Market News
- Warner Bros. Reopens Talks With Paramount
on February 18, 2026 at 9:26 pmWarners Bros. has given Paramount until Monday at midnight to submit a final offer in the ongoing bidding war, despite previously favoring Netflix’s acquisition proposal. If Paramount’s revised offer is deemed better, Netflix will have four days to match or exceed it, potentially securing the deal. Bloomberg’s Michelle Davis has more on the story. (Source: Bloomberg)
- Fed Has to 'Play Ball' for Markets, Morgan Stanley's Wilson Says
on February 18, 2026 at 9:20 pmMorgan Stanley Chief US Equity Strategist and CIO Mike Wilson says the Federal Reserve's independence has been fading for the better part of 20 years and the central bank is obligated to "play ball" to help financial markets operate. (Source: Bloomberg)
- Hedge Fund AlphaQuest Shutters After Three-Year Losing Streak
by Hema Parmar on February 18, 2026 at 9:18 pmAlphaQuest, the roughly 25-year-old quantitative hedge fund that recently added “Alpha” to its name, is calling it quits after three consecutive years of losses.
- Edison Is Slashing Top Executive Bonuses After Deadly LA Fire
by Michelle Ma on February 18, 2026 at 9:06 pmEdison International is cutting top executive bonuses by 40% to reflect the impact of the devastating Los Angeles-area wildfire that killed 19 people and damaged or destroyed more than 10,000 structures.
- Warner Bros. Trading Suggests Market Expects Sweetened Offer
The latest twist in the drama for control over Warner Bros. has traders betting one of the suitors […]
- Morgan Stanley's Wilson Says AI Cycle Just Getting Going
Morgan Stanley Chief US Equity Strategist and CIO Mike Wilson explains why the firm stands by its […]
- Coach 'Extraordinarily Focused' on Gen Z, CEO Says
Coach CEO Todd Kahn discusses the company's brand strategy and says there hasn't been any issue […]
- Meta and Nvidia Expand AI Partnership | Open Interest 2/18/2026
Get a jump start on the US trading day with Matt Miller and Dani Burger on "Bloomberg Open […]
- BC to Cut 15,000 Jobs But Spending and Debt to Rise Anyway
British Columbia, Canada’s third-most populous province, will chop 15,000 public sector jobs, […]
- Stocks Get Tech Boost Amid Strong Economic Reports: Markets Wrap
A rebound in stocks gained traction amid easing jitters around artificial-intelligence disruption […]
- Oil Rises as Traders Weigh Risk of US-Iran Conflict After Talks
Oil gained the most since October as traders weighed whether talks between the US and Iran will be […]
- Gold Rises Above $4,900 as Dip-Buyers Come in Amid Thin Trade
Gold advanced back above $4,900 an ounce as dip-buyers snapped up the metal after a two-day drop.
political news
- Trump Gives Iran Some Breathing Room | Balance of Power: Early Edition 2/18/2026
on February 18, 2026 at 8:18 pmOn the early edition of Balance of Power, Bloomberg Washington Correspondents Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz discuss the latest geopolitical developments. On today's show, former US Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor, ROKK Solutions Partner Kristen Hawn, Republican Main Street Partnership President and CEO Sarah Chamberlain and Moody's Analytics Chief Economist Mark Zandi. (Source: Bloomberg)
- Putin Dragging Out Talks In Hopes of Tiring Allies Support for Ukraine, Says William Taylor
on February 18, 2026 at 7:47 pmFormer US Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor said Russian President Vladimir Putin is dragging out negotiations, hoping that Ukraine will get worn down by the grind of the war and that the US will lose interest. Taylor said despite Russia's intentions to prolong the war, Ukraine or its European allies are unlikely to give up. (Source: Bloomberg)
- Fed Minutes Show Several Officials Point to Rate-Hike Scenario
on February 18, 2026 at 7:25 pmFederal Reserve officials signaled renewed worries over inflation with “several” policymakers suggesting the central bank may need to raise interest rates if inflation stays above their goal. “Several participants indicated that they would have supported a two-sided description of the committee’s future interest-rate decisions, reflecting the possibility that upward adjustments to the target range for the federal funds rate could be appropriate if inflation remains at above-target levels,” a record of the central bank’s January meeting showed. Minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee’s Jan. 27-28 meeting released Wednesday also revealed that a “vast majority of participants judged that downside risks to employment had moderated in recent months while the risk of more persistent inflation remained.” Bloomberg's Mike McKee reports. (Source: Bloomberg)
- US Imposes Visa Restrictions on Iran Officials as Talks Continue
by Iain Marlow on February 18, 2026 at 7:16 pmThe US announced visa restrictions on Iranian officials and executives for repressing recent anti-regime protests and cutting off internet access, as the Trump administration ratchets up pressure on Tehran amid ongoing nuclear talks.
- Trump Pivots Again, Says UK’s Chagos Deal Would Be ‘Mistake’
by Skylar Woodhouse on February 18, 2026 at 7:02 pmUS President Donald Trump said the UK was making a “big mistake” with its proposed deal to turn over control of the Chagos Islands, just weeks after saying the agreement was the “best” arrangement UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer could make.
- NY-NJ Gateway Work to Resume Next Week With Federal Funds
Construction work on a $16 billion rail tunnel under the Hudson River will restart next week after […]
- NYC Mayor Threatens Property Tax Hike as Last Resort Option
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has thrown down an ultimatum, threatening to raise property […]
- Japan’s Takaichi Formally Elected PM, Eyes Swift Budget Passage
Sanae Takaichi was reappointed as Japan’s Prime Minister following her resounding electoral win, […]
- How a Low-Key Norwegian Became Epstein’s Diplomatic Fixer
Jeffrey Epstein left little doubt about the value he placed on a Norwegian diplomat and his […]
- Zelenskiy Says Russia Dragging Out Negotiations as Talks End
A second day of US-brokered meetings in Geneva between Russia and Ukraine broke up after barely 90 […]
Wealth
- Goldman CEO Solomon, Long a Crypto Skeptic, Says He Owns Bitcoin
by Muyao Shen, Todd Gillespie on February 18, 2026 at 5:12 pmLong a cryptocurrency skeptic, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Chief Executive Officer David Solomon now owns Bitcoin.
- US Banks Build Tokenized Deposit Network to Guard Their Turf
by Nino Paoli, Yizhu Wang on February 18, 2026 at 4:07 pmUS banks including Huntington Bancshares Inc., First Horizon Corp. and M&T Bank Corp. are working to build a tokenized deposit network as financial firms fight to stay relevant amid the rise of digital assets.
- Billionaire Investor Druckenmiller Piled Into Biggest Brazil ETF Before January Rally
by Vinicius Andrade, Carolina Wilson on February 18, 2026 at 3:34 pmBillionaire investor Stanley Druckenmiller’s investment firm amassed a position in the largest exchange-traded fund tracking Brazilian stocks just before a sharp rally swept through that market in January.
- Political Risk is the Biggest Cloud Over the UK
by John Stepek on February 18, 2026 at 2:56 pmThe economy could surprise to the upside if the government can resist making further mistakes.
- Ex-Schroders Duo Joins Neuberger in Contrarian EM Strategy Reset
by Carolina Wilson, Zijia Song on February 18, 2026 at 2:50 pmTwo unconventional former co-managers of an emerging-market equity fund at Schroders are joining Neuberger Berman, heralding what they say will be a “180-degree turn” in the money manager’s investment strategy.
Tech & Innovation
- Crypto Firm Ledn Sells Bitcoin-Backed Bonds In ABS Market First
by Rainier Harris, Scott Carpenter on February 18, 2026 at 8:48 pmCrypto lending firm Ledn Inc. has sold $188 million of securitized bonds backed by Bitcoin, making it the first ever deal of its kind in the market for asset-backed debt.
- Impact of AI Starting to Kick In on Economy Says Moody's Zandi
on February 18, 2026 at 8:35 pmMoody's Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi said that the impact of AI is starting to 'kick in' across the economy, particularly in hiring rates and in the tech sector. Zandi also talked about efforts to create more affordable housing, saying that it while congress is taking positive steps, it will take awhile for the US to find its way out. (Source: Bloomberg)
- Criados con smartphones, muchos millennials optan por teléfonos básicos para sus hijos
by Max Chafkin on February 18, 2026 at 6:59 pmLos millennials se fundieron el cerebro con las pantallas. Sus hijos no quieren saber nada de eso.
- Ex-Tesla Leader Baglino Raises $140M for Next-Gen Grid
on February 18, 2026 at 6:54 pmEnergy startup Heron Power has raised a $140 million Series B to build a 40-gigawatt US manufacturing facility for its advanced electrical equipment. Heron’s CEO Drew Baglino discusses the demand coming from renewable power and AI data center projects. He joins Ed Ludlow on “Bloomberg Tech.” (Source: Bloomberg)
- Apple to Ramp Up Work on AI Wearables
on February 18, 2026 at 6:42 pmApple is accelerating work on three new wearables, part of a shift towards AI-powered hardware, according to people with knowledge of the plans. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman joins Ed Ludlow on “Bloomberg Tech.” (Source: Bloomberg)
