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.

PepsiCo stock price jumps again as PEP backs Doritos price cuts with a $10 billion buyback

PepsiCo stock price jumps again as PEP backs Doritos price cuts with a $10 billion buyback

PepsiCo shares rose 2.5% to $166.85 by midday Wednesday after announcing up to 15% price cuts on U.S. snacks like Lay’s and Doritos. The company beat fourth-quarter forecasts with $29.34 billion in revenue and $2.26 core EPS, despite a 2% volume drop. PepsiCo reaffirmed 2026 growth targets and unveiled a new $10 billion buyback. CEO Ramon Laguarta cited affordability concerns and shifts in eating habits.
4 February 2026
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Merck stock price rises today as MRK rallies on Keytruda strength despite soft 2026 outlook

Merck stock price rises today as MRK rallies on Keytruda strength despite soft 2026 outlook

Merck shares rose 2.8% to $119.11 by midday Wednesday after the company beat Q4 expectations, but projected 2026 revenue of $65.5–$67.0 billion, below analyst forecasts. Keytruda sales climbed 7% while Gardasil dropped 34% on weak China demand. The company cited a $2.5 billion hit from generic drugs and U.S. pricing pressure. Investors remain focused on Merck’s ability to offset declines in older products.
4 February 2026
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Lam Research stock tumbles nearly 9% as chip gear sells off; COO change set for March

Lam Research stock tumbles nearly 9% as chip gear sells off; COO change set for March

Lam Research shares fell 8.6% to $210.33 by midday Wednesday, erasing earlier gains as semiconductor stocks slumped. The drop followed a sector-wide tech selloff and a sharp decline in AMD shares after a cautious forecast. Lam announced COO Patrick J. Lord will retire March 6, with Sesha Varadarajan set to succeed him. Cadence CEO Anirudh Devgan joined Lam’s board, expanding it by one member.
4 February 2026
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GE Vernova (GEV) stock tumbles 7% as bond sale settles, even with a fresh Baird upgrade

GE Vernova (GEV) stock tumbles 7% as bond sale settles, even with a fresh Baird upgrade

GE Vernova shares fell 6.6% to $729.05 by midday Wednesday after a streak of record highs, following news of a $2.6 billion bond sale to fund its $5.3 billion Prolec GE acquisition. The stock swung between $728 and $797. Baird upgraded the stock, while Xcel Energy and GE Vernova announced a major turbine and wind project alliance. The company’s wind segment reported a $598 million EBITDA loss for 2025.
4 February 2026
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UnitedHealth stock price slides 3% as Optum pricing study and FTC pressure keep UNH in focus

UnitedHealth stock price slides 3% as Optum pricing study and FTC pressure keep UNH in focus

UnitedHealth shares fell about 3% Wednesday, closing at $275.58, after a Cornell study linked Optum’s surgery-center acquisitions to an 11% price hike in commercial claims. Investors are watching for Medicare Advantage rate decisions in April amid ongoing regulatory scrutiny of UnitedHealth’s Optum and other managed-care firms.
4 February 2026
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Robinhood stock price slides again as bitcoin slump and crypto bill stalemate rattle HOOD traders

Robinhood stock price slides again as bitcoin slump and crypto bill stalemate rattle HOOD traders

Robinhood shares fell 8.3% to $79.84 Wednesday as bitcoin slid nearly 4% and crypto-linked stocks dropped amid stalled stablecoin legislation in Washington. Bitcoin liquidations reached $2.56 billion in recent days, CoinGlass reported. Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest bought $32.7 million in Robinhood shares after the decline. Investors await Robinhood’s Feb. 10 results for trading and asset data.
4 February 2026
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S&P Global (SPGI) stock price drops again: Mobility Global spin-off plan and AI fears in focus

S&P Global (SPGI) stock price drops again: Mobility Global spin-off plan and AI fears in focus

S&P Global shares fell 2.7% to $455.41 by midday Wednesday, extending a 10% drop from the previous session after the company detailed its Mobility unit spin-off and rebrand. Investors cited concerns over AI competition and sector-wide selling following Anthropic’s new plug-ins. S&P Global reports earnings Feb. 10. MSCI and Moody’s also declined.
4 February 2026
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Why Mastercard stock (MA) is slipping today: Asia fleet-payments launch meets a choppy tape

