Nvidia reported record sales and a significant profit surge driven by AI, while Salesforce and Snowflake showed varied growth and AI adoption, contrasting with a bleak research report sparking debate on AI's market and job impact.

• Nvidia Beats Back Bubble Fears With Record $68 Billion in Sales in Fourth Quarter — Wall Street Journal -
• Salesforce Sees Stable Growth Despite Wall Street’s AI Concerns — Wall Street Journal -
• Bleak Research Report Stokes A.I. Debate on Wall St. — The New York Times Business -

• Salesforce issues soft outlook amid concerns about AI’s threat to software — Financial Times -
• Nvidia posts first $200bn year on back of AI investment boom — Financial Times -
• Snowflake Revenue Rises As AI Adoption Accelerates — Wall Street Journal -
• Opinion | How I Killed—and Revived—Teamwork With AI — Wall Street Journal -
• Defence and AI spending sends global debt to record $348tn — Financial Times -
• Tech, Media & Telecom Roundup: Market Talk — Wall Street Journal -
• Tefal Pan-Maker Groupe SEB to Cut 7% of Jobs, Citing AI Gains — Wall Street Journal -
• US-UK tech talks restart with focus on nuclear projects — Financial Times -
• Nordex Surges 16% on Earnings Beat, Potential U.S. Expansion — Wall Street Journal -
• UK AI start-up Wayve raises $1.2bn from carmakers and Big Tech — Financial Times -
• SoftBank-Backed Wayve Raises $1.2 Billion From Microsoft, Nvidia, Automakers — Wall Street Journal -
• The AI doomers aren’t done yet — Financial Times -
• Pentagon Gives Anthropic an Ultimatum Over the Company’s A.I. Model — The New York Times Business -
• Amazon AI lab chief to depart amid leadership shake-up — Financial Times -
• HP Dials Down Fiscal-Year Expectations as Memory Prices Drive Up Costs — Wall Street Journal -
• Wayve, an A.I. Driverless Car Start-Up in Europe, Raises $1.2 Billion — The New York Times Business -

Diverse companies like Paramount, Urban Outfitters, and T.J. Maxx released financial results showing mixed performance, with some like Dine Brands focusing on traffic amid consumer caution, and Leonardo eyeing a joint-venture deal.

• Paramount Streaming Revenue Rises, but TV Segment Faces Headwinds — Wall Street Journal -
• Circle Internet’s Quarterly Profit Surges on Stablecoin Demand — Wall Street Journal -
• Urban Outfitters’ Rental Business Beats Its Sales Target — Wall Street Journal -

• Dine Brands Increases Focus on Traffic, Value Amid Ongoing Consumer Caution — Wall Street Journal -
• Bloomin’s Turnaround Lifts Outback Traffic as Beef Inflation Persists — Wall Street Journal -
• Leonardo Aims to Strike Joint-Venture Deal for Aerostructures Division by June, CEO Says — Wall Street Journal -
• Lowe’s Says Homeowners Remain Reluctant to Remodel — Wall Street Journal -
• The Anthropologist Mapping Coach’s Course Toward $10 Billion in Sales — Wall Street Journal -
• T.J. Maxx Owner Posts Higher Profit, Sales — Wall Street Journal -
• Sandoz Shares Jump on Improved Guidance — Wall Street Journal -
• Bank of Montreal Profit Rises With Lift in Revenue, Drop in Credit-Loss Provision — Wall Street Journal -
• Diageo Shares Sink on Cuts to Guidance, Dividend as New Boss Sets Sights on Turnaround — Wall Street Journal -
• Owens Corning Widens Loss as Sales Fall — Wall Street Journal -
• Spain’s Santander Eyes Higher Profit After Deal Spree — Wall Street Journal -
• How United’s ‘Act of God’ Expectations Help It Hit Financial Targets — Wall Street Journal -
• Iberdrola’s Net Profit Rises, Reiterates Guidance — Wall Street Journal -
• DoorDash to Wind Down Deliveroo, Wolt Operations in Four Countries — Wall Street Journal -
• Heidelberg Materials Posts Higher Earnings, Revenue — Wall Street Journal -
• Telecom Italia to Launch Share Buyback of Up $471 Million After Revenue Grows — Wall Street Journal -
• HSBC Quarterly Profit Surges on Higher Interest Income, One-Off Gains — Wall Street Journal -
• Paramount’s Newest Bid Could Open Door to Beating Netflix Deal, Warner Says — Wall Street Journal -
• Paramount Raises Its Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery — The New York Times Business -
• Cava Fourth-Quarter Sales Rise on Higher Prices, New Restaurant Openings — Wall Street Journal -

US policy shifts like allowing Cuban private sector to import Venezuelan oil, Iran's threats of escalation, and Germany's efforts to reset trade relations with China highlight a complex global political landscape, also featuring South Korea's corporate reform bill and a Mexican election overhaul.

• US to allow Cuba’s private sector to import Venezuelan oil — Financial Times -
• Brazilian politicians found guilty over assassination of Rio councilwoman — Financial Times -
• Let Chinese mainland tourists return to Taiwan — Financial Times -

• Mexico’s biggest battle in the drug war is yet to come — Financial Times -
• UK business secretary urges EU to stop ‘putting up barriers’ — Financial Times -
• Sheinbaum pushes Mexican election overhaul — Financial Times -
• Merz urges Xi to reset trade relations — Financial Times -
• Neutral Ireland seeks closer ties with Nato over maritime security — Financial Times -
• Iran threatens escalation if US attacks — Financial Times -
• German MPs cut contracts for kamikaze drones backed by Peter Thiel and Daniel Ek — Financial Times -
• South Africa hails ‘turning point’ as debt set to peak — Financial Times -
• Lawmakers From Both Parties Push Navy to Award Mega Submarine Contracts — Wall Street Journal -
• How war stopped working — Financial Times -
• FirstFT: Trump lashes out at Iran’s ‘sinister’ nuclear ambitions — Financial Times -
• Submit your questions: How should Europe prepare for a transatlantic divorce? — Financial Times -
• World’s best-performing market gets boost from corporate reform bill — Financial Times -
• Ukraine’s EU accession by 2027 ‘unrealistic’, says Austrian minister — Financial Times -
• Trump condemns Iran’s ‘sinister’ nuclear ambitions in State of the Union — Financial Times -
• Ex-Airbus chief says German decision to work with France on fighter jet a ‘mistake’ — Financial Times -
• UK military spending set to account for smaller share of GDP in 2027-28 — Financial Times -
• Merz steps up scrutiny of arms procurement amid spending angst — Financial Times -
• Canada’s defence companies battle for billions in historic military build-up — Financial Times -
• Trump is pushing India to hedge its geopolitical bets — Financial Times -
• South Korea baby bump grows — Financial Times -
• Top Democrats demand Trump justify motivations for potential Iran attack — Financial Times -

President Trump's proposed retirement plan and his State of the Union address on the economy and immigration were key, alongside ongoing Democratic probes into his affairs and concerns about the US's role as a global talent hub.

• Trump Proposed a New Retirement Plan for With Up to a $1,000 Match. What to Know. — The New York Times Business -
• For America’s 250th, Should the Coin of Trump’s Realm Be Gold? — The New York Times Business -
• Democrats probe missing files alleging Trump link to Epstein — Financial Times -

• What Trump Did (and Didn’t) Say in the State of the Union Speech — The New York Times Business -
• The death of the Trump trade — Financial Times -
• US role as global talent hub in doubt amid Trump’s visa crackdown — Financial Times -
• Companies reap $22bn from Trump’s immigration crackdown — Financial Times -
• State of the Union as it happened - Donald Trump condemns Iran’s ‘sinister actions’ and mounts defence of economic and immigration policies — Financial Times -

Several headlines discuss the financial strain on businesses like Aston Martin due to tariffs and the quest for tariff refunds, with the US applying new duties to products like Belgian diamonds.

