Toshiba Corp. is considering reducing its stake in its elevator unit amid interest in the business from Finland’s Kone Oyj , people with knowledge of the matter said. The Japanese conglomerate could make a decision soon about whether to proceed with a divestment of part or all of its roughly 80% stake in Toshiba Elevator & Building Systems Corp. , the people said. It may first sell a smaller stake...
Toshiba Corp. is considering reducing its stake in its elevator unit amid interest in the business from Finland’s Kone Oyj , people with knowledge of the matter said. The Japanese conglomerate could make a decision soon about whether to proceed with a divestment of part or all of its roughly 80% stake in Toshiba Elevator & Building Systems Corp. , the people said. It may first sell a smaller stake in the elevator business before eventually offloading a larger holding, one of the people said. Finnish elevator maker Kone has spoken with potential advisers about the possibility of increasing its stake in Toshiba Elevator and has held initial discussions with the Japanese group to express its interest, the people said. Kone already owns just under 20% of Toshiba Elevator. Other potential buyers could also be interested in the stake. Deliberations are at an early stage and there’s no certainty of a deal, according to the people, who asked not be identified because the information is private. Representatives for Kone and Toshiba declined to comment. A spokesperson for Japan Industrial Partners Inc. , the buyout firm that controls Toshiba, also declined to comment. Kone, founded in 1910 and with more than 60,000 employees globally, reported revenue of €11.2 billion ($13.3 billion) last year. The Helsinki-listed company operates in close to 70 countries, its website shows. Kone entered a strategic alliance with Toshiba Elevator in 1998. They reached a share purchase agreement in 2001 and Kone has held a stake ever since. Toshiba Elevator’s products are used in the Shanghai World Financial Center, Taipei 101 in Taiwan and Tokyo Skytree . Kone explored a possible bid last year for former Thyssenkrupp AG unit TK Elevator , which is now pursuing an initial public offering in Frankfurt .
German investor optimism unexpectedly fell in February, tempering hopes that Europe’s largest economy is on the cusp of a strong revival. An expectations index by the ZEW institute decreased to 58.3 from 59.6 in January. Analysts in a Bloomberg survey had expected a jump to 65.2. A measure of current conditions improved as expected. While the economy has entered a “phase of recovery,” the turnarou...
German investor optimism unexpectedly fell in February, tempering hopes that Europe’s largest economy is on the cusp of a strong revival. An expectations index by the ZEW institute decreased to 58.3 from 59.6 in January. Analysts in a Bloomberg survey had expected a jump to 65.2. A measure of current conditions improved as expected. While the economy has entered a “phase of recovery,” the turnaround is fragile, according to ZEW President Achim Wambach . “There are still considerable structural challenges, especially for industry and private investment,” he said Tuesday in a statement. “The impending reforms of the system of social insurance should be used to significantly enhance Germany’s attractiveness as a business location.” Hope remains that hundreds of billions of euros of infrastructure and defense outlays will trigger a significant recovery in the economy, which only just managed to expand last year. That was the first annual growth since 2022. Chancellor Friedrich Merz labeled the 0.2% pace “unsatisfactory.” His government predicts gross domestic product will rise 1% this year. The Bundesbank and some analysts are more optimistic, with Deutsche Bank forecasting a 1.5% advance. But lingering risks include jolts in US President Donald Trump ’s trade policy and competition from China. Longer-standing structural issues like bureaucracy and a lack of competitiveness also still need addressing. What Bloomberg Economics Says... “The sharp rise in factory orders has stoked hopes that a meaningful rebound in German industry is near. We remain unconvinced. Manufacturers are still cautious about the outlook and, despite recent gains, continue to report weak order books. Key sectors, including autos, remain under pressure. We therefore expect only a modest upswing in industrial activity in the first half of the year, before higher government spending provides more momentum to the sector in the second half.” — Martin Ademmer . Click here to read more A survey published ...
Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson Sr yells and gestures during a campaign speech, 1988. Afro Newspaper/Gado | Archive Photos | Getty Images The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a civil rights icon, Baptist minister and two-time Democratic presidential candidate, died Tuesday at age 84. The Jackson family confirmed his passing in a statement on Tuesday morning. The civil rights leader spent decades in the pub...
Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson Sr yells and gestures during a campaign speech, 1988. Afro Newspaper/Gado | Archive Photos | Getty Images The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a civil rights icon, Baptist minister and two-time Democratic presidential candidate, died Tuesday at age 84. The Jackson family confirmed his passing in a statement on Tuesday morning. The civil rights leader spent decades in the public eye fighting to end racial and class divisions in America. A protégé of Martin Luther King Jr., Jackson fought on the front lines of the battle against Jim Crow segregation laws as a college student. He stood out for his rousing speeches, radical ideas and passion for racial equality. Jackson would become a key figure in the civil rights movement that pressed for broader economic opportunities for Black people through the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, or SCLC, and more recently, his organization the Rainbow PUSH coalition. Mahalia Jackson, left, sings "We Shall Overcome" with civil rights leaders the Rev. Martin Luther King, third left, Jesse Jackson, second from right, and Albert Raby, right, on Aug. 4, 1966. Ray Foster | Tribune News Service | Getty Images Jackson eventually transitioned into politics. In 1984 and 1988, he ran for the Democratic presidential nomination, winning multiple primaries and surpassing expectations each time. He based his campaigns on expanded equality for various racial minority groups, the working class and women. Later, Jackson served as U.S. special envoy to Africa in the 1990s. He also acted as "shadow senator" for Washington, D.C., a role in which he lobbied for the district's statehood. During the 1980s and 1990s, Jackson also negotiated the release of dozens of international hostages and prisoners, and became a vocal supporter of voting and LGBTQ rights. Participants carry a banner during the Gay Rights March April 25, 1993 in Washington, DC. Over 500,000 gays, lesbians and bisexual activists and their friends and families...
This is, arguably, the most important week of data releases for the entire quarter on Wall Street -- and it has nothing to do with earnings reports. Today, Feb. 17, marks the deadline for institutional investors with at least $100 million in assets under management to file Form 13F with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A 13F allows investors to track which stocks the brightest money manager...
This is, arguably, the most important week of data releases for the entire quarter on Wall Street -- and it has nothing to do with earnings reports. Today, Feb. 17, marks the deadline for institutional investors with at least $100 million in assets under management to file Form 13F with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A 13F allows investors to track which stocks the brightest money managers have been buying and selling over the previous quarter. Although this data can be over six weeks old when filed, it still provides invaluable insight into the stocks and trends piquing the interest of Wall Street's most successful investors . Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading
Kornchawin Rattanaserikiat Sonoco Products Company reported strong Q4 2025 results, with its topline seeing a 29.7% growth to $1.8B (beating consensus by $10M), driven largely by acquisitions like Metal Packaging EMEA from Eviosys. Its adjusted operating profit surged 47.1%, while adjusted EBITDA rose 10.2%. Adjusted EPS came in at $1.05, beating street view by $0.05 . Segment-wise, Consumer Packa...
Kornchawin Rattanaserikiat Sonoco Products Company reported strong Q4 2025 results, with its topline seeing a 29.7% growth to $1.8B (beating consensus by $10M), driven largely by acquisitions like Metal Packaging EMEA from Eviosys. Its adjusted operating profit surged 47.1%, while adjusted EBITDA rose 10.2%. Adjusted EPS came in at $1.05, beating street view by $0.05 . Segment-wise, Consumer Packaging hit record Q4 sales, operating profit, and adjusted EBITDA, with margins expanding 110 basis points due to the Eviosys addition and U.S. metal packaging strength. While Industrial Paper Packaging saw slight operating profit gains and margin expansion for the ninth straight quarter via productivity savings. The management said, excluding divested businesses, they are targeting ~20% improvement in adjusted earnings in 2026. Looking ahead, Sonoco ( SON ) guided for further earnings growth in 2026, projecting adjusted EPS in the range of $5.80 to $6.20 (vs. consensus of $5.96 ) and solid operating cash flow. FY adjusted EBITDA is expected to be $1.25B to $1.35B. The packaging company gets a Seeking Alpha Quant rating of Hold with a score of 2.95, with the highest factor grades given to its valuation and profitability metrics. More on Sonoco Products Sonoco: Patience May Be Rewarded In 2026 Sonoco Products Company (SON) Presents at Citigroup 2025 Basic Materials Conference - Slideshow Sonoco Products Non-GAAP EPS of $1.05 beats by $0.05, revenue of $1.77B beats by $10M Sonoco Products Q4 2025 Earnings Preview Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Sonoco Products
Urupong/iStock via Getty Images The government of Spain has ordered prosecutors to probe social media giants X, Meta Platforms ( META ) and TikTok for allegedly spreading AI-generated child sexual abuse material, according to the country's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. "Today, the Council of Ministers will invoke Article 8 of the Organic Statute of the Public Prosecution Service to request that it...
