Apple plans to allow external voice-controlled AI chatbots in CarPlay, Bloomberg News reports Reuters

Oil prices climb on worries of possible Iran-US conflict Reuters

Key Points Applovin fell this week after Google released a virtual world-building AI tool, and a digital ad tech startup released its a powerful agentic product. Trading at a high valuation coming onto the week, and Applovin was hit hard, despite a recovery today. It remains highly uncertain whether these two new innovations will pose competitive threats or not in mobile gaming ad delivery. 10 stocks we like better than AppLovin › Shares of mobile game advertising engine Applovin (NASDAQ: APP) plunged this week, falling 14.9% this week through Friday as of 3:15 p.m. EDT, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. Applovin's stock fell on generalized fear over two new innovations in the mobile game world. Late last week, Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) unveiled Project Genie, an AI-powered tool that allows users to create virtual worlds. Second, a new AI-based digital advertising start-up, CloudX, became generally available, posing a potential competitive threat to Applovin's mobile game advertising engine. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks » Is the AI genie out of the bottle? The weakness in gaming-related stocks began last Friday, the day after Google rolled out Project Genie to Google AI Ultra subscribers. Virtually all video gaming-related stocks fell in unison after the unveiling, and Applovin got caught up in the sell-off. The actual effect on video game developers is uncertain. Still, of course, Applovin doesn't make mobile games anymore, having sold its video game development business in June 2025 to focus on its digital advertising engine. Still, there could be some effect, given that Alphabet is also a digital advertising giant. If developers create playable gaming worlds entirely with Project Genie and roll them out on a Google gaming platform, Alphabet may insist any Genie-produced games use Alphabet's d...

Aksana Kavaleuskaya/iStock via Getty Images Introduction In the past few years, the market has gotten us used to almost anything. But, still, seeing a large industrial company nosediving and losing a quarter of its market cap in a single day was an event that I had not yet witnessed. This is why I immediately went to take a look at Stellantis' Q4 preliminary results to understand what was going on. Let me quickly recap how I covered Stellantis N.V. ( STLA ). Back in 2022, I considered it an extremely promising investment. The company had just formed, and it was seeing several tailwinds that rapidly positioned it at par with Mercedes ( MBGAF ) in terms of profitability. The stock rapidly moved from $12 to $30, and I was among the happy shareholders. However, in early 2024, some signs of deterioration started to appear. Nonetheless, I held the stock for some time until something truly disappointing happened. The former CEO, Carlos Tavares, first announced during the 1H 24 earnings call that everything was aligned and that Stellantis would keep reporting operating margins around 10%. Then, a few months later, the company issued a profit warning and announced that it would report negative industrial FCF of over EUR 10B. Soon thereafter, the CEO resigned. During that period, I exited the stock, more or less flat on my cost basis, resulting in a 25% gain thanks to the dividends. Then I waited until the company appointed the new CEO, Antonio Filosa. Although I think he is moving in the right direction, I don't see the right financials to enter the stock. After all, I have a rule that makes me stay away from auto companies in general because I think that the industry is addicted to capital and often ends up destroying value. Therefore, I considered Stellantis a potential value trap . However, I have considered for some time that, since the automotive landscape is changing and becoming ever more challenging for Western legacy automakers as Chinese vehicles flood Europe, a po...

Photos: Highlights from the Winter Olympics opening ceremony toggle caption Gabriel Bouys/AFP via Getty Images The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics kicked off in Milan on Friday evening, local time. Athletes representing over 90 countries march into the San Siro stadium filled with thousands of spectators during the opening ceremony in Milan. The performance paid homage to Italian music, art and culture with tributes to composers, visual artists and films in a colorful spectacle. Performers included Italian actress Matilda De Angelis, American singer Mariah Carey and Italian ballet dancers Antonella Albano and Claudio Coviello, among dozens of other dancers. Here is a selection of images from the opening ceremony: toggle caption Wang Zhao/AFP via Getty Images toggle caption Gabriel Bouys/AFP via Getty Images toggle caption Piero Cruciatti/AFP via Getty Images toggle caption Wang Zhao/AFP via Getty Images toggle caption Piero Cruciatti/AFP via Getty Images toggle caption Wang Zhao/AFP via Getty Images toggle caption Piero Cruciatti/AFP via Getty Images toggle caption Piero Cruciatti/AFP via Getty Images toggle caption Javier Soriano/AFP via Getty Images toggle caption Piero Cruciatti/AFP via Getty Images toggle caption Javier Soriano/AFP via Getty Images toggle caption Cameron Spencer/Pool/AFP via Getty Images toggle caption Ben Curtis/AP