• First Solar shares slide as tariff and demand woes bite — Financial Times -
• Businesses Push for Tariff Refunds as Trump Aides Hint at Fight to Come — The New York Times Business -
• Blaming Tariffs, Aston Martin Will Trim 20% of Its Work Force — The New York Times Business -

• Corporate America’s Growing Quest for Tariff Refunds — The New York Times Business -
• Belgian diamonds lose US tariffs exemption — Financial Times -

Central banks like the ECB and Bank of Japan are under scrutiny for their monetary policies, while Revolut gains backing for stablecoin testing and Kalshi takes action against prediction wager irregularities.

• Kalshi Fines Former Gubernatorial Candidate, MrBeast Employee on Prediction Wagers — Wall Street Journal -
• FirstFT: Sanae Takaichi nominates dovish candidates for Bank of Japan — Financial Times -
• UK investors unable to put crypto products in Isas from April — Financial Times -

• Elliott assures UK over future of LSE — Financial Times -
• Best Business Debt Consolidation Loans in February 2026 — Wall Street Journal -
• Revolut wins FCA backing for stablecoin testing despite licence limbo — Financial Times -
• Spain Ramps Up Pressure on Apple, Amazon in Yearslong Antitrust Case — Wall Street Journal -
• The Bank of England does not need to ‘follow the Fed’ — Financial Times -
• Australian and NZ dollars surge as traders position for global rate rises — Financial Times -
• Yen weakens after Takaichi picks dovish Bank of Japan candidates — Financial Times -
• European investment banks’ killer year — Financial Times -
• ECB set for extended hold in 2026 — Financial Times -
• Senator Blumenthal Opens Inquiry Into Iran Transactions on Binance — The New York Times Business -

News includes a large weekly build in US crude oil stockpiles, Abu Dhabi's state oil company diversifying beyond oil, and British energy bills set to fall, alongside E.ON's investment in European energy infrastructure.

• Energy & Utilities Roundup: Market Talk — Wall Street Journal -
• Abu Dhabi’s State Oil Company Looks Beyond Oil — The New York Times Business -
• U.S. Crude Oil Stockpiles Post Large Weekly Build — Wall Street Journal -

• British energy bills to fall as price cap cut by 7% — Financial Times -
• E.ON’s Earnings Rise as It Spends on European Energy Infrastructure — Wall Street Journal -
• Green ammonia boom wanes as carbon incentives fade — Financial Times -

UK student loan discontent and calls for a fairer system were prominent, with private equity making a risky bet on hospice care and discussions around raising low birth rates through support for mothers.

• Switzerland to pay Crans-Montana nightclub fire victims $56,000 — Financial Times -
• UK student loans discontent grows — Financial Times -
• Starmer promises to look at making student loans system ‘fairer’ — Financial Times -

• Private equity makes risky $1.1bn bet on hospice care — Financial Times -
• To raise low birth rates, we must help mothers — Financial Times -
• NHS in England to be set targets on getting people back to work — Financial Times -

Paramount's raised bid for Warner Bros. Discovery indicates dynamic media M&A, alongside court rulings on reporter device searches impacting press freedom, and insights into luxury travel and art exhibitions.

• The Anthropologist Mapping Coach’s Course Toward $10 Billion in Sales — Wall Street Journal -
• Sell-side research in the Substack era — Financial Times -
• Loie Hollowell is turning motherhood into ‘cosmic energy’ — Financial Times -

• From the French Riviera to Kyoto, Japan, 5 New Luxury Hotels — The New York Times Business -
• Louvre boss resigns months after €88mn jewel heist — Financial Times -
• Microsoft hunts for new London HQ on Elizabeth Line — Financial Times -
• Inside Venice’s Peggy Guggenheim Collection, 75 years on — Financial Times -
• Streetwise — Lloyd Blankfein’s memoir of his turbulent time at Goldman Sachs — Financial Times -
• Judge Rejects Government Request to Search Washington Post Reporter’s Devices — Wall Street Journal -
• Court Rules Against Justice Dept. Search of Reporter’s Computers — The New York Times Business -
• Channel Tunnel freight trains to restart after London depot deal — Financial Times -