ANTH.PVT and OpenAI are escalating their rivalry into the 2026 U.S. midterm elections by channeling significant financial support into political action committees aligned with their policy preferences. Anthropic announced a $20 million contribution to the super-PAC Public First, which opposes groups backing OpenAI leadership and investors. The allocation reflects divergent approaches: Anthropic emphasizes AI safety and regulation, while OpenAI leadership advocates for a hands-off regulatory stance to preserve U.S. innovation and competitiveness.

The funding underscores a broader partisan and ideological contest over AI governance, with state-level legislation and upcoming elections likely to see heightened activity. The conflict extends beyond left-right divides, creating novel alliances and disagreements as regulators grapple with balancing innovation with consumer and societal protections.

Crude oil extended a losing week to end 2026, with Brent (BZ=F) above $67 and WTI (CL=F) under $63 as broader markets declined and fears of a global glut intensified. US-Iran nuclear talks loom, reducing near-term military action risks that previously supported prices.

The International Energy Agency forecast a 2026 glut of 3.7 million barrels per day, the largest annual average on record, with global stockpiles at their highest since 2020. Asian equities fell on Friday amid Wall Street weakness, while Venezuelan production-sharing agreements with Chevron and Repsol could add to supply. The US plans to sell oil to China at global prices in coordination with Venezuela.

The weekly decline in prices is likely to end a prolonged gains streak, with volatility expected as the Atlantic basin builds higher inventories.

Crude oil prices opened lower on February 13, 2026, on the path to the second consecutive weekly loss as the immediate risk premium from a U.S.-Iran escalation receded.

Brent crude traded at $67.36 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate at $62.66 per barrel, down from earlier gains in the week. The sell-off followed the International Energy Agency’s revised-down demand forecast to 850,000 barrels per day and confirmation of a 2026 supply surplus.

OPEC production fell 439,000 barrels per day last month, while EIA data showed oil inventories up 8.53 million barrels and production up 498,000 barrels per day. The IEA projects supply will reach 108.6 million barrels per day in 2026, versus demand of 93 million barrels per day, according to its latest monthly report.

NatWest Group plc (NWG) released results for the quarter ended January 31, 2026, reporting net income of $1.85 billion and earnings per share of 46 cents. Revenue for the period reached $9.88 billion, with revenue net of interest expense at $5.75 billion, exceeding analyst expectations.

For the full year 2025, the bank recorded profit of $7.22 billion, or $1.79 per share, on revenue of $21.94 billion.

Magna International Inc. (MGA) reported a Q4 loss of $1 million, or less than $0.01 per share, with adjusted earnings of $2.18 per share, exceeding the $1.81 per share average estimate from three Zacks analysts. Revenue of $10.85 billion surpassed forecasts of $10.48 billion. For the year, profit was $829 million, or $2.93 per share, on revenue of $42.01 billion. The company expects full-year earnings of $6.25 to $7.25 per share and revenue of $41.9 billion to $43.5 billion.

U.S. space firms are accelerating toward the moon as the 2030 Artemis target looms. Elon Musk’s SpaceX, planning an IPO this year potentially valued over $1 trillion, is pivoting to build Moonbase Alpha and a satellite-launching device for an AI computing constellation. Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin shifted resources from suborbital tourism to its Blue Moon lander, aiming an uncrewed test this year and thermal/vacuum tests at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

NASA is leveraging billions in funding to advance SpaceX’s Starship and Blue Origin’s landers for astronaut moon landings, seeing the moon as a stepping stone to Mars. The U.S. race is intensifying against China’s targeted 2030 astronaut moon landing. Analysts and investors note heightened interest and urgency, with firms like Lunar Outpost seeing a palpable shift in capital focus toward lunar infrastructure.

Branded residential housing, where luxury hotel brands license their names to developers, is experiencing rapid expansion. According to Savills, the market grew twice as fast as global hospitality and real estate over the past decade, with the number of properties nearly tripling. Nearly 850 projects are in the pipeline, and the count of branded properties is expected to almost double in the next five years.

Notable activity includes Marriott International (MAR) signing 55 residential deals last year, up 50% from 2024, ending the year with nearly 150 branded properties and 175 in pipeline. Rosewood Hotels’ Rosewood Residences in Beverly Hills offer 17 residences of 3,000–7,000 square feet at $10 million and above, featuring chef’s kitchens, private terraces, and spa-grade tubs.

