(RTTNews) - The Japan stock market has moved lower in back-to-back sessions, slumping more than 700 points or 1.2 percent along the way. The Nikkei 225 now sits just beneath the 56,950-point plateau although it may find traction on Monday.
(RTTNews) - The Japan stock market has moved lower in back-to-back sessions, slumping more than 700 points or 1.2 percent along the way. The Nikkei 225 now sits just beneath the 56,950-point plateau although it may find traction on Monday.
Fundstrat’s Tom Lee warned AI is destroying the $450 billion software sector and job losses will follow, predicting a dovish Fed under Kevin Warsh will cut rates as core CPI is forecasted to drop in Friday’s data release. The AI Job Destruction Warning Lee told CNBC on Thursday that AI is “wreaking havoc across software” and job losses are “soon to follow.” Software companies, which once “ate the ...
Fundstrat’s Tom Lee warned AI is destroying the $450 billion software sector and job losses will follow, predicting a dovish Fed under Kevin Warsh will cut rates as core CPI is forecasted to drop in Friday’s data release. The AI Job Destruction Warning Lee told CNBC on Thursday that AI is “wreaking havoc across software” and job losses are “soon to follow.” Software companies, which once “ate the world,” now face existential threat from AI displacement. “If software shrinks, that’s deflation,” L
Peter Steinberger, creator of popular open-source artificial intelligence program OpenClaw, will be joining OpenAI Inc. to help bolster the ChatGPT developer’s product offerings. “OpenClaw will live in a foundation as an open source project that OpenAI will continue to support,” OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman wrote in a post on X Sunday, adding that Steinberger is “joining OpenAI to dri...
Peter Steinberger, creator of popular open-source artificial intelligence program OpenClaw, will be joining OpenAI Inc. to help bolster the ChatGPT developer’s product offerings. “OpenClaw will live in a foundation as an open source project that OpenAI will continue to support,” OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman wrote in a post on X Sunday, adding that Steinberger is “joining OpenAI to drive the next generation of personal agents.” Steinberger wrote in a separate post on his website Saturday that he will be joining OpenAI to be “part of the frontier of AI research and development, and continue building.” “It’s always been important to me that OpenClaw stays open source and given the freedom to flourish,” Steinberger wrote. “Ultimately, I felt OpenAI was the best place to continue pushing on my vision and expand its reach.” OpenClaw, previously called Clawdbot and Moltbot, has garnered a cult following since launching in November for its ability to operate autonomously, clearing users’ inboxes, making restaurant reservations and checking in for flights, among other tasks. Users can also connect the tool to messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Slack and direct the agent through those platforms. “My next mission is to build an agent that even my mum can use,” Steinberger wrote. “That’ll need a much broader change, a lot more thought on how to do it safely, and access to the very latest models and research.” This move comes amid growing security concerns around OpenClaw after a user reported the agent “went rogue” and spammed hundreds of messages after being given access to iMessage. Cybersecurity experts warn the tool is risky because it has access to private data, can communicate externally and is exposed to untrusted content — which one researcher called the AI “lethal trifecta.” Read More: AI Agent Goes Rogue, Spamming OpenClaw User With 500 Messages
A group of scholars, professionals and former government officials has formed a new think tank in Hong Kong that aims to fill what it calls a talent gap in the shrinking field of local studies. The newly established Hong Kong Future Economy Institute also pledged to conduct studies on housing planning, population policy and impact assessments of policymaking. Michael Bolin Wong, founding director ...
A group of scholars, professionals and former government officials has formed a new think tank in Hong Kong that aims to fill what it calls a talent gap in the shrinking field of local studies. The newly established Hong Kong Future Economy Institute also pledged to conduct studies on housing planning, population policy and impact assessments of policymaking. Michael Bolin Wong, founding director of the institute and an assistant professor at the University of Hong Kong’s (HKU) business school,...
A group led by Macquarie Asset Management will buy Qube Holdings Ltd. in a deal worth around A$11.7 billion ($8.3 billion), as the Australian firm adds a ports and rail operator to its vast swath of infrastructure assets. The consortium will pay A$5.20 per Qube share, according to a statement on Monday. That’s a 28% premium to the last closing price on Nov. 21, before Macquarie made an initial app...
A group led by Macquarie Asset Management will buy Qube Holdings Ltd. in a deal worth around A$11.7 billion ($8.3 billion), as the Australian firm adds a ports and rail operator to its vast swath of infrastructure assets. The consortium will pay A$5.20 per Qube share, according to a statement on Monday. That’s a 28% premium to the last closing price on Nov. 21, before Macquarie made an initial approach. Qube operates a transport and trade network that handles an array of goods and services, including outbound grain and cottonseed shipments. It has about 10,000 staff across operations in Australia, New Zealand and South-East Asia. Macquarie’s asset management arm, a unit of Macquarie Group Ltd., oversees around A$736 billion in public and private assets ranging from container terminals in New York to toll roads in South Korea.
