USA Says VEN Oil Output Can Climb 30-40 Pct This Year
The Trump administration has issued new licenses permitting several Western oil companies to operate in Venezuela, potentially boosting the country's output by 30‑40 percent—roughly 300,000 to 400,000 barrels per day—this year. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the increase would represent about a third of global oil‑demand growth for 2026. The move aims to revive Venezuela's collapsed oil sector after years of sanctions and the recent capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Creative financing, such as converting Venezuela's debt into equity, is being discussed to facilitate the restart.
SageSure Moves up to Third in Our Cat Bond Sponsor Leaderboard, as Largest Gateway Re Closes
SageSure has risen to third place on the Artemis catastrophe‑bond sponsor leaderboard after closing its largest Gateway Re issuance, a $670 million multi‑peril cat bond. The transaction brings the MGU’s outstanding risk capital to just over $3.1 billion across 12 issuances. The...
BAE Systems Shares Are Up 23% in 2026. Is This FTSE 100 Defense Stock a Buy?
BAE Systems posted an 8% revenue rise and a 9% jump in operating profit for 2025, expanding its order book by £2.7 bn versus 2024. The company lifted its dividend 10% to 36p per share, while its stock surged 23% year‑to‑date,...
Neptune’s Total Revenues Grew 39% to $43.8m in Q4’25
Neptune Insurance Holdings reported Q4 2025 revenue of $43.8 million, a 39% jump from the prior year, driven by a 41% rise in written premium to $100.3 million. Net income fell 63% to $4.3 million, largely because of $4.6 million in IPO‑related costs, while adjusted...
Equinor Halts Dutch CCS-H2 Plans, Belgian Site Still On
Equinor has scrapped its Dutch H2M Eemshaven CCS‑hydrogen project, citing policy uncertainty and insufficient funding, while the Belgian H2BE plant remains on schedule. Both plants were designed to produce 210,000 t/yr of low‑carbon hydrogen using autothermal reforming and each received roughly €160 million...
EIA Lowers USA Gasoline Price Forecasts
The U.S. Energy Information Administration trimmed its gasoline price outlook, now projecting an average of $2.91 per gallon in 2026 and $2.93 in 2027, down slightly from the January forecast of $2.92 and $2.95. The agency’s short‑term energy outlook still...
India-France to Set up National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) in Kanpur
India and France announced a joint National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) in Kanpur to deliver advanced aeronautics and defence skill training. The centre will operate under the PM‑SETU scheme, which earmarks Rs 60,000 crore to modernise 1,000 ITIs across India. It will...
Fiverr Shifts Focus to High-End Work as AI Transforms the Gig Economy: 2025 Results and 2026 Outlook
Fiverr reported a 10% revenue increase to $430.9 million in 2025 and achieved a record adjusted EBITDA margin of 21.3%, underscoring strong profitability. The company deliberately shed 14% of its active buyers while average spend per buyer rose 13.3% to $342,...
EU-Backed Minerals Projects in Africa Move From Policy to Proof
The European Commission has granted strategic status to four African mineral projects—two in South Africa and Zambia, plus sites in Malawi and Madagascar—under the Critical Raw Materials Act, with decisions due in Q2 2026. The Zandkopsdrift rare‑earth operation in South Africa...
World Briefs | Rwanda Hikes Lending Rate on Higher Inflation
Rwanda’s central bank raised its key lending rate by 50 basis points to 7.25% on Thursday, reacting to a jump in consumer price inflation to 8.9% year‑on‑year in January. The move aims to bring inflation back within the bank’s 2‑8%...
Pakistan’s Search for Strategic Flexibility in South Asia
Amid waning external security guarantees, Pakistan has begun exploratory talks with Turkey and Saudi Arabia to create a flexible, informal security platform separate from its 2025 Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement with Riyadh. The trilateral dialogue focuses on defense‑industrial cooperation, with...
