Asian shares advanced on Monday while gold prices declined, with several markets closed or operating on shortened sessions ahead of Lunar New Year holidays.

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 rose 0.1% to 56,996.21 after Japan's economy expanded at a slower-than-expected 0.2% annualized rate in Q4. Analysts suggest Prime Minister Takaichi may pursue fiscal stimulus to boost growth.

Trading was light as China, South Korea, and Taiwan markets were closed. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.5% in its half-day session, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 added 0.3%. U.S. futures edged higher despite a Presidents' Day holiday.

U.S. stocks steadied Friday on softer inflation data, which bolstered expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut. Nvidia fell 2.2%, while AppLovin surged 6.4% after Thursday's selloff.

Gold dropped 1.1% to $4,994.60/oz, and silver fell 3.8% to $75.04/oz. Oil prices were little changed: WTI +5 cents at $62.94/bbl, Brent +5 cents at $67.80/bbl. The USDJPY was at 153.08, up from 152.64, and EURUSD at $1.1867, down from $1.1872.

Disney has issued a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance, alleging unauthorized use of Disney characters to train and power Seedance 2.0, ByteDance's AI video generator. Disney claims ByteDance pre-packaged Seedance with a pirated library of copyrighted characters from Star Wars and Marvel, treating them as public-domain assets. The letter asserts Seedance reproduces, distributes, and creates derivative works featuring Spider-Man, Darth Vader, and other characters.

ByteDance stated it will enhance safeguards on Seedance 2.0 to prevent unauthorized use of copyrighted characters and celebrity likenesses. The company did not immediately respond to Reuters. Paramount Skydance has also sent a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance for IP infringement. Seedance 2.0, released last week, has gone viral in China. Disney has previously targeted Character.AI and recently licensed characters to OpenAI for its Sora generator.

Japan's economy expanded 0.2% annually in Q4, with full-year 2025 growth at 1.1%, weighed by a 1.1% drop in exports, offset by 0.4% private consumption. Prime Minister Takaichi plans stimulus, including suspending food sales tax. GDP contracted 0.7% Q3-Q4, avoiding recession after 0.5% Q2 growth. Quarterly growth was 0.1% in Q4; 2025 was the fastest since 2022. The government forecasts ~0.6% growth in the near term.

Crypto traders are ramping up leverage despite Bitcoin's sideways price action, raising the risk of a volatility-driven rally or unwind.

Since February 6, BTC has traded between $62,000 and $71,000 without a breakout. Futures basis on Binance, OKX, and Deribit widened from 1.5% to 4% annualized since February 13, signaling speculative long positioning. Aggregated funding rates also rose, per Velo data.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong noted resilient retail buying. The 25 Delta skew improved from -10 to -4 on Deribit, indicating reduced put demand. LVRG's Nick Ruck warns of leverage-driven rallies and short squeezes, while Tiger Research's Ryan Yoon cautions on volume disconnect and liquidation risks.

As of February 16, Bitcoin trades at $68,600 after a 2.5% decline in the past 24 hours.

Eni confirms a major oil discovery in Angola's Block 15/06, estimating 500 million barrels in place, boosting the country's upstream outlook and highlighting infrastructure-led exploration's value.

The Algaita-01 well, drilled 18 km from the Olombendo FPSO in 667 meters of water, encountered oil-bearing sands with strong reservoir quality. Recoverable volumes are pending, but proximity to existing infrastructure reduces capital costs and accelerates development.

Block 15/06 is operated by Azule Energy (36.84%), with Sonangol E&P (36.84%) and SSI (26.32%). Azule, a 50:50 Eni-bp joint venture, is Angola's leading independent operator with assets tied to Olombendo and N'Goma FPSOs. The find reinforces Angola's exploration potential and aligns with industry trends toward high-margin, capital-efficient barrels.

AI agents are poised to disrupt the mobile app ecosystem, with experts predicting 80% of apps could vanish within five years. OpenClaw founder Peter Steinberg argues personal agents can more efficiently manage user needs—dynamically adjusting fitness plans based on sleep and stress, controlling smart home devices—outperforming individual apps.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk echoed the thesis, forecasting operating systems and apps will "disappear" in 5–6 years, with phones becoming mere display terminals as AI generates content on demand. Academics and consultants agree this represents an inevitable evolution toward an "intent economy," where apps degrade into API service providers and user interaction shifts to agent-driven dialogue and automation.

Survival will favor apps reliant on real-time sensor data (camera, GPS) and platforms with strong network effects: social networks, ride-hailing/food delivery, and creative tools. Smart hardware and edge computing nodes gain strategic importance as biometric data processing must occur locally for security.

Risks include dangerous autonomous actions if improperly authorized and single-point failure vulnerabilities when financial and social identities converge. Information茧房 effects from AI-curated feeds also threaten cognitive diversity. The advertising model will shift to priority-ranking auctions and service commissions, requiring developers to prioritize API speed, data architecture, and LLM compatibility.

