Business News 19 February 2026 - 23 February 2026

Virax Biolabs Stock Faces a Make-or-Break Nasdaq Vote After a Wild Week
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Virax Biolabs Stock Faces a Make-or-Break Nasdaq Vote After a Wild Week

Virax closed Friday at $0.2775, down 9.31%, but up 81% from May 15. Shareholders will vote June 5 on a 10-for-1 to 30-for-1 reverse share consolidation as the company faces a July 11 Nasdaq deadline to regain $1 minimum bid compliance. U.S. markets are closed Monday for Memorial Day, with trading to resume Tuesday. Armistice Capital disclosed a 4.99% stake in Virax earlier this month.
May 25, 2026
Kenvue (KVUE) stock ticks up premarket as Kimberly-Clark deal gap and cost cuts stay in focus
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Kenvue (KVUE) stock ticks up premarket as Kimberly-Clark deal gap and cost cuts stay in focus

Kenvue shares rose 0.5% to $18.72 in premarket trading Monday, staying about 4% below Kimberly-Clark’s $19.44-per-share offer value. The U.S. antitrust waiting period expired Feb. 4, but the deal still needs foreign approvals. Kenvue last week announced 770 job cuts and expects $250 million in restructuring costs in 2026. The company will pay its next dividend Feb. 25.
February 23, 2026
Alphabet stock edges up premarket after Wells Fargo upgrade as tariff doubts rattle futures
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Alphabet stock edges up premarket after Wells Fargo upgrade as tariff doubts rattle futures

Alphabet shares rose 0.3% to $315.89 in premarket trading Monday after Wells Fargo upgraded the stock to “Overweight” and raised its price target to $387. The bank cited Google’s data and compute capacity, projecting Google Cloud revenue growth of 60% in 2026 and Gemini subscriptions reaching $12 billion annually. The gain came as U.S. index futures slipped following President Trump’s new 15% global tariff announcement.
February 23, 2026
American Airlines stock rises in premarket as oil dips and storm cancellations mount
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American Airlines stock rises in premarket as oil dips and storm cancellations mount

American Airlines shares rose 1.8% in premarket trading Monday to $13.59 as a major Northeast winter storm forced over 5,300 U.S. flight cancellations. Oil prices slipped amid U.S.-Iran nuclear talks and new U.S. tariff moves. Delta and United also traded higher before the bell. TSA said PreCheck remains operational despite Homeland Security funding uncertainty.
February 23, 2026
Imperial Brands share price today: IMB slips in early London trade as tariff jitters set the tone
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Imperial Brands share price today: IMB slips in early London trade as tariff jitters set the tone

Imperial Brands fell 0.2% to 3,225p in early London trading Monday, moving in a tight 3,223p–3,236p range. The drop followed renewed U.S. tariff threats and a Supreme Court ruling overturning Trump-era emergency duties. Investors await Imperial’s March 31 dividend and April 14 trading update. The company recently bought back 651,709 shares at an average 3,233.77p.
February 23, 2026
Electro Optic Systems share price jumps 13% after FY2025 results; order book guidance in focus
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Electro Optic Systems share price jumps 13% after FY2025 results; order book guidance in focus

Electro Optic Systems Holdings shares jumped 12.7% to A$8.25 after reporting a 27% drop in 2025 revenue to A$128.5 million and a loss of A$73.5 million. The company’s order backlog rose to A$459.1 million, with management targeting A$180–A$230 million of that to convert to revenue in 2026. EOS has not issued revenue guidance. The stock has been volatile following scrutiny from a U.S. short seller.
February 23, 2026
AppLovin stock in focus after SEC signals probe is still active
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AppLovin stock in focus after SEC signals probe is still active

AppLovin shares closed at $418.68 on Friday, up 1.6%, with 8.67 million shares traded. The SEC told Bloomberg its investigation into AppLovin remains “still active and ongoing,” according to Reuters. The probe stems from whistleblower and short-seller allegations of breached service agreements for targeted ads. The company also drew attention for reported plans to launch a social media platform.
February 22, 2026
Meta stock price ends week higher — what could move META next week
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Meta stock price ends week higher — what could move META next week

Meta shares closed at $655.66, up 1.7% Friday, after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Trump-era global tariffs. The company cut annual stock-option awards by about 5% for most employees, its second consecutive year of reductions, as it increases AI and data-center spending. Trump announced a new 10% global tariff for 150 days. U.S. economic growth slowed in the fourth quarter while inflation rose in December.
February 21, 2026
Coca-Cola stock price nears 52-week high as KO investors weigh dividend hike, CEO filing
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Coca-Cola stock price nears 52-week high as KO investors weigh dividend hike, CEO filing

Coca-Cola shares closed up 1.18% at $79.84 on Friday, outperforming PepsiCo and Keurig Dr Pepper. The company raised its quarterly dividend to 53 cents per share, payable April 1 to holders as of March 13. SEC filings detailed CEO Henrique Braun’s $1.45 million salary as he takes over March 31, with James Quincey staying as executive chairman. Coca-Cola repurchased 9.4 million shares in 2025 for $634 million.
February 21, 2026
Johnson & Johnson stock price slides as DePuy sale talk builds — what investors watch next
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Johnson & Johnson stock price slides as DePuy sale talk builds — what investors watch next

Johnson & Johnson shares closed down 1.8% at $242.49 Friday, underperforming a rising market, after reports the company may sell its DePuy Synthes orthopedics unit in a deal potentially exceeding $20 billion. J&J also announced plans to invest over $1 billion in a new cell therapy facility in Pennsylvania. The company faces ongoing talc litigation and will pay a $1.30 dividend to shareholders of record on Feb. 24.
February 21, 2026
Apple stock slips as iCloud lawsuit and hot inflation data jolt AAPL in early trade
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Apple stock slips as iCloud lawsuit and hot inflation data jolt AAPL in early trade

