Investing 25 February 2026 - 26 February 2026

Blue Owl Capital shares held near $11.35 in premarket trading Thursday after a 5.8% jump Wednesday, remaining far below last year’s $22.25 high. Deutsche Bank downgraded the stock to “Hold” and cut its price target to $10, citing weaker net flows in retail credit. Blue Owl recently altered liquidity terms for its private debt fund OBDC II but said it is not halting investor withdrawals. The company’s next dividend is due March 2.

Standard Chartered shares rose 0.4% in early London trading after the bank disclosed its first buyback purchases, acquiring 492,000 shares at an average 1,799.77 pence each. The buyback program, capped at $1.5 billion and 200 million shares, runs through August 24. Investors await Q1 results on April 30 and a strategy update in May.

Reckitt shares slipped 0.1% to 6,338 pence in early London trade Thursday after a 0.7% drop Wednesday. Volumes were light ahead of the company’s full-year results due March 5. Broader markets remain volatile amid tariff concerns and shifting rate expectations. Investors are watching for Reckitt’s 2026 guidance and any changes in cost or brand strategy.

Evolution Mining shares closed up 1.1% at A$16.40 in Sydney, nearing year highs ahead of the March 3 ex-dividend date. The stock is up 29% in 2026 and over 160% in 12 months. The S&P/ASX 200 ended at a record, while the Australian dollar hit $0.713, its strongest since August 2022. Northern Star Resources fell 2.6%.

Lynas Rare Earths reported half-year net profit after tax of A$80.2 million, up from A$5.9 million a year earlier, but below consensus forecasts. Shares closed 1.2% higher at A$17.24 after early gains faded. Power issues at the Kalgoorlie plant affected production and costs. Traders are watching rare-earth prices and the stability of Kalgoorlie’s power supply.

Mastercard shares rose about 2.4% to $510.06 in Wednesday afternoon trading as payment stocks rebounded. The company announced a remittance partnership with Triple-A and agreed to sell SessionM to Capillary Technologies for $20 million. Traders watched Nvidia earnings and a new legal dispute over swipe-fee rules. Visa shares also gained roughly 2%.

MercadoLibre shares fell about 9% to $1,748.10 Wednesday, hitting a new 52-week low after fourth-quarter profit missed estimates. Net income reached $559 million, below analysts’ $587 million forecast, as heavy spending and a 90% jump in the credit portfolio squeezed margins. Operating margin dropped to 10.1% from 13.5% a year earlier. Cantor Fitzgerald and others cut their price targets after the results.

Vertex shares fell 1.1% to $13.12 in early Wednesday trading after jumping 10.2% the previous day. Director Eric Andersen disclosed buying 40,000 shares at an average $12.91 on Feb. 20. The company filed its annual report late Tuesday and expects 2026 revenue of $823.5 million to $831.5 million, with 25% cloud revenue growth. Investors await the next quarterly update in May.

Thomson Reuters shares rose 1.6% premarket Wednesday after announcing a $600 million buyback and $605 million capital return, paired with a share consolidation. The stock surged 11% Tuesday after its AI tool CoCounsel reached one million users. The capital return plan needs shareholder and court approval, with a vote set for April 28. The buyback becomes effective February 27.

Westlake shares jumped 12% to $104.17 Tuesday after the company reported a Q4 net loss of $544 million on $2.5 billion in sales, citing $511 million in shutdown and restructuring costs. CFO Steven Bender will retire once a successor is named. The board expanded to 14 members, adding CEO Jean-Marc Gilson and Bhavesh V. Patel as directors. Shares fell 2.6% after hours to $101.39.

Keysight Technologies shares rose 0.8% premarket Wednesday after surging 23.1% Tuesday, following stronger-than-expected Q1 results and an upbeat outlook. The company reported $1.60 billion in revenue and $2.17 adjusted EPS, forecasting Q2 revenue up to $1.71 billion. BofA and UBS raised price targets to $340. The outlook excludes potential tariff impacts from a recent Supreme Court ruling.