News 2 February 2026

Molecular Partners Stock Pops Into Holiday Pause as Traders Eye Cancer-Drug Data
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Molecular Partners Stock Pops Into Holiday Pause as Traders Eye Cancer-Drug Data

Molecular Partners shares closed at CHF 3.15 on Friday, up 9.38%, ahead of a market pause for Whit Monday and Memorial Day. The company will present first-in-human data for its lead Radio-DARPin candidate MP0712 at a Basel meeting on May 29. Q1 filings showed no revenue, R&D costs of CHF 9.45 million, and a net loss of CHF 13.14 million. Cash reserves stood at CHF 79 million at March-end.
May 25, 2026
Musk says Starlink clampdown is working as Ukraine rolls out whitelist to block Russian drones
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Musk says Starlink clampdown is working as Ukraine rolls out whitelist to block Russian drones

Ukraine will require Starlink terminals to be verified and will disable unregistered devices after reports that Russian forces used the system on attack drones. SpaceX says recent steps to block unauthorized Russian use are working. Kyiv and SpaceX are implementing a whitelist to restrict access. Ukrainian officials say Russian drones with Starlink are harder to jam and shoot down.
February 2, 2026
Notepad++ hit by months-long update hijack blamed on China-linked hackers — what users need to know
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Notepad++ hit by months-long update hijack blamed on China-linked hackers — what users need to know

Notepad++ said Monday its update process was hijacked in 2025, letting attackers push malicious downloads to select users. Researchers linked the campaign to Chinese state-backed hackers. The breach stemmed from shared hosting, not the source code. The vulnerability was fixed in November, with new update verification measures now in place.
February 2, 2026
India Budget 2026 gives Apple a 5-year tax shield for iPhone factory gear in India
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India Budget 2026 gives Apple a 5-year tax shield for iPhone factory gear in India

India will grant a five-year income tax exemption to foreign firms supplying manufacturing equipment to contract manufacturers in bonded zones, starting April 2026. The move addresses a key concern raised by Apple as it expands iPhone production in India. The exemption applies only to export manufacturing; phones sold domestically from these zones will still face import duties. Apple has not commented.
February 2, 2026
Bank of England eyes card-free checkout option as it launches payments consultation
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Bank of England eyes card-free checkout option as it launches payments consultation

The Bank of England will launch a public consultation on new payment methods, aiming to let shoppers pay retailers directly from their bank accounts instead of using cards. Officials say “account-to-account” payments could reduce costs for merchants. The move comes as cash use drops below 10% of payments in the UK, with cards accounting for 64%. Plans also connect to possible digital currencies, including a digital pound.
February 2, 2026
Snowflake’s $200 million OpenAI deal plugs GPT-5.2 into Cortex AI as enterprise agents move closer to data
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Snowflake’s $200 million OpenAI deal plugs GPT-5.2 into Cortex AI as enterprise agents move closer to data

Snowflake signed a $200 million multi-year deal with OpenAI to integrate OpenAI models into its data cloud products, including Cortex AI. Early users include Canva and WHOOP. The partnership gives Snowflake direct access to OpenAI’s models without relying on Microsoft Azure. Snowflake said the agreement will support multimodal data work and enhanced AI agents for enterprise customers.
February 2, 2026
Novo Nordisk’s CagriSema tops Wegovy in new diabetes trial — 14.2% weight loss at top dose
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Novo Nordisk’s CagriSema tops Wegovy in new diabetes trial — 14.2% weight loss at top dose

Novo Nordisk said its experimental CagriSema injection led to 14.2% weight loss over 68 weeks in adults with type 2 diabetes, outperforming Wegovy’s 10.2%. HbA1c fell by 1.91 percentage points with CagriSema, compared to 1.76 with semaglutide alone. The company plans to seek regulatory approval for CagriSema in type 2 diabetes. Most side effects were gastrointestinal and mild to moderate.
February 2, 2026
Viral Moltbook Leak: Wiz Finds Exposed Messages and Credentials
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Viral Moltbook Leak: Wiz Finds Exposed Messages and Credentials

Cybersecurity firm Wiz disclosed a major Moltbook vulnerability that exposed private bot messages, 1.5 million API keys, and 35,000 email addresses. The flaw, blamed on rapid “vibe coding” practices, allowed outsiders to hijack agents and post as them. Moltbook patched the issue after notification. The platform, launched last week, had attracted over 1.5 million AI agents by Monday.
February 2, 2026
Methane spotted on interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as new studies pin down its size
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Methane spotted on interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as new studies pin down its size

