Newswire: Feb 16, 2026 9:38 AM EST

Highlights:

• Pentagon reportedly nearing split with Anthropic — The Defense Department is close to severing ties with the AI company and may designate it a supply chain risk due to frustration over usage restrictions on its technology. Bloomberg Technology

• Euro-area finance chiefs push to expand the single currency's global role — The effort comes as President Trump's policies roil markets and the US dollar weakens. Bloomberg Markets

• France urges caution on bolstering the euro internationally — Paris is calling for an assessment of the economic risks before Europe moves to strengthen the euro's global standing. Bloomberg Markets

• Elon Musk's X platform hit by widespread service disruption — Thousands of users reported access issues on Monday, according to Downdetector. Bloomberg Technology

• US banks face new mortgage capital requirements under Basel III plan — The Federal Reserve is moving closer to unveiling a long-awaited bank capital proposal that would introduce new mortgage-loan requirements for US lenders. Bloomberg Markets

• Aberdeen says €7.8B InPost buyout bid undervalues the company — Aberdeen Group will vote against the consortium's offer, arguing it fails to reflect the Polish parcel locker operator's intrinsic value or long-term growth trajectory. Bloomberg Technology

• Banks prep ~€4B debt sale to finance Carlyle's BASF coatings acquisition — Lenders are preparing to syndicate roughly €4 billion ($4.7B) in buyout financing for Carlyle's purchase of BASF's coatings unit. Bloomberg Markets

• European coal futures extend rally after strike on Russian port — Prices climbed for a fourth session following a drone attack on a Black Sea port handling sizable Russian coal exports, compounded by tighter supply from Indonesia. Bloomberg Markets

• World Bank slashes commercial funding for Kenya's housing program — The institution cut by nearly two-thirds the amount it planned to help Kenya mobilize from commercial lenders for housing and land reform. Bloomberg Markets

• Austria backs standard timetable for next ECB president appointment — Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer said he supports sticking with the normal process for selecting the next ECB chief. Bloomberg Markets