Daily News Links

8369 posts

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Evening

• Stock futures are little changed ahead of key earnings results from Nvidia: Live updates
  CNBC
• Trump’s State of the Union will seek to calm voters’ economic concerns ahead of midterm elections
  AP
• Hegseth warns Anthropic to let the military use the company’s AI tech as it sees fit, AP sources say
  AP
• Investors brace for a State of the Union speech that may fuel anxiety
  Reuters
• Fed’s Collins Says Rates Likely on Hold ‘For Some Time’
  Bloomberg
• Bond Traders Are Betting on Fed Rate Cuts Spilling Into 2027
  Bloomberg
• CoreWeave Seeks $8.5 Billion Loan From Banks Backed by Meta Deal
  Bloomberg
• China's $112 Billion Cargo Gap Shows Record US Tariff Evasion
  Bloomberg
• Trade Financer Raistone to Liquidate After First Brands Blowup
  Bloomberg
• Pentagon Gives A.I. Company an Ultimatum
  NYT
• AI-Induced Tech Selloff Spoils the IPO Parade
  WSJ
• Russia’s Shadow War With Europe
  WSJ

Afternoon

• Dow gains 400 points, S&P 500 jumps as software stocks rebound from AI disruption fears: Live updates
  CNBC
• US consumer confidence improves modestly in February after cratering the first month of 2026
  AP
• Data center expansion reaches an ‘inflection point’
  CNBC
• Bitcoin mining is no longer profitable after crypto’s latest downward turn, analyst says
  CNBC
• Cook Says Fed May Not Be Able to Counter AI-Driven Job Loss
  Bloomberg
• White House Economist Calls Citrini AI Report ‘Science Fiction’
  Bloomberg
• US Private Schools’ Average Tuition Approaches Record $50,000
  Bloomberg
• U.S. Home-Price Growth Slows In December
  WSJ
• Solid Economy Should Keep Fed’s Focus on Inflation, Chicago Fed’s Goolsbee Says
  WSJ
• Pete Hegseth threatens to cut Anthropic from Pentagon supply chain in showdown with CEO
  FT
• Donald Trump’s fateful decision on Iran
  FT

General

• S&P 500 futures are little changed as market tries to rebound from Monday’s rout: Live updates
  CNBC
• Bitcoin extends decline, falling below $63,000 before paring some losses
  CNBC
• Bitcoin Heads for Worst Month Since Crypto Collapse of June 2022
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Oil Holds Near Seven-Month High as Traders Await US-Iran Talks
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Morning Bid: AI doom and tariff gloom
  Reuters
• Behind the Curtain: AI's biggest threats
  Axios
• The AI doom-and-gloom scenario captivating Wall Street
  Axios
• Global AI data center boom hits delays
  Axios
• From Dimon’s ‘cockroaches’ to the Blue Owl freeze: How stress is spreading in private credit
  CNBC
• Blue Owl hoots and private credit hollers
  Axios
• Jamie Dimon says ‘watch out’ as lofty asset prices add to economic risks: ‘My anxiety is high’
  CNBC
• Trump’s 10% Levy Takes Effect as US Rebuilds Tariff Wall
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Trump's plan B for tariffs is this legally questionable emergency tool
  Axios
• US single-family home price growth slows in December, FHFA says
  Reuters
• Next Fed move a hike? Bostic's parting shot raises alarm
  Reuters
• The Big One: The cyberattack scenarios that keep officials up at night
  Axios
• Trump's top general foresees acute risk in an attack on Iran
  MSN/WP
• Viral doomsday report lays bare Wall Street's deep anxiety about AI future
  MSN/WSJ
• US retail investors fuel surge in leveraged ETF trading, study shows
  Yahoo/Reuters
• China puts Japanese companies on export control lists as tensions rise
  AP
• Zelenskiy marks war anniversary vowing to fight on, with Ukraine's allies divided
  Reuters
• Exclusive: Iran nears deal to buy supersonic anti-ship missiles from China
  Reuters
• Russia issues statement warning of risks of clash between nuclear powers
  Reuters
• ‘AI Bubble’ Becomes Credit’s Biggest Scare, BofA Survey Shows
  Bloomberg
• Dimon Sees Parallel to Pre-Crisis Era as Rivals Do ‘Dumb Things’
  Bloomberg
• Why Jamie Dimon’s Doubts on the Credit Market Are Well Founded
  Bloomberg
• Japan Warns Against Trade Deal Backtracking After Latest Tariffs
  Bloomberg
• Trump Seeks Vows from Tech Executives to Cover Data Center Costs
  Bloomberg
• Anthropic Kicks Off Share Sale for Staffers of Up to $6 Billion
  Bloomberg
• CBO Plans New Fiscal Estimates After Trump Cements Tariff Plan
  Bloomberg
• China Targets Japan Defense Companies in Sweeping Export Ban
  Bloomberg
• Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Has Already Changed the World
  Bloomberg
• The Looming Taiwan Chip Disaster That Silicon Valley Has Long Ignored
  NYT
• The AI Bust is Here. The AI Boom Is Still Going.
  WSJ
• As War Enters Fifth Year, Ukraine Shows Russian Victory Is Anything but Inevitable
  WSJ
• Beijing Sees Opening in U.S. Trade War After Court Blunts Trump’s Tariff Weapon
  WSJ
• Jane Street Accused of Insider Trading That Helped Collapse Terraform
  WSJ
• ‘Crisis of his own making’: Donald Trump weighs another war with Iran
  FT
• Donald Trump’s state of mind is a global risk
  FT
• AI upheaval puts software investors on edge
  FT
• How insurance became the lifeblood of private capital
  FT