Scientists have directly detected methane in interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, using data from the James Webb and Hubble telescopes collected in December. The comet’s nucleus is estimated at 2.6 km wide, larger than expected. Both findings are detailed in new arXiv preprints as the comet dims and leaves the inner solar system. Only three interstellar objects have been confirmed in the solar system to date.
February 2, 2026
Oracle stock slides as investors digest plan to raise up to $50 billion for AI cloud buildout
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Oracle stock slides as investors digest plan to raise up to $50 billion for AI cloud buildout

Oracle shares fell about 4% in U.S. premarket trading Monday after the company announced plans to raise $45 billion to $50 billion by 2026 for cloud infrastructure expansion. The funding mix includes a $20 billion share-sale program, equity-linked securities, and a bond offering. Investors remain cautious over Oracle’s rising debt and dependence on unprofitable clients like OpenAI.
February 2, 2026
India’s budget lure: tax holiday till 2047 for foreign cloud firms using local data centres
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India’s budget lure: tax holiday till 2047 for foreign cloud firms using local data centres

India will exempt foreign cloud service providers from income tax on overseas sales from India-based data centers until 2047, the government announced Monday. Sales to Indian customers must go through local resellers, and related-party data center services face a fixed 15% profit margin. Officials say $70 billion in data center investments are underway, with another $90 billion announced.
February 2, 2026
Singapore forms National Space Agency of Singapore (NSAS) to chase the $1.8 trillion space economy forecast for 2035
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Singapore forms National Space Agency of Singapore (NSAS) to chase the $1.8 trillion space economy forecast for 2035

Singapore will launch its National Space Agency (NSAS) on April 1, 2026, under the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The agency will oversee national space capabilities, draft space laws, and manage operations, taking over from the Office for Space Technology & Industry. Singapore currently hosts about 70 space companies and co-owns three Earth observation satellites with ST Engineering.
February 2, 2026
Capgemini puts Capgemini Government Solutions up for sale after ICE row as shares rise
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Capgemini puts Capgemini Government Solutions up for sale after ICE row as shares rise

Capgemini shares rose up to 2% Monday after the company announced plans to sell its U.S. subsidiary, Capgemini Government Solutions, following criticism over a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The unit’s December 2025 deal with ICE involved data-driven “skip tracing.” French lawmakers and unions demanded more transparency and broader action. Capgemini said legal limits on oversight prompted the sale.
February 2, 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
NASA’s Artemis II Countdown Hits Critical Stage With Key Fueling Rehearsal Set for Monday
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NASA’s Artemis II Countdown Hits Critical Stage With Key Fueling Rehearsal Set for Monday

NASA began a full countdown and fueling rehearsal for Artemis II at Kennedy Space Center on Monday, loading super-cold propellants into the moon rocket despite freezing temperatures. The test, required before setting a crewed launch date, simulates a launch day without ignition. Any issues could push the first crewed Artemis mission past its February 8–11 window. Four astronauts are slated to fly around the Moon.
February 2, 2026
Japan pulls rare earth mud from 6,000-metre deep seabed as China export curbs bite
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Japan pulls rare earth mud from 6,000-metre deep seabed as China export curbs bite

A Japanese mission has retrieved rare-earth-rich seabed mud from nearly 6,000 meters deep near Minamitori Island, marking a global first, officials said. The drill ship Chikyu will return to Shimizu port on Feb. 15 for analysis. The operation comes as China tightens export controls, prompting Japanese firms like TDK to seek alternative supply sources. Japan plans full-scale mining trials in 2027 if tests are successful.
February 2, 2026
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Stock Market Today

  • How Much Is Needed in a SIPP to Achieve £3,333 Monthly Passive Income
    May 25, 2026, 11:10 AM EDT. A Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) offers upfront tax relief on contributions, aiding wealth accumulation for retirement. To target a monthly passive income of £3,333 (£39,996 annually), the required SIPP pot depends on investment yield: approximately £999,900 at 4%, £799,920 at 5%, or £666,600 at 6% yield. Combining a SIPP with a Stocks and Shares ISA can help manage tax liabilities, as ISAs provide tax-free growth and withdrawals. Around 25 FTSE 100 stocks yield 4% or more, with some exceeding 6%. Housebuilder Persimmon Plc offers a 5.5% yield but faces sector risks from rising mortgage rates and inflation. Investors should seek professional advice and consider individual circumstances before investing.