA) - Carvana shares rose 3.02% to close at $361.53, with an intraday high of $366.26 and a low of $339.15; however, the stock crashed nearly 15% to $307.70 in after-hours trading [1] - Carvana reported strong fourth-quarter results, with revenue rising 58% year-over-year to $5.60 billion, exceeding the $5.26 billion consensus estimate, and sold 163,522 vehicles, up 43% from a year ago [2] - Adjusted EBITDA reached $511 million with a 9.1% margin, reflecting improved unit economics despite a sequential dip in profitability [2] Figma Inc. (NYSE:FIG) - Figma shares rallied in extended trading after delivering strong fourth-quarter results, reporting EPS of 8 cents, surpassing the 7-cent estimate, and revenue rose to $303.78 million from $216.95 million a year earlier, ahead of the $293.15 million consensus [3] - Looking ahead, Figma guided first-quarter revenue of $315 million to $317 million, well above estimates, and projected full-year fiscal 2026 revenue of $1.37 billion to $1.374 billion, reinforcing confidence in continued growth [4] DoorDash Inc. (NASDAQ:DASH) - DoorDash posted EPS of 48 cents, below the 60-cent consensus, while revenue of $3.96 billion came in just shy of the $3.99 billion estimate, though significantly up from $2.87 billion a year ago [5] - For the first quarter, DoorDash expects marketplace GOV between $31 billion and $31.8 billion and adjusted EBITDA of $675 million to $775 million, as investors weigh continued growth against the earnings miss [5] Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) - Occidental Petroleum shares rose 2.55% to $47.11, with an intraday high of $47.43 and a low of $46.26; in after-hours trading, the stock rose 2.95% to $48.50 [6] Rackspace Technology Inc (NASDAQ:RXT) - Rackspace announced a strategic partnership with Palantir Technologies, leading to a dramatic rally as the company aims to enhance its deployment of Palantir's Foundry and AI Platform [7]

After years of prioritizing returning cash to shareholders, oil supermajors are about to do something few expected: turning to growth as a top priority. The reason: contrary to dominant expectations, oil and gas will continue to be needed for decades. For years, analysts from some of the most reputable organizations have been predicting a pending decline in oil demand specifically, but also gas demand. The predictions, notably from the International Energy Agency, were based on projections about a widespr ...

US stocks are seeing their worst start to the year since 1995. That's versus global markets. >> It's not just that the US is down slightly, is that the rest of the world is up sharply.>> For the rest of the world to continue to outperform the US, they were going to have to have some fundamental follow-through. And frankly, that's not what we're getting quite yet. US stocks are seeing their worst start to the year since 1995.That's versus global markets. And it's according to data from Goldman Sachs. We got ...

Core Viewpoint - US stocks are experiencing their worst start to the year since 1995, while global markets are performing significantly better, with the rest of the world up approximately 8% since the beginning of the year compared to the US being flat or slightly down [1][2]. Market Performance - The US market is up 11% over the past year, while the rest of the world has seen a rise of roughly 30% [3]. - US stocks are trading at a price-to-earnings premium of about 40% over global counterparts, making them more expensive to hold while performance lags [3]. Sector Concentration - The US market is heavily weighted towards technology, which is causing investors to seek diversification in international equities that are less concentrated in this sector [4]. Geopolitical Factors - Geopolitical risks, including issues related to Greenland, Venezuela, and the Trump administration's tariff regime, are contributing to a significant performance gap between the US and global markets [5]. Investor Sentiment - Investors are beginning to consider reallocating assets abroad, particularly towards regions like Europe, which may offer more upside potential due to their recent underperformance [6][8]. Japan's Investment - Japan is emerging as a favored investment destination, with a recent announcement of a $36 billion investment in the US, primarily in the energy sector, as part of a larger $550 billion trade agreement [9][11]. - This investment includes a significant natural gas plant in Ohio, aligning with Japan's need for energy imports and reducing reliance on China [10][12]. Earnings Growth - The majority of outperformance for non-US markets in 2025 was attributed to multiple expansion rather than earnings growth, highlighting a need for fundamental improvements to sustain this trend [15][16]. - US earnings growth is significantly outpacing that of other regions, indicating that returns from outside the US are largely driven by valuation adjustments rather than earnings [16]. Sector Analysis - There are pockets of strength in sectors such as data center expansion and power in Europe, but overall performance may not be as broad as indicated by multiple expansions [17]. - High-quality companies in sectors like semiconductors and industrials are trading at multiples comparable to their US peers, challenging the narrative of Europe being undervalued [18]. Emerging Markets - Emerging markets, particularly in Asia, such as Korea and Taiwan, are showing exceptional earnings growth and total return potential, leading to a significant overweight in these regions within investment portfolios [20][21].

Core Viewpoint - Occidental announced its fourth quarter 2025 financial results, with details available on its website and the SEC's site [1]. Group 1: Financial Results - The earnings release for the fourth quarter of 2025 can be accessed through the Investor Relations section of Occidental's website [1]. - A conference call to discuss the financial results is scheduled for February 19, 2026, at 1 p.m. Eastern/12 p.m. Central [2]. Group 2: Company Overview - Occidental is an international energy company focused on producing, marketing, and transporting oil and natural gas, while also advancing lower-carbon technologies [3]. - The company is headquartered in Houston and primarily operates in the United States, the Middle East, and North Africa [3].

March WTI crude oil (CLH26) on Wednesday closed up +2.86 (+4.59%), and March RBOB gasoline (RBH26) closed up +0.0536 (+2.80%). Crude oil and gasoline prices rallied sharply on Wednesday amid mounting geopolitical risks.  The likelihood of the Russian-Ukrainian war continuing is bullish for oil prices as it will keep restrictions on Russian crude and limit global oil supplies.  Also, concerns remain that a conflict between the US and Iran could put crude flows through the Middle East at risk, which is supp ...