Mixed options sentiment in Palantir Technologies with shares up 4.07% TipRanks

AMZN Stock Today: Q4 EPS Miss, $200B AI Capex Rattles Investors — February 06 Meyka

jittawit.21/iStock via Getty Images The broader growth and technology-biased indices, such as the S&P 500 ( SPY ) and the Nasdaq-100 ( QQQ ), are clearly going through some turbulent times. The market seems to have pushed the "risk-off" button, which has triggered the so-called great rotation, where the capital moves out from the growth ( VUG ) and flows into the value ( VTV ). The main reasons for this swift change in the sentiment are: Increased chatter around AI and what it means for software-as-a-service, or SaaS businesses ( IGV ) - i.e., disrupting it in a negative way. Increased scrutiny and conservatism around the justification of sky-high valuations . Three years of ~20% bull market behind us and the statistical headwinds of experiencing yet again a bull run this year (albeit, let me remind you that going into 2026 the consensus on Wall Street was that we should be able to enjoy additional gains). Weakening labor market , which in combination with shaky geopolitics (and domestic politics) renders the priced-in growth trajectories for global AI/tech businesses even more questionable. All of this has led to a healthy pullback: Ycharts What is interesting is that the sell-off has not been even. Namely, as the chart indicates, while the broader indices have contracted or started to assume a negative trajectory (on a YTD basis), there are select AI/tech giants that have plunged - e.g., Oracle ( ORCL ), Nvidia ( NVDA ), and Microsoft Corporation ( MSFT ). With this context in mind, let me explain why I see a strong case for JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium ETF ( JEPQ ) now. (My last article on it was here .) Thesis What the bifurcated QQQ index (the Nasdaq-100) has enabled is the heightened volatility, which is directly supportive of more expensive option contracts. The chart below nicely shows how the VIX has jumped into an elevated territory even though the index itself is so far down only by ~1.4%: Ycharts For covered call ETFs like JEPQ, this divergence between...

Key Points Despite an 8.2% forward yield, be careful with Perrigo, due to its value trap reputation. Yielding 6.7%, Pfizer is a strong choice among high-yield dividend stocks, given the company's post-COVID-19 catalysts. Don't underestimate 5.5%-yielding Embecta's turnaround potential as the diabetes medical products company pivots toward the GLP-1 space. 10 stocks we like better than Perrigo Plc › With healthcare's status as a recession-resistant industry, healthcare stocks can be a great place for dividend investors to find companies paying out steady, consistent dividends. However, it's not as if you can just buy only high-yield dividend stocks and call it a day. In this space, there are plenty of potential yield traps and value traps. Such stocks, already beaten down by negative news and sentiment, are at risk of further declines, not to mention dividend cuts and suspensions. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks » Among U.S.-listed healthcare stocks with market caps of at least $200 million, the three highest-yielding are Perrigo (NYSE: PRGO), Pfizer (NYSE: PFE), and Embecta (NASDAQ: EMBC). Let's take a look at each and decide whether they make great choices for dividend investors. As value trap vibes persist, tread carefully with Perrigo Perrigo makes and sells over-the-counter health and wellness products. While a strong performer during the late 2010s through early 2010s, shares have experienced a steep slump over the past decade. Shares have dropped by 90% during this time frame. Just over the past year alone, Perrigo has fallen by 41%. Chalk this up to declining sales, weak guidance, and analyst downgrades . This massive price decline is a big reason why Perrigo has become a high-yielder. Currently, the stock has a forward dividend yield of 8.2%. Perrigo's dividend payout ratio is only 41.6%. The company also has a 23-year track...

It is no secret that technology stocks have had a rough earnings season. Perhaps the true revelation is that most other sectors are holding up just fine, a positive sign for investors. Since Jan. 28, when Microsoft’s earnings report kicked off a wave of selling in tech, the exchange-traded fund is down about 6%.