The Pentagon's brief inclusion of Alibaba, BYD, and Baidu on a military-affiliated list sparked a tech sell-off in Hong Kong, with Alibaba down over 3%, BYD and Baidu each off about 1%. The list was quickly withdrawn without explanation.

The 1260H designation, while not immediately punitive, restricts U.S. contracting and research funding and signals potential future trade curbs. Alibaba and Baidu denied military ties, with Alibaba vowing legal action. The list now exceeds 130 entities.

BlueScope Steel Ltd. (BSL) plans to expand its North Star Ohio mill to 3.3 million tons/year and grow premium coated steel sales in the U.S., funding growth organically. CEO Tania Archibald said the company will focus on shareholder returns, launching a A$310 million buyback and committing to distribute at least 75% of free cash flow. Following a rejected A$13.2 billion takeover bid, H1 underlying profit surged to A$382 million, with H2 EBIT forecasted at A$620–700 million. Shares fell 2.5% post-announcement.

Hardware products and merchandising solutions provider Hillman (NASDAQ:HLMN) is set to release its Q4 earnings on Tuesday, February 23, 2026.

In Q3 2026, Hillman reported revenue of $424.9 million, up 8% year-over-year, meeting analysts' expectations. EBITDA and adjusted operating income surpassed estimates. Analysts forecast Q4 revenue of $372.4 million, a 6.5% increase year-over-year, with adjusted EPS of $0.10. Hillman has missed revenue estimates five times in the past two years. Peer Kennametal reported 9.8% revenue growth, beating estimates by 1%, while Fortive grew 4.6%, exceeding estimates by 2.7%. Shares in the professional tools and equipment segment have risen 8.1% over the past month, with Hillman up 5.7%. The average price target is $12.21, above the current $10.06.

Global AI executives convened in New Delhi on February 16, 2026, for the India Government-hosted AI Impact Summit, signaling tech giants' strategic push into a key growth market. Notably absent was Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, whose last-minute cancellation added an unexpected twist to the event.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the summit. With U.S.-India ties advancing toward a trade pact, the gathering underscored both industry and geopolitical significance. Attendees included Sam Altman of OpenAI, Sundar Pichai of Alphabet, Dario Amodei of Anthropic, and Demis Hassabis of Google DeepMind.

India's $18 billion semiconductor initiative, expanding local manufacturing, and surging venture capital and IPO activity highlight its AI ambitions. Amazon, Microsoft, and Intel have committed to building AI data centers and chip facilities. India is also a major market for ChatGPT, with OpenAI and Perplexity offering free services to capture users and training data. Over 60% of new global capability centers focus on AI, data, and digital engineering.

Nvidia's absence shifted attention, but amid sustained global AI investment, major announcements on India-bound projects remained likely. For New Delhi, the summit reinforced India's position as a rising AI hub.

Herc Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HRI) will release its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 earnings results on February 17, 2026, before the market opens. Analysts expect revenue of $1.26 billion, up 32.2% year-over-year, and adjusted EPS of $1.87.

In the prior quarter, HRI reported revenue of $1.30 billion, a 35.1% increase from the same period in 2024, exceeding estimates by 0.9%. However, full-year guidance fell short of expectations, and EPS missed analyst projections. Over the past two years, HRI has missed revenue estimates twice. The stock has risen 12.3% in the last month, trading at $173.12 with an average price target of $178.73.

Vulcan Materials (NYSE: VMC) will release fourth-quarter earnings before the market opens on Tuesday, February 16, 2026.

Analysts forecast revenue of $1.94 billion, up 4.9% year-over-year, and adjusted EPS of $2.11. Last quarter, VMC reported $2.29 billion in revenue, a 14.4% increase, and shipped 64.7 million tons, up 12.1%. The company has missed revenue estimates five times in the past two years. Shares are up 10.1% over the past month amid positive sentiment in the building materials sector.

Bel Fuse (NASDAQ:BELFA) will release fourth-quarter earnings on Tuesday, February 16, 2026. Analysts project revenue of $173.4 million, up 15.7% year-over-year, with adjusted EPS expected at $1.10.

In the prior quarter, Bel Fuse surpassed revenue estimates by 3.7%, reporting $179 million, a 44.8% increase from the same period last year. Shares have risen 18.4% over the past month amid positive sentiment in the electronic components sector. Peer Advanced Energy beat revenue estimates by 3.3% and gained 10.7% post-earnings, while Belden's shares rose 5.1% after topping forecasts.

Genco Shipping & Trading (NYSE:GNK) will release fourth-quarter earnings after the close on February 16, 2026. Analysts expect revenue of $77.21 million, up 14.3% year-over-year, and adjusted EPS of $0.38.

In the prior quarter, GNK reported $54.73 million in revenue, a 22.6% decline and a 3.9% miss of estimates. The company operates 42 vessels. Recent peer results show mixed performance: Scorpio Tankers beat revenue estimates by 4.3% with 25.6% growth, while Kirby missed by 1.4% despite 6.2% growth. GNK's stock has risen 15.6% in the past month, trading at $21.80 versus a consensus price target of $24.10.