Apple shares fell 0.4% to $259.49 in early Friday trading, extending losses after West Virginia sued the company over iCloud’s alleged role in child sexual abuse material distribution. Investors also weighed hotter-than-expected inflation data and a tougher outlook for U.S. rate cuts. Apple said it is expanding safety features but denied the move was linked to the lawsuit.
February 20, 2026
EPAM Systems stock slides in premarket as 2026 outlook takes center stage before the bell
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EPAM Systems stock slides in premarket as 2026 outlook takes center stage before the bell

EPAM Systems shares dropped 17% to $139.16 in U.S. premarket trading Friday after the company forecast slower 2026 revenue growth. The IT services firm reported Q4 revenue of $1.408 billion, up 12.8%, and guided 2026 organic growth of 3% to 6%. Analysts cited disappointment with the outlook. The stock move follows recent market sensitivity to cautious guidance.
February 20, 2026
Deere stock price jumps after John Deere lifts 2026 profit outlook, flags tariff costs
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Deere stock price jumps after John Deere lifts 2026 profit outlook, flags tariff costs

Deere & Company shares jumped 10% to $662 in after-hours trading after the firm beat quarterly estimates and raised its fiscal 2026 net income outlook to $4.5 billion–$5.0 billion. First-quarter net income fell to $656 million, while sales rose 13% to $9.611 billion. Management cited recovering demand in construction and small agriculture. Investors remain alert to tariff-related costs and await Deere’s next update on May 21.
February 20, 2026
Omnicom stock jumps 13% after $5 billion buyback and IPG deal lift results — what’s next
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Omnicom stock jumps 13% after $5 billion buyback and IPG deal lift results — what’s next

Omnicom shares surged 13.5% to $79.62 after the company announced a $5 billion buyback and doubled its cost-synergy target to $1.5 billion following the Interpublic acquisition. Quarterly revenue reached $5.53 billion, beating estimates, while adjusted earnings missed forecasts. Investors await further details at Omnicom’s March 12 investor day.
February 19, 2026
Deere stock jumps as John Deere lifts 2026 profit view, flags $1.2 billion tariff bill
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Deere stock jumps as John Deere lifts 2026 profit view, flags $1.2 billion tariff bill

Deere shares surged 12% to $664.61 after the company raised its 2026 profit outlook and beat quarterly estimates. First-quarter net income dropped to $656 million, but sales climbed 13% to $9.61 billion, led by gains in construction and small-ag segments. The company held its annual tariff cost estimate at $1.2 billion. Deere expects large-ag sales to fall up to 10% this year.
February 19, 2026
AMD stock rises as SEC filing lays out Lisa Su’s $75 million stock-price bet
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AMD stock rises as SEC filing lays out Lisa Su’s $75 million stock-price bet

AMD shares rose 1.2% to $202.51 Thursday after a filing revealed its board approved a $75 million, performance-based equity award for CEO Lisa Su, tied to stock-price targets through 2031, including a $600 hurdle. CFO Jean Hu sold about 20,000 shares under a pre-arranged plan, according to a separate filing. Chip stocks were mixed; Nvidia was flat, Intel fell 1.6%.
February 19, 2026
Amrize stock dips after 11% jump as buyback, dividend and PB Materials deal hit the tape
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Amrize stock dips after 11% jump as buyback, dividend and PB Materials deal hit the tape

Amrize shares fell 1.1% to $63 Thursday after surging nearly 11% the previous session. The company closed its PB Materials acquisition in West Texas and announced a $1 billion buyback plan, pending shareholder approval. Amrize also proposed two $0.44 per share dividends and raised 2025 revenue guidance to $11.8 billion. Investors await the April 21 annual meeting for votes on the buyback and dividends.
February 19, 2026
Vale stock ticks up in premarket as Vale Base Metals cuts Canada nickel exposure in new consortium
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Vale stock ticks up in premarket as Vale Base Metals cuts Canada nickel exposure in new consortium

Vale’s U.S.-listed shares rose 0.5% premarket after its base-metals unit agreed to sell most of its stake in Manitoba’s Thompson Nickel Belt to a group led by Exiro Minerals and Canada Growth Fund. Vale Base Metals will retain 18.9% and sign an offtake deal for nickel concentrate. The consortium pledged up to $200 million in investment. The deal is expected to close by end-2026.
February 19, 2026
AMD stock slips premarket as CFO sells shares and CEO’s $75 million award filing hits tape
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AMD stock slips premarket as CFO sells shares and CEO’s $75 million award filing hits tape

AMD shares fell about 1.5% in premarket trading Thursday, nearing $200. A filing showed CFO Jean Hu sold nearly 20,000 shares under a pre-set 10b5-1 plan at prices between $196.78 and $205.12. The company also disclosed a $75 million performance-based equity award for CEO Lisa Su. Traders await U.S. economic data later this week that could affect tech stocks.
February 19, 2026
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Stock Market Today

  • Australian Government Bails Out Rex Airlines' $4.8M Debt to Regional Airports
    May 25, 2026, 2:28 AM EDT. The Australian government has fully paid off Regional Express Holdings' $4.8 million debt owed to 34 regional councils, including Dubbo Regional Council ($598,672) and others across NSW, WA, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania. The bailout follows US aviation group Air T's acquisition and recapitalisation of Rex in December 2023 after voluntary administration. The government previously backed the takeover with a $60 million support package and an additional $108 million for debt restructuring. Dubbo Regional Airport, an important regional hub, benefits from the bailout, which council leaders say alleviates financial strain on ratepayers. Transport Minister Catherine King's office confirmed ongoing commitment to enhancing regional aviation connectivity through such support measures.