Urupong/iStock via Getty Images The government of Spain has ordered prosecutors to probe social media giants X, Meta Platforms ( META ) and TikTok for allegedly spreading AI-generated child sexual abuse material, according to the country's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. "Today, the Council of Ministers will invoke Article 8 of the Organic Statute of the Public Prosecution Service to request that it investigate the crimes that X, Meta, and TikTok may be committing through the creation and dissemination of child pornography by means of their AI," said Sanchez in a post on X, according to a translated version. "These platforms are attacking the mental health, dignity and rights of our sons and daughters," Sanchez added. "The State cannot allow it. The impunity of the giants must end." Meta, TikTok parent ByteDance ( BDNCE ), and X owner xAI ( X.AI ) did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Seeking Alpha. The announcement comes as European regulators are cracking down on tech companies, alleging abusive practices on online platforms. xAI's chatbot Grok and X have recently come under scrutiny following the alleged generation of deepfake images by the AI service. On Tuesday, it was reported that Ireland’s data protection regulator opened an inquiry into X amid concerns about sexualized images generated and shared through the Grok AI chatbot. Earlier this month, Sanchez announced some measures aimed at restricting online abuse and protecting children, including a proposed ban on access to social media platforms for those under the age of 16, Reuters reported . More on Meta and xAI Meta Is Now A Bargain Mag 7 Stock Meta: Analyzing The Surge In Debt From $0 To $60 Billion In 5 Years Meta Platforms: Snatch Up This Big Tech Deal Now SpaceX to compete in Pentagon contest for autonomous drone tech - report Musk’s X faces Irish data protection probe over sexualized images generated by Grok AI
A cooling labour market prompted traders to increase their bets on further interest-rate cuts from the Bank of England after UK unemployment climbed to a five-year high and wage growth eased. Bloomberg Markets Today Editor Kit Rees discusses on "The Pulse with Francine Lacqua" on Bloomberg TV. (Source: Bloomberg)
A cooling labour market prompted traders to increase their bets on further interest-rate cuts from the Bank of England after UK unemployment climbed to a five-year high and wage growth eased. Bloomberg Markets Today Editor Kit Rees discusses on "The Pulse with Francine Lacqua" on Bloomberg TV. (Source: Bloomberg)
I had so many conversations with people fed up with all the chaos, deceit and U-turns. Politics must respond to this disenchantment You can feel Labour’s electoral coalition fraying in the cold, rain-soaked streets of south-east Manchester. With nine days to go now until the historic byelection in Gorton and Denton , one thing unites these otherwise diverse communities: a visceral contempt for the...
I had so many conversations with people fed up with all the chaos, deceit and U-turns. Politics must respond to this disenchantment You can feel Labour’s electoral coalition fraying in the cold, rain-soaked streets of south-east Manchester. With nine days to go now until the historic byelection in Gorton and Denton , one thing unites these otherwise diverse communities: a visceral contempt for the prime minister. Mention Keir Starmer’s name and people laugh: not with affection but disbelief, as though it’s faintly absurd to treat him as a serious topic of conversation. “He just doesn’t stick to his word,” says a middle-aged woman walking her dog, stressing that her real feelings would be impolite to print. Owen Jones is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...