Allegion (NYSE:ALLE) will release fourth-quarter earnings before the market opens on February 16, 2026. Analysts forecast revenue of $1.04 billion, up 9.5% year-over-year, with adjusted EPS of $1.98.

In the prior quarter, Allegion reported revenues of $1.07 billion, a 10.7% increase, exceeding estimates by 2.5%. Over the past two years, the company has missed revenue expectations twice. Peers LSI and Thermon both beat estimates, with Thermon's shares rising 9.2% post-results. Allegion's stock has gained 10.1% in the last month, trading near an average price target of $181.27.

Hollywood and creative industries are escalating enforcement against AI-generated content misuse, with LightBar, a research platform focused on AI training data, offering a proprietary tool to detect suspected copyright infringement within generative AI models. The platform runs structured "research campaigns" using prompts to test specific models or studio IP, analyzing percentage likeness, character traits, and prominence to generate evidence. Recent weeks saw major studios formalize claims: The Walt Disney Company issued a cease-and-desist to ByteDance over Seedance 2.0, as did Paramount Pictures. SAG-AFTRA joined studios in condemning Seedance 2.0 for unauthorized use of likenesses and voices, and the Motion Picture Association urged ByteDance to halt the model. LightBar is collaborating with studios to support legal or licensing actions, producing time-stamped, cryptographically verifiable analyses to strengthen negotiation leverage. Experts say this wave of disputes is shifting the AI economy toward transparent, accountable systems with verifiable contribution tracking.

Indian equity markets are expected to open slightly lower on February 16, 2026, as global risk sentiment and higher-than-expected crude oil prices weigh on investor confidence. The Nifty 50 index is projected to trade in the range of 17,500-17,600 points, down about 0.5% from the close of February 15. Volume is forecast to remain moderate, reflecting cautious trading sentiment ahead of a key earnings season for mid-cap companies later this week.

Blackstone Inc. (BLACK) will lead an up to $600 million equity investment in Neysa, an Indian AI cloud startup (NEYS), alongside a sought $600 million in debt financing. The funds will support deploying over 20,000 GPUs in India for AI training and high-performance computing.

The investment coincides with the India AI Impact Summit (February 16, 2026), where industry leaders and investors will discuss AI growth and showcase local ventures. Ganesh Mani, a senior managing director at Blackstone’s private equity division, said the investment will strengthen AI infrastructure and expand access for businesses and public institutions.

Other consortium members include Teachers’ Venture Growth, TVS Capital, 360 ONE, and Nexus. Blackstone previously made AI-related investments in QTS, AirTrunk, CoreWeave Inc., and Firmus. DC Advisory advised Neysa; KPMG, Trilegal, and Gibson & Dunn advised Blackstone; and Talwar Thakore & Associates provided legal counsel to Neysa.

Japan's fourth-quarter GDP expanded an annualized 0.2% in October-December, sharply below market estimates of 1.6%, testing Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's economic strategy amid persistently high living costs and weak domestic demand. The reading was a small rebound from a revised 2.6% contraction in Q3 and translates to a 0.1% quarter-over-quarter increase, underperforming a median forecast of 0.4% growth.

Private consumption rose 0.1% in Q4, down from 0.4% in Q3, and capital spending climbed 0.2%, lagging a Reuters poll of 0.8%. Net external demand contributed nothing to growth, down from a 0.3 point drag in July-September. The latest results suggest real wage growth remains negative, with economists projecting gradual expansion of 1.04% in Q1 and 1.12% in Q2 of 2026, pending stronger wage negotiations.

The Bank of Japan is expected to maintain its accommodative stance to tame inflation, with the BOJ likely focused on curbing price pressures rather than policy changes in response to this report. Tariffs imposed by the United States on Japanese goods have cooled export momentum, with firms likely maintaining a cautious approach.

Beijing is shifting stimulus from industrial and infrastructure to services, seeking to unlock lagging domestic demand through state-led investments. Chongli, a ski resort complex north of Beijing, exemplifies the strategy: post-pandemic access and Olympic-era infrastructure spurred a second consecutive profitable year for Wanlong, now drawing 600,000 visitors and supporting local incomes.

Local governments are expanding winter sports, night-time economies, yachting, medical tourism, and education, health, and elderly care, projecting the “ice and snow” industry to grow from 1 trillion to 1.5 trillion yuan ($217 billion) by 2030. However, analysts caution that supply-side expansion can lead to overcapacity and underutilization if not balanced by income growth and private-sector participation.

China’s per-capita services consumption stood at 46.1% in 2025, well below the U.S. level of 70%, and growth in Chongli averaged 6.5% over the past five years, outpacing the national average. Income growth remains uneven, with some localities cutting pay and social media seeing hashtags like “poor people skiing,” signaling potential growth risks if the service-sector focus is not complemented by broader policies to boost consumption.