Ishikawa is a remote, mountainous prefecture bordering the Sea of Japan, but the fate of a drug store chain whose local roots go back to 1869 has implications for Tokyo’s financial markets hundreds of kilometers away. The company, Kusuri no Aoki Holdings Co. , is run by two brothers who are the sixth-generation of the founding family. They are fighting for control of the firm with their largest ou...
Ishikawa is a remote, mountainous prefecture bordering the Sea of Japan, but the fate of a drug store chain whose local roots go back to 1869 has implications for Tokyo’s financial markets hundreds of kilometers away. The company, Kusuri no Aoki Holdings Co. , is run by two brothers who are the sixth-generation of the founding family. They are fighting for control of the firm with their largest outside shareholders , Aeon Co. and the activist fund Oasis Management Co. President Hironori Aoki and his younger sibling Takanori, who increased their personal stakes in the company through a controversial stock option issuance about a year and a half ago, have called for an emergency general meeting on Feb. 17. On the agenda is a so-called poison pill defense that threatens to dilute the holdings of Aeon and Oasis. Nearly half of Japan’s listed companies are tied to a founding family, many of which no longer have enough equity to guarantee control. The Aoki brothers’ move runs counter to broader trend in corporate Japan, where such defenses have been in decline since peaking in 2008. Both the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the government have discouraged such tactics in a bid to protect minority shareholders and make Japan a more attractive market for overseas investors. “For founding families of listed companies, the question is what kind of commitment do they want to have toward their company and what should their capital policy look like to support that,” said Takahiro Kazahaya , a retail analyst at UBS Group AG. “This isn’t just a story about some rural company — it’s about Japanese companies in general.” The fight over Kusuri no Aoki echoes the struggle over the privatization of Toyota Industries Corp. which pits the Toyoda family against minority shareholders including the activist fund Elliott Investment Management. If the Aokis lose the fight, it will likely embolden activists to go after more family companies. If they are able to enact the defense, it will be a sign tha...
Donny DBM/iStock via Getty Images Portfolio Commentary Market Update U.S. equities finished higher for a third consecutive quarter in Q4, with the Russell 3000 Index rising 2.4% and the S&P 500 posting similar gains. The quarter was supported by strong earnings growth, 50 basis points of additional Fed rate cuts, and an extension of the US-China trade truce. However, headwinds emerged from AI inve...
Donny DBM/iStock via Getty Images Portfolio Commentary Market Update U.S. equities finished higher for a third consecutive quarter in Q4, with the Russell 3000 Index rising 2.4% and the S&P 500 posting similar gains. The quarter was supported by strong earnings growth, 50 basis points of additional Fed rate cuts, and an extension of the US-China trade truce. However, headwinds emerged from AI investment scrutiny, labor market softening with unemployment reaching a four-year high of 4.6%, and a prolonged government shutdown. The quarter reflected investors navigating between optimism around earnings strength and concerns about AI returns and macroeconomic softening. Equity market performance was again characterized by uneven leadership beneath strong headline returns. Performance among the Magnificent 7 companies displayed growing divergence, while the high beta rally that began in April showed signs of exhaustion beginning in November. Stylistically, Value outperformed Growth across the market cap spectrum, but performance between Large and Small Cap equities was more balanced. Sector leadership was mixed. Health Care and Communication Services were the most positive, while the other Defensive sectors (Real Estate, Utilities & Consumer Staples) were negative for the quarter. Looking at market factors, Value factors were the primary driver of returns, led by stocks trading at lower prices relative to sales and book value, while cash-flow-based measures were more muted. Quality factors, which our portfolios tilt toward, were headwinds. Momentum and Volatility factors provided support; meanwhile, Growth & Yield factors were mixed. Key Performance Takeaways The London Company Mid Cap portfolio returned 3.2% (3.0% net) during the quarter vs. a 0.2% increase in the Russell Midcap Index. Both stock selection and sector exposure were tailwinds to relative performance. The Mid Cap portfolio finished 2025 on a high note, outperforming the benchmark and exceeding our 85-90% up...
Sandisk (NASDAQ: SNDK) stock was a shooting star in 2025, rising a ridiculous 1,475% since it went public last February after spinning off of Western Digital . In 2026, as it approaches one year since going public on Feb. 24, it has already gained 131% year to date (YTD). What has driven this incredible surge, and can it possibly continue? Let's take a look to see if Sandisk stock is still a buy. ...
Sandisk (NASDAQ: SNDK) stock was a shooting star in 2025, rising a ridiculous 1,475% since it went public last February after spinning off of Western Digital . In 2026, as it approaches one year since going public on Feb. 24, it has already gained 131% year to date (YTD). What has driven this incredible surge, and can it possibly continue? Let's take a look to see if Sandisk stock is still a buy. Continue reading
Sam Altman announced on X that Peter Steinberger, the man behind the trendy AI agent OpenClaw , was joining OpenAI. He said that Steinberger has "a lot of amazing ideas" about getting AI agents to interact with each other, saying "the future is going to be extremely multi-agent." He also said that this ability for agents to work together will "quickly become core to our product offerings." OpenCla...