Veradigm Cut 15% of Its Workforce in 2025
Veradigm announced a 15% workforce reduction in 2025, closed three offices and plans two more closures, and will discontinue six low‑revenue products as part of a broader turnaround. The health‑IT firm is also focused on updating its financial filings after...
Shell Spins the Drill Bit with Stena Drillship in Egyptian Waters
Shell has launched a multi‑well offshore drilling campaign off Egypt using Stena Drilling’s sixth‑generation IceMax drillship. The first wells, Mina West development followed by Sirius and Velox exploration, are located in the Northeast El Amriya concession where Shell holds a...
Martin Midstream Partners' Annual Loss Deepens
Martin Midstream Partners reported a $14.7 million net loss for 2025, widening from a $5.2 million loss in 2024. The loss was driven primarily by $57.8 million in interest expense and higher SG&A costs, while adjusted EBITDA fell to $99 million for the year....
Dollar Extends Rally on Strong Jobs, EUR/USD Breaks February Low
The U.S. dollar rallied after initial jobless claims fell to 206,000, well below expectations, reinforcing a labor‑market narrative of resilience. Hawkish Fed minutes further raised the prospect of delayed rate cuts, pushing the greenback higher against major currencies. EUR/USD slipped...
South Africa’s Kropz Raises Phosrock Output, Grade
South African phosphate rock producer Kropz has lifted monthly output to roughly 40,000 tonnes, a 33% increase over last year. The company now ships rock averaging 30% P₂O₅, but recently exported a 31.1% P₂O₅ cargo to South Korea, its highest‑grade...
Trade Range‑bound Stocks with Red‑dog Reversals
📺 RED DOG REVERSALS & RED-TO-GREEN TRADES — CASH FLOW MODE Some short-term tactical trades inside choppy, range-bound markets: 1. $AMZN I had a profitable Red Dog Reversal trade from $197.28. The stock bounced and pushed toward the 8-day moving average. It wasn’t...
Saudi Maaden Sells DAP to Latam
Saudi Maaden announced the sale of 45,000‑50,000 tonnes of diammonium phosphate (DAP) at $715‑720 per tonne FOB, with loading slated for early March. The cargo is destined for Latin America, with Argentina emerging as the most probable off‑take market. Net...
The Link Between Interest Rates and Exchange Rates : The Uncovered Interest Parity
The post examines how the 10‑year US‑German bond yield spread correlates with the USD/EUR exchange rate, showing that higher US yields usually coincide with dollar appreciation. A notable exception occurred after April 2 2025, when a sharp US yield rise was followed...
Are Target’s Store Investments Enough to Turn Its Experience Around?
Target’s new CEO Michael Fiddelke is prioritizing customer experience by adding store labor hours and launching a universal training program, while cutting about 500 district and supply‑chain roles. The initiative aims to fix in‑store pain points such as low in‑stock...
Veritas Looks Beyond Benchmarks to Frontier Markets for Carry
Veritas, the Finnish pension insurer, is moving past traditional credit benchmarks to chase carry in frontier‑market local‑currency bonds. Portfolio manager Ville Iso‑Mustajärvi argues that corporate spreads in developed markets are near historic lows, making high‑yield bonds unattractive due to equity‑like...
Elizabeth Warren Has Questions About the Shake-Up Inside the Fed’s Banking Regulator
Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote to Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman demanding details on recent internal changes within the Fed’s banking‑supervision division, including reported job cuts and the sidelining of senior examiners. The request also asks for a...
CTrader Admin 9.9 Released with Email Tracking and New Workspace App
Spotware Systems released cTrader Admin 9.9, the latest broker‑focused upgrade to its cTrader operational suite. The version adds email tracking in session reports, a new Workspace Settings app that consolidates export, chat and notification preferences, and a collapsible main menu that...
World Briefs | Nigeria’s Tinubu and Germany’s Merz Talk Security, Power Deal in Phone Call
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz discussed reviving a stalled electricity transmission project with Siemens and the purchase of used German helicopters, highlighting deeper security and power cooperation. France’s audit office warned that the country must shift...
