Trending Market News

NatWest Group reported a 24% increase in annual pretax operating profit to 7.7 billion pounds for 2025, beating analyst expectations of 7.5 billion pounds. The British bank raised its return on tangible equity target to greater than 18% by 2028 and announced a 750 million pound share buyback as it expands aggressively into wealth management.

• NatWest acquired Evelyn Partners for 2.7 billion pounds, marking its largest deal since the 2008 government bailout, as part of its wealth management expansion strategy
• Assets under management and administration grew 20% to 58.5 billion pounds in 2025, even before the Evelyn Partners acquisition closed
• The bank increased its ambitious performance target to a return on tangible equity greater than 18% by 2028, up from previous guidance of greater than 15% by 2027

Goldman Sachs' Chief Legal Officer Kathy Ruemmler is resigning following the release of Department of Justice documents revealing her communications with Jeffrey Epstein, including a phone call he made to her after his 2019 arrest on sex trafficking charges. The departure marks another high-profile casualty from Epstein associations, despite Goldman's previous defense of Ruemmler and her statements that she had no knowledge of his criminal conduct.

• Ruemmler was one of three people Epstein called on July 6, 2019, immediately after being arrested by federal authorities at a New Jersey airport on child sex trafficking charges
• Goldman CEO David Solomon had previously defended Ruemmler in November after earlier document releases, calling her an 'exceptional general counsel'
• The resignation follows a pattern of high-profile departures linked to Epstein, including British official Peter Mandelson and law firm chairman Brad Karp losing positions over similar associations

Amazon's Ring has terminated its partnership with police tech company Flock Safety following backlash over a Super Bowl ad featuring an AI-powered 'Search Party' feature for finding lost pets. The decision comes amid growing pressure on tech companies to reexamine their relationships with federal agencies, particularly ICE and CBP. Privacy advocates had called the feature a 'surveillance nightmare' due to Flock's network of automated license plate readers used by law enforcement.

• Ring cited that the Flock integration would require 'significantly more time and resources than anticipated,' though the partnership was never active and no videos were shared between the systems
• Flock Safety operates automated license plate readers sold to law enforcement agencies including ICE and CBP, which have accessed Flock's data during immigration enforcement operations
• The controversy reflects broader tech industry pressure, with over 900 Google employees and Salesforce staff also demanding their companies cut ties with ICE and CBP

Apple won its third trial against Optis Wireless in a patent dispute over 4G LTE technology, after two previous jury verdicts totaling $806 million were overturned on appeal. Optis, an intellectual-property management firm, had sued Apple in 2019 claiming iPhones violated its wireless patents, but the latest jury rejected these claims.

• Previous juries awarded Optis $506 million and $300 million against Apple, but both verdicts were reversed on appeal due to procedural issues including improper jury instructions
• Apple characterized Optis as a non-practicing entity whose 'sole business is to sue companies' seeking excessive payouts, while denying infringement and challenging patent validity
• A separate UK court ruling last year found Apple owes Optis $502 million for infringing UK wireless patents, with Apple's appeal scheduled for hearing at the UK Supreme Court in June

The Trump administration finalized a reciprocal trade agreement with Taiwan that sets U.S. tariffs on Taiwanese imports at 15% while Taiwan commits to eliminating or reducing tariffs on nearly all U.S. goods. Taiwan also agreed to purchase $84.8 billion in U.S. goods from 2025-2029, including energy products, aircraft, and power equipment. The deal puts Taiwan's tariff rate on par with South Korea and Japan, benefiting its semiconductor industry.

• Taiwan commits to $44.4 billion in LNG and crude oil purchases, $15.2 billion in civil aircraft, and $25.2 billion in power grid and industrial equipment through 2029
• Taiwan will immediately eliminate tariffs of up to 26% on U.S. agricultural products including beef, dairy, and corn
• The 15% U.S. tariff rate reduces Taiwan's initial 20% rate imposed by Trump and matches rates for Asian competitors South Korea and Japan

Dexcom reported fourth-quarter revenue of $1.26 billion, beating Wall Street estimates by $10 million with 13% year-over-year growth, driven by strong demand for its continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems. The medical device maker reiterated its 2026 revenue forecast of $5.16-$5.25 billion, with the midpoint slightly below analyst expectations of $5.24 billion.

• Adjusted quarterly profit reached 68 cents per share as the company benefited from growing diabetes care awareness, wider insurance coverage, and consumer preference for non-finger-prick devices
• Dexcom is expanding into the broader consumer health market with Stelo, its over-the-counter CGM targeting type 2 diabetes patients not on insulin and wellness-focused consumers
• The company launched its Dexcom G7 15 Day System in 2025 and is banking on new app features in both G7 and Stelo to drive further adoption

Coinbase Global reported a fourth-quarter loss of $666.7 million as cryptocurrency trading volumes weakened amid a broad digital-asset selloff. The downturn followed President Trump's tariff announcements on Chinese imports and threatened export controls, which dampened market sentiment and reduced volatility. Lower volatility hurt Coinbase's trading revenue, which relies on active investor transactions.