Bloomberg's Caroline Hyde and Ed Ludlow take a look at shares of Amazon dropping after announcing plans to spend $200 billion this year on data centers, chips, and other equipment. Plus, Bitcoin rebounded after plummeting on Thursday and nearing the $60,000 level, and the CEOs of Roblox, Affirm, and Warner Music Group break down their companies' earnings. (Source: Bloomberg)

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About a quarter of the workers typically stationed at BP Plc ’s Whiting, Indiana, refinery are preparing for a strike or lockout, in a move that has the potential to disrupt fuel supplies in the US Midwest. More than 800 workers at the site are members of United Steelworkers , and 98% of them have voted to authorize a strike, the union said in a statement on Thursday, adding that there has been no progress in negotiations with the oil company. Whiting, the US’s largest inland refinery, has the capacity to process some 440,000 barrels of crude oil per day and produces gasoline, diesel, asphalt and jet fuel. About 1,500 BP employees work at the refinery, along with about 1,500 contractors. The previous collective bargaining agreement expired on Jan. 31. “BP has rejected almost all of our proposals with very little discussion,” Eric Schultz, USW 7-1 president, said in a statement. A spokesman for the company said it continues to bargain in good faith. “We remain focused on reaching a fair and equitable agreement and avoiding a work stoppage,” said BP spokesperson Cesar Rodriguez. Issues for the union include union jobs and refinery safety. “BP is also proposing to cut employee wages and strip away bargaining rights over nearly every aspect of the workplace, while also allowing them to track union employees anywhere at the refinery, through A.I. surveillance,” the statement said.

Veronique D Novartis ( NVS ) on Friday said it has broken ground on a 466,000-square-foot biomedical research center in San Diego. The facility is expected to begin operations in 2029 and house 1,000 workers. The Swiss pharma said the site would utilize artificial intelligence, data, and computational capabilities. Novartis noted that the center is part of a $23B investment in the US, which includes a new manufacturing facility in North Carolina and a radioligand therapy (RLT) manufacturing facility in Carlsbad, Calif. The company is also planning new RLT manufacturing locations in Florida and Texas. More on Novartis Novartis: Value Price, Growth Pipeline Novartis AG 2025 Q4 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation Novartis AG (NVS) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript Novartis reports mixed Q4 results; initiates FY26 soft outlook Novartis Q4 2025 Earnings Preview

ridvan_celik/E+ via Getty Images Tech Stocks End Rough Earnings Week on Positive Note Investors are digesting a busy week of corporate earnings that delivered mixed signals for the technology sector. Although companies like Advanced Micro Devices ( AMD ) and Magnificent Seven stocks like Alphabet ( GOOG , GOOGL ) have reported generally positive results, the market’s reaction has been uneven, with investors choosing to focus on pockets of weakness and capex spending , as well as recent weakness in software names. Adding to the cautious tone, the mega-cap growth benchmark, Invesco QQQ Trust ( QQQ ), recently suffered a notable technical breakdown, closing below its 100-day moving average for only the second time since May. QQQ vs SPY: Year-to-Date Performance Seeking Alpha This week’s dip underscores rising volatility and a fading appetite for broad risk in the short term. However, QQQ is down about 2% year-to-date and is only off its Oct. 29 all-time high by about 5%. Furthermore, 32 of its 100 constituents are now in oversold territory , according to the relative strength index, a widely followed technical indicator. Friday morning’s bump higher suggests the earnings fallout may be reversing. Furthermore, the long-term growth drivers, such as AI infrastructure, data connectivity, and digital transformation, remain firmly intact. However, 2026 is shaping up to be a classic stock-picker’s year, where select innovators with clear growth visibility can outperform while passive exposure through broad tech ETFs may struggle to keep pace. How I Chose 4 Top Tech Stocks I selected this group of four companies from the Top Technology Stocks list, which can be found on the main Seeking Alpha Stock Screener home page. These preset screens make it easy for users to choose top-rated stocks in different sectors and market segments. I sorted the list by Quant Rating, and chose a mix of stocks that are Strong Buys that have shown resilience amid this week’s tech stock fallout. 1. L...

