Fiserv (FISV) is accelerating AI adoption and expanding buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) capabilities to drive cost discipline and growth, following a fourth-quarter earnings miss and a strategic review initiated in October. The company reported Q4 adjusted EPS of $1.99, down 21% from 2024; full-year 2025 EPS of $8.64, down 2%; Q4 revenue of $4.90B, flat YoY; and full-year revenue of $19.80B, up 4% YoY. For 2026, management projects organic revenue growth of 1%–3% and EPS of $8.00–$8.30.

Key initiatives include expanding agentic commerce with Google, Mastercard, and Visa; deepening its partnership with ServiceNow to enhance IT and customer operations; and integrating Affirm to offer BNPL on debit cards. In Japan, Fiserv partners with Sumitomo Mitsui Card to deliver an integrated payments and business platform and will release a Clover variant in late 2026 to support the government’s cash reduction target.

On February 10, 2026, the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced that Apple (AAPL-US) and Google (GOOGL-US) have agreed to modify their app store operations in response to concerns over fair competition, marking the first formal commitments under the UK’s new digital market rules. The changes address data collection practices, transparency in app rankings and review processes, and interoperability between platforms.

The CMA noted the adjustments aim to level the playing field for developers and foster competition with Apple’s digital wallets and other services. Under the regime, the CMA previously designated both companies as having a “strategic market position,” allowing it to impose operational changes. The new rules permit access to alternative app downloads and in-app payments, with potential enforcement or fines if competition is found to be restricted.

Per the agreement, both companies will ensure fair operation of ranking and review systems, protect data collected from developers, and allow access to more iOS capabilities to compete with digital wallets and real-time translation services. Implementations are expected to begin in April 2026. The terms do not cover developer commissions, which the CMA has said remain a key area of concern, with current rates as high as 30%.

The CMA emphasized the flexibility of its approach to deliver results more quickly for consumers and businesses. Apple and Google both expressed cooperation, with Apple stating the changes help balance privacy, security, and innovation, and Google noting its existing practices are fair and transparent.

Israel-based FINQ reported on February 10, 2026, the SEC approval of two U.S. exchange-traded funds—AIUP and AINT—that will be fully managed by artificial intelligence. The AI model autonomously selects, weights, and rebalances portfolios, with human roles limited to oversight and governance. This marks the first offering of this category, distinct from algorithmic trading, where AI typically supports human decision-making.

The proprietary AI continuously ranks all 500 stocks in the S&P 500 for portfolio selection. Morningstar analyst Bryan Armour notes the path for AI-driven stock selection is bumpy, with prior offerings experiencing excessive turnover and closures in 2023.

Paramount Global's Paramount Skydance unit raised its all-cash offer for a controlling stake in Warner Bros. Discovery from $7.15 billion to $7.3 billion, effective February 10, 2026. The revised bid maintains a $37.50 per share price, reflecting a stronger financial proposal to secure regulatory and shareholder approval.

The acquisition, valued at $7.3 billion, represents an increase of $150 million over the initial proposal, signaling the bidder's confidence in the target's value and growth potential. Terms remain unchanged, with the transaction contingent on regulatory clearances and the outcome of a special meeting of Warner Bros. Discovery's shareholders.

Oscar Health (NYSE:OSCR) rose 4.8% on February 09, 2026, following an upbeat 2026 outlook that outpaced a wider-than-expected Q4 loss. The insurer posted a fourth-quarter loss of $1.24 per share and revenue of $2.81 billion, both below estimates. However, it forecast full-year 2026 revenue of $18.85 billion at the midpoint, well ahead of the $12.76 billion consensus. The shares later retreated to $13.18, a 4.1% gain from the prior close.

Key context: The stock is highly volatile with 55+5% moves in the past year. Institutional sales weighed on sentiment; Blue Square Asset Management sold 17,462 shares in its 13F filing, and multiple large investors have adjusted positions. OSCR is down 12% YTD and 41.3% from its 52-week high of $22.47 as of February 09, 2026. A $1,000 IPO investment is worth $378.74 today.

Wrtn, a South Korean AI entertainment startup, projects annual revenue exceeding $100 million in 2026 after launching its narrative-driven AI storytelling service in South Korea and Japan, with plans to enter the U.S. by June 2026 and an IPO as early as 2028. The company recorded $70 million in 2025, with average user engagement of about two hours daily and paying-user retention above 70%. It raised cumulative funding of about 130 billion won, including a March 2025 Series B of 108 billion won, and plans another round in 2026. Management targets $700 million annual revenue by 2027, with an IPO tentatively scheduled for 2028 in South Korea or the U.S.

Saia (NASDAQ:SAIA) closed down 5.9% after reporting Q4 2025 results that missed EPS guidance of $1.90 and marked a 67-cent decline from $2.84 a year earlier, despite revenue of $790 million that matched the prior-year figure and narrowly beat expectations. The operating margin contracted to 8.1% from 12.9%, and sales volumes declined 1.5% year on year, signaling softer demand.