#690: Q&A: Should My Teen Go to College?
In this episode, Joe and Paula examine whether a college degree is a worthwhile investment for a teen, breaking down ROI by field, the non‑financial benefits of higher education, and the growing cultural shift toward alternative pathways. They advise parents...
Monster Beverage Beats Apple, Nvidia, Amazon Over 25 Years
Value now of $1 invested 25 years ago: Monster Beverage: $8,025 Apple: $779 Nvidia: $761 Amazon: $301 Booking .com $217 Autozone $144 Sherwin-Williams:42 Caterpillar $35 Deere $29 Costco $23 Lowe’s $20 Starbucks $16 Adobe: $14 Microsoft: $14 McDonald’s $11 Nike: $10
What Are the Greeks in Options Trading? (Delta, Theta, Vega Explained)
Lawrence G. McMillan’s February 19, 2026 webinar dives deep into the option Greeks—delta, gamma, theta, and vega—explaining their mathematical roots in the Black‑Scholes model and how they interact in real‑time risk management. The session moves beyond textbook definitions to demonstrate practical techniques...
Beginner's Guide: All 11 SPDR S&P 500 Sector ETFs
📊 If you are a beginner and want to learn the key Sector ETFs to track. Below is a good starting point. Here is the full suite of SPDR S&P 500 Sector ETFs from State Street: $XLK – Technology $XLC – Communication Services $XLY...
Bond Break Out – Gold Bullish Pattern – Silver Retracement – Uranium Hits Setup Zone
Technical analysts note a bond breakout as yields pierce a key resistance, suggesting upward momentum in fixed‑income markets. Meanwhile, gold charts display a bullish continuation pattern, reinforcing optimism for further price gains. Silver is experiencing a short‑term retracement, testing a...
Morning Market Brief
Lawrence Fuller reviews recent economic data, highlighting a strong finish to the year in housing starts and building permits, though noting a four‑year decline trend. He points out a better‑than‑expected 0.7% rise in January industrial production, driven by consumer goods...
Robinhood Adds Dr. Naomi Boyd as Chief Economic Advisor
Robinhood Markets announced that Dr. Naomi Boyd, dean of the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business, will serve as its Chief Economic Advisor. Boyd will spearhead research on derivatives market structure, capital markets, and investment dynamics to inform product...
TMTB Morning Wrap
The episode opens with a market snapshot and escalating US‑Iran tensions before diving into earnings from DoorDash (DASH), Booking Holdings (BKNG), eBay (EBAY), Carvana (CVNA) and FIG. DoorDash reported strong 4Q25 growth in gross order value and EBITDA but missed...
Govt Identifies L1 Insurers for Restructured Weather Crop Insurance Scheme in J&K
The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has appointed Agriculture Insurance Company of India and Tata AIG General Insurance as the lowest‑bid insurers for the Restructured Weather‑Based Crop Insurance Scheme. The scheme will protect apple and saffron growers in Kashmir and mango,...
Doordash Stock Climbs 14%, Reversing Plunge After Earnings and Revenue Miss
DoorDash reported Q4 revenue of $3.96 billion, up 38% YoY, but earnings per share fell short at $0.48 versus the $0.59 consensus. Total orders rose 32% to 903 million, and marketplace gross order value jumped 39%. The miss triggered a 10% drop...
Trade the Range Now, Skip Breakout Expectations
📺 STOP WAITING FOR THE BREAKOUT, TRADE THE RANGE FOR NOW Get today's newsletter: https://t.co/Rqp84Wg39F My core message to everyone today: stop expecting big follow-through and start trading the range that’s actually in front of you. That’s the environment right now: quick pushes,...
