Japanese companies including SoftBank Group , Toshiba Corp. and Hitachi Ltd. have expressed interest in participating in a US gas project announced by President Donald Trump , trade minister Ryosei Akazawa told reporters on Wednesday. Other companies have also expressed interest in two additional projects, outlined by the US President, Akazawa said. Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd. , Nippon Steel Corp. , Mod...
Japanese companies including SoftBank Group , Toshiba Corp. and Hitachi Ltd. have expressed interest in participating in a US gas project announced by President Donald Trump , trade minister Ryosei Akazawa told reporters on Wednesday. Other companies have also expressed interest in two additional projects, outlined by the US President, Akazawa said. Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd. , Nippon Steel Corp. , Modec Inc. and JFE Holdings Inc. are interested in providing supplies for a crude oil export facility project, while Asahi Diamond Industrial Co. and Noritake Co. are interested in purchasing from a synthetic industrial diamond manufacturing facility, Akazawa said. The trade minister’s comments follow a post from President Trump overnight, in which he outlined the first set of projects to be developed as part of Japan’s $550 billion commitment to avoid higher tariffs on its exports to the US. It also comes weeks before Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is set to meet with Trump in Washington. A fact sheet from the US Department of Commerce listed SB Energy (a subsidiary of SoftBank Group Corp) as the proposed operator of what it described as the largest natural gas generation projects in the world. Read More: Japan to Invest $36 Billion in US Projects Under Trump Deal (3) Japanese companies are already among the biggest foreign investors in US power plants and gas developments, as utilities seek to expand outside the domestic market. The Japanese and US governments will coordinate further on the details of the projects, Takaichi said in a post on X on Wednesday morning. “We believe that this is fully aligned with the core objectives of the initiative, namely promoting mutual benefits between Japan and the US, ensuring economic security, and fostering economic growth,” she said in the post.
YouTube was down for nearly 340,000 users, internet monitor Downdetector said, while the streaming site reported an issue with its recommendations system. The outages led YouTube’s site to appear blank for some users, with no videos loading on the YouTube app, YouTube Music and YouTube Kids. The homepage was back online Wednesday morning in Asia, and YouTube said it was “still working on a full fi...
YouTube was down for nearly 340,000 users, internet monitor Downdetector said, while the streaming site reported an issue with its recommendations system. The outages led YouTube’s site to appear blank for some users, with no videos loading on the YouTube app, YouTube Music and YouTube Kids. The homepage was back online Wednesday morning in Asia, and YouTube said it was “still working on a full fix.” Other sites including Google, Amazon Web Services and Cloudflare also experienced issues, according to Downdetector.
The Philippines will sell large-sized bonds on Wednesday for the first time since April, as the government ramps up spending to spur economic growth. The notes due February 2036 will be priced at an auction, with a minimum 30 billion pesos ($517 million) on offer. This is to be followed by a three-day public offering that mainly targets institutional investors. The final issue size may be comparab...
The Philippines will sell large-sized bonds on Wednesday for the first time since April, as the government ramps up spending to spur economic growth. The notes due February 2036 will be priced at an auction, with a minimum 30 billion pesos ($517 million) on offer. This is to be followed by a three-day public offering that mainly targets institutional investors. The final issue size may be comparable to the 300 billion pesos sold last April when the Southeast Asian sovereign started issuing these notes in large volumes, said Helen Oleta , president of the Fund Managers Association of the Philippines in Manila. “There is ample liquidity in the market to support the issuance as rate cuts are expected for the year,” she said. Philippine officials are seeking to take advantage of falling borrowing costs with 10-year yields down about 50 basis points from a peak in June. The government is increasing its gross borrowings this year by about 3% to 2.68 trillion pesos. The latest sale comes with an offer to exchange eligible securities that will fall due in April, September and October this year and January next year for new debt. Philippines Sets 1.4t Pesos Primary Spending for 1Q, Go Says Philippines Cuts 2026 GDP Growth Target as Graft Pain Persists
thitimon toyai/iStock via Getty Images This article is part of a series that provides an ongoing analysis of the changes made to Akre Capital Management’s 13F portfolio on a quarterly basis. It is based on Akre’s regulatory 13F Form filed on 02/13/2026. Please visit our Tracking Akre Capital Management Portfolio series to get an idea of their investment philosophy and our last update for their mov...
