News 19 February 2026

Technology News 27.02.2026

Technology News 27.02.2026

LIVETechnology news rolling coverageStarted: February 27, 2026, 12:00 AM ESTUpdated: February 27, 2026, 12:24 AM EST Woolworths curbs AI assistant Olive after mother rambling February 27, 2026, 12:24 AM EST. Australian grocer **Woolworths** has moved to rein in its **AI-powered** customer-service assistant, **Olive**, after customers reported it rambling about its mother and engaging in fake banter during calls. Posts on Reddit and X described birthday prompts triggering personal reminiscences about **Olive**'s mother. **Woolworths** said earlier versions included birthday-related scripting created years ago to personalise chats and that the company has now removed that content. The retailer confirmed the **Olive** project
February 27, 2026
Netflix stock dips as Warner bid fight heats up and DOJ questions hang over the deal
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Netflix stock dips as Warner bid fight heats up and DOJ questions hang over the deal

Netflix shares dropped 1.6% to $76.73 Thursday as investors reacted to bidding tensions over Warner Bros. Discovery. Warner’s board rejected Paramount Skydance’s $30-a-share offer but left the door open for a higher bid before the Feb. 23 deadline. Netflix holds matching rights and may raise its $27.75-a-share offer. U.S. regulators are reviewing the deal’s impact on film distribution.
February 19, 2026
JPMorgan stock slips late Thursday as ECB fine adds to bank jitters

JPMorgan stock slips late Thursday as ECB fine adds to bank jitters

JPMorgan shares slipped 0.5% to $307.20 by late Thursday, outperforming a broader drop in U.S. bank stocks. The ECB fined JPMorgan’s European arm 12.18 million euros for capital reporting errors. Investors awaited Friday’s PCE inflation data for signals on Fed rate cuts. Blue Owl halted redemptions at a fund, raising fresh credit concerns.
February 19, 2026
UnitedHealth stock edges up near $290 as Medicare Advantage shakeout returns to spotlight
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UnitedHealth stock edges up near $290 as Medicare Advantage shakeout returns to spotlight

UnitedHealth shares rose 0.5% to $289.57 Thursday, outperforming a weaker U.S. market after new research showed nearly 3 million Medicare Advantage members must switch plans in 2026. The study found rural enrollees face higher disruption rates, with UnitedHealthcare accounting for 14% of forced switches. Investors are watching upcoming Medicare Advantage payment decisions for 2027. UnitedHealth’s Change Healthcare unit remains under scrutiny after a 2024 cyberattack.
February 19, 2026
Why Applied Materials stock is down today: Nvidia tie-up, CFO sale, March investor talks
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Why Applied Materials stock is down today: Nvidia tie-up, CFO sale, March investor talks

Applied Materials shares slipped 0.9% to $366 Thursday after its CFO sold $1.8 million in stock and the company announced a new AI chip-manufacturing collaboration with NVIDIA. Investors are awaiting executive appearances at two March conferences for updates on demand and margins. Chip stocks broadly declined, with NVIDIA down 0.6% and the VanEck Semiconductor ETF off 1.1%.
February 19, 2026
Nebius (NBIS) stock rises after Compass Point starts coverage — $150 target in focus
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Nebius (NBIS) stock rises after Compass Point starts coverage — $150 target in focus

Nebius shares climbed 4.6% to $106.44 Thursday after Compass Point initiated coverage at Buy with a $150 price target. The gain outpaced a drop in the Nasdaq 100. Investors focused on Nebius’s capacity expansion, rising spending, and the pending Tavily acquisition. The company reported Q4 revenue of $227.7 million and ended 2025 with $3.7 billion in cash.
February 19, 2026
Uber stock price edges higher as $100 million robotaxi charging push lands on investors’ screens
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Uber stock price edges higher as $100 million robotaxi charging push lands on investors’ screens

Uber shares rose 0.2% to $72.89 Thursday after the company announced a $100 million investment in autonomous-vehicle charging hubs, starting in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Dallas. Uber also expanded a partnership with Life360 for family travel and struck a deal with Intuit for free TurboTax rides. In Europe, French authorities raided taxi operator G7 after a complaint from Uber.
February 19, 2026
Lithium Americas stock moves on $1.6 billion Thacker Pass plan as lithium price cools — what’s next
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Lithium Americas stock moves on $1.6 billion Thacker Pass plan as lithium price cools — what’s next

Lithium Americas shares rose 0.4% after the company set a $1.3–$1.6 billion 2026 spending plan for its Thacker Pass project in Nevada, targeting late-2027 completion. China’s lithium carbonate futures traded near 145,000 yuan a tonne, down from January highs. Albemarle, SQM, and Rio Tinto shares fell in U.S. trading. Imerys halted its British Lithium project to prioritize development in France.
February 19, 2026
Gasoline futures jump on big U.S. stock draw as traders brace for spring pump-price season
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Gasoline futures jump on big U.S. stock draw as traders brace for spring pump-price season

U.S. gasoline futures rose 1.7% to about $2.00 a gallon Thursday after government data showed a 3.2 million barrel drop in stockpiles, far exceeding forecasts. Crude prices also climbed as traders tracked U.S.-Iran tensions. Refinery utilization hit 91%, the highest in a month. AAA reported the average U.S. pump price at $2.92 a gallon, steady from last week.
February 19, 2026
US economic calendar today: S&P 500 slips as jobless claims fall, Blue Owl shakes private credit
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US economic calendar today: S&P 500 slips as jobless claims fall, Blue Owl shakes private credit

The S&P 500 fell 0.4% in afternoon trading, led lower by financials and chip stocks. Blue Owl Capital’s asset sale and fund freeze triggered a drop in private-equity shares. Weekly jobless claims dropped to 206,000, while the Philly Fed’s factory index stayed positive but showed weaker employment. The U.S. trade deficit widened to $70.3 billion in December, well above forecasts.
February 19, 2026
Oil prices jump to six-month high as Iran tensions flare and U.S. stocks slide
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Oil prices jump to six-month high as Iran tensions flare and U.S. stocks slide

Brent crude rose 1.8% to $71.60 a barrel and U.S. WTI climbed 1.9% to $66.41, both hitting six-month highs Thursday amid renewed U.S.-Iran tensions and a surprise U.S. inventory draw. Iran briefly closed the Strait of Hormuz Tuesday, raising supply concerns. U.S. crude stocks fell by 9 million barrels last week, defying analyst forecasts. President Trump pressed Iran for a nuclear deal as Washington increased its military presence.
February 19, 2026
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