Market Trends 26 July 2025 - 12 February 2026

Shell Plc shares climb as Brent heads for record month and Europe braces for fuel crunch
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Shell Plc shares climb as Brent heads for record month and Europe braces for fuel crunch

Shell shares rose 1.3% in London as Brent crude jumped 59% in March, driving up profit estimates ahead of Shell’s April 8 quarterly update. Three analysts raised first-quarter net profit forecasts by an average 15%. Shell warned of possible European fuel shortages by April, with EU ministers set to meet Tuesday. Repairs at Shell’s Pearl plant in Qatar will take about a year after recent attacks.
March 30, 2026
Lithium price ticks up in China; Albemarle, SQM climb as earnings near
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Lithium price ticks up in China; Albemarle, SQM climb as earnings near

Albemarle rose 3.2% and SQM gained 5.8% in midday New York trading as China’s spot lithium carbonate prices climbed for a third day. Sigma Lithium jumped 13.2%, while Lithium Americas slipped 1.5%. Traders are positioning ahead of Albemarle’s earnings report after the close. Shanghai Metals Market data showed battery-grade lithium carbonate at 138,483 yuan a ton, up 3% from Tuesday.
February 11, 2026
Glencore share price today: GLEN rises in London as copper firms ahead of results
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Glencore share price today: GLEN rises in London as copper firms ahead of results

Glencore shares rose 1.3% to 502.7 pence in early London trading Wednesday. Three-month copper on the LME gained 0.31% to $13,155 a tonne, while the FTSE 100 edged up 0.2%. Glencore’s $1 billion buyback programme for 2025/2026 is underway. China’s coal imports are projected to fall 5.1% in 2026 amid rising domestic output and shifts in Indonesian supply.
February 11, 2026
National Grid share price rises early as US cold snap and UK data-centre power debate sharpen focus
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National Grid share price rises early as US cold snap and UK data-centre power debate sharpen focus

National Grid shares rose 0.8% to 1,302.5 pence in early London trading Wednesday after reporting record U.S. gas deliveries during a polar vortex. The company warned high commodity costs could mean higher bills for customers. In Britain, the grid operator flagged risks from data centres built in areas without surplus power. Two senior executives bought small amounts of stock under an incentive plan.
February 11, 2026
Ethereum price tumbles, but NFT museums and creator royalties are creeping back into the story
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Ethereum price tumbles, but NFT museums and creator royalties are creeping back into the story

Ether dropped about 3% to $1,946 in early New York trading Wednesday, tracking a similar slide in bitcoin, which fell near $66,828. Large bitcoin holders bought 53,000 coins over the past week, according to Glassnode, but broader participation stayed weak. ETF outflows continued for both tokens. Ethereum supporters pointed to museum NFT pilots and creator payouts as potential sources of demand.
February 11, 2026
Memory chip prices could nearly double this quarter as TrendForce lifts DRAM forecast to 95%
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Memory chip prices could nearly double this quarter as TrendForce lifts DRAM forecast to 95%

TrendForce now expects conventional DRAM contract prices to surge 90%-95% in Q1, up from its previous 55%-60% estimate, citing ongoing AI and data center demand. NAND flash contract prices are forecast to rise 55%-60%, while enterprise SSD prices may increase 53%-58%. PC DRAM prices are projected to jump over 100% quarter-on-quarter as shortages worsen.
February 2, 2026
Average smartphone price tops $400 for the first time as premium phones lift revenue
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Average smartphone price tops $400 for the first time as premium phones lift revenue

Global smartphone revenue reached a record $135 billion in Q4 2025 as the average selling price topped $402 for the first time, according to Counterpoint Research. Shipments rose just 4%, but premium models drove higher prices. Apple captured 57% of industry revenue, while Samsung’s shipments climbed 17% but its average price fell. Analysts warn rising memory chip costs could squeeze margins in 2026.
February 1, 2026
Apple May Absorb Rising DRAM Costs for iPhone 18 Amid Price Hikes, Analysts Suggest
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Apple May Absorb Rising DRAM Costs for iPhone 18 Amid Price Hikes, Analysts Suggest

Apple plans to keep iPhone 18 prices unchanged despite surging memory and DRAM costs, sources say. Samsung and SK hynix have raised LPDDR5X RAM prices by over 80% quarter-on-quarter. Analysts expect Apple to absorb higher expenses, relying on its services division to offset the impact. The company has shifted to quarterly memory pricing talks with suppliers.
January 28, 2026
Smartphone Prices Could Rise Nearly 7% in 2026 as AI Memory Shortage Forces Shipment Cuts, New Forecasts Warn (Dec. 17, 2025)
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Smartphone Prices Could Rise Nearly 7% in 2026 as AI Memory Shortage Forces Shipment Cuts, New Forecasts Warn (Dec. 17, 2025)