Monday, February 23, 2026

Evening

• Stock futures tick higher after major indexes sell off on anxiety over AI disruption, tariffs: Live updates
  CNBC
• Gold Rises as Trump Tariff Defeat Throws Trade Deals Into Doubt
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• IBM Sinks Most Since 2000 as Anthropic Touts Cobol Tool
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Blue Owl Anxiety Rattles $1.8 Trillion Private Credit Market
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Focus: Software companies face higher borrowing costs, tougher scrutiny as AI threatens businesses
  Reuters
• Trump considers new national security tariffs after Supreme Court ruling, WSJ reports
  Reuters
• EU Warns That Trump’s New Tariff Policy Breaks Trade Agreement
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Option Traders Pile Into Bets Against Software-Exposed Loan ETF
  Bloomberg
• Wall Street Analysts Mount Rescue Operation for Slumping US IPOs
  Bloomberg
• Trading volumes have surged in leveraged funds, options since the pandemic, data shows
  CNBC
• Black Swan’s Taleb Warns on Software Bankruptcies, More Volatility
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Countries are barring teens from social media—could the U.S. be next? One expert thinks it’s ‘inevitable’
  CNBC
• Trump Administration Scrambles to Pick Up the Pieces of Broken Tariffs
  NYT
• The Unending Trump Tariff Mess
  WSJ
• Viral Doomsday Report Lays Bare Wall Street’s Deep Anxiety About AI Future
  WSJ
• First Brands Lays Off Employees as Buyer Interest Fades
  WSJ
• What the leveraged loan market can tell us about the software sell-off
  FT

Afternoon

• Dow tumbles 800 points on growing fears about AI disruption, tariff drag: Live updates
  CNBC
• Bitcoin falls to nearly $64,000 as 2026 crypto woes continue
  CNBC
• New York Fed inflation measure heats up in December
  Yahoo/Reuters
• Trump's top general warns of Iran strike risks
  Axios
• Live updates: Trump threatens countries to abide by tariff deals despite Supreme Court decision
  AP
• EU Parliament puts US trade deal on ice after latest Trump tariff hit
  Politico
• EU hits pause on US trade deal as it seeks clarity over latest Trump maneuver
  AP
• US military builds up the largest force of warships and aircraft in the Middle East in decades
  AP
• Mortgage rates just dropped below 6%, matching lowest level since 2022
  CNBC
• Chinese companies distilled Claude to improve own models, Anthropic says
  Yahoo/Reuters
• People Are Worried About Blue Owl Liquidity
  Bloomberg
• What to Know About Tariff Refunds After the Supreme Court Decision
  Bloomberg
• Pentagon Flags Risks of a Major Operation Against Iran
  WSJ
• European Private Lenders’ Shares Tumble as Selloff Intensifies
  WSJ
• US software and private capital shares hit with fresh wave of selling
  FT
• Moody’s alert cites gap in data centre accounting for Big Tech companies
  FT
• US evacuates staff from Lebanon embassy as fears rise of war with Iran
  FT
• Navarro: The US Supreme Court’s ruling won’t stop Donald Trump’s tariffs
  FT

