Key TakeawaysFrance's Composite PMI reached 49.9 in February, signaling a near-stagnation of the private sector as a surprising manufacturing contraction offset gains in services.Russian drone strikes hit Naftogaz oil and gas facilities in Ukraine's Poltava region, causing significant infrastructure damage and fires in the 20th such attack this year.UK 5-year Gilt yields fell to 3.765%, marking their lowest level since September 2024 as cooling inflation fuels expectations for aggressive interest rate cuts. ...

Key TakeawaysNvidia (NVDA) is nearing a $30 billion investment in OpenAI, a significant downscale from a previously discussed $100 billion commitment that remained unfinished.Global oil prices surged to their highest levels since August, with Brent crude nearing $72 per barrel as military tensions between the U.S. and Iran intensified near the Strait of Hormuz.HSBC Holdings PLC (HSBC) eliminated 10% of its U.S. debt capital markets staff as part of a broader $1.8 billion cost-saving initiative led by CEO Ge ...

Key TakeawaysJapan’s National CPI slowed to 1.5% in January, marking the slowest pace of inflation in two years and signaling a potential shift in the Bank of Japan’s hawkish trajectory.Gold prices hovered near the historic $5,000 mark as traders weighed geopolitical risks involving Iran against cautious interest rate signals from the Federal Reserve.Blue Owl Capital Inc. (OWL) shares plunged 10% following a redemption halt at its Blue Owl Capital Corp II fund, sparking liquidity concerns across the private ...

Shop owners of a 70-year-old "takoyaki", or octopus balls, restaurant chat while cooking along a street in the Taito Ward area of Tokyo on February 21, 2025.Japan's headline inflation rate fell to 1.5% in January, its lowest level since March 2022. The reading ended a run of 45 straight months in which inflation had remained above the Bank of Japan's 2% target.Core inflation rate, which excludes fresh food prices, eased to 2%, the lowest level since January 2024 and matching the 2% forecast by economists po ...

Join our daily newsletter At The Bell to receive exclusive market insightsASX today − Week 8 is ending on a down note after mostly gaining days, with shares Down Under heading for a -0.33% drop as global equities soften and oil and gold tick up under growing tensions between the U.S. and Iran.Listen to the HotCopper podcast for in-depth discussions and insights on all the biggest headlines from throughout the week. On Spotify, Apple, and more.ASX futures are following Wall Street pretty closely (after divor ...

The strategic shift positions Klarna less as an installment lender and more as a multi-product financial network monetizing cross-sell dynamic.Klarna’s earnings highlight a banking flywheel where checkout activity, cards and deposits reinforce one another.Klarna’s fourth-quarter results offer a snapshot into the appeal of paying over time. They also provide a window into the mechanics of a rapidly scaling financial network, where checkout activity, cards and deposits increasingly reinforce one another.By co ...

Key TakeawaysTrump sets a 10–15 day deadline for Iran talks, warning of "Phase two" consequences if a deal is not reached; US Crude Oil Futures settled up 1.90% at $66.43.Federal Reserve announces a hybrid public outreach meeting for March 26, 2026, to review and potentially reduce burdensome banking regulations under EGRPRA.Senate Banking Committee schedules a February 26 hearing with Fed Governor Michelle Bowman and FDIC's Travis Hill to discuss "rightsizing" financial oversight.King Charles III is expect ...

Key TakeawaysNetflix (NFLX) is reportedly prepared to increase its $82.7 billion bid for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) assets as it battles a $108.4 billion competing offer from Paramount Skydance.The US 30-Year TIPS auction saw strong demand, with the high yield falling to 2.473% and indirect bidders taking a significant 78.3% of the offering.Fed Governor Stephen Miran has moderated his dovish stance, suggesting that firm labor data and rising goods inflation may limit 2026 rate cuts to 100 basis points.Nip ...

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, ...