Demand is driven by the K-shaped recovery, with ultra-high-net-worth individuals maintaining strong spending despite broader market weakness. Luxury travel accounted for 30% of property openings in Q4 2025 for Hilton Worldwide (HLT), and luxury segments are outperforming for both Marriott and InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG).

Gold prices rose in early trading on February 13, 2026, as investors priced in heightened inflation expectations following the release of the December CPI. The dollar index fell, supporting gold's rebound. At 10:30 a.m. EST, gold was up 0.8% to $1,832.50 per ounce, with the December contract at $1,832.50, up $19.50 from the previous close. The rebound reflects continued pressure on the dollar amid persistently high inflation and accommodative Fed policy.

Safran (SAFR) shares rise as the aerospace and defense supplier reported higher FY25 profits and raised its dividend by 10% to 1.20 euros per share. The company issued a positiveFY26 outlook and upgraded its FY28 guidance to 5.5% revenue growth, up from 5.0%, citing stronger defense spending and program wins. Earnings for the 12-month period ended December 31, 2025, reached €1.52 billion, a 3.2% increase from the prior-year period, with revenue of €11.8 billion.

Indian shares extended a losing trend on February 13, 2026, as jitters over the AI sector weighed on sentiment. The NSE Composite closed down 1.8% (-1.80%) at 46,234.55, while the BSE Sensex dipped 0.9% (-0.90%) to 48,762.35. Weaker-than-expected earnings from IT majors and broader volatility in tech stocks contributed to the decline. The AI sub-sector, particularly companies involved in generative AI and robotics, saw the steepest declines, reflecting heightened uncertainty about regulatory and demand-side risks. Trading volume rose to 1.2 billion shares, indicating heightened investor caution.

Lincoln National (NYSE:LNC) reported CY2025 Q4 results exceeding expectations: sales rose 5.7% YoY to $4.89 billion, and non-GAAP profit reached $2.21 per share, 16.5% above estimates. The strong performance followed a strategic shift toward annuities and group protection, with a more efficient risk profile and disciplined capital allocation.

CEO Ellen G. Cooper and CFO Christopher Michael Neczypor attributed the outperformance to a broader business mix favoring less volatile, higher-margin products, operational enhancements, and disciplined expense management. The stock closed at $40.56, up from $38.50 pre-earnings.

Key tailwinds include continued spread-based annuity sales, investment in digital capabilities and distribution, and potential increases in shareholder returns as free cash flow grows. Analysts are closely watching RILA competitive dynamics and life segment optimization to assess sustainability of the momentum.

Bank of America strategist Michael Hartnett forecasts continued outflow from U.S. assets and into international equities as trade policies shift global rebalancing. This anything-but-the-dollar trade is lifting international stocks, with emerging market commodity producers and underweighted China and India likely to benefit.

EPFR Global data shows $104 billion flowing into international stock funds in 2026, versus $25 billion into U.S. funds. The S&P 500 has lagged the MSCI ACWI ex-US, which is up 39% versus 15% since late 2024, as the dollar index fell 10% year-to-date. The trade in U.S. exceptionalism for global diversification is supported by heightened AI-driven demand and higher commodity prices.

Lincoln Electric (NASDAQ:LECO) reported Q4 CY2025 revenue of $1.08 billion, up 5.5% year-on-year, and non-GAAP profit of $2.65 per share, exceeding analyst estimates by 4.2 percentage points. The results followed a volatile sales environment, with organic growth driven by pricing strength and disciplined cost controls, including $31 million in savings from its savings programs.

CEO Steven B. Hedlund said automation sales faced a tough prior-year comparison, but the company maintains a strong backlog and a pivot to automation growth is expected in Q2 CY2026, supported by higher OEM capital spending and a normalizing manufacturing environment. CFO Gabriel Bruno highlighted the RISE strategy driving operational efficiency and incremental operating margin expansion through 2030.

LECO trades at $295.59, up from $290.50 before the earnings. Key watchpoints include conversion of automation backlog to revenue, stabilization of consumables sales, and early returns from efficiency initiatives.

Big Tech firms are realizing substantial tax reductions under the Trump-era tax law, providing immediate capital for expansion. This year, Google, Meta, Amazon, and Tesla are seeing significant cuts, with Amazon’s 2025 federal tax bill dropping to $1.2B from $9B in 2024 as $89B in profits are deferred. The effective tax rate for Amazon was 1.4% in 2025. Overall, about $51B in profits from these four companies will be untaxed this year.