thitimon toyai/iStock via Getty Images This article is part of a series that provides an ongoing analysis of the changes made to Akre Capital Management’s 13F portfolio on a quarterly basis. It is based on Akre’s regulatory 13F Form filed on 02/13/2026. Please visit our Tracking Akre Capital Management Portfolio series to get an idea of their investment philosophy and our last update for their moves during Q3 2025. This quarter, Akre’s 13F portfolio value decreased from ~$10.03B to ~$9.12B. The number of positions decreased from 19 to 18. The largest five stakes are MasterCard, Brookfield, KKR, Visa, and Moody’s. They account for ~63% of the total portfolio value. AUM is distributed among private funds, separately managed accounts, and the Akre Focus Fund ETF ( AKRE ). Since the 2009 inception through Q4 2025, the annualized returns are at 14.47% compared to 14.48% for the S&P 500 Index. The mutual fund was converted to an ETF in October. Akre coined the term "compounding machines" to describe the type of businesses he invests in. To learn more about that investing style, check out the book “100 to 1 in the Stock Market”. Note: positions in the ETF not reported through the 13F filings include Constellation Software ( CNSWF ), LVMH ( LVMUY ), and Topicus.com ( TOITF ). Topicus.com is a spinoff from Constellation Software. Stake Disposals: Verisk Analytics ( VRSK ) : The minutely small 0.02% remainder stake in VRSK was dropped this quarter. Stake Increases: Brookfield Corp ( BN ) : BN is a ~14% of the portfolio stake established in Q3 2019 at prices between $14 and $17 and increased by ~18% next quarter at prices between $15 and $18. That was followed with another ~30% stake increase during Q4 2022 at prices between ~$21 and ~$23. There was a ~40% stake increase this quarter at prices between ~$42 and ~$49. The stock currently trades at $47.79. Note: the prices quoted above are adjusted for the Asset Management Business spinoff completed in December 2022 and the 3-for...
Market Snapshot USD/INR ₹90.68 +0.0% Nifty 50 Index 25,725.40 +0.2% India 10-Year Bond Yield 6.66% -0.01 Spot Gold ($/oz) $4,904.87 +0.6% S&P 500 Futures 6,859.75 -0.0% Market data as of 08:14 AM IST, Feb. 18, 2026, or the previous close for Indian markets. Data is subject to provider delays. Good morning... I’m Savio Shetty, tracking equities in Mumbai, bringing you your daily dose of news and an...
Market Snapshot USD/INR ₹90.68 +0.0% Nifty 50 Index 25,725.40 +0.2% India 10-Year Bond Yield 6.66% -0.01 Spot Gold ($/oz) $4,904.87 +0.6% S&P 500 Futures 6,859.75 -0.0% Market data as of 08:14 AM IST, Feb. 18, 2026, or the previous close for Indian markets. Data is subject to provider delays. Good morning... I’m Savio Shetty, tracking equities in Mumbai, bringing you your daily dose of news and analyses ahead of the trading session. Asian stocks are trading higher , which should lend support to the Nifty 50 Index. The benchmark notched a second straight day of gains on Tuesday, closing above the crucial 100-day moving average. Continued short-covering by foreign investors is adding to an increasingly constructive setup for traders. Volumes may be thinner than usual, with large parts of Asia still closed for the Lunar New Year. Oil prices eased in early trading amid signs of progress in US-Iran nuclear talks — a development that could offer some relief to the rupee and local bonds. Investors will also be watching for Fed signals and geopolitical headlines. In today’s newsletter, we write about: Small-cap stocks making a comeback Metal stocks on a sound footing Why it may be too early to write off the IT sector But first, a quick check on how India Inc. is stacking up this earnings season. Markets Buzz: Earnings Turning a Corner Earnings momentum in the broader market is picking up, offering some much-needed relief after several weak quarters. In the most recent results season, the share of companies in the Nifty 500 Index beating analysts’ profit estimates rose to its highest level in eight quarters. This follows the September tax cuts on consumption items aimed at boosting demand. That said, the overall earnings picture remains somewhat hazy. Slowing global growth and weak software profits are likely to weigh on performance in the coming quarters. Three Things to Start Your Day The tide may be turning for small caps Small-caps stocks are on a comeback trail. So far ...
