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.

PetroChina A-share stock heads into Monday: oil near $70, OPEC+ decision, and a Dalian refinery restart report

PetroChina A-share stock heads into Monday: oil near $70, OPEC+ decision, and a Dalian refinery restart report

PetroChina’s Class A shares closed at 11.02 yuan in Shanghai Friday, up 1.2% after reaching a 52-week high of 11.15 yuan. Crude prices hovered near six-month peaks as OPEC+ kept March output steady, citing Iran tensions. PetroChina’s parent plans to restart a 200,000 bpd Dalian refinery unit by mid-2026 to process discounted Russian crude, pending regulatory approval.
1 February 2026
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Verizon’s near-12% leap puts communication services stocks in focus ahead of Disney, Alphabet results

Verizon’s near-12% leap puts communication services stocks in focus ahead of Disney, Alphabet results

Verizon surged 11.8% after raising its 2026 profit outlook and announcing a $25 billion buyback. XLC closed at $120.08, up 0.24%, as telecom gains offset losses in internet platforms. AT&T and T-Mobile also rose sharply. The S&P 500 fell 0.43% Friday amid investor focus on Fed leadership and mixed tech earnings.
1 February 2026
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Basic Materials Stocks Slide After Metal Selloff — What to Know Before Monday’s Open

Basic Materials Stocks Slide After Metal Selloff — What to Know Before Monday’s Open

The iShares U.S. Basic Materials ETF fell 3.3% to $170.29 Friday, closing the week below its 52-week high after a sharp metals selloff. U.S.-listed gold and silver miners led declines as China’s manufacturing PMI dropped to 49.3, missing forecasts. Freeport-McMoRan slid 7.5%, while Air Products and Chemicals jumped 6.5% on earnings. Investors await U.S. and China economic data for direction.
1 February 2026
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Energy stocks brace for Monday after OPEC+ holds March output, Exxon and Chevron headlines

Energy stocks brace for Monday after OPEC+ holds March output, Exxon and Chevron headlines

OPEC+ kept March oil output unchanged Sunday, sending crude prices to multi-month highs as U.S.-Iran tensions mount. The Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF rose 1.1% Friday to $51.05, lifted by higher oil prices and strong earnings from Exxon and Chevron. Exxon posted adjusted Q4 earnings of $1.71 per share; Chevron reported $1.52, both beating forecasts. Brent crude closed at $70.69 a barrel, WTI at $65.21.
1 February 2026
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Utilities stocks face a big rate test next week after XLU slips — what to watch

Utilities stocks face a big rate test next week after XLU slips — what to watch

The Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU) closed Friday down 0.18% at $43.25, while the Utilities Select Sector Index slipped 0.21%. Investors are watching President Trump’s Fed chair pick and upcoming U.S. jobs data as interest rates regain influence. A new reliability warning highlighted concerns over grid investment after storms left 38 dead and nearly 300,000 without power.
1 February 2026
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Tech stocks brace for Alphabet, Amazon earnings as Nasdaq slip puts AI spending in focus

Tech stocks brace for Alphabet, Amazon earnings as Nasdaq slip puts AI spending in focus

The Nasdaq Composite fell 0.94% Friday to 23,461.82 as tech stocks stumbled ahead of key earnings from Alphabet, Amazon, AMD, and Qualcomm this week. Microsoft dropped 0.7% after a steep cloud revenue miss; Apple rose 0.4% on strong guidance. Investors are watching AI spending and the impact of Kevin Warsh’s Fed nomination as wholesale inflation jumped 0.5% last month.
1 February 2026
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Visa and AmEx wobble, Warsh looms: what financial services stocks face into Monday

Visa and AmEx wobble, Warsh looms: what financial services stocks face into Monday

U.S. financial services stocks slipped Friday, with the XLF ETF down 0.2% and Visa dropping 3%. Investors reacted to Donald Trump’s nomination of Kevin Warsh as Fed chair and awaited key jobs data. Yields on 10-year Treasuries rose to 4.251%. Visa and American Express both reported higher revenues but saw shares fall on operating expense concerns and a slight profit miss.
1 February 2026
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Healthcare stocks hold up as defensive bid lingers; Pfizer, Merck earnings set the tone

Healthcare stocks hold up as defensive bid lingers; Pfizer, Merck earnings set the tone

The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) rose 0.6% to $154.74 Friday, while the S&P 500 fell 0.43%. Healthcare and consumer staples were the only S&P sectors in positive territory as investors shifted to defensive stocks. Major managed-care shares lagged after a minimal proposed Medicare Advantage rate hike. Pfizer, Merck, and Eli Lilly report earnings next week.
1 February 2026
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EV stocks face Monday test: BYD sales slump hits demand mood, Tesla pops on Musk deal talk

EV stocks face Monday test: BYD sales slump hits demand mood, Tesla pops on Musk deal talk

BYD reported January sales fell 30.1% year-over-year to 210,051 units, marking a fifth straight monthly drop. Tesla shares rose 3.3% Friday to $430.41 after reports of possible mergers involving Elon Musk’s companies. Rivian and Lucid declined, while U.S.-listed Chinese EV stocks also fell. NIO’s January deliveries nearly doubled to 27,182 vehicles.
1 February 2026
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Stock Market Today

Stellantis stock slides 24% after €22 billion EV reset kills 2026 dividend — what to watch next

Stellantis stock slides 24% after €22 billion EV reset kills 2026 dividend — what to watch next

7 February 2026
Stellantis shares plunged 23.7% to $7.28 Friday after the company disclosed about €22.2 billion in charges tied to a reset of its electric-vehicle strategy and said it will skip its 2026 dividend. The automaker flagged a preliminary net loss of €19–21 billion for the second half of 2025. Shares rose 1.6% in late after-hours trading. Investors await Feb. 26 results and a May 21 Investor Day.
Intel stock jumps on China server CPU delays as traders map the week ahead

Intel stock jumps on China server CPU delays as traders map the week ahead

7 February 2026
Intel shares rose 4.87% to $50.59 Friday, trailing gains by Nvidia and Broadcom as chip stocks rallied. Sources said Intel and AMD warned Chinese customers of longer waits and higher prices for some server CPUs, with Intel lead times reaching six months. Intel said China accounts for over 20% of its revenue. Investors await key U.S. jobs and inflation data next week.
IRS tax refund delays? Watchdog flags staffing crunch as 2026 filing season ramps up

IRS tax refund delays? Watchdog flags staffing crunch as 2026 filing season ramps up

7 February 2026
IRS staffing has dropped to 2021 levels as the 2026 tax filing season begins, according to a Treasury watchdog. The agency faces a backlog of about 2 million returns, 129% above pre-pandemic levels. Most e-filers using direct deposit still get refunds within 21 days, but paper filings and amended returns could see delays. The IRS lowered its call-answer target to 70% for this season.
Plug Power stock jumps 12% after vote setback, with Feb 17 share decision in focus

Plug Power stock jumps 12% after vote setback, with Feb 17 share decision in focus

7 February 2026
Plug Power shares rose 11.6% Friday to $2.08 after a sharp drop the previous day, as attention shifted to a Feb. 17 shareholder vote on expanding authorized shares. The company failed to secure enough votes earlier this week and is urging overseas holders to participate. CEO Andy Marsh cited difficulties for European investors in casting ballots. A reverse stock split remains possible if the proposal fails.
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