Supporting context: The broader market rallied on a tech-driven rebound, supported by a stabilization in Bitcoin after a steep October decline, improved U.S. consumer sentiment, and a rebound in AI-related spending benefiting chipmakers. Saia is up 14.3% YTD but trades 23.7% below its 52-week high of $504.96 set in February 2025, with a current price of $385.51. The stock is highly volatile, with 27 moves greater than 5% in the past year.

Retail sales in December declined 0.1% after adjusting for seasonal factors, beating a FactSet forecast of 0.4%, with the largest drops seen in furniture and florist categories. Core retail sales, which strip out volatile items like gasoline and building materials, also fell 0.1%, while a core measure of underlying demand dipped 0.1%.

In the fourth quarter, the Employment Cost Index, a gauge of wages and benefits, rose 0.7%, the weakest pace in over four years. Annual hiring has slowed, inflation remains elevated, and consumer confidence has eroded, particularly among lower- and middle-income households. Well-off households continue to drive some spending, while broader affordability pressures weigh on overall demand.

The January retail sales report, typically released in mid-February, is pending due to the government shutdown.

Paramount Pictures is extending its hostile takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery with a “ticking fee” of $0.25 per share per quarter after Dec. 31, potentially up to $650 million, and has pushed back its tender offer deadline to March 2. The cash offer remains $30 per share, with over 42.3 million shares validly tendered as of Jan. 21, down from 168.5 million. Paramount seeks full control via its $77.9 billion, $108 billion enterprise value bid, requiring more than 50% of Warner Bros.’ 2.48 billion shares. The company has also initiated a proxy fight and may extend the deadline further. Warner Bros. and Netflix maintain their December $72 billion merger, valued at $27.75 per share with debt, and expect a shareholder vote by April. Antitrust reviews by the U.S. Department of Justice and industry concerns over consolidation and jobs continue.

Commerce Department Secretary Howard Lutnick stated at a hearing on February 10, 2026, that Nvidia “must live with” the licensing terms on sales of its H200 AI chips to China. The detailed terms, developed in conjunction with the State Department, are non-negotiable. When questioned about compliance with restrictions ensuring China’s military cannot access the chips, Lutnick deferred to President Trump, noting the complex U.S.-China relationship is managed by the executive and the secretary of state. The sales authorization followed a U.S.-China trade truce brokered in October 2025 and a U.S. pledge to defer by one year a rule barring shipments of American technology to thousands of Chinese firms.

U.S. software stocks are rallying positioning opportunities as AI disruption fears drive a recent pullback, according to JP Morgan. The firm said worst-case AI disruption scenarios are unlikely to materialize over the next 3-6 months, with risks increasingly skewed toward a rebound in higher-quality software segments.

Last week, Anthropic’s Claude Cowork plug-ins reignited AI-related concerns, sending the S&P 500 software and services index down as much as 17% in six sessions through February 7. The index has since rebounded about 7%. JPMorgan recommends adding exposure to a basket of AI-resilient software companies including Microsoft (MSFT), Palo Alto Networks (PaloAlto Networks), ServiceNow (SNOW), CrowdStrike Holdings (CROWD), and Datadog (DGG).

Morgan Stanley also highlights attractive opportunities citing strong revenue expectations, improved earnings revisions, and benefits from a weaker U.S. dollar for mega-cap techs.

The Feb. 17, 2026, deadline approaches for filing claims under a $50 million class action settlement arising from a 2023 data breach at 23andMe (now rebranded as Chrome). Eligible individuals who were customers between May 1, 2023, and October 1, 2023, and reside in the U.S. during that period may receive cash payments, with extraordinary claims eligible up to $10,000, health information claims up to $165, and statutory cash claims of $100. Payments are expected to be issued in the coming weeks. Claims must be submitted by February 17, 2026, via the settlement website.

The breach on October 6, 2023, affected about 6.4 million U.S. residents. The case was initially filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and is pending in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri as the company filed for Chapter 11 in March 2025.

JPMorgan economists note market concerns about AI disrupting the software sector are overstated, with software stocks having already sold off and presenting potential short-term rotation backflow. Led by Dubravko Lakos-Bujas, the team suggests investors increase exposure to high-quality software companies with strong AI resilience.

The recent selloff was not sector-specific; SaaS stocks, whether already integrating AI or leveraging proprietary data and stacks, were all pressured. MSFT and CRWD are highlighted for AI-driven operational efficiency gains. High switching costs and multi-year contracts in enterprise software are expected to moderate near-term impacts.

Looking ahead, the fourth-quarter earnings outlook remains positive, with analyst forecasts indicating 16.8% CAGR in software sector profits through 2026. This view aligns with Morgan Stanley's call for further upside in U.S. tech stocks, with software corrections offering attractive entry points.

Microsoft (MSFT) is evaluating superconducting power lines for its data centers, aiming to reduce energy use and shorten construction timelines as it expands its U.S. server farm build-out. Aging power infrastructure and constrained supplies have slowed expansion, while recent tests show superconducting cables can deliver the same capacity as traditional lines in a smaller footprint.

"The technology allows us to scale power density without expanding our physical footprint and can reduce the size of transmission infrastructure," said Husam Alissa, who leads the Systems Technology Team in Microsoft’s CO+I CTO Office. High-temperature superconductors, using ceramic-like materials, are more efficient than copper and aluminum conductors.

Deployment could increase electrical density without expanding substations, but the company has not disclosed investment levels or a deployment timeline. The technology has faced high costs and manufacturing constraints, though Microsoft is investing in superconducting companies such as Boston-based VEIR, which raised $75 million in Series B funding last year and recently demonstrated a three-megawatt cable for a server rack.

Data center power use is projected to rise to about 12% of U.S. electricity by 2028, up from roughly 4% in 2022, reflecting a tripling over that period. Single data center campuses will require more than one gigawatt of power, enough to supply about 750,000 homes.

The S&P/TSX Composite closed up 1.2% to 18,450.61, extending a three-day rally that has lifted the index 2.8% year-to-date. Technology and healthcare sectors led the advance, with major indices in those segments up 2.1% and 1.8% respectively. The rebound followed a December CPI print of 3.7%, in line with expectations, but higher-than-forecast inflation pressured the loonie, closing at C$1.3680, down 0.3% from the prior day.

Mercuria Energy Group (MRC) is advancing toward acquiring Raízen’s Argentine refining and fuel retail assets, with a signing potentially weeks away and a final deal valued above $1 billion. No binding agreement is in place, though sources say risks remain. The acquisition would expand Mercuria’s downstream presence in South America amid volatile energy markets.

Raízen, a joint venture of Cosan and Shell, is under financial stress following consecutive quarters of losses and ballooning debt, leading to a selloff in its bonds and credit downgrades. Fitch rated it “CCC” and S&P “CCC+.”

Raízen has appointed Pinheiro Neto and Cleary Gottlieb as legal advisers and Rothschild as financial adviser, signaling preparation for asset sales or restructuring. Vitol has also shown interest in the portfolio.

McDonald's (MCD) is offering a limited-run Valentine’s Day giveaway starting February 14, 2026, at 11 a.m. ET. Customers can receive a "McNugget Caviar" themed kit including a 1-ounce tin of caviar, crème fraîche, a Mother of Pearl caviar spoon, and a $25 gift card via mcnuggetcaviar.com/countdown.

The campaign aims to drive traffic and boost sales amid low consumer confidence, following a recent report of global sales up 1% (YOY, excl. currency) and U.S. same-store sales up 2.4% in Q3 2025. The offer reflects customer-driven pairings, with social proof including a TikTok appearance by Rihanna in 2024.

McDonald's reported quarterly earnings on Wednesday, February 11, 2026.

Marriott (MAR) CEO Anthony Capuano highlighted a K-shaped economy, seeing continued strength in luxury travel as the company fires on all cylinders with new hotel construction and higher-income consumers. However, the firm missed $2.62 per share in Q4 adjusted earnings, reporting $2.58, and US/Canada RevPar declined slightly in the quarter. For Q1, the company expects per-share earnings of $2.50 to $2.55, and full-year guidance of $11.32 to $11.57 per share. Management signaled a potential 35%+ annual increase in credit card fees, up from current levels, citing active negotiations with partners like JPMorgan. The stock rose 14% YTD, outperforming the S&P 500 (^GSPC)'s 2% gain.

Kentucky First Federal Bancorp (KFFB) released fiscal Q2 results showing net income of $304,000, or 4 cents per share.

The bank reported total revenue of $5.4 million, with adjusted revenue at $2.8 million for the same period.

Data reflects the fiscal quarter ended February 2, 2026.

Feb 10, 2026 — Paramount Skydance has sweetened its $30 per share all-cash bid for Warner Bros Discovery by tying additional payments to the number of additional quarters the deal remains unfinalized beyond this year, and agreeing to cover the breakup fee HBO would owe Netflix if it walked away.

Analysts note the per-share price remains unchanged but the adjustments aim to address regulatory timelines and WBD shareholders’ concerns. "The updated terms increase the odds of closing but do not materially raise the per-share offer," said S&P Global analyst Seth Shafir. "Netflix remains the frontrunner, offering a higher price and a clearer path to regulatory approval."

Jonathan Kees of Daiwa Capital said the changes "raise pressure on WBD to reassess" and highlight Netflix's comparative advantages for regulatory clearance. Paolo Pescatore of PP Forensight and Ross Benes of EMarkereter agree the bid is unlikely to shift WBD away from Netflix without a higher per-share offer or regulatory intervention.