General

• Stocks drop as Trump raises tariffs again, sowing confusion: Live updates
  CNBC
• Gold Rises as Trump Tariff Defeat Throws Trade Deals Into Doubt
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Bitcoin falls below $65,000 as Trump tariff moves raise uncertainty
  CNBC
• Oil Holds Gain With US-Iran Nuclear Talks to Resume This Week
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• US tariff turmoil leaves Treasury markets dazed
  Reuters
• Snowfall intensifies in Northeast, with many stuck at home under blizzard warnings and travel bans
  AP
• Powerful winter storm shuts schools, disrupts travel across US Northeast
  Reuters
• Europe hits back at ‘pure tariff chaos’ from the U.S., warning trade deals are at risk
  CNBC
• China Monitoring Trump’s New Trade Moves After US Court Defeat
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Xi Gains Leverage Before Trump Summit After Tariff Reversal
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• AI's "centaur phase" consumes Silicon Valley
  Axios
• From dabblers to day traders, small investors’ impact on Wall Street grows even in volatile market
  AP
• Fed's Waller says he could shift to holding rates steady if next jobs report comes in strong
  Yahoo Finance
• Hedge Funds That Piled Into US Bitcoin Funds Are First to Exit
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• What is Blue Owl, and why are people suddenly worried about private credit?
  Yahoo/CNN
• Trump’s tariff turmoil triggers worst run for private equity since 2008
  Yahoo/Telegraph
• Mexico fears more violence after army kills leader of powerful Jalisco cartel
  AP
• Private Equity’s Dry Spell Now Worse Than 2008 Crisis, Bain Says
  Bloomberg
• China, India Among Winners After US Court Blocked Trump Tariffs
  Bloomberg
• Hedge Funds Sold Most Global Equities Since April, Goldman Says
  Bloomberg
• Alarmed Indian Officials Race to Tame World-Beating Options Boom
  Bloomberg
• Tariff Turmoil Returns to Global Markets
  NYT
• It’s a Buyer’s Market, but Homeownership Eludes Many Americans
  NYT
• Why Tariffs Aren’t Shrinking the U.S. Trade Deficit
  WSJ
• Waller Weighs Supporting Fed Rate Pause if Labor Data Stabilize
  WSJ
• The Fundraising Tactic AI Startups Are Using to Juice Valuations
  WSJ
• US banks enjoyed record profits of $300bn in 2025
  FT
• What is behind Trump’s truce with China?
  FT
• Private equity logjam builds as smaller firms fail to exit investments
  FT
• Data centres seek credit ratings to unlock billions in funding for AI push
  FT
• Fuel shortage threatens US nuclear resurgence, warns top supplier
  FT
• Europe and America are locked in a struggle over ‘western civilisation’
  FT
• Korean ‘ants’ pile into leveraged funds to profit from stock market boom
  FT

Evening

• Stock futures fall as investors focus on Trump tariffs: Live updates
  CNBC
• Asia shares hesitant, dollar slips amid tariff confusion
  Reuters
• Bond Market Momentum Shifts Bears’ Way as Sell Signals Flash
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Trump Pegs New Tariffs to a Payments Crisis That Experts Doubt Exists
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• EU says it will accept no increase in US tariffs after Supreme Court ruling: 'a deal is a deal'
  Reuters
• Blue Owl Anxiety Rattles the $1.8 Trillion Private Credit Market
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Tehran is ready for nuclear concessions if US meets demands, Iranian official says
  Reuters
• Iran-US Nuclear Talks Set to Resume in Geneva on Feb. 26
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Lagarde Says US Tariff Moves Risk Upsetting Equilibrium With EU
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Last week’s slump in asset-manager stocks was driven by private-credit fears. Here’s what’s worrying investors.
  Yahoo/MarketWatch
• Trump demands Netflix fire Susan Rice as DOJ probes Warner deal
  CNBC
• Mexican army kills leader of powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel during operation to capture him
  AP
• Ukraine attack seriously damages infrastructure in Russia's Belgorod, governor says
  Reuters
• Justice Gorsuch Tries to Revive Congress
  WSJ
• Mexico Kills Powerful Drug Kingpin, Sparking Violent Response
  WSJ
• Satellite images reveal surge in US fighter jets in Middle East
  FT
• Iran agreed secret shoulder-fired missile deal with Russia
  FT