Global smartphone shipments are now forecast to fall 2.1% in 2026, with average selling prices rising 6.9%, according to Counterpoint. Analysts blame rising memory chip costs driven by AI demand, which is squeezing supply for consumer devices. Budget phones under $200 face the most pressure as manufacturers shift focus and pass on higher costs.
December 17, 2025
Apple iPhone 17 Drives Record 2025 Shipments as IDC Warns of Smartphone Slowdown in 2026
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Apple iPhone 17 Drives Record 2025 Shipments as IDC Warns of Smartphone Slowdown in 2026

Apple is on track to ship over 247 million iPhones in 2025, a record, according to IDC. The iPhone 17 surge has pushed Apple’s share of China’s smartphone market above 20% and reversed earlier declines. IDC now expects global smartphone shipments to grow 1.5% this year, up from 1%, driven mainly by Apple. Rising component costs and shortages threaten the rest of the industry in 2026.
December 4, 2025
Apple Set to Overtake Samsung in 2025 Smartphone Shipments as iPhone 17 Surge Ends 14‑Year Streak
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Apple Set to Overtake Samsung in 2025 Smartphone Shipments as iPhone 17 Surge Ends 14‑Year Streak

Apple is projected to surpass Samsung as the world’s top smartphone maker in 2025, shipping about 243 million iPhones versus Samsung’s 235 million, according to Counterpoint Research. This would mark Apple’s first time leading annual global shipments since 2011. In China, iPhone 17 launch sales jumped 18% year-on-year, driving record October results. Apple captured 26% of Singles’ Day smartphone sales in China.
November 27, 2025
AI Boom Sparks Global Memory Chip Crisis: Samsung Hikes Prices Up to 60% and Smartphones Face a 2026 Price Shock
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AI Boom Sparks Global Memory Chip Crisis: Samsung Hikes Prices Up to 60% and Smartphones Face a 2026 Price Shock

Samsung has raised memory chip prices by up to 60% as demand from AI data centers strains global supply, Reuters reports. Smartphone makers including Xiaomi and OPPO have halted RAM orders after suppliers quoted price hikes of up to 50%. Analysts expect smartphone prices to rise through 2026, with some brands considering lower storage to offset costs.
November 17, 2025
Bitcoin Near $120K, Altcoins Soar as New Crypto Law Sparks Market Frenzy – July 27–28, 2025 Crypto Roundup
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Bitcoin Near $120K, Altcoins Soar as New Crypto Law Sparks Market Frenzy – July 27–28, 2025 Crypto Roundup

President Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act, the first major U.S. federal crypto law, mandating 1:1 dollar or Treasury backing for stablecoins and banning interest on regulated stablecoins. Congress also advanced a Clarity Act to define SEC and CFTC oversight. Bitcoin’s realized market cap topped $1 trillion as prices hovered near $120,000. Hong Kong and Nigeria enacted new stablecoin rules, while the EU’s MiCA framework advanced.
July 28, 2025
Crypto Whales, ETF Hype and Hacks – Late July 2025 News Roundup
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Crypto Whales, ETF Hype and Hacks – Late July 2025 News Roundup

Galaxy Digital moved 80,000 BTC ($9 billion) in an estate sale July 26–27, briefly pushing Bitcoin below $115,000 before it rebounded. US spot ETH ETFs saw $4.6 billion in inflows over two weeks, with BlackRock’s fund reaching $10 billion AUM. XRP spiked to $3.60 after Ripple’s partial SEC win, then dropped 14% after a 50 million XRP transfer to exchanges. WOO X lost $14 million in a hack, pausing withdrawals.
July 27, 2025
Bitcoin Whales Bet Big, Ethereum ETFs Shatter Records – Crypto News Roundup July 25–26, 2025
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Bitcoin Whales Bet Big, Ethereum ETFs Shatter Records – Crypto News Roundup July 25–26, 2025

Sam Bankman-Fried received a 25-year prison sentence in New York for the FTX collapse. An anonymous trader placed a $23.7 million bull call spread on Bitcoin, betting on a year-end price up to $200,000. Bitcoin reached a record $123,000 on July 14 before consolidating near $118,000. BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust surpassed $10 billion in assets.
July 26, 2025
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