The law restores bonus depreciation, allowing full expensing of domestic R&D and capital spending. This provision is critical for AI investments: servers, networking, and cooling equipment qualify for immediate write-offs, improving cash flow. Meta reported $5B in tax savings from the change and plans $135B in capital expenditures, with AI facilities forming a major portion. The policy is expected to fuel AI spending and long-term growth for Big Tech.

Applied Materials (AMAT) surged 11.7% in premarket trading on February 13, 2026, as investors expect continued AI-driven demand to boost orders for its chipmaking tools. The company forecast second-quarter revenue of $7.65 billion, above the $7.01 billion average estimate, and adjusted profit of $2.64 per share, beating $2.28 estimates.

CEO Gary Dickerson attributed the quarter’s strength to accelerated AI computing investments, with higher-performance, energy-efficient chips in leading-edge logic, high-bandwidth memory, and advanced packaging seeing increased demand. Analysts at RBC note AMAT’s leadership in DRAM/HBM, advanced logic, and packaging, and industry group SEMI expects equipment sales to rise 9% to $126 billion in 2026 and 7.3% to $135 billion in 2027.

The positive outlook lifted broader chip-equipment stocks, including ASML up 1.8%, Lam Research up 2%, and KLA thin volumes over 1%. AMAT shares have gained 28% year-to-date, outperforming the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index’s 14% gain.

DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis warns the AI industry is entering a decade-long shakeout as breakthroughs and market consolidation accelerate. Internal momentum includes Gemini 3 achieving SOTA in text, image, and video with 6.5 billion monthly active users and DeepMind Search reaching 20 billion daily impressions.

Competition is now quadrant-by-quarter, with compute resources in critical shortage despite Google’s cloud infrastructure. Enterprises secure leading-edge chip access through strategic agreements, while start-ups queue, and those who can commercialize quickly and maintain technical leadership will survive.

Applications include smart glasses as personal AI assistants, Isomorphic Labs reducing drug discovery timelines to months with 17 pipelines across oncology and neurodegenerative diseases, and automated materials labs applying AI to design-synthesize-validate cycles in batteries, semiconductors, and energy.

Hassabis sets a 2030 median probability of achieving AGI, noting the path will be incremental and殘酷ly selective, with value creation becoming the core metric over titles.

Novartis (NVAS) announced positive top-line results from the Phase III ALIGN study evaluating Vanrafia in patients with IgA nephropathy. The trial met primary endpoints, with significant reductions in proteinuria observed, supporting the drug’s potential to slow disease progression. Secondary endpoints showed improvements in renal function and fewer treatment interruptions. The company plans to submit a New Drug Application in the first half of 2026.

Coherus Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:CHRS) priced its $50.1 million underwritten public offering at $11.50 per share on February 13, 2026. The offering includes 4.5 million shares of common stock and 150,000 shares of warrants, with簿记-roads managed by Leerink Partners and SVB Leerink. Following the filing, the company's stock closed at $10.25, down 12.1%, on continued weakness in the biopharma sector and broader market volatility.

Perella Weinberg (PWP) reported Q4 results that drove its shares to $21.95 from $21.53, reflecting strong execution in Europe and its restructuring practice despite a slight sales decline. CEO Andrew Bednar attributed growth to more high-value, debtor-side mandates and progress in expanding coverage and senior talent recruitment, while also noting some large deal cancellations.

Analysts will closely watch: (1) conversion of the record deal backlog into closed advisory assignments; (2) sustainability of restructuring and liability management revenue amid client financing challenges; and (3) the impact of new senior hires on sector penetration and client wins. Vigilant management of compensation ratios and cost controls will be key execution metrics.

Biogen (NASDAQ:BIIB) reported Q4 revenue of $3.2B, exceeding Wall Street forecasts and non-GAAP profit guidance, despite year-over-year sales下滑. Newer products drove growth, with Lekembi, Skyclaris, Xerxuve, and Calcadi collectively contributing over $1B in annual revenue. Management credits expansion of VUMERITY in multiple sclerosis and a pivot toward growth products.

Key watchpoints include: U.S. regulatory outcomes for iClick and high-dose SPINRAZA; pivotal Phase 3 readouts in lupus and kidney transplant rejection; selective European launches of Xerxuve and Skyclaris; reimbursement dynamics for subcutaneous Alzheimer’s therapies; and ongoing business development.

The stock closed at $195.50, up from $185.36 pre-earnings. Analysts will closely monitor execution and reimbursement trends to assess momentum.