• Transaction revenue fell sharply to $982.7 million in Q4, down from $1.56 billion in the same quarter the previous year
• The company posted a loss of $666.7 million, or $2.49 per share, for the quarter
• Cryptocurrency markets retreated from early October 2025 record highs following Trump's tariff policies and export control threats on critical software

Instacart forecast first-quarter gross transaction value and core profit above Wall Street expectations and beat fourth-quarter estimates, driven by strong demand for essentials and growing advertising revenue. The delivery platform logged strong order growth as budget-conscious consumers sought cheaper groceries while relying on rapid delivery convenience. Instacart's advertising business grew to about 9,000 active brands, helping push segment revenue above $1 billion in 2025.

• Q1 GTV forecast of $10.13-$10.28 billion exceeds analyst estimates of $9.95 billion, implying 11-13% year-over-year growth; adjusted EBITDA guidance of $280-$290 million tops expectations of $279.5 million
• Q4 GTV rose 14% to $9.85 billion (vs. $9.5 billion estimate) with orders climbing 16%, outpacing prior year's 11% growth; advertising revenue increased 10% to $294 million
• Company faces intensifying competition from Amazon's sub-30-minute delivery service and Kroger's expanded partnership with Uber Eats, which could erode market share

Pinterest stock plunged 20% after reporting fourth-quarter revenue of $1.32 billion that missed expectations and issuing weak first-quarter guidance of $951-971 million, below the $980 million analyst estimate. Despite the disappointing financial results, the company reached an all-time high of 619 million global monthly active users, exceeding Wall Street projections.

• Fourth-quarter revenue of $1.32 billion fell short of the $1.33 billion expected, with Q1 guidance of $951-971 million trailing analyst estimates of $980 million
• Global monthly active users grew 12% year-over-year to a record 619 million, surpassing the expected 613 million
• Adjusted EBITDA of $541.5 million missed the $550 million target, while the company recently cut less than 15% of its workforce to focus resources on AI-powered product development

Roku forecast annual revenue of $5.50 billion, above Wall Street's estimate of $5.34 billion, driven by a rebound in digital advertising and the shift to ad-based streaming. The company's shares climbed following the announcement. Roku is capitalizing on growing streaming viewership as connected TV devices become primary viewing platforms for households.

• Annual revenue forecast of $5.50 billion exceeds analyst estimates of $5.34 billion
• Platform revenue expected to grow 18% to $4.89 billion in 2026
• Growth driven by strong ad sales as more customers switch to streaming platforms and connected TV devices become primary viewing methods

Airbnb reported fourth-quarter results that exceeded revenue expectations with $2.78 billion (up 12% year-over-year), but missed earnings per share estimates. Despite the revenue beat, shares dropped 3% in extended trading. The company provided optimistic forward guidance, projecting Q1 revenue of $2.59-$2.63 billion versus analyst estimates of $2.53 billion.

• Revenue of $2.78 billion beat the $2.72 billion estimate, marking the 20th time in 21 quarters that Airbnb exceeded Wall Street revenue expectations
• Nights and seats booked reached 121.9 million (up 10% YoY) and gross booking value totaled $20.4 billion (up 16% YoY), both surpassing analyst expectations
• The company expects full-year revenue growth of 'at least low double digits' compared to analyst expectations of 10.2% growth, and recently hired a new tech chief from Meta to lead AI initiatives

Applied Materials, the largest U.S. semiconductor equipment maker, forecast second-quarter revenue and profit above market estimates on Thursday, driven by surging demand for AI processors and a global memory shortage. The company expects Q2 sales of approximately $7.65 billion, significantly higher than the analyst estimate of $7.01 billion, as chipmakers expand production capacity.

• Q2 revenue forecast of about $7.65 billion (plus or minus $500 million) exceeds analyst estimates of $7.01 billion
• Expected Q2 adjusted profit of approximately $2.64 per share
• Growth driven by relentless AI chip demand and memory providers increasing manufacturing capacity amid a worldwide memory shortage

Vertex Pharmaceuticals forecast 2026 revenue of $12.95-$13.1 billion, aligned with analyst estimates, driven by its dominant cystic fibrosis treatments and newer products including gene therapy Casgevy and non-opioid painkiller Journavx. The company reported a 10% rise in Q4 revenue to $3.19 billion, meeting expectations as it diversifies beyond cystic fibrosis into gene therapies and pain management.

• The company expects at least $500 million in 2026 revenue from non-cystic fibrosis products, including Casgevy (which treated 64 patients in 2025 and generated $54 million in Q4) and Journavx (which received over 550,000 prescriptions through year-end 2025)
• Vertex secured commercial coverage for Journavx with all three national pharmacy benefit managers, expected to boost uptake in 2026 following its 2025 approval for acute pain
• The company plans to release interim data in H1 2026 for experimental drug povetacicept for kidney disease, using a priority review voucher to expedite FDA review from ten months to six

Rivian exceeded Q4 revenue expectations with $1.29 billion versus $1.26 billion estimated, but the EV maker warned it will continue incurring significant losses as it ramps up production of its next-generation R2 vehicle. The company projects 2026 vehicle deliveries of 62,000-67,000 units, representing a 47-59% increase year-over-year, while expecting adjusted losses between $1.8 billion and $2.1 billion.