Bears Outnumber Bulls as Jobless Claims Hit Year Low
More bears than bulls in the AAII poll, first time since the late November low. Also, initial jobless claims at the lowest level this year. Not the worst combo. https://t.co/eMyO6gjFm0
Pernod Ricard’s First-Half Sales Slip Limited by Improved Second Quarter
Pernod Ricard reported a first‑half sales decline across all five priority markets, with profits pressured by foreign‑exchange volatility and higher costs. The second quarter showed a modest rebound, helped by stronger demand in India and duty‑free channels. The group reaffirmed its...
PANW Posts Explosive Growth, $30B M&A Pending
$PANW: TR +15%, Product Rev +22%, TTM Software Firewall +42%, RPO +22% and 110 new platformization deals w/conserve but DD guides. $30B worth of M&A hasn't even kicked in yet.
PWR Posts EPS Beat, Backlog Hits All‑Time High
$PWR: more evidence of the DC+Grid+Power theme - EPS beat/raise with Year-End Remaining Performance Obligations of $23.76B and Total Backlog of $43.98B. Year-End Electric Infrastructure Solutions Segment RPO and Total Backlog Reach All-Time Highs.
China’s Military Purges Won’t Change Its Taiwan Calculus
China’s recent military purges of senior PLA officers, including CMC Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia and member Liu Zhenli, are framed as anti‑corruption and ideological discipline measures. While the removals may temporarily affect command cohesion, the article argues they do not...
Walmart Automation Slashes Labor Costs, Boosts Productivity
Automation efforts are cutting down labor costs, increasing productivity and improving delivery speeds @Walmart per its earnings call. @DowJones
Nvidia's Strong Two-Day Bounce Signals Potential Support
$nvda two day bounce was stronger than most. So watch his this acts for clues. If it’s any good. It should hold yesterday’s low https://t.co/XJBWZ8I5A9
CySEC Withdraws License of OBR Investments
Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) announced the withdrawal of the Cyprus Investment Firm (CIF) licence for OBR Investments Ltd. The decision was taken at a CySEC meeting on 9 February 2026 and is grounded in Section 8(1)(a) of the 2017...
Global Markets Outperform S&P, Gap Widens in 2025
The ex-U.S. trade is finally working Every major country is outperforming the S&P 500 this year The gap since the start of 2025 is widening Germany & South Korea haveoutperformed over the past 5 yrs Will it last? https://t.co/WxrRxkwriN https://t.co/JKBVG5eT39
U.S. Ethanol Efficiency Metric Surges Unexpectedly in 2025
1. Something unusual happened to a key indicator of operational efficiency in the U.S. ethanol industry in 2025. See my latest FDD for all the details: https://t.co/ehKyQvEQGp
UCITS Strategies Regaining Traction with Europe’s Wealthy
European high‑net‑worth investors are gravitating back to alternative UCITS funds, a liquid hedge‑fund‑style vehicle, as assets under management rose 22% to $287 billion in 2025. The sector logged four consecutive quarters of inflows, the longest streak in four years, driven by...
Sudan's Pound Plummets 27%, Ranks 6th Worst
On this week's Hanke's #CurrencyWatchlist, the Sudanese pound ranks as the WORLD'S 6TH WORST currency. The Sudanese pound has depreciated by over 27% against the USD in the past year. IT’S TIME TO DUMP THE SUDANESE POUND & REPLACE IT WITH THE US...
Philadelphia Fed: Economic Activity Rises While Inflation Falls
Philly Fed survey just out. Activity UP, prices DOWN. Not too bad. See attached https://t.co/lodqOUkSnH
China’s Growth Model Shift Faces Deep Structural Hurdles
Now that there is a consensus on what has caused the imbalances and why they are so damaging to China and to the global economy, we have to begin to understand just why it will be so difficult for China...
Upcoming Earnings Spotlight: Rolls‑Royce, HSBC, Nvidia
Plenty to talk about on today's podcast with @MrMBrown including Rolls-Royce, HSBC and Nvidia set to report as February draws to a close https://t.co/gqZEqamM2t