Why Mastercard stock (MA) is slipping today: Asia fleet-payments launch meets a choppy tape

Mastercard shares slipped 0.3% to $549.26 by midday, holding up better than the Nasdaq 100, which fell nearly 1.9%. The company launched a new fleet-payments suite in Asia Pacific and introduced a co-branded card with Shopee in Vietnam. Visa shares dropped 0.6%, while American Express rose 1.3%. Investors watched spending data as U.S. stocks traded mixed ahead of major tech earnings.
4 February 2026
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AppLovin stock tumbles 14% as AI disruption jitters hit ad tech ahead of Feb 11 earnings

AppLovin stock tumbles 14% as AI disruption jitters hit ad tech ahead of Feb 11 earnings

AppLovin shares fell 13.7% to $398.51 Wednesday amid a broad sell-off in software and ad-tech stocks after Anthropic launched new AI plug-ins. The stock swung between $464.17 and $384.24 during the session. The S&P 500 software and services index has dropped nearly 13% over five sessions. AppLovin will report Q4 and full-year 2025 earnings on Feb. 11.
4 February 2026
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IBM stock price slides again as AI disruption fears hit software, IT services

IBM stock price slides again as AI disruption fears hit software, IT services

IBM shares fell $9.19, or 3.1%, to $285.12 Wednesday amid heightened concerns over AI competition and a weak outlook from Gartner. The selloff followed Anthropic’s launch of new AI tools and a sharp drop in Gartner’s consulting revenue. Investors are watching IBM’s upcoming earnings and February dividend record date. U.S. equities also declined Tuesday as tech sector worries spread.
4 February 2026
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Teradyne stock slides after AI-driven outlook rally — what traders watch next

Teradyne stock slides after AI-driven outlook rally — what traders watch next

Teradyne shares fell about 4% to $271.69 by midday Wednesday, pulling back after a surge on strong quarterly results and an upbeat Q1 forecast. The company reported Q4 revenue of $1.083 billion and projected Q1 revenue between $1.15 billion and $1.25 billion. CEO Greg Smith cited AI-driven demand as a key growth factor. Teradyne will present at SEMICON Korea on Feb. 11 and the Chiplet Summit on Feb. 17.
4 February 2026
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Stock Market Today

Unilever share price holds at 5,250p as results week looms — what investors watch next

Unilever share price holds at 5,250p as results week looms — what investors watch next

7 February 2026
London, Feb 7, 2026, 08:26 GMT — Market closed. Unilever PLC shares ended Friday unchanged at 5,250 pence, after moving between 5,210p and 5,298p, leaving the stock up about 6% over the past week. With London markets shut for the weekend, traders now look to Monday’s open with Unilever’s results due in the days ahead. (Hargreaves Lansdown) The stock’s pause came as the FTSE 100 closed 0.6% higher on Friday, helped by heavyweight banks and after the Bank of England signalled rates could fall if inflation’s drop is sustained. For a defensive name like Unilever, the next catalyst is less
BP share price near 52-week high ahead of Feb 10 earnings as buyback runs on

BP share price near 52-week high ahead of Feb 10 earnings as buyback runs on

7 February 2026
BP shares closed up 1.9% at 478 pence Friday, just below a 52-week high, as the company continued buybacks ahead of next week’s results. BP repurchased 2.789 million shares on February 6. Oil prices firmed on geopolitical risk, with Brent at $68.05 a barrel, but sector outlook remains uncertain. Investors await BP’s earnings and dividend decision due Tuesday.
SSE share price near 2,510p as BoE rate-cut bets return; UK GDP and SSE updates ahead

SSE share price near 2,510p as BoE rate-cut bets return; UK GDP and SSE updates ahead

7 February 2026
SSE shares closed Friday at 2,510p, up 1.2%, with about 6.6 million shares traded. The company’s transmission arm secured over £6.9 million in Ofgem innovation funding for four projects. Investors adjusted UK rate-cut bets after a split Bank of England decision. SSE maintained 2025/26 earnings guidance and reported a 7% rise in renewables output.
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