News 17 February 2026

UK stock market today: FTSE 100 closes higher as rate-cut bets build after UK jobs data
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UK stock market today: FTSE 100 closes higher as rate-cut bets build after UK jobs data

London’s FTSE 100 closed up 0.71% at 10,548.38 on Tuesday as investors bet on a March Bank of England rate cut after UK unemployment rose to 5.2% and wage growth slowed. Sterling fell 0.71% against the dollar. Copper dropped 3.92%, gold lost 2.81%. InterContinental Hotels Group announced a $950 million buyback and a 10% dividend hike despite weaker U.S. results.
February 17, 2026
Western Digital (WDC) share price steadies as “sold out for 2026” hard-drive talk spreads — what’s next
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Western Digital (WDC) share price steadies as “sold out for 2026” hard-drive talk spreads — what’s next

Western Digital shares rose 0.1% to $281.97 in late-morning New York trading after swinging between $272.69 and $288.13. CEO Irving Tan said the company is “pretty much sold out for calendar 2026” with firm orders from its top seven customers. Seagate and Sandisk shares fell about 2%. Western Digital expects fiscal Q3 revenue of $3.2 billion and non-GAAP EPS of $2.30.
February 17, 2026
Lumentum stock jumps nearly 5% as Mizuho lifts target to $645 in AI optics trade
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Lumentum stock jumps nearly 5% as Mizuho lifts target to $645 in AI optics trade

Lumentum Holdings shares jumped 4.8% to $590 Tuesday after Mizuho raised its price target, following strong quarterly results and guidance. The company reported $665.5 million in revenue and expects $780–$830 million next quarter, with a backlog over $400 million. Peers traded mixed. Lumentum will update investors at the Optical Fiber Communication Conference on March 17.
February 17, 2026
Eli Lilly stock price ticks up as India export-hub push and pipeline news grab attention
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Eli Lilly stock price ticks up as India export-hub push and pipeline news grab attention

Eli Lilly shares climbed 0.9% to $1,049.45 Tuesday after the company said it aims to make India a global supply-chain hub. Lilly plans to export drugs made in India and invest $1 billion in contract manufacturing. The company also reported a late-stage trial win for its lung cancer drug Retevmo. Investors await more details at a CFO appearance on March 2.
February 17, 2026
UnitedHealth stock price slips as CEO investment report renews scrutiny
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UnitedHealth stock price slips as CEO investment report renews scrutiny

UnitedHealth shares fell 0.8% to $290.89 by late morning after a Wall Street Journal report flagged CEO Stephen Hemsley’s private investments in healthcare startups, raising conflict-of-interest questions. The company said Hemsley’s holdings are in a trust managed by independent trustees. Medicare Advantage rate deadlines and slower enrollment growth also weighed on the stock. Managed-care peers mostly traded higher.
February 17, 2026
Exxon stock slides in Tuesday trade as oil dips on U.S.-Iran talks; Australia fine adds wrinkle
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Exxon stock slides in Tuesday trade as oil dips on U.S.-Iran talks; Australia fine adds wrinkle

Exxon Mobil shares fell 1.5% to $146.27 Tuesday, tracking declines across U.S. oil majors as crude prices slipped. Brent crude dropped 1.4% to $67.71 a barrel after Iran signaled progress in nuclear talks with the U.S. An Australian court fined Mobil Oil Australia A$16 million for misleading fuel claims. Exxon will appear at the Morgan Stanley Energy & Power Conference on March 3.
February 17, 2026
Netflix stock slips as Warner Bros opens a brief window for Paramount to top its deal
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Netflix stock slips as Warner Bros opens a brief window for Paramount to top its deal

Netflix shares fell about 1% to $76.11 Tuesday as Warner Bros Discovery set a March 20 shareholder vote on its planned merger with Netflix and received a short waiver to negotiate with rival bidder Paramount. Paramount’s $30-a-share offer tops Netflix’s $27.75 bid. Netflix said the deal is fully financed and under antitrust review. Investors await possible new bids and the outcome of the March vote.
February 17, 2026
Walmart stock slips as Evercore flags guidance risk ahead of Feb. 19 earnings
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Walmart stock slips as Evercore flags guidance risk ahead of Feb. 19 earnings

Walmart shares fell 2.6% to $130.34 Tuesday, underperforming retail peers after Evercore ISI warned of a possible cautious full-year outlook ahead of Thursday’s earnings report. The stock, up 20% this year, faces high expectations as investors await signals on consumer spending and margins. Costco, Target, and Kroger also slipped, while Amazon rose 0.8% in late morning trading.
February 17, 2026
Oracle stock price slips as tech selloff bites; ORCL investors weigh Qatar cloud deal, lawsuit
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Oracle stock price slips as tech selloff bites; ORCL investors weigh Qatar cloud deal, lawsuit

Oracle shares fell 2.6% to $156 in late morning trading Tuesday, underperforming a flat market. The drop followed news of a new cloud and AI partnership with Qatar’s Ooredoo and a fresh securities class action lawsuit filed against the company. Investors are watching for Friday’s U.S. inflation data and remain wary of Oracle’s rising capital spending.
February 17, 2026
Visa stock price rises as Wall Street upgrade meets fresh Olympics data and UK rival plans
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Visa stock price rises as Wall Street upgrade meets fresh Olympics data and UK rival plans

Visa shares rose 1.3% to $318.02 Tuesday after Freedom Capital upgraded the stock to “Buy” and raised its price target to $375. The company reported a 60% jump in overseas cardholder visits and a 40% rise in contactless transactions during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics opening weekend. UK banks plan talks on a national payments alternative to Visa and Mastercard this week.
February 17, 2026
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