Earnings Call Insights: Palo Alto Networks (PANW) Q2 2026 Management View CEO Nikesh Arora stated the company "delivered a strong Q2 fueled by robust demand for cybersecurity and continued execution against our platformization strategy," highlighting NGS ARR up 28% organically and revenue growth of 15%, excluding the impact of Chronosphere. He emphasized the closing of CyberArk and Chronosphere ac...
Earnings Call Insights: Palo Alto Networks (PANW) Q2 2026 Management View CEO Nikesh Arora stated the company "delivered a strong Q2 fueled by robust demand for cybersecurity and continued execution against our platformization strategy," highlighting NGS ARR up 28% organically and revenue growth of 15%, excluding the impact of Chronosphere. He emphasized the closing of CyberArk and Chronosphere acquisitions, noting, "Both companies continue to deliver record numbers in their most recent quarters, and we look forward to building on the momentum as we hit the ground running on our integration plans." Arora described a market shift, saying, "Large enterprises are moving beyond experimentation and beginning to integrate foundational models into real workflows... the central question that organizations face is shifting from capability to control." He asserted, "Security must operate in real time at the critical control points where decisions are made across network, endpoint, cloud, browser and identity." Strategic wins included a global automotive leader selecting Palo Alto Networks for a $50 million deal and a global technology supplier for over $40 million, both driven by platformization and SASE/XSIAM adoption. SASE ARR surpassed $1.5 billion, growing 40% year-on-year, and software firewall ARR grew 25%. Prisma Browser reached over 1,500 customers and sold 2 million additional licenses in Q2. Prisma AIRS, launched recently, tripled its customer count to over 100 in the quarter. Arora announced the intent to acquire Koi to "enhance our endpoint capabilities within XTR 2.0, while also becoming an integrated part of our universal AI security platform." Chronosphere contributed approximately $200 million in ARR, with a multiyear nine-figure expansion deal signed with a leading AI model provider post-acquisition. The CyberArk acquisition was completed, and Arora outlined, "We're building a next-generational identity security platform that protects across humans, machines ...
California regulators said on Tuesday that Tesla had stopped misleading drivers about the safety of its cars and so has decided not to suspend its license to sell in the state for 30 days. The decision by the California Department of Motor Vehicles comes after Elon Musk's electric vehicle maker was found by an administrative law judge last year to have misled drivers about the ability of Tesla car...
California regulators said on Tuesday that Tesla had stopped misleading drivers about the safety of its cars and so has decided not to suspend its license to sell in the state for 30 days. The decision by the California Department of Motor Vehicles comes after Elon Musk's electric vehicle maker was found by an administrative law judge last year to have misled drivers about the ability of Tesla cars to drive themselves in its use of the terms “Autopilot” and “Full Self-Driving.” The judge had recommended that regulators suspend Tesla's license to sell cars for 30 days, but the regulators gave the company a 90-day window to make changes.
Earnings Call Insights: Axcelis Technologies (ACLS) Q4 2025 Management View CEO Russell Low highlighted that "we generated solid results in the fourth quarter with revenue of $238 million and non-GAAP earnings per diluted share of $1.49, both exceeding our outlook." He attributed the outperformance to stronger CS&I aftermarket revenue, which also benefited gross margins. CEO Low noted significant ...
