Today: 7 February 2026
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Khadija Saeed

A dedicated markets reporter, she covers stocks, macroeconomics, and major business developments with a sharp eye for detail and accuracy.

Confluent stock hugs IBM’s $31 bid — here’s what investors watch next week

Confluent stock hugs IBM’s $31 bid — here’s what investors watch next week

Confluent shares closed at $30.57 Friday, 43 cents below IBM’s $31-per-share cash offer, ahead of key events next week. The company will report earnings Feb. 11 without a call or outlook, and shareholders vote on the merger Feb. 12. Confluent disclosed 17 demand letters and two lawsuits over proxy disclosures but denies wrongdoing. The IBM deal values Confluent at $11 billion.
7 February 2026
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BitMine Immersion (BMNR) stock whipsaws with ether — what to watch before Monday

BitMine Immersion (BMNR) stock whipsaws with ether — what to watch before Monday

BitMine Immersion Technologies shares rose 16.8% to $20.32 Friday after a 14.3% drop Thursday, tracking sharp swings in ether and bitcoin. Trading volume hit 54 million shares. The company held over 4.2 million ether and 193 bitcoin as of Feb. 1, with nearly 2.9 million ether staked, according to an SEC filing. Crypto price moves over the weekend are expected to drive Monday’s open.
7 February 2026
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Coherent stock whiplash: COHR jumps after earnings drop — what to watch next week

Coherent stock whiplash: COHR jumps after earnings drop — what to watch next week

Coherent Corp shares jumped 8.8% to $227.68 Friday, rebounding after a two-day slide following its quarterly results. The company reported December-quarter revenue of $1.69 billion and non-GAAP earnings of $1.29 a share, with datacenter and communications driving 72% of sales. Barclays, Stifel, and JPMorgan raised price targets to $235–$245. FMR LLC disclosed a 15% stake as of Dec. 31.
7 February 2026
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Palo Alto Networks stock snaps back after sharp slide as NextWave overhaul lands before earnings

Palo Alto Networks stock snaps back after sharp slide as NextWave overhaul lands before earnings

Palo Alto Networks shares closed up 2.9% at $159.32 on Friday, recovering part of Thursday’s 7.2% drop. The company announced a revamped NextWave partner program focused on bundled security platforms. Software stocks rebounded with the broader market after heavy losses earlier in the week. Investors await Palo Alto’s Feb. 17 earnings for signs of demand and margins.
7 February 2026
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MPWR stock jumps to a new high: what to know after Monolithic Power Systems’ upbeat outlook

MPWR stock jumps to a new high: what to know after Monolithic Power Systems’ upbeat outlook

Monolithic Power Systems shares jumped 6.4% to $1,229.82, hitting a 52-week high after reporting Q4 revenue of $751.2 million and raising its dividend to $2.00 per share. The company forecast March-quarter revenue of $770–$790 million and announced CFO Bernie Blegen will retire, with Rob Dean as interim CFO. Needham raised its price target to $1,300.
7 February 2026
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Nebius (NBIS) stock jumps 16% into weekend as AI trade whipsaws; earnings next week in focus

Nebius (NBIS) stock jumps 16% into weekend as AI trade whipsaws; earnings next week in focus

Nebius shares jumped 16.6% to $86.10 on Friday, rebounding from a 10.3% drop Thursday. The company will report fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results before the market opens on Feb. 12. U.S. jobs and inflation data are due next week after a delay from a government shutdown. Recent swings in Nebius stock followed volatility in AI-linked tech names after Alphabet’s spending update.
7 February 2026
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AST SpaceMobile stock bounces late Friday as AT&T plays down Amazon Leo threat and a new 2x short ETF hits tape

AST SpaceMobile stock bounces late Friday as AT&T plays down Amazon Leo threat and a new 2x short ETF hits tape

AST SpaceMobile shares jumped 9.1% to $101.79 Friday after a volatile week, with 15.9 million shares traded. AT&T said it will use Amazon Leo’s satellite network to reach business customers outside its terrestrial footprint but stated this will not affect its partnership with AST. A new 2x short ETF tied to ASTS, ticker ASTN, began trading on Cboe. AST’s next “BlueBird 7” satellite launch is set for late February on Blue Origin’s New Glenn.
7 February 2026
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Stock Market Today

Natural gas price heads into next week under pressure as warm forecasts, rising rigs crowd the trade

7 February 2026
NEW YORK, February 7, 2026, 12:30 PM EST — Market closed. U.S. natural gas futures ended lower on Friday, with traders leaning on warmer weather forecasts and supply signals as the market heads into next week. The March Henry Hub contract settled down 8.7 cents, or about 2.5%, at $3.422 per million British thermal units (mmBtu), a standard measure of gas. (Barchart.com) That matters now because the market is trying to reset after a weather-driven whipsaw that pushed prices sharply higher during last week’s Arctic blast, then back down as forecasts moderated. With February heating demand still in play, every
Oil stocks jump on Iran risk lift for crude — what to watch before Monday

Oil stocks jump on Iran risk lift for crude — what to watch before Monday

7 February 2026
U.S. oil stocks surged Friday as crude prices rose on renewed Middle East tensions. Exxon Mobil gained 2.0%, ConocoPhillips 2.5%, and Occidental Petroleum 2.7%. Refiners rallied after a national union deal eased strike risk, though BP’s Whiting plant faces a local dispute. Brent settled at $68.05 a barrel, up 0.74%.
Silver price rebound masks fresh stress after CME lifts margins again

Silver price rebound masks fresh stress after CME lifts margins again

7 February 2026
Spot silver surged 8.6% to $77.33 an ounce Friday after dropping below $65, but still lost over 8.7% for the week. CME Group raised margin requirements for COMEX silver futures to 18% from 15%, effective after Feb. 6. China’s UBS SDIC Silver Futures Fund hit its 10% down limit for a fifth session. Traders await key U.S. jobs and inflation data next week.
Gold price near $5,000: China keeps buying as CME margin hikes raise the stakes

Gold price near $5,000: China keeps buying as CME margin hikes raise the stakes

7 February 2026
China’s central bank raised gold reserves for a 15th month in January, reaching 74.19 million ounces worth $369.58 billion. Gold prices swung sharply, hitting a record near $5,600 before dropping to $4,403.24. CME Group hiked COMEX gold futures margins to 9% after recent volatility. U.S. jobs and inflation data are due next week after a delay.
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