Asia-Pacific Market

Business

Mastercard Caps Off 'Very Strong' 2025, Eyes Growth in Services and New Tech for 2026

Mastercard reported robust Q4 and full-year 2025 results, driven by double-digit revenue growth and surging value-added services. Executives expressed confidence for 2026, highlighting strategic wins, investments in digital assets like stablecoins, and a focus on 'agentic commerce,' even as they plan a restructuring affecting 4% of staff.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Lazard Posts Record Advisory Revenue in 2025, Citing Strategic Gains and Asset Management Turnaround

Lazard Ltd. reported strong fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results, driven by record financial advisory fees and a rebound in assets under management. Executives framed the performance as validation of the firm's long-term 'Lazard 2030' strategy, highlighting talent investments and a robust pipeline for future growth.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Brookdale Senior Living Stock Surges to 8-Year Peak After Analyst Upgrade, Strong Outlook

Shares of Brookdale Senior Living (BKD) rallied sharply, reaching their highest level since 2016, fueled by a significant price target increase from RBC Capital and optimistic preliminary earnings guidance for 2025.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Meta Stock Surges Over 10% as Analysts Boost Price Target, Citing AI Leadership

Shares of Meta Platforms soared Thursday, fueled by a significant price target upgrade from BofA Securities. The rally comes despite the company reporting a slight dip in full-year profit, as investors focus on strong revenue growth and the company's positioning in the artificial intelligence race.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Norwegian Cruise Line Stock Surges 10% as Industry Optimism Rises

Shares of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) soared over 10% Thursday, buoyed by robust industry-wide demand and positive spillover from a rival's record earnings, signaling a potential turnaround for the cruise sector.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

South Korea Proposes Sweeping Crypto Overshaul, Aiming to Align Digital Asset Rules with Traditional Banking

South Korean regulators are forming a task force to propose stricter anti-money laundering rules for cryptocurrency transactions by 2026, potentially removing minimum thresholds for identity disclosure to mirror traditional finance oversight.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Blackstone Explores Sale of Interplex's ICT Unit in Potential $1 Billion-Plus Deal

Blackstone Inc. is weighing a sale of Interplex's information and communications technology business, with early-stage talks suggesting a valuation exceeding $1 billion, sources familiar with the matter said.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Allegro MicroSystems Soars to Two-Year High on Strong Quarterly Turnaround and Upbeat Guidance

Allegro MicroSystems, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALGM) surged nearly 10% to a two-year peak after reporting a profitable third quