Business News and Headlines

Report: FinOps Priorities Are Shifting Left and Expanding
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Report: FinOps Priorities Are Shifting Left and Expanding

FinOps practitioners are moving financial decision‑making earlier in the software development lifecycle, a shift highlighted in the FinOps Foundation’s 2026 State of FinOps report based on 1,100 respondents. Pre‑deployment architecture guidance is now a top‑requested capability, and the scope of...

By SD Times
Caregivers Find Much-Needed Relief with This Unique Eldercare Solution
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Caregivers Find Much-Needed Relief with This Unique Eldercare Solution

CareYaya, a student‑matching platform, connects college students with seniors and disabled adults to provide non‑medical in‑home assistance. By paying students directly at about $20 an hour, the service reduces care costs roughly 50 % compared with traditional agencies. The app’s algorithm...

By Employee Benefit News
Castelion
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Castelion

Castelion, founded in 2025, aims to restore America’s capacity to field advanced weapons quickly and at scale. The company leverages rapid iteration, vertical integration, and scalable manufacturing to deliver affordable, high‑performance defense systems. In 2024 it closed a Series A round...

By Lightspeed » Ideas
Maersk to Upsize India-USEC Capacity to Tap Post-Trade Deal Cargo Growth
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Maersk to Upsize India-USEC Capacity to Tap Post-Trade Deal Cargo Growth

Maersk announced a significant upsizing of its West India‑US East Coast (MECL) service to add incremental westbound container capacity. The move follows the United States’ reduction of tariffs on Indian‑made goods from 50% to 25%, with a further cut to...

By Journal of Commerce (JOC)
‘The Days of the Single Black Swan Are Gone’
NewsFeb 19, 2026

‘The Days of the Single Black Swan Are Gone’

At the JSE SA Trade Connect conference, market leaders warned that volatility is no longer a rare "black swan" but a persistent flock of shocks. Alicia Greenwood highlighted the exchange’s push to fuse disparate data sources, enabling faster interpretation and...

By The TRADE News – Markets/Derivatives Trading
Securitization's Unique AI Playbook, and What's Driving It
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Securitization's Unique AI Playbook, and What's Driving It

Finance chiefs report mounting board pressure to adopt AI, mirroring similar urgency in the securitization sector. ABS leaders, like Vervent’s David Johnson, argue AI adoption must deliver speed, transparency, and control, enabling faster tape‑to‑trade cycles, cleaner data, and scalable compliance....

By Asset Securitization Report
MARKET CONSULTATION | Solactive CWM Balanced Strategy Index | FEBRUARY 2026.
NewsFeb 19, 2026

MARKET CONSULTATION | Solactive CWM Balanced Strategy Index | FEBRUARY 2026.

Solactive has opened a market consultation on proposed methodology changes to its CWM Balanced Strategy Index. The firm invites all stakeholders and third parties to review detailed amendment documents and submit comments. Feedback must be received by 5 March 2026, after which...

By Solactive – News & Research
Associated Wholesale Grocers Adopts Forecasting and Fresh Optimization Solution
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Associated Wholesale Grocers Adopts Forecasting and Fresh Optimization Solution

Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG) has chosen Relex’s forecasting and fresh‑product optimization platform to improve distribution‑center planning across its extensive network. The solution targets the cooperative’s 1,100 supermarket members operating in 3,500 locations across 33 states, aiming to boost forecast accuracy,...

By Retail TouchPoints
Topgolf Appoints David McKillips CEO
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Topgolf Appoints David McKillips CEO

Topgolf International announced David McKillips as its new chief executive officer, effective February 23, 2026. McKillips arrives with more than three decades of experience in family entertainment, most recently steering CEC Entertainment through a $350 million strategic investment and a Chapter 11...

By Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN)
From Physicist to Philanthropist: Yuri Milner's Journey to Scientific Giving
NewsFeb 19, 2026

From Physicist to Philanthropist: Yuri Milner's Journey to Scientific Giving

Yuri Milner, a former quantum‑field theorist turned tech investor, redirected his fortune toward scientific philanthropy after joining the Giving Pledge in 2012. He co‑founded the high‑profile Breakthrough Prize, offering $3 million awards to top researchers, and launched the Breakthrough Initiatives to...

By CEO Today
Meloni's Ethiopia Visit Firms up Italy's Africa Plans
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Meloni's Ethiopia Visit Firms up Italy's Africa Plans

Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni visited Ethiopia to cement Italy’s renewed Africa strategy, highlighting the operational rollout of the Mattei Plan. The plan aims to turn Italy into an energy hub by building pipelines that export gas and hydrogen from...

By African Business
Palo Alto Networks CEO Sees AI as Demand Driver, Not a Threat
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Palo Alto Networks CEO Sees AI as Demand Driver, Not a Threat

Palo Alto Networks CEO Nikesh Arora told investors AI will drive, not diminish, cybersecurity demand. He argued AI expands attack surfaces, creating new risk categories that require robust security solutions. The company posted 15% year‑over‑year revenue growth to $2.6 billion and...

By Cybersecurity Dive (Industry Dive)
Inside the Trump Trade Strategy with USTR’s Jamieson Greer
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Inside the Trump Trade Strategy with USTR’s Jamieson Greer

In a February 2026 Atlantic Council podcast, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer revisited the Trump administration’s aggressive trade agenda, focusing on the looming United States‑Mexico‑Canada Agreement (USMCA) review. Greer confirmed that a full U.S. withdrawal from the pact remains "on...

By Atlantic Council – All Content
Fast Calculation of Cheapest-to-Deliver Curves
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Fast Calculation of Cheapest-to-Deliver Curves

Multi‑currency collateral agreements create optionality that requires discounting with a cheapest‑to‑deliver (CTD) curve. While Monte‑Carlo simulation can price this exactly, it is computationally heavy. Researchers propose an analytic approximation that combines the Clark algorithm and Gauss‑Hermite quadrature, delivering near‑Monte‑Carlo accuracy...

By Risk.net
Ulta Beauty’s Big Branding Play; Why Conglomerates Should Consolidate
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Ulta Beauty’s Big Branding Play; Why Conglomerates Should Consolidate

Ulta Beauty’s latest branding initiative underscores a broader shift toward consolidation in the beauty sector. Record growth at niche perfume house Amouage, a surge in online fragrance sales, and the decline of traditional department‑store beauty hubs illustrate mounting pressure on...

By The Business of Fashion (BoF)
Altera Digital Health Names Sean Sykes as Executive Vice President for Ventus
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Altera Digital Health Names Sean Sykes as Executive Vice President for Ventus

Altera Digital Health announced the appointment of Sean Sykes as Executive Vice President for its Ventus portfolio, which delivers integrated revenue cycle and administrative solutions. Sykes brings more than 20 years of experience building high‑performing sales and customer‑success teams in...

By Digital Health Global
Philippine Central Bank Cuts Rates in Latest Bid to Support Growth
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Philippine Central Bank Cuts Rates in Latest Bid to Support Growth

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) lowered its overnight repurchase rate by 25 basis points to 4.25%, marking the ninth cut since August 2024. Inflation remains modest at 2%, comfortably within the 2‑4% target band, while the peso rallied to...

By Nikkei Asia – Economy
Setanta Space Launched to Make Next-Generation Spacecraft More Autonomous
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Setanta Space Launched to Make Next-Generation Spacecraft More Autonomous

Irish start‑up Setanta Space has launched to deliver modular, radiation‑tolerant onboard computing hardware paired with AI software that makes spacecraft more autonomous. The platform processes sensor data, detects anomalies, and makes decisions in orbit, cutting latency and reliance on ground...

By Irish Tech News
Mastering Serverless Data Pipelines: AWS Step Functions Best Practices for 2026
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Mastering Serverless Data Pipelines: AWS Step Functions Best Practices for 2026

AWS Step Functions has become the backbone of serverless data pipelines, offering two workflow models—Standard for long‑running, exactly‑once jobs and Express for high‑frequency, short‑lived tasks. The article outlines best‑practice patterns such as the Claim Check for large payloads, using intrinsic...

By DZone – DevOps & CI/CD
Triplemoon Appoints Dr. Caroline Carney, CEO of Magellan Health, to Board of Directors
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Triplemoon Appoints Dr. Caroline Carney, CEO of Magellan Health, to Board of Directors

Triplemoon announced that Dr. Caroline Carney, CEO of Magellan Health and dual board‑certified psychiatrist‑internist, has joined its Board of Directors. The appointment coincides with a $3.5 million seed round led by Activate Venture Partners and LiveOak Ventures aimed at scaling its...

By Digital Health Global
Agentic AI: The Next Competitive Advantage for Revenue Teams
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Agentic AI: The Next Competitive Advantage for Revenue Teams

Agentic AI is emerging as the next competitive edge for revenue teams, extending the capabilities of AI Assist by autonomously executing tasks within defined guardrails. The technology shifts sales workflows from recommendation‑only to action‑oriented, delivering real‑time clarity, expanded capacity, and...

By Outreach
Analysis: Palo Alto Networks Vs. Everyone
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Analysis: Palo Alto Networks Vs. Everyone

Palo Alto Networks marked the two‑year anniversary of its platformization strategy, a move that initially sank its stock but has since become an industry standard. CEO Nikesh Arora highlighted a “flywheel” effect as new customers consolidate tools onto Palo Alto’s...

By CRN (US)
Should Enterprises Upgrade to Windows 11 Now?
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Should Enterprises Upgrade to Windows 11 Now?

Enterprises face a critical decision as Windows 10 support ends in October 2025, prompting many to accelerate Windows 11 migration plans. The upgrade demands comprehensive hardware inventories to meet TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and higher memory and storage thresholds, as well as extensive application compatibility...

By TechTarget SearchERP
Sir Damon Buffini to Step Down From BBC Board Role
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Sir Damon Buffini to Step Down From BBC Board Role

Sir Damon Buffini will step down as Deputy Chair of the BBC Board and Chair of the Commercial Board on 30 June, ending his term that began in January 2022. Under his tenure, BBC Commercial posted record profits, returning £400 million to the...

By Radio Today (UK)
Wendy’s Is ‘Undervalued’ and Could Face Takeover by Nelson Peltz
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Wendy’s Is ‘Undervalued’ and Could Face Takeover by Nelson Peltz

Activist investor Nelson Peltz, through Trian Fund Management, has filed with the SEC stating Wendy’s is significantly undervalued and signaling possible actions, including buying more shares to gain control or divesting his stake. The fast‑food chain’s stock has slumped about...

By Restaurant Dive (Industry Dive)
Accounts in Transit: Red Lorry Yellow Lorry Picks Up Pendulum
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Accounts in Transit: Red Lorry Yellow Lorry Picks Up Pendulum

Red Lorry Yellow Lorry has been appointed U.S. agency of record for Pendulum, an AI‑driven social listening platform that captures brand mentions across text, audio, video and images. Marino will serve as the U.S. agency for Italian food icons Pasta...

By O’Dwyer’s PR
Visa to Buy Prisma in Argentina
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Visa to Buy Prisma in Argentina

Visa announced it will reacquire Argentina’s Prisma Medios de Pago and Newpay from Advent International, bringing the payment processors back under its control. The acquisition, expected to close by the end of March, restores Visa’s card‑issuer processing, real‑time payments, ATM...

By Payments Dive
New HR Tech: Workleap, Stratas
NewsFeb 19, 2026

New HR Tech: Workleap, Stratas

Workleap unveiled a Human Capital agent integrated with Slack, leveraging the Real‑Time Search API and Model Context Protocol to deliver live performance, engagement, and coaching insights. The AI analyzes Slack conversations anonymously, surfacing team signals alongside existing goal and historical...

By HRTechFeed
Firing the CEO Is the Wrong Answer, Ask Sean McDermott
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Firing the CEO Is the Wrong Answer, Ask Sean McDermott

The article likens the NFL’s habit of firing coaches to the surge in CEO dismissals, noting that 2025 saw one in nine CEOs replaced across 1,500 large firms. It argues that removing a top executive rarely resolves deeper systemic flaws...

By Fast Company — Leadership
Lightkeeper Rolls Out AI-Powered ‘Beacon’ to Deliver Verifiable Portfolio Insights
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Lightkeeper Rolls Out AI-Powered ‘Beacon’ to Deliver Verifiable Portfolio Insights

Lightkeeper has introduced Beacon, an AI‑enabled feature that lets hedge funds and asset managers ask plain‑English questions about their portfolios. The tool pulls answers from Lightkeeper’s validated, institutional‑grade data rather than unverified sources, preserving transparency and auditability. Beacon connects client...

By Hedgeweek
Walmart Says AI Users Build 35% Bigger Baskets than Others
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Walmart Says AI Users Build 35% Bigger Baskets than Others

Walmart’s AI‑driven shopping assistant, Sparky, is generating baskets that are about 35% larger than those of non‑users, according to CEO John Furner on the Q4 earnings call. Launched in June, Sparky lives behind a smiley‑face button in the Walmart app...

By Modern Retail
Congo Offers Rebel-Held Rubaya Tantalum Mine to US in Minerals Deal
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Congo Offers Rebel-Held Rubaya Tantalum Mine to US in Minerals Deal

The Democratic Republic of Congo has placed the rebel‑held Rubaya coltan mine on a shortlist of strategic assets offered to the United States under a new minerals‑cooperation framework. Rubaya, which supplies roughly 15% of the world’s coltan, requires between $50 million...

By The East African
Investor Asks Six Flags CEO About ‘Enchanted Parks’ Rumor as Park Portfolio Review Continues
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Investor Asks Six Flags CEO About ‘Enchanted Parks’ Rumor as Park Portfolio Review Continues

Six Flags CEO John Reilly was asked about the rumored "Enchanted Parks" trademark during the Feb. 19, 2026 earnings call and offered no comment, leaving the speculation unresolved. He reiterated that the company is actively evaluating its portfolio but did not signal...

By Attractions Magazine
Private Equity Deals Hit $2.6T in 2025
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Private Equity Deals Hit $2.6T in 2025

Private equity deal value surged to $2.6 trillion in 2025, a 19% increase over 2024 and the second‑largest total on record. The total number of deals fell 9%, continuing a post‑2021 decline in transaction volume. Holding periods have stretched, with the...

By CFO.com
Remitly Co-Founder CEO Exits
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Remitly Co-Founder CEO Exits

Remitly announced that former Santander executive Sebastian J. Gunningham will replace co‑founder Matt Oppenheimer as chief executive effective Thursday. Oppenheimer, who led the company for nearly 15 years, will move to board chair and focus on strategic initiatives. The leadership...

By Payments Dive
What the Market Knows That WACC Doesn’t
NewsFeb 19, 2026

What the Market Knows That WACC Doesn’t

The article introduces the market implied discount rate (MIDR) as a forward‑looking alternative to the traditional weighted average cost of capital (WACC). Using S&P Capital IQ data on the S&P 500, it shows that MIDR often diverges from WACC, with energy...

By CFA Institute – Enterprising Investor
Remitly Hires Santander Alum as Its Next CEO
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Remitly Hires Santander Alum as Its Next CEO

Remitly announced Sebastian Gunningham, a former Santander Consumer Finance chair with executive experience at Amazon, Apple and Oracle, will become its chief executive on Thursday. Co‑founder Matt Oppenheimer will transition to board chair as the company reported a strong 2025...

By Banking Dive
AI You Can Trust, Insights You Can Use: Lever’s Latest Innovations, Built for Confident Hiring
NewsFeb 19, 2026

AI You Can Trust, Insights You Can Use: Lever’s Latest Innovations, Built for Confident Hiring

Lever unveiled a suite of AI‑driven hiring tools designed around trust and actionable insight. The platform now leverages IBM’s watsonx for built‑in governance, offering transparent recommendations and bias monitoring. New features like the AI Screening Companion and automated early assessments...

By Lever Blog
Connected and Compromised: When IoT Devices Turn Into Threats
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Connected and Compromised: When IoT Devices Turn Into Threats

The proliferation of consumer and enterprise IoT devices continues unchecked, yet most lack basic security controls such as passwords and encryption. Research presented by Mattia Epifani at RSAC 2026 shows that devices—from Amazon Echo to smart refrigerators—store unprotected audio, credentials, and personal...

By Dark Reading
Comesa Probes Meta for Locking Rival Chatbots Out of WhatsApp
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Comesa Probes Meta for Locking Rival Chatbots Out of WhatsApp

The COMESA Competition and Consumer Commission (CCCC) has opened an investigation into Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd for allegedly abusing its dominant position by amending WhatsApp Business Solution Terms in October 2025 to block rival AI chatbot providers. The probe follows...

By The East African
Choice Hotels Reports $369.9M Net Income in 2025
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Choice Hotels Reports $369.9M Net Income in 2025

Choice Hotels International posted a record $369.9 million net income for 2025, accompanied by an all‑time adjusted EBITDA of $625.6 million. The company added 440 new hotels, with international openings surging 82% and net rooms expanding 12.5% worldwide. U.S. extended‑stay...

By Hotel Business
UK Manufacturing Still Beset by Low Orders and Price Pressure, Says CBI
NewsFeb 19, 2026

UK Manufacturing Still Beset by Low Orders and Price Pressure, Says CBI

The CBI’s industrial trends survey shows British manufacturers recorded order books well below their long‑term average in February. Despite the weak order flow, most firms plan to raise prices over the next three months. The survey also indicates that output...

By The Guardian – Economics
Echo360 Partners with Exxat to Advance Skills-Based Learning
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Echo360 Partners with Exxat to Advance Skills-Based Learning

Echo360 announced a partnership with Exxat to extend its AI‑powered video assessment tool, GoReact, into experiential education programs worldwide. The collaboration leverages an LTI integration that lets institutions blend skill practice, observation, and feedback across healthcare and human services curricula....

By HR Tech Series
Subprime Demand Drives US Loan Growth to New Heights
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Subprime Demand Drives US Loan Growth to New Heights

Subprime borrowers propelled U.S. unsecured loan balances to a record $276 bn, a 10% increase year‑over‑year, with 26.4 million consumers holding such loans. Credit‑card issuers expanded lending to lower‑income customers, pushing total balances 4% higher to $1.15 trillion, but responded by trimming initial...

By BusinessLIVE
British Business Bank Explores Private Equity with £60m Deal
NewsFeb 19, 2026

British Business Bank Explores Private Equity with £60m Deal

The British Business Bank announced a £60 million commitment to NorthEdge IV, marking its first foray into private‑equity investments under a new growth‑equity strategy. The government‑owned development bank will back the Manchester‑based firm’s fourth fund, which targets founder‑led SMEs across technology, healthcare...

By UKTN (UK Tech News)
Watch NetLine’s Josh Baez The Hidden Moments of the Buying Journey Webinar on Demand Now
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Watch NetLine’s Josh Baez The Hidden Moments of the Buying Journey Webinar on Demand Now

NetLine’s senior demand manager Josh Baez hosted a webinar titled “The Hidden Moments of the Buying Journey,” revealing why traditional linear funnels are obsolete. He explained how privacy regulations have crippled identifier‑based tracking, forcing marketers to shift toward proactive, programmatic...

By Demand Gen Report
Exclusive: Ownwell Lands $30M To Help Homeowners Lower Their Property Tax Bills
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Exclusive: Ownwell Lands $30M To Help Homeowners Lower Their Property Tax Bills

Ownwell, an AI‑driven property‑tax appeal startup, closed a $50 million Series B round—$30 million in equity and $20 million in debt—bringing its total equity funding to $54 million since 2020. The company now serves over 500,000 residential and commercial owners across 12 states, having processed...

By Crunchbase News AI
UGREEN Expands Its NAS Lineup with New AI-Powered Flagship Series, Signaling the Era of the Smart Private Cloud
NewsFeb 19, 2026

UGREEN Expands Its NAS Lineup with New AI-Powered Flagship Series, Signaling the Era of the Smart Private Cloud

UGREEN unveiled its AI‑powered NAS flagship iDX series, positioning the devices as smart private‑cloud hubs that process data locally with on‑device large language models. The top‑end iDX6011 Pro packs an Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU, 96 TOPS of AI compute, 64 GB LPDDR5X memory...

By Irish Tech News
Investors Unfazed by Uncertainties Around Tariffs in Med Tech
NewsFeb 19, 2026

Investors Unfazed by Uncertainties Around Tariffs in Med Tech

Investors remain steady in the med‑tech sector despite lingering tariff uncertainties, signaling confidence in long‑term growth. At the same time, research updates highlight the SCAN circuit as a core driver of Parkinson’s disease, TL1A overexpression in hidradenitis suppurativa, and an...

By BioWorld (Citeline) – Featured Feeds