Public Markets 3h Briefing
×US Market Movers
Home Depot wsj.com shares fell after reporting lower fourth-quarter profit as the home improvement downturn continues. Keurig Dr Pepper wsj.com rose on higher prices boosting fourth-quarter sales to $2.7 billion, while AMD investing.com surged 14% following its Meta AI partnership deal. Novo Nordisk investing.com continued its selloff with shares down 2% after price cut plans triggered rating downgrades.
Tech & AI Developments
Meta ft.com and AMD finance.yahoo.com announced a $6-billion 6-gigawatt GPU deal as part of Meta's AI buildout. Digital Ocean investing.com surged on earnings beats and raised outlook, while Goldman investing.com analysts noted markets are rewarding "heavy asset, low obsolescence" firms amid AI disruption fears. Software stocks bloomberg.com continue facing investor selling pressure despite upcoming earnings, with HSBC noting software is already "eating AI."
Global Markets & Policy
Mexico bloomberg.com inflation accelerated more than expected in early February as new taxes and tariffs take hold. Gabon bloomberg.com risks default amid IMF program uncertainty, Fitch warns. Singapore Airlines wsj.com posted record quarterly revenue on strong travel demand, though net profit slumped without a one-off gain. UBS investing.com cut Elia Group to "neutral" as share rallies price in regulatory upside.
Earnings & Corporate News
Planet Fitness wsj.com logged higher profit and revenue in Q4 as it added members and opened locations, forecasting 9% growth in 2026. Amer Sports bloomberg.com shares fell after issuing Q1 guidance below expectations, raising concerns about higher marketing costs for Salomon and Arc'teryx brands. Fresenius Medical Care wsj.com shares dropped after forecasting flattish revenue and adjusted earnings amid regulatory headwinds.
Energy & Commodities
Exxon bloomberg.com touted Guyana growth in the race for next decade's oil fields, betting the economic boom will give it an edge in negotiating fiscal terms. Iranian oil loadings wsj.com surged to multiyear highs this month as regional risks build ahead of US nuclear talks. US Treasury gains bloomberg.com fizzled with key yields hovering near 4% as demand for havens eased.
European Markets
European banks bloomberg.com told the ECB they expect to benefit from AI disruption of their business models. European Q4 earnings investing.com delivered a narrow beat, though misses hit hard. Rheinmetall ft.com muscled back into the German drones program after a testing setback, while Roku wsj.com ended a three-year profit slide through new ad deals and cost cuts.
Asian Markets
China investing.com internet and auto stocks dragged broader markets lower, though Deutsche Bank bloomberg.com CIO sees the country becoming more attractive as inflows rise due to tech prowess. Tata Sons bloomberg.com deferred a decision on Chairman Chandrasekaran's third term, signaling a new power tussle. OTP Bank bloomberg.com eyes Central Asia for expansion as it seeks to replicate its Eastern European growth strategy.