Stock futures dipped Tuesday morning amid a holiday-shortened trading week, spotlighting key economic data and corporate earnings ahead. Here are some of Tuesday's biggest stock movers: Biggest stock gainers ZIM Integrated Shipping ( ZIM ) +36% - Shares jumped after Hapag-Lloyd ( HPGLY ) agreed to acquire the shipper for $35 per share in cash, a 58% premium that values the company at about $4.2B. ...
Stock futures dipped Tuesday morning amid a holiday-shortened trading week, spotlighting key economic data and corporate earnings ahead. Here are some of Tuesday's biggest stock movers: Biggest stock gainers ZIM Integrated Shipping ( ZIM ) +36% - Shares jumped after Hapag-Lloyd ( HPGLY ) agreed to acquire the shipper for $35 per share in cash, a 58% premium that values the company at about $4.2B. The deal still needs approval from regulators, shareholders, and the government of Israel, which holds a strategic “golden share” in ZIM. To help secure approval, the buyer included FIMI Opportunity Funds in the transaction. Ocular Therapeutix ( OCUL ) +35% - Shares climbed ahead of the company's webcast on February 17, 2026, to review topline results from the SOL-1 Phase 3 superiority trial of AXPAXLI (OTX-TKI) for wet AMD. The detailed data is to be presented later at the Macula Society Annual Meeting on February 25–28. COMPASS Pathways ( CMPS ) +28% - Shares surged ahead of the release of new Phase 3 data for its COMP360 psilocybin treatment for treatment-resistant depression, scheduled for February 17 at 6:30 a.m. ET, covering Part A and B of COMP005 and Part A of COMP006, with management set to host a follow-up webinar later in the morning. Biggest stock losers Wheaton Precious Metals ( WPM ) -2% - Shares slipped after the company agreed to acquire BHP’s ( BHP ) 33.75% silver stream at the Antamina mine for $4.3B in cash, lifting its total share to 67.5%. The deal, effective April 2026, is expected to add ~6 Moz of annual silver output in the first five years, raise 2026 production by ~11%, and expand reserves. The deal will be funded through cash, debt, and credit facilities, leaving net debt near $2.4B at closing. More on related stocks: ZIM Integrated: Hapag-Lloyd Offer Makes Sense For Everyone, Will It Go Through? Ocular Therapeutix: Considering Their Phase 3 'Superiority' Trial's Prospect ZIM Integrated Shipping: Why The Buyout Matters Most - Initiating Strong Buy...
Intercontinental Hotels Group Plc launched a $950 million share buyback program as it signaled confidence in a travel recovery in China and remains optimistic about the US market. Revenue per available room fell 1.6% in the Greater China region in 2025, though turned positive in the final quarter, a sign of incoming rebound, Chief Financial Officer Michael Glover said in an interview. He added tha...
Intercontinental Hotels Group Plc launched a $950 million share buyback program as it signaled confidence in a travel recovery in China and remains optimistic about the US market. Revenue per available room fell 1.6% in the Greater China region in 2025, though turned positive in the final quarter, a sign of incoming rebound, Chief Financial Officer Michael Glover said in an interview. He added that a longer-than-usual Chinese New Year and government plans to boost consumption will support demand going forward. The Holiday Inn owner’s operating profit rose 13% to $1.27 billion, slightly ahead of analyst estimates. Shares rose as much as 4.4% to an intraday record in London. Fourth-quarter performance in the US was negatively impacted by the government shutdown, Glover said, though revenue per available room is currently tracking ahead of expectations in 2026. While US consumer confidence declined in January to the lowest level in more than a decade, Glover expects other factors to offset the impact of more hesitant travelers. “A lot of things going on within the US are positive trends,” he said, citing low unemployment, a pickup in business travel, growing investment in non-residential buildings and this summer’s football World Cup. Southeast Asian markets including Vietnam are seeing robust growth, while Europe and the Middle East are experiencing “strength on top of strength,” Glover said. The hotel operator is also targeting more upscale customers this year with the launch of its Noted Collection brand. The premium end of the market is “an area where we feel like there’s great opportunity to gain share and we’re thinking about 150 hotels in the next next decade coming into that brand,” Glover said.