Sam Altman announced on X that Peter Steinberger, the man behind the trendy AI agent OpenClaw , was joining OpenAI. He said that Steinberger has "a lot of amazing ideas" about getting AI agents to interact with each other, saying "the future is going to be extremely multi-agent." He also said that this ability for agents to work together will "quickly become core to our product offerings." OpenClaw, previously known as Moltbot and Clawdbot, exploded on the scene earlier this year and became the darling of the tech world . Its rise was swift, but not without its bumps along the way. Earlier this month, researchers found over 400 malicious skil … Read the full story at The Verge.
Close up image of a tablet screen displaying a portrait of Jeffrey Epstein beside the official U.S. Department of Justice website page titled Epstein Library in Washington District of Columbia United States on February 11, 2026. Veronique Tournier | Afp | Getty Images The recent release by the Department of Justice of millions of pages of emails and other documents related to the notorious sex pre...
Close up image of a tablet screen displaying a portrait of Jeffrey Epstein beside the official U.S. Department of Justice website page titled Epstein Library in Washington District of Columbia United States on February 11, 2026. Veronique Tournier | Afp | Getty Images The recent release by the Department of Justice of millions of pages of emails and other documents related to the notorious sex predator Jeffrey Epstein has led to a wave of resignations and other uncomfortable fallout for high-profile people around the world whose dealings with him have been exposed. Those individuals include the top lawyer at the major investment bank Goldman Sachs , the CEO of Dubai 's largest port, a former president of Harvard University, a former U.S. president and ex-secretary of State, and the chairman of a leading American corporate law firm . The fallout from the Epstein files and people mentioned in them has even imperiled the government of United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer , even though the Labour Party leader never knew the convicted sex offender. Epstein, who cultivated relationships with many rich and powerful men and women, pleaded guilty in 2008 in Florida to state criminal charges related to soliciting prostitution, with one charge related to a girl under the age of 18. He ended up serving 13 months in prison in that case, but was allowed to go to his office many days for work. In August 2019, Epstein killed himself in a jail in New York City, weeks after being arrested on federal child sex trafficking charges. A number of the people who have resigned their jobs in recent weeks had friendly dealings with Epstein after his 2008 conviction, which was widely publicized at the time. Being mentioned in the Epstein files does not mean that someone was implicated in any of the crimes that he previously pleaded guilty to, or was later charged with. No one on the list of names compiled by CNBC of those affected by their association with Epstein has been charged for su...
People take part in a rally in support of Iranian protesters during a global day of action in Los Angeles, California, on Feb. 14, 2026. Caroline Brehman | Reuters Iran is pursuing a nuclear agreement with the U.S. that delivers economic benefits for both sides, an Iranian diplomat was reported as saying on Sunday, days before a second round of talks between Tehran and Washington. Iran and the U.S...
People take part in a rally in support of Iranian protesters during a global day of action in Los Angeles, California, on Feb. 14, 2026. Caroline Brehman | Reuters Iran is pursuing a nuclear agreement with the U.S. that delivers economic benefits for both sides, an Iranian diplomat was reported as saying on Sunday, days before a second round of talks between Tehran and Washington. Iran and the U.S. renewed negotiations earlier this month to tackle their decades-long dispute over Tehran's nuclear programme and avert a new military confrontation. The U.S. has dispatched a second aircraft carrier to the region and is preparing for the possibility of a sustained military campaign if the talks do not succeed, U.S. officials have told Reuters. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio , speaking at a news conference in Bratislava, said President Donald Trump had made it clear that he would prefer diplomacy and a negotiated settlement, while making clear that may not happen. "No one's ever been able to do a successful deal with Iran but we're going to try," Rubio said. Iran has threatened to strike U.S. bases in the Middle East if it is attacked by U.S. forces but on Sunday took a conciliatory line. "For the sake of an agreement's durability, it is essential that the U.S. also benefits in areas with high and quick economic returns," foreign ministry deputy director for economic diplomacy Hamid Ghanbari said, according to the semi-official Fars news agency. "Common interests in the oil and gas fields, joint fields, mining investments, and even aircraft purchases are included in the negotiations," Ghanbari said, arguing that the 2015 nuclear pact with world powers had not secured U.S. economic interests. In 2018, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the pact that had eased sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme, and re-applied tough economic sanctions on Tehran. On Friday, a source told Reuters that a U.S. delegation including envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushn...
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is Clifford Asness’ largest holding, accounting for 2.62% ($4.09 billion) of the billionaire’s total portfolio. We recently published a list of youngest hedge fund billionaires and their top stock picks. As of February 13, 2026, more than 90% of analysts covering NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) are bullish. The consensus price target of $250.00 […]
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is Clifford Asness’ largest holding, accounting for 2.62% ($4.09 billion) of the billionaire’s total portfolio. We recently published a list of youngest hedge fund billionaires and their top stock picks. As of February 13, 2026, more than 90% of analysts covering NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) are bullish. The consensus price target of $250.00 […]