Marcin Frąckiewicz

Marcin Frąckiewicz is the CEO of TS2 Space and a longtime technology entrepreneur focused on telecommunications, satellite communications and digital innovation. A graduate of the Warsaw School of Economics (SGH), he writes about space technology, artificial intelligence and publicly traded technology companies. His analysis covers major market trends, emerging technologies and the businesses shaping the future of the global economy.

Meta Platforms to Charge Advertisers New Fees in Europe to Cover Digital Taxes

Meta Platforms to Charge Advertisers New Fees in Europe to Cover Digital Taxes

Meta Platforms is rolling out new “location fees” for advertisers starting July 1 in certain markets, a notice to clients reviewed by Bloomberg shows. The charges are tied to digital services taxes—those country-specific levies aimed at large tech companies’ local ad sales—and hinge on where each ad lands, not the advertiser’s headquarters. Meta has been covering those costs for advertisers up to this point, but that’s changing—brands running ads on Facebook and Instagram in the affected regions will start seeing higher charges. The timing lines up with Meta’s push to wring more from its ad business as it pours money into AI; back in January, Meta projected capital spending for 2026 could land between $115 billion and $135 billion.
March 10, 2026
Palantir Technologies Faces Fresh Pentagon AI Risk as Anthropic Lawsuit Clouds Maven Work

Palantir Technologies Faces Fresh Pentagon AI Risk as Anthropic Lawsuit Clouds Maven Work

Palantir Technologies is dealing with fresh questions around its role in a major Pentagon AI initiative, as Anthropic moved to challenge a U.S. blacklist that barred contractors from using its tech. Early Tuesday, Palantir stock slipped roughly 0.4%. This is suddenly a big deal: Palantir’s Maven Smart Systems, which helps militaries sift through intelligence and targeting data, is running on prompts and workflows that use Anthropic’s Claude. Last week, Reuters put Palantir’s Maven-related contracts at over $1 billion, all riding on that platform.
March 10, 2026
Lumentum Holdings Inc. to Join S&P 500 After Nvidia Deal Lifts AI Optics Trade

Lumentum Holdings Inc. to Join S&P 500 After Nvidia Deal Lifts AI Optics Trade

SAN JOSE, Calif., March 10, 2026, 06:51 PDT. Lumentum Holdings is set to join the S&P 500 before the bell on March 23, days after S&P Dow Jones Indices added the optical networking supplier as part of its quarterly rebalance. Having advanced from the S&P MidCap 400, Lumentum’s CEO Michael Hurlston called the move a recognition of the company’s “vital role in helping customers build next-generation AI infrastructure.”
March 10, 2026
Micron Technology, Inc. Stock Rises on Applied Materials AI Memory Deal Ahead of Earnings

Micron Technology, Inc. Stock Rises on Applied Materials AI Memory Deal Ahead of Earnings

SANTA CLARA, California, March 10, 2026, 06:12 PDT Micron Technology said Tuesday it's teaming up with Applied Materials on next-gen DRAM and high-bandwidth memory for AI processors, plus NAND storage chips—an expansion of their U.S. research efforts, announced just ahead of Micron’s fiscal Q2 results March 18. Micron shares last traded at $389.32, up $19.14 on the day.
March 10, 2026
Apple Faces Fresh German Fine Threat After Publishers Reject App Tracking Changes

Apple Faces Fresh German Fine Threat After Publishers Reject App Tracking Changes

On Tuesday, German publishers and advertisers amped up their demands on Apple, calling on the country's cartel office to block the tech giant’s proposed tweaks to App Tracking Transparency—known as ATT—and instead hit the company with a fine. ATT forces apps to get iPhone users’ permission before tracking them across third-party apps and sites. Still, the trade groups argue that Apple’s planned changes would leave it holding too much sway over advertising data in the mobile ad business. The stakes are climbing. Germany hasn’t decided if Apple’s December proposal is sufficient, and a ruling against the tech giant could draw heavier European attention to a feature Apple touts as boosting privacy. France already hit Apple with a 150 million euro
March 10, 2026
Why Sandisk Stock Jumped 11.6% as AI Storage Demand Drew a Fresh $1,000 Call

