AUSTRALIA’S S&P/ASX 200 INDEX UP 0.42% AT 8,904.90 IN EARLY TRADE.
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PARAMOUNT SKYDANCE SWEETENS ITS $30-PER-SHARE ALL-CASH BID FOR WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY BY COVERING NETFLIX’S $2.8B TERMINATION FEE, BACKING WARNER’S DEBT REFINANCING, AND ADDING A 25-CENT QUARTERLY “TICKING FEE,” BUT STOPS SHORT OF RAISING THE BASE OFFER.
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KRAKEN CFO STEPHANIE LEMMERMAN EXITS AHEAD OF THE CRYPTO EXCHANGE’S PLANNED IPO; ROBERT MOORE NAMED DEPUTY CFO WHILE THE FIRM SEARCHES FOR A PERMANENT REPLACEMENT.
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PAYPAL’S BOARD OUSTS CEO ALEX CHRISS AFTER UNDERPERFORMANCE; ENRIQUE LORES OF HP INC. SET TO TAKE OVER MARCH 1 TO LEAD TURNAROUND AMID PRESSURE TO MODERNIZE, REFOCUS, AND POSSIBLY SELL SEGMENTS LIKE ITS PAYMENT-PROCESSING BUSINESS.
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PENTAGON MOVES TO FORMALIZE TRUMP ORDER TARGETING DEFENSE CONTRACTOR BUYBACKS AND EXEC PAY; DRAFTING CONTRACT RULES, COORDINATING WITH SEC, AND REVIEWING PERFORMANCE FOR COMPLIANCE.
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COMMERCE SECRETARY HOWARD LUTNICK ADMITS VISITING JEFFREY EPSTEIN’S ISLAND IN 2012, CALLS IT A BRIEF FAMILY LUNCH; LAWMAKERS QUESTION ACCOUNT AMID DOCUMENTED CONTACT THROUGH 2018, WHITE HOUSE DEFENDS HIM.
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FED BALANCE-SHEET SHRINKAGE WILL TAKE YEARS AND REQUIRE CLOSE FED–TREASURY COORDINATION TO AVOID FUNDING STRESS, WITH INVESTORS DEMANDING A RISK PREMIUM AND POLICY RATES LIKELY NEEDING TO FALL TO OFFSET TIGHTER CONDITIONS, BARCLAYS SAYS.
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FORD FORECASTS 2026 PROFIT REBOUND WITH ADJUSTED EBIT OF $8–$10B DESPITE A $2B TARIFF HIT, AS COST CUTS AND HIGH-MARGIN SUV AND PICKUP SALES DRIVE IMPROVING PROFITABILITY.
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ASIAN STOCKS SET TO OPEN HIGHER DESPITE WALL STREET SLIP AS WEAK U.S. RETAIL SALES BOOST FED RATE-CUT BETS AHEAD OF KEY JOBS AND INFLATION DATA.
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OIL CLIMBS AS IRAN-RELATED MIDEAST TENSIONS OUTWEIGH SIGNS OF A SHARP U.S. INVENTORY BUILD, WITH TRADERS FOCUSING ON POTENTIAL SUPPLY RISKS.
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GOLD EDGES HIGHER AS WEAK U.S. RETAIL SALES STRENGTHEN THE CASE FOR FED RATE CUTS, SUPPORTING BULLION IN A LOWER-RATE OUTLOOK.
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The delinquency rate on US commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) for offices SPIKED to 12.3%, an ALL-TIME HIGH.

Office CMBS delinquencies are 1.6 percentage points above the post- Great Financial Crisis peak.
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US consumer credit jumped +$24 billion in December, pushing total outstanding consumer debt to $5.11 trillion, an all-time high.
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Samsung Electronics CTO: HBM4 receiving very satisfactory feedback from customers
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Nikkei futures point higher at 58,195 versus the prior cash close of 57,650
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Unemployed Americans are taking the longest time in four years to find new jobs, according to the FT.
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Goldman Sachs warned that U.S. stocks could face further selling pressure this week.
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About 45% of employers post “ghost jobs”, according to Forbes.
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The share of U.S. adults expecting a high-quality life in five years fell to 59.2% in 2025, the lowest level since tracking began nearly two decades ago, per Gallup.
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BYD overtakes Ford in global sales, marking a first-time shift
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UK defence minister says UK will play a vital role in NATO Arctic Sentry mission
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