It’s the final trading day of a holiday-shortened week. Volatility is rising -- the VIX has risen by over 43% since the beginning of the year -- with investors waiting to see what happens in Iran. To make matters worse, the Commerce Department reported this morning that America’s GDP in the fourth quarter increased by 1.4%, 300 and 240 basis points lower than Q3 2025 and Q2 2025, respectively. More News from Barchart Add to this a 3.0% annualized increase in core prices in December, which excludes food ...

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks fell Thursday, while oil prices rose with worries about a potential conflict between the United States and Iran. The S&P 500 slipped 0.3% for its first loss in four days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 267 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.3%. Booking Holdings dropped 6.1% for one of the market’s sharper losses, even though the company behind the Booking.com, Priceline and OpenTable brands reported a profit for the latest quarter that edged past a ...

Q4 2025 FINANCIAL RESULTS February 17, 2026 SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT AND DISCLOSURES All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this presentation including competitive strengths; business strategy; future financial position or operating results; budgets; projections with respect to revenue, income, earnings (or loss) per share, capital expenditures, dividends, liquidity, capital structure or other financial items; costs; and plans and objectives of management regarding operations and ...

Core Insights - Dangote Group has signed a $400 million agreement with XCMG Construction Machinery to enhance its construction capabilities and expand the Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals capacity from 650,000 barrels per day to 1.4 million barrels per day, positioning it among the largest refineries globally [1][2] Group 1: Expansion Plans - The agreement allows Dangote to access advanced construction equipment for ongoing and future projects in refining, petrochemicals, agriculture, and infrastructure development, with the refinery expansion scheduled for completion in three years [2] - Dangote Group plans to increase polypropylene output from 900,000 metric tonnes per annum to 2.4 million metric tonnes, while Nigeria's urea production capacity will triple from three million to nine million metric tonnes annually [3] - The expansion will also raise annual production of Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) to 400,000 metric tonnes, making Dangote the largest LAB producer in Africa [4] Group 2: Strategic Vision - The additional equipment will enhance project execution, with the company aiming to become the number one construction company globally as part of its Dangote Vision 2030, which includes building a $100 billion pan-African industrial powerhouse [5][6] - The vision encompasses expanding operations in key sectors, increasing investments across Africa, and developing workforce capabilities to reduce import reliance and promote industrial development [6]

Core Viewpoint - Kubota Corporation aims to transform India into its growth engine under its 2030 mid-term business plan, identifying it as a key pillar alongside its construction machinery business in North America and lifecycle support business [1][11]. Growth Strategy - The company plans to leverage India as a global hub for R&D, procurement, and production to enhance cost competitiveness and strengthen its supply chain [2][11]. - Kubota anticipates strong economic growth in India, with real GDP growth projected at 8% in the first half of fiscal 2025, supported by solid domestic demand [5][11]. Market Opportunities - India is recognized as the world's largest tractor market, with expectations for continued expansion due to economic development and increased agricultural mechanization [6][11]. - The company aims to tap into the global market expansion of basic tractors, noting growing demand in Europe and low agricultural mechanization rates in Africa and Latin America, which may be boosted by government subsidies [8][11]. Product Development and Cost Competitiveness - Kubota plans to enhance cost competitiveness by introducing new products under the Kubota brand, utilizing resources from Escorts Kubota [6][11]. - The company will implement the Kubota production system (KPS) to improve quality and productivity, while also expanding its product lineup across its three brands: Farmtrac, Powertrac, and Kubota [7][11]. Future Investments - Future investments include establishing a new plant in India, with a 200-acre site in Uttar Pradesh allocated for a ₹4,500 crore tractor manufacturing unit [10][11].

Flash | 09 Feb 2026 01:12:42 ET │ 11 pages China Automation and Machinery Weekly Highlights: Positive Data Points for Construction Machinery and AI PCB Equipment CITI'S TAKE Construction machinery: According to CCMA (China Construction Machinery Association), China domestic excavator shipment/export volume increased by 61%/40% YoY in Jan-26, which we believe could be due to the CNY-led low base in Jan-25. China's tower crane leasing rate index, published by Pangyuan, declined by 6% WoW last week as we are a ...

The broader market is near a significant milestone thanks to big gains for stocks outside of tech. Goldman Sachs and Caterpillar are examples. ...

Core Viewpoint - The Dow Jones Industrial Average has surged to record levels, approaching the 50,000 mark, driven by significant gains in Nvidia and Caterpillar stocks [1]. Group 1: Market Performance - The Dow increased by 1,000 points, representing a 2.1% rise, reaching an intraday high of 49,980.29 [1]. - The S&P 500 index rose by 1.6%, while the Nasdaq Composite experienced a rally of 1.9% [1]. Group 2: Key Contributors - Nvidia and Caterpillar are identified as the leading companies contributing to the recent market rally [1].

Group 1: Market Overview - The market is experiencing "manic rotations," with 70 stocks in the S&P 100 trading upwards while the index itself is down, indicating a disconnect between stock performance and overall market trends [3][5]. - There is a notable shift away from technology stocks, with fund managers seeking alternative investments like Caterpillar and Exxon Mobile due to stagnation in tech stocks like Nvidia and Microsoft [5][6]. Group 2: Caterpillar Analysis - Caterpillar has seen an 18% year-to-date increase, but is considered overbought and overhyped, leading to a bearish outlook [5][6]. - A bearish trade is being set up with a $10 wide out-of-the-money put spread, targeting a pullback as the current market rotation is expected to cease [7][8][9]. - Technical indicators suggest that a modest pullback could occur, with potential support levels identified around 660 and 627 [10][11]. Group 3: TLT (Treasury Bonds) Analysis - There is a lack of interest in treasury bonds, with investors favoring metals instead, indicating a bearish sentiment towards TLT [17][19]. - A synthetic stock replacement strategy is being employed by purchasing a deep in-the-money put to simulate a short position, with a focus on maintaining a bearish trend [18][19]. - Technical analysis shows that moving averages are diverging downwards, suggesting a continued bearish trend for TLT [22][23]. Group 4: Exxon Mobile Analysis - Exxon Mobile has experienced a 19% year-to-date increase, characterized as a "mother of all rotation plays," with significant capital flowing into the stock [25][26]. - A bearish position is being established through a put spread, with a risk defined at $260, as the stock is perceived to be on borrowed time after its explosive growth [29][30]. - Technical indicators show that while the stock has reached new highs, there are signs of bearish divergence in momentum, suggesting potential for a pullback [36][37].

Core Insights - KH Group Plc's preliminary results for 2025 indicate net sales of EUR 205 million and a comparable operating profit of EUR 6.4 million, surpassing previous guidance [2][3] - The company had previously estimated net sales between EUR 190–200 million and comparable operating profit between EUR 5–6 million [3] Group Performance - Both Nordic Rescue Group and KH-Koneet exceeded expectations in the last quarter of 2025, contributing to the overall positive results [2] - Nordic Rescue Group reported higher-than-expected operating profit in its Swedish operations and exceeded production plans in Finland, boosting net sales and operating profit [2] - KH-Koneet successfully increased machine sales and improved the profitability of its machinery rental business towards the end of the year [2] Future Outlook - KH Group is scheduled to publish its Financial Statements Release for 2025 on March 20, 2026 [3] - The company operates in two business areas: KH-Koneet, which supplies construction and earth-moving machinery, and Nordic Rescue Group, a manufacturer of rescue vehicles [3]