Sunday, February 22, 2026

General

• Scoop: U.S.-Iran talks expected Friday if Iran sends nuclear proposal
  Axios
• Trump pushes US toward war with Iran as advisers urge focus on economy
  Reuters
• Trump curious why Iran has not 'capitulated' amid US military buildup, says Witkoff
  Reuters
• EU May Freeze US Trade Deal Approval on Trump Tariff ‘Chaos’
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Xi Gains Leverage Before Trump Summit After Tariff Reversal
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Japan’s Ruling Party Tax Chief Calls US Tariff Situation ‘Messy’
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• In the $3 trillion private credit market, the ‘shadow default’ rate is increasing as more money chases lower-quality deals
  Yahoo/Fortune
• From 'buy America' to 'bye America', Wall Street exodus gathers pace
  Reuters
• US Bilateral Trade Deals Stand Despite Tariff Ruling, Greer Says
  Bloomberg
• Riskiest CLO Funds Are Flashing a Warning Sign: Credit Weekly
  Bloomberg
• Winklevoss’ Gemini Risks a Hard Landing After the Crypto Rout
  Bloomberg
• They Did Deals With Trump to Get Lower Tariffs. Now They Are Stuck.
  NYT
• Trump’s Trade Gamble Will Continue, Despite Supreme Court Rebuke
  NYT
• What to Know About Trump’s New Tariff
  WSJ
• Trump’s New Trade Agenda Is on a Collision Course With Midterms
  WSJ
• Tariff Ruling Sends CEOs Back to Company War Rooms
  WSJ
• Under Trump Pressure, Iran Finds Its Friends Are of Little Help
  WSJ
• A $44,000 Bill Shows the Dysfunction in California’s Home-Insurance Market
  WSJ
• Earnings and AI fears drive ‘extreme’ churn in US stock market
  FT
• What does Trump’s latest tariff threat mean for his previous trade pacts?
  FT
• Trump’s new flat-rate tariff will boost China and Brazil
  FT

Saturday, February 21, 2026

General

• Murky outlook for businesses after tariff ruling prompts countermoves by Trump
  AP
• The Supreme Court struck down Trump’s tariffs. Now comes the hard work of issuing refunds
  AP
• Trump Signs 10% Global Tariff in Bid to Salvage Trade Agenda
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Five key takeaways from the Supreme Court’s landmark decision against Trump’s tariffs
  CNBC
• Trump signals new tariffs plan. Here's how Section 122 works
  Axios
• World Leaders Scope Out US’s Next Steps After Tariff Ruling
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• UK-US trade in disarray after Trump tariffs ruled illegal
  Yahoo/Telegraph
• Illiquid loans, investor demands: Blue Owl’s software lending triggers another quake in private credit
  CNBC
• The Supreme Court blessed Trump’s iron grip on presidential power. Until now.
  Politico
• Here’s How Governments Are Reacting After Trump’s Tariff Changes
  Bloomberg
• Trump’s Treasured Negotiating Edge Dulled By Tariff Defeat
  Bloomberg
• Will Warsh Pander to the White House With His First Rate Cut?
  Bloomberg
• Bitcoin’s $1 Trillion Identity Crisis Hits From Every Direction
  Bloomberg
• Listless US Stock Market Masks Record Volatility Beneath Surface
  Bloomberg
• Lutnick’s Davos Speech Was ‘Just Too Much,’ Lagarde Tells WSJ
  Bloomberg
• Six Questions on the Future of Trump’s Tariffs
  NYT
• What Happens to All These Trade Deals Now?
  NYT
• Global Markets No More: Trade Barriers Mess With Commodities From Metals to Oil
  WSJ
• Tariff Ruling Brings Little Comfort Overseas
  WSJ
• Trump Lost on Tariffs, but Trade Will Never Be the Same
  WSJ
• Trump’s New Trade Agenda Is on a Collision Course With Midterms
  WSJ
• Trump Approaches Legacy-Defining Moment on Iran: A Deal or War
  WSJ
• France says EU has the tools to hit back at Trump over tariffs
  FT
• The Supreme Court’s tariff blow to Trump
  FT
• The haven asset status of US Treasuries is eroding
  FT
• Tehran on edge as residents fear US attack
  FT
• China’s AI labs unleash new models and bubble tea to lure in customers
  FT

