Public Markets 8-Hour Briefing
×Market Moves
Puma forecast another year of losses and scrapped its dividend as the German sportswear brand looks to clear unsold inventory and position itself for a return to profitable growth in 2027. WPP plans to slash £500 million in costs by 2028 as part of a restructuring to return the struggling advertising group to profit growth, following a 71% profit drop in 2025. Nvidia shares rose after reporting record quarterly sales, though analysts questioned its AI-driven rally, while Sony expanded its share buyback program to ¥250 billion ($1.6 to boost shareholder returns.
Macro & Policy
The European Central Bank reported a third straight annual loss, its worst run on record, as the effects of crisis-era policies continue to weigh (Bloomberg Markets. The U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve are flipping mortgage bonds into shorter-term government bills, a shift that could reshape debt markets (Financial Times Markets. Japan’s government expects interest payments on debt to roughly double by 2029 as the Bank of Japan’s rate hikes push up borrowing costs (Bloomberg Markets.
Investment Highlights
Syngenta Group’s renewed bid to go public follows a high-profile reversal, with markets rallying on the news (Bloomberg Markets. Ocado posted FY25 revenue and EBITDA beats but warned of cash burn risks, sending shares down 9%. ASICS COO Mitsuyuki Tominaga discussed global growth strategies at a Tokyo event, highlighting expansion in Asia-Pacific markets. LSEG shares jumped 6% after announcing a £3 billion buyback amid pressure from activist investor Elliott Investment Management.
Geopolitical & Sectoral Shifts
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed investigations into a deadly Cuba speedboat incident involving Cuban forces and Florida-tagged vessels, raising tensions (Bloomberg Markets. India is holding off on Russian oil purchases after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling jeopardized a tariff-cutting trade deal (Bloomberg Markets. The UK’s first commercial lithium plant opened, signaling progress in domestic critical minerals production (Financial Times Companies.
Tech & Innovation
A nuclear fusion startup secured Bavarian state backing for a €2 billion test plant, aiming to build Europe’s first commercial plant by the end of the decade (Financial Times Companies. Baidu reported profit drops as revenue declines continue, struggling to adapt to the AI era. Nutanix shares soared 23% on an AMD partnership and a solid quarterly report, while Celsius surged on a strong fourth-quarter revenue beat.
Economic Outlook
Capital Economics highlighted reasons to be positive on the S&P 500, citing resilience in earnings and valuations (Investing.com News. The S&P 500 fell sharply after volatile trading, with investors seeking clarity on AI’s impact. Emerging markets are reducing dollar reliance, with African nations exploring renminbi and local currencies for trade settlements (Bloomberg Markets.
Miscellaneous
Bitcoin rebounded to $68k on bargain buying and positive Wall Street cues. Eni beat Q4 profit expectations on strong production, while Medmix saw FY25 revenue fall and an 80% dividend cut, sending shares down 17%. Equinix and CPPIB neared a $4 billion deal for data center firm at North, signaling infrastructure sector consolidation.
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