Why Sandisk Stock Jumped 11.6% as AI Storage Demand Drew a Fresh $1,000 Call

Sandisk surged 11.6% to close at $588.73 on Monday, leading gains among memory and AI storage plays as buyers jumped back into the sector late. Micron added 5.2%. Western Digital, Sandisk’s former parent, climbed 6.8%. It's become a bigger deal now: Sandisk, which Western Digital spun off last year, has a business that's more sensitive to NAND flash prices than the industry giants. NAND powers solid-state drives by storing data even when they're unplugged, and the recent surge in AI data-center budgets has only made those chips scarcer. Investors will be watching closely when Sandisk executives present at Cantor's tech and industrial growth event this Wednesday, March 11, for fresh signals on how supply and demand are holding up.
March 10, 2026
Entain PLC Draws Barclays 5% Stake as UK Gambling Tax Shake-Up Hits Rivals

Entain PLC Draws Barclays 5% Stake as UK Gambling Tax Shake-Up Hits Rivals

Late Monday, Barclays revealed a 5.02% stake in Entain, putting it among the bookmaker’s largest declared shareholders. According to the TR-1 filing—a UK requirement triggered when investors pass significant ownership thresholds—Barclays controlled 32,126,575 voting rights in the company. This shift comes as investors weigh which betting firms can absorb Britain’s steeper online gambling taxes. Entain last week projected it could cushion roughly a quarter of the tax impact in 2026, and more than half from 2027 onward, relying on efficiency gains across the group.
March 10, 2026
United Utilities Group PLC starts two new water-quality projects as UK water scrutiny intensifies

United Utilities Group PLC starts two new water-quality projects as UK water scrutiny intensifies

United Utilities Group PLC on Monday announced the launch of two new water-quality initiatives in northwest England. The company has begun construction of a stormwater tank in Barrow, while also kicking off a £5 million project in Lancashire aimed at reducing storm overflow spills. The changes come as Britain's water companies face mounting calls to tackle storm overflows—those emergency relief points triggered when rainfall floods the sewer system—following years of frustration about sewage spills. In December, Ofwat projected that bills in England and Wales could jump an average 36% between 2025 and 2030, supporting a £104 billion investment push.
March 10, 2026
Coca-Cola HBC AG Shares Buck FTSE Slide as Oil Shock Tests 2026 Profit Outlook

Coca-Cola HBC AG Shares Buck FTSE Slide as Oil Shock Tests 2026 Profit Outlook

Shares of Coca-Cola HBC AG managed a small rise on Monday, closing at 4,500 pence—up 0.09%—even as the FTSE 100 slipped 0.3%. Investors took another look at the bottler’s growth outlook against the backdrop of surging oil and metals prices. Oil’s jump is translating straight into higher transport and distribution costs, and aluminium is central to can production. Brent finished up 6.8% after spiking as much as 29% during the session. Meanwhile, benchmark aluminium hit levels last seen in March 2022. IG market analyst Tony Sycamore noted traders found "no obvious off-ramp" as the crisis unfolded.
March 10, 2026
Rightmove plc Shares Slip Despite Fresh Buyback as AI Spending Doubts Linger

Rightmove plc Shares Slip Despite Fresh Buyback as AI Spending Doubts Linger

Rightmove scooped up 210,000 of its own shares on Monday as part of its current buyback push, but that didn't stop shares from sliding 2.7% to 453 pence by the close. The UK property portal said it paid an average of 453.416 pence per share and plans to cancel the repurchased stock, reducing shares in issue to 761.27 million. Rightmove's reputation took a hit after its shares tumbled on the back of increased spending on artificial intelligence and other upgrades—investors weren't convinced. After Monday’s session, the stock finished roughly 45% off its 52-week peak. The big question lingers: when will all that extra investment actually translate into growth?
March 10, 2026
Airtel Africa Plc Buys 80,000 Shares as $100 Million Buyback Nears March 31 Deadline

