Newswire: Feb 15, 2026 6:30 PM EST

Highlights:

• Oil steady ahead of US-Iran talks — Oil prices were little changed to start the week as traders assessed geopolitical risk before US-Iran negotiations resume on Tuesday. Bloomberg Markets

• Gold pulls back after breaching $5,000/oz — Gold slipped as traders locked in profits following mild US inflation data that had pushed the metal back above the $5,000 mark. Bloomberg Markets

• Asian stocks set to rise on softer US CPI — Asian equities were poised to open higher Monday after US inflation data eased selling pressure and bolstered expectations for Fed rate cuts this year. Bloomberg Markets

• Macquarie-led consortium to acquire Qube Holdings for ~$8.3B — Macquarie Asset Management is leading a group to buy Australian ports and rail operator Qube Holdings in a deal valued at roughly A$11.7 billion. Bloomberg Markets

• Memory chip shortage deepens amid surging AI demand — Tech leaders including Elon Musk and Tim Cook are warning that a global memory-chip crunch is hammering profits and inflating costs across devices and data centers, with the situation expected to worsen. Bloomberg Technology

• OpenAI hires OpenClaw creator Peter Steinberg — OpenAI brought on the developer behind the open-source AI agent program OpenClaw to strengthen its product lineup. Bloomberg Technology

• UK's Starmer targets AI chatbots with online safety rules — Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged to ensure AI chatbots comply with laws designed to protect children from harmful content online. Bloomberg Technology

• Australian bank stocks post best week since 2022 — Better-than-expected earnings updates drove Australian banking shares to their biggest weekly gain in nearly four years. Bloomberg Markets

• Indonesia's Prabowo fires regulators after market rout — President Prabowo ordered the dismissal of financial regulators after warnings about MSCI's concerns reportedly went unheeded, highlighting growing divisions within the government. Bloomberg Markets

• Japanese family battles to retain control of 157-year-old firm — A founding family in Ishikawa prefecture is fighting to keep hold of a drug store chain dating back to 1869, with broader implications for corporate governance in Tokyo's markets. Bloomberg Markets