Overlooking any of these changes could be costly. A month into 2026, many of the major Medicare changes for the year have already gone into effect. But it's easy to miss key updates when you're busy recovering from the holidays and working toward your New Year's resolution. Here's a look at four of the most important Medicare updates that retirees need to be aware of in February 2026, just in case you missed them. 1. Higher premiums and deductibles Original Medicare has seen price increases in 2026. Part A coverage is still premium-free for most Americans, but the deductible has risen from $1,676 in 2025 to $1,736 in 2026. The Part B premium has risen from $185.00 in 2025 to $202.90 in 2026, and its deductible has jumped from $257 to $283 -- an increase of $26. High earners may pay more than this. 2. Negotiated prices for 10 prescription drugs Seniors with a Medicare Part D plan for prescription drug coverage could save money this year thanks to negotiated rates taking effect on the following prescription drugs: Januvia Fiasp, Fiasp FlexTouch, Fiasp PenFill, NovoLog, NovoLog FlexPen, NovoLog PenFill Farxiga Enbrel Jardiance Stelara Xarelto Eliquis Entresto Imbruvica The out-of-pocket maximum for Part D plans in 2026 is $2,100, up from $2,000 in 2025. Remember to budget for this when trying to estimate your retirement healthcare expenses this year. 3. Ongoing Medicare Advantage open enrollment period Seniors who are already on a Medicare Advantage plan have until March 31, 2026 to elect new coverage. This could be a different Medicare Advantage plan or a switch back to Original Medicare. Those who choose the latter will also have the option to purchase a Part D plan for prescription drug coverage. If you opt for a new plan, your coverage will take effect on the first of the following month. For example, if you select a new policy in February 2026, it will be effective on March 1, 2026. 4. An end to telehealth coverage for most seniors The government officially ended ...

Hims & Hers also said it’s selling a cancer-detection test that’s featured in its Super Bowl ad, which plays like a commentary on the wealthy’s access to better healthcare.

The German-born British composer Max Richter had never been nominated for an Oscar until this year, though he may – unintentionally – have once scuppered someone else’s chance of winning one. In 2016, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences disqualified Jóhann Jóhannsson’s score for the film Arrival on the grounds that viewers would find it impossible to distinguish the late Icelandic composer’s soundtrack from the bought-in piece of music that book-ended Denis Villeneuve’s alien invasion psychodrama: Richter’s soaring, maximalist-minimalist On the Nature of Daylight. A decade later, Richter is up for this year’s best original score for his work on the Shakespeare drama Hamnet. If he wins, it would be the crowning glory of an already superlative 12 months for the musician, who turns 60 a week after the Oscars ceremony in LA. Last year, his 2015 album Sleep surpassed 2bn streams across all platforms, becoming the first classical record to do so. Awarded a CBE in the new year honours list, his work will be celebrated with the Berlinale Camera award at the Berlin film festival, which starts next week, and from Monday a Richter-scored ballet inspired by the works of Virginia Woolf will be livestreamed in UK cinemas. The only thing that might check Richter’s ascent at this stage is his own success. Hamnet once again relies on On the Nature of Daylight to pull the heartstrings, and the piece of music has become so ubiquitous on screens big and small that it has invited a backlash among critics, with the Guardian’s Tom Service recently dismissing it as “the go-to cliche for moments of serious contemplation or emotional intensity” on film. Yet in terms of his musical origins, there was nothing predictable about Max Richter’s meteoric rise. Born in Hamelin, Lower Saxony, but raised in Bedford, he was introduced to minimalist music at the age of 12-13 by the local milkman, an avid new music fan who delivered him records by Terry Riley, Philip Glass and John Cage with ...

当地时间2月6日，土耳其航空公司宣布自3月3日起，恢复土耳其伊斯坦布尔往返委内瑞拉首都加拉加斯的航线；巴西戈尔航空公司宣布自3月8日起，恢复巴西圣保罗至加拉加斯的航线。同日，委内瑞拉航司拉塞尔航空公司宣布2月18日起，恢复加拉加斯往返西班牙马德里的直飞航线。此前一天，哥伦比亚国家航空公司宣布自2月12日起，恢复从哥伦比亚首都波哥大往返加拉加斯的航线，哥伦比亚温戈航空则宣布自3月1日起，恢复从哥伦比亚第二大城市麦德林往返加拉加斯的航线。（央视新闻）

In Brief Carbon removal startup Terradot is acquiring competitor Eion, the two companies announced today. The sale was driven largely by big investors like sovereign wealth funds, which want to work with companies that can handle large contracts. Eion was simply too small, Eion CEO Anastasia Pavlovic Hans told The Wall Street Journal. Both companies spread pulverized rocks on farm fields to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Known as enhanced rock weathering (EWR), it speeds up a natural process and has the potential to be a low-cost way to remove carbon, but it requires large and distributed operations. The spread between what EWR companies would like to charge and what buyers would like to pay remains wide, according to a survey by CDR.fyi. California-based Terradot’s operations are centered on Brazil, where the company works with basalt as its mineral of choice, while Eion works in the U.S. and uses olivine. Terradot’s investor list includes Gigascale Capital, Google, Kleiner Perkins, and Microsoft, while Eion’s investors include AgFunder, Mercator Partners, and Overture.