Airtel Africa Plc Buys 80,000 Shares as $100 Million Buyback Nears March 31 Deadline

Airtel Africa on Monday disclosed it snapped up 80,000 of its own shares, paying an average price of 345.59 pence apiece. The latest purchase adds to the telecom operator’s $100 million buyback program, which the company still expects to wrap up by March 31. The timing of the filing is notable, coming as the London-listed telecom group pushes ahead with plans to float Airtel Money—its mobile payments arm—in the first half of 2026. Back in January, Airtel reiterated its target, saying the unit that enables money transfers via mobile phones remained on course for that window.
March 10, 2026
M&G Plc Shares Slide Ahead of 2025 Results as Dividend and Cash Generation Face Test

M&G Plc Shares Slide Ahead of 2025 Results as Dividend and Cash Generation Face Test

M&G Plc slipped 2.1%, ending Monday at 297 pence. With full-year 2025 results due Thursday, investors are watching for fresh numbers on profit, cash generation and the dividend. Analysts tracking M&G expect adjusted operating profit before tax to come in around 820 million pounds in 2025, a touch below the 837 million pounds projected for 2024, according to consensus figures posted on the company’s investor site. For operating capital generation—essentially surplus cash—the forecast is about 729 million pounds, sliding from 933 million pounds the previous year. A March 6 LSE tearsheet put the trailing stock yield near 6.66%.
March 10, 2026
Informa Plc presses on with £200 mln share buyback ahead of 2025 results as Gulf risks shadow outlook

Informa Plc presses on with £200 mln share buyback ahead of 2025 results as Gulf risks shadow outlook

Informa disclosed on Monday it repurchased 1.363 million shares for cancellation last week through March 6, continuing its 2026 buyback program with at least 200 million pounds committed, just ahead of its annual results. After settlement, the B2B events and publishing company’s outstanding shares are set to drop to 1,279,627,119. According to its website, Informa plans to report full-year 2025 results this Thursday. Timing is key here. Buybacks cut the share count, boosting earnings per share—a basic profit gauge—and often hint at management’s confidence. Back in January, Informa projected 2025 revenue above 4.0 billion pounds, pegged adjusted EPS around 55.5 pence, and put adjusted free cash flow north of 860 million pounds. That’s the target set for Thursday.
March 10, 2026
Aviva plc Restarts £350 Million Buyback as Shares Slide — Why Analysts Still See Value

Aviva plc Restarts £350 Million Buyback as Shares Slide — Why Analysts Still See Value

Aviva plc confirmed Monday it repurchased 20,000 shares for cancellation in a March 6 deal, part of the £350 million buyback announced last week. The shares still slipped 2.58% to finish at 611.2 pence, with the FTSE 100 down 0.34%. Aviva’s paused buybacks drew attention after its £3.7 billion Direct Line acquisition—a move that catapulted it to the top spot among UK home and motor insurers. Now that the deal is wrapped up, and after last week’s annual results, investors are less focused on M&A. Instead, the spotlight’s on whether the bigger group can address the valuation gap analysts called out Monday.
March 10, 2026
Hiscox Ltd Cancels More Shares as $300 Million Buyback Builds After Record Profit

Hiscox Ltd Cancels More Shares as $300 Million Buyback Builds After Record Profit

Hiscox Ltd disclosed Monday it repurchased 69,849 shares on March 6, paying an average 1,459.08 pence apiece, with plans to cancel them. This forms part of the insurer’s ongoing $300 million buyback. The company noted it’s shifting to weekly, rather than daily, repurchase notices because of a change to UK listing rules, though trade details will remain unchanged. This update moves Hiscox’s buyback plan off the drawing board and into action, coming just days after the insurer flagged it with annual results. The Bermuda-based group expects to wrap up the initial $150 million tranche by the end of Q3. Up to 20.8 million shares are eligible for repurchase under the current shareholder mandate; Hiscox says it’s targeting a smaller share
March 10, 2026
Diageo plc Shares Stay Near Lows After Dave Lewis Slashes Dividend and Cuts Forecast

Diageo plc Shares Stay Near Lows After Dave Lewis Slashes Dividend and Cuts Forecast

Diageo plc ended Monday down 0.29% at 1,521 pence, not far from the lows seen after CEO Dave Lewis slashed the drinks giant's 2026 sales outlook and took an axe to its interim dividend on Feb. 25. Shares dropped as low as 1,491.5 pence during the session before recovering some ground. This is hitting home for Diageo, with brands like Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, Don Julio, and Guinness in the mix. Shares of Pernod Ricard, Remy Cointreau, and Campari dropped after Diageo's Feb. 25 update, reflecting deeper worries around premium spirits, as both the U.S. and China remain sluggish.
March 10, 2026
Legal & General Group Plc Shares Slide Ahead of Results as £1.2 Billion Buyback Comes Into Focus

Legal & General Group Plc Shares Slide Ahead of Results as £1.2 Billion Buyback Comes Into Focus

Legal & General Group Plc slipped 1.8% Monday, trading around 249.9 pence. Investors, eyeing the insurer's full-year numbers due March 11, aren't zeroed in on earnings this time—the real attention is on capital returns and the speed of payout. L&G finished offloading its U.S. insurance business to Meiji Yasuda on Feb. 2, saying the deal unlocked £1.2 billion in Solvency II capital and pointing to an extra £1 billion earmarked for shareholders—boosting its planned 2026 buyback up to £1.2 billion. Chief Executive António Simões called the move one that “supports enhanced returns for shareholders.”
March 10, 2026
Imperial Brands PLC Shares Slip as London Selloff Puts Buyback, Dividend Support to the Test

Imperial Brands PLC Shares Slip as London Selloff Puts Buyback, Dividend Support to the Test

Imperial Brands PLC slipped 0.6% to finish at 3,143 pence Monday, following the broader London market lower. UK equities came under pressure as oil-driven inflation jitters resurfaced, putting the spotlight back on the tobacco group’s steady cash returns. The FTSE 100 eased 0.3%. Imperial’s offering stability just when markets are twitchy. The stock shows an indicated yield near 5.1%. A £1.45 billion buyback is underway. Investors get the final dividend March 31, and the next trading update hits April 14.
March 10, 2026
Prudential plc Keeps Share Buyback Running as Full-Year Results Loom

Prudential plc Keeps Share Buyback Running as Full-Year Results Loom

Prudential plc has cut its share total once more, according to a March 9 filing in Hong Kong. The company cancelled 364,056 shares purchased earlier in the week, while 729,486 shares picked up on March 5 and 6 are still pending cancellation. The update arrives right ahead of Prudential’s full-year 2025 numbers, set for March 18 in Hong Kong. Investors are eyeing new commentary on growth and any details on capital returns. Back in January, Prudential indicated its overarching capital plan aimed to hand out over $5 billion to shareholders between 2024 and 2027—even before counting any cash from the planned ICICI Prudential Asset Management IPO.
March 10, 2026
Experian PLC cuts VantageScore 4.0 to 99 cents in fresh challenge to FICO

Experian PLC cuts VantageScore 4.0 to 99 cents in fresh challenge to FICO

Costa Mesa, Calif., March 9, 2026, 15:32 UTC-07:00. Experian on Monday put a 99-cent price tag on each VantageScore 4.0 mortgage origination score, slashing the cost for lenders sizing up home loan applicants and ramping up pressure on Fair Isaac’s FICO. The company, listed in London, said lenders buying a FICO score via its Score Choice bundle will keep getting the VantageScore free through 2026.
March 9, 2026
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