Friday, February 20, 2026

General

• Dow jumps after Supreme Court knocks down Trump’s emergency tariffs: Live updates
  CNBC
• Oil Steadies Near Six-Month High as Trump Sets Iran Deadline
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Supreme Court says Trump global tariffs are illegal
  Axios
• US Supreme Court rejects Trump's global tariffs
  Reuters
• Fourth-quarter U.S. GDP up just 1.4%, badly missing estimate
  CNBC
• U.S. economy slows to 1.4% GDP growth in Q4
  Axios
• Inflation rose more quickly than expected in December
  AP
• US PCE inflation heats up in December
  Yahoo/Reuters
• ‘Canary in the coal mine’: Blue Owl liquidity curbs fuel fears about private credit bubble
  CNBC
• Trump's tariffs near their fate before the Supreme Court
  Axios
• The bond market’s ‘quiet stabilizer’ is fading — and U.S. Treasurys face the most risk
  CNBC
• Companies rethink IPOs in 2026 as market volatility tests valuations
  Reuters
• Eurozone Business Activity Picks Up Faster Than Expected
  Yahoo/WSJ
• Iran's Khamenei faces gravest crisis of his rule as US strike force gathers
  Reuters
• Blue Owl Closed a Gate. Yes, That's a Red Flag
  Bloomberg
• Goldman Raises US High-Grade Debt Sales View to $2.1 Trillion
  Bloomberg
• This AI Electricity Stopgap Needs a Big Caveat
  Bloomberg
• Big Tech’s Soaring Spending on AI Is Eating Into Stock Buybacks
  Bloomberg
• How Jerome Powell Is Trump-Proofing the Fed
  Bloomberg
• EM Stocks, Currencies Decline as Iran Tensions Build, Oil Spikes
  Bloomberg
• BofA Says US Stocks Draw Lowest Share of Global Flows Since 2020
  Bloomberg
• Trump Iran Ultimatum Sets Up Attacks Following IAEA Meeting
  Bloomberg
• US, China Jets Briefly Face Off Near Korea, Yonhap Says
  Bloomberg
• China Snaps Up Distressed Russian Oil Cargoes Shunned by India
  Bloomberg
• Blue Owl Sets Off New Private Credit Fears
  NYT
• Is This Private Credit’s ‘Canary in the Coal Mine’?
  NYT
• Can an A.I. Productivity Boom Clear a Path for More Rate Cuts? Trump’s Fed Pick Thinks So.
  NYT
• 11 Million Visitors Short: Inside America’s Continuing Tourism Slump
  NYT
• Fed’s Preferred Gauge Shows Accelerating December Inflation Trends
  WSJ
• The ‘incredibly significant’ US military forces surrounding Iran
  FT
• Tett: Reasons to worry about America’s investment position with the rest of the world
  FT
• Nvidia and OpenAI abandon unfinished $100bn deal in favour of $30bn investment
  FT

Thursday, February 19, 2026

Evening

• Stock futures are little changed ahead of key economic data, possible tariff court ruling: Live updates
  CNBC
• Trump warns of ‘bad things’ if Iran doesn’t make a deal, as second US carrier nears Mideast
  AP
• US Amasses Forces as Trump Says Iran Has Just Days for Deal
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Iran tells UN chief it will respond 'decisively' if subjected to military aggression
  Reuters
• Trump’s Power to Sue US Challenged in $10 Billion IRS Case
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• As prices rise, corporate America braces for the blame
  Axios
• Blue Owl’s Woes Expose Private Credit Risks for Retail Investors
  Bloomberg
• How Private Equity Debt Left a Leading VPN Open to Chinese Hackers
  Bloomberg
• China’s Drone Exports to Russia Use a New Route Through Thailand
  Bloomberg
• How Trump Is Upending Who Can Be a Guest on Late-Night TV
  NYT
• Trump Weighs Initial Limited Strike to Force Iran Into Nuclear Deal
  WSJ
• The Embarrassing Truth About Tariffs
  WSJ
• The Beef Industry Has a Message for Consumers: Get Used to High Prices
  WSJ
• Why Iran is betting on war
  FT
• Top Fed official says White House is escalating its assault on central bank
  FT
• Private credit stocks slide after Blue Owl halts redemptions at fund
  FT
• Klarna stock sinks 27% after bad loan costs soar
  FT

Afternoon

• Stocks slide as traders assess potential Iran conflict: Live updates
  CNBC
• Oil Rises to Highest Since August on Iran Conflict Concerns
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Blue Owl Drops as Redemption Halt Stirs Private Credit Concern
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Shadow banking giant blocks investors from withdrawing cash
  Yahoo/Telegraph
• Kashkari Rips Hassett Criticism of NY Fed Tariff Analysis
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Minneapolis Fed's Kashkari: 'We're pretty close to neutral' on rates
  Yahoo Finance
• AI Seen Driving US Convertible Bond Sales to Another Banner Year
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Fed’s Kashkari Said What Needed to Be Said
  Bloomberg
• Asset Manager Shares Plunge as Blue Owl Curbs Fund Redemptions
  Bloomberg

General

• Stock futures slide as Walmart outlook disappoints, Iran tensions simmer: Live updates
  CNBC
• Oil Extends Biggest Jump Since October on Iran Conflict Concerns
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Blue Owl curbs investor liquidity following asset sale, shares down 3% in pre-market trading
  CNBC
• US applications for jobless aid fall to 206,000 last week as layoffs remain low
  AP
• U.S. trade deficit slipped to $901 billion last year amid Trump tariffs
  AP
• Tariffs paid by midsized US firms tripled last year, new analysis from JPMorganChase Institute shows
  AP
• US unsecured loan balances hit record high on demand from subprime customers
  Reuters
• Silicon Valley is building a shadow power grid for data centers across the US
  MSN/WP
• Iran and the US lean into gunboat diplomacy as nuclear talks hang in balance
  AP
• U.S. military pushes more weaponry into the Middle East for possible strikes on Iran
  NBC
• Russia's Lavrov warns against any new US strike on Iran
  Reuters
• Macron Is Setting Up a G-7 Showdown With Trump Over Social Media
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Russia’s Putin slams U.S. oil blockade on Cuba: ‘We do not accept anything like this’
  CNBC
• Exclusive: Top European spies sceptical US will clinch Ukraine peace deal this year
  Reuters
• How China plans to dominate global trade long after Trump
  Reuters
• Hamas tightens grip in Gaza as Trump pushes peace plan
  Reuters
• Here Are Trump’s Options If the Supreme Court Says His Tariffs Are Illegal
  Bloomberg
• Fed Minutes Show No Rush to Restart Rate Cuts, and Even Possibility of Hikes
  NYT
• Defense Dept. and Anthropic Square Off in Dispute Over A.I. Safety
  NYT
• U.S. Gathers the Most Air Power in the Mideast Since the 2003 Iraq Invasion
  WSJ
• Why the Federal Deficit Is Projected to Surge, in Five Charts
  WSJ
• Elizabeth Warren Has Questions About the Shake-Up Inside the Fed’s Banking Regulator
  WSJ
• From Paris to New Delhi, the Push to Ban Teens From Social Media Is Going Global
  WSJ
• Top Lawyers’ Fees Have Skyrocketed. Be Prepared to Pay $3,400 an Hour.
  WSJ
• Blue Owl permanently halts redemptions at private credit fund aimed at retail investors
  FT
• Kevin Hassett calls tariff report from Federal Reserve economists an ‘embarrassment’
  FT
• The crypto-loving billionaire and the $400mn ‘perfect fraud’
  FT
• The race to avert a US-Iran war
  FT

Evening

• Stock futures are little changed after major averages post gains; Walmart earnings loom: Live updates
  CNBC
• Trump has discussed timeline for Iran strikes — including as soon as this weekend — but no decision yet
  CBS
• Fed Reveals Surprise Shift as Several Officials Ponder Hike
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Mark Zuckerberg quizzed on kids’ Instagram use in social media trial
  AP
• Traders’ ‘Massive’ Options Play Contrasts With Fed Hike Talk
  Bloomberg
• Traders Brace for Japan’s First Super-Long Bond Test After Vote
  Bloomberg
• Mark Zuckerberg Grilled on Usage Goals and Underage Users at California Trial
  WSJ
• Xi Tries to Bully Trump on Taiwan
  WSJ
• Is an AI price war about to begin?
  FT