• Full-year 2025 revenue reached $5.34 billion, up 8% from 2024, with gross profit of $144 million achieved largely through Rivian's software joint venture with Volkswagen offsetting $432 million in automotive losses
• Net loss improved to $3.6 billion in 2025 from $4.75 billion in 2024, though Q4 loss of $804 million was impacted by decreased regulatory credit sales following Trump administration rollbacks to emissions standards
• Capital expenditures for 2026 expected between $1.95 billion and $2.05 billion, up from $1.7 billion in 2025, as the company invests in launching the crucial R2 vehicle

Westpac Banking Corp reported a 6% increase in first-quarter underlying net profit to A$1.9 billion ($1.35 billion) for the three months ended December 31, driven by strong growth in customer deposits and loans. The profit growth comes despite continued pressure on net interest margins in Australia's competitive low-interest-rate lending environment.

• Westpac added A$12 billion in customer deposits and A$22 billion in new loans during the quarter, offsetting margin compression
• Core net interest margin declined 3 basis points to 1.79% due to intense competition among Australian lenders for borrowers
• Common equity tier 1 (CET1) ratio fell 23 basis points to 12.3% at year-end, reflecting capital deployment

Eli Lilly has accumulated $1.5 billion in pre-launch inventory of its experimental oral weight-loss drug orforglipron, nearly tripling its stockpile from $550 million previously. The FDA is expected to make an approval decision in April, and the company plans to launch the pill simultaneously in multiple countries if approved.

• The inventory increase from $550 million to $1.5 billion demonstrates Lilly's confidence and preparation for a major multi-country launch of orforglipron
• Competitor Novo Nordisk launched its once-daily weight-loss pill earlier this month, generating over 26,000 prescriptions in the second full week
• Orforglipron received FDA fast-track review status, potentially cutting approval review time to just 1-2 months versus the typical 10-12 months

Mercedes-Benz is recalling 11,895 vehicles in the United States due to high-voltage batteries that can fail internally and create a fire risk whether the vehicle is parked or being driven. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced the recall on Thursday, instructing owners to take immediate precautions while awaiting repairs.

• Vehicle owners are advised to park outside and limit charging until they can obtain a free battery replacement from Mercedes-Benz
• The fire risk exists both while vehicles are parked and during operation, making this a safety-critical recall requiring immediate action
• The recall affects nearly 12,000 vehicles with defective high-voltage battery systems that can experience internal failures

Comcast-owned Sky's talks to acquire ITV's broadcast channels and streaming platform for $2.18 billion have slowed in recent weeks, according to sources. The deal aims to create a top-three UK streaming competitor to Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Complications include challenges in separating ITV's broadcast unit from its Studios division and uncertainty around Warner Bros Discovery's potential acquisition affecting the media landscape.

• Negotiations have stalled partly due to time-consuming complications in separating ITV's Media and Entertainment unit from its Studios operation, making it difficult to value the broadcast assets
• Comcast is weighing how potential acquisitions of Warner Bros by Netflix or Paramount Skydance may reshape the competitive landscape before committing to the ITV deal
• The weak UK economic outlook and declining value of traditional broadcast assets are weighing on talks, though Comcast continues investing in the UK market with plans for its first European theme park near London

FedEx outlined a three-year growth plan targeting $98 billion in consolidated revenue by fiscal 2029, powered by digital innovation and European expansion. The company expects third-quarter earnings to exceed Wall Street estimates due to an 'exceptional' holiday season. FedEx is also preparing to spin off its freight business into a separate publicly traded company in June.

• FedEx projects $98 billion in revenue by fiscal 2029 (excluding freight business), representing a 4% compound annual growth rate, with expected operating income of $8 billion and 8% operating margin
• Fiscal 2026 revenue is projected at roughly $93.5 million including freight business, with the freight spinoff scheduled for June as a separate publicly traded entity
• International expansion focuses on achieving 8% operating margin through improvements in Europe, including the announced acquisition of European company InPost at 15.60 euros per share

Palo Alto Networks avoided directly naming China in a report about a global cyberespionage campaign due to fears of retaliation from Beijing, according to sources. The cybersecurity firm instead described hackers as a 'state-aligned group that operates out of Asia' after executives softened language following China's ban of Palo Alto's software last month. The decision highlights risks cybersecurity companies face when attributing state-sponsored hacking, particularly those with global operations.

• A draft report by Palo Alto's Unit 42 originally linked the hacking group 'TGR-STA-1030' to China, but executives ordered the language softened after China banned Palo Alto and about 15 other U.S. and Israeli cybersecurity firms' software on national security grounds
• The hackers successfully breached government and critical infrastructure organizations in 37 countries in what Palo Alto dubbed 'The Shadow Campaigns,' with forensic evidence pointing to China including GMT+8 timezone activity and targeting aligned with Beijing's diplomatic interests
• Palo Alto maintains five offices in China and lists over 1,000 employees there on LinkedIn, illustrating the trade-off companies with global footprints face between exposing foreign espionage and protecting local staff from potential reprisals