Earnings Call Insights: Axcelis Technologies (ACLS) Q4 2025 Management View CEO Russell Low highlighted that "we generated solid results in the fourth quarter with revenue of $238 million and non-GAAP earnings per diluted share of $1.49, both exceeding our outlook." He attributed the outperformance to stronger CS&I aftermarket revenue, which also benefited gross margins. CEO Low noted significant progress toward the Veeco merger, stating, "Shareholders of both companies voted in favor of the transaction at our special meetings on February 6." Regulatory clearance has been received in several jurisdictions, with final approval from China pending and closing expected in the second half of 2026. CEO Low explained that mature-node applications, particularly in power and general mature segments, accounted for the majority of system shipments, with bookings improving significantly on a sequential basis. He also introduced the Purion H6 high current ion implanter, emphasizing its advancements in dose repeatability, purity, precision, and productivity. In the power segment, CEO Low observed a slight moderation in silicon carbide shipments and ongoing customer focus on technology transitions. He reported growing interest in Axcelis's high-energy channeling capabilities, particularly for superjunction development. CEO Low stated, "We expect strong long-term demand through the cycles, driven by clear secular trends such as the growing penetration rate of silicon carbide into electric vehicles...and the growing adoption of silicon carbide outside of the automotive sector." In memory, CEO Low said demand improved sequentially for DRAM and HBM, and momentum is expected to extend into 2026. He highlighted a key customer win in North America, broadening Axcelis's presence beyond Korea. CFO James Coogan reported, "Fourth quarter revenue was $238 million, with systems revenue at $156 million and CS&I revenue reaching another quarterly record of $82 million, both above our expectation...
Winter Storm Fern Proved Coal Is Still the Power Grid's Reliable Backbone Authored by Emily Arthun via RealClearEnergy , When Winter Storm Fern swept across much of the United States in mid-January 2026 —bringing snow, ice, and sustained sub-zero temperatures from Texas to New England— millions of Americans braced for power outages. In some areas, those fears were realized. Tennessee alone reporte...
Winter Storm Fern Proved Coal Is Still the Power Grid's Reliable Backbone Authored by Emily Arthun via RealClearEnergy , When Winter Storm Fern swept across much of the United States in mid-January 2026 —bringing snow, ice, and sustained sub-zero temperatures from Texas to New England— millions of Americans braced for power outages. In some areas, those fears were realized. Tennessee alone reported more than 245,000 customer outages at peak conditions. At the same time, natural gas prices spiked dramatically, exceeding $30 per MMBtu at certain constrained delivery points within the PJM Interconnection. Yet despite the severity and duration of the storm, the national electric grid largely held . Hospitals remained open. Emergency services stayed online. Most homes stayed warm. That outcome was not accidental. It was the result of dependable, dispatchable generation— chief among it, coal. During the coldest days of the storm, coal-fired generation across the Lower 48 surged, rising from roughly 70 gigawatt-hours per day to approximately 130. That additional generation represented a massive increase in available power at precisely the moment when electric heating demand spiked and system margins tightened. In practical terms, coal generation helped keep power flowing to tens of millions of households nationwide, sustaining heat and essential services during the most extreme conditions of Winter Storm Fern. Coal plants responded exactly as they are designed to do: steadily, predictably, and at scale. In the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) region, coal supplied as much as 40% of electricity during peak hours. In PJM, coal accounted for roughly one-quarter of total generation. These were not marginal contributions—they were foundational to grid stability. The contrast with weather-dependent resources was unmistakable. Wind generation declined as turbines iced over or were curtailed for safety. Solar output fell sharply as panels were covered by snow and da...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said US President Donald Trump was exerting undue pressure on him in trying to secure a resolution to the nearly four-year-old war pitting Kyiv against Moscow. Zelensky, in an interview with US website Axios published on Tuesday, also said any plan requiring Ukraine to give up territory that Russia had not captured in the eastern Donbas region would be rej...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said US President Donald Trump was exerting undue pressure on him in trying to secure a resolution to the nearly four-year-old war pitting Kyiv against Moscow. Zelensky, in an interview with US website Axios published on Tuesday, also said any plan requiring Ukraine to give up territory that Russia had not captured in the eastern Donbas region would be rejected by Ukrainians if put to a referendum. Axios quoted Zelensky as saying it was “not fair” that...