Wednesday, February 18, 2026

Afternoon

• Stocks rise ahead of Fed minutes as Nvidia shares gain: Live updates
  CNBC
• Gold Rises Above $5,000 as Dip-Buyers Come in Amid Thin Trade
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Fed minutes: Lower inflation needed before many officials will support rate cuts
  AP
• Hassett says authors of New York Fed tariff study should be disciplined: ‘Worst paper I’ve ever seen’
  CNBC
• Trump administration slams New York Fed study that says US consumers bear the cost of tariffs
  Yahoo Finance
• Fed Minutes Show Several Officials Point to Rate-Hike Scenario
  Bloomberg
• US Manufacturing Momentum Builds Up in Both Output and Orders
  Bloomberg
• Hassett Attacks NY Fed for Study on Tariff Burden Hitting US
  Bloomberg
• IPO Market Limps Into Seasonal Lull After $7.2 Billion Burst
  Bloomberg
• How Europe Will Choose Lagarde’s Successor as ECB President
  Bloomberg
• Why US-Iran Tensions Raise Concern Over the Strait of Hormuz
  Bloomberg
• The Federal Reserve Wants to Change How You Shop for a Mortgage
  WSJ
• Lenders to Commercial Real Estate Owners Reach Breaking Point
  WSJ
• U.S. Arms Sale to Taiwan in Limbo Amid Pressure Campaign From China
  WSJ
• Canada’s Carney Edges Closer to Majority Government With Conservative Defection
  WSJ
• Trump adviser says New York Fed economists should be ‘disciplined’ for publishing study on tariffs
  FT

General

• Stocks rise ahead of Fed minutes as Nvidia shares gain: Live updates
  CNBC
• Oil jumps more than 2% after Vance says Iran ignored key U.S. demand, military strikes on the table
  CNBC
• Gold and Silver Regain Ground Ahead of Fed Minutes Release
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Trump moves closer to a major war with Iran
  Axios
• Mortgage rates sink to the lowest level in a month, sparking more refinance demand
  CNBC
• Fed minutes could highlight shift in balance of risks as policymakers put rates on hold
  Reuters
• Investors are falling out of love with AI
  Axios
• Bitcoin Won Over Wall Street and Now It’s Paying the Price
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Japan, US Reach $36 Billion of Gas, Mineral Deals in Trump Pact
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Japan exports growth surges to over 3-year high, up nearly 17% in January, as shipments to China soar
  CNBC
• Envoys signal no breakthrough on bridging Russia and Ukraine’s political and military differences
  AP
• How a Social Media Addiction Trial Threatens Big Tech
  Bloomberg
• Private Credit Should Worry About a Singularity in Software Debt
  Bloomberg
• US Housing Starts Rise to Five-Month High in Broad Increase
  Bloomberg
• US Core Capital Goods Orders Exceeded Forecast in December
  Bloomberg
• Unprecedented ‘Jobless Boom’ Tests Limits of US Economic Expansion
  Bloomberg
• Banks Pounce on M&A Revival With $100 Billion of Buyout Debt
  Bloomberg
• Hassett Attacks NY Fed for Study on Tariffs Hurting US Companies
  Bloomberg
• US Insurers’ Dollar Hedging in 2026 Tops ‘Liberation Day’ Fever
  Bloomberg
• How the World’s Most Boring Market Became a ‘Battlefield’
  NYT
• US and Japan unveil first mega-projects under $550bn trade deal
  FT
• Brevan Howard’s crypto fund slumped 30% in 2025 amid bitcoin rout
  FT

Evening

• Stock futures are little changed as traders await Fed meeting minutes: Live updates
  CNBC
• Bitcoin Declines Amid Risk-Off Mood With AI Concerns to The Fore
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Gold Drops Below $4,900 in Thin Holiday Trading as Dollar Rises
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• Japan to Invest $36 Billion in US Projects Under Trump Deal
  Yahoo/Bloomberg
• IMF urges Japan to keep raising rates, avoid reducing sales tax
  Yahoo/Reuters
• Ukraine's Zelenskiy says Trump exerting undue pressure on him
  Reuters
• Fed Officials Say AI Productivity Boost Could Raise Neutral Rate
  Bloomberg
• Vance Says Iran Is Ignoring Core U.S. Demands in Talks
  WSJ
• Behold, the story of the Fed balance sheet in a single chart
  FT
• Air pollution directly linked to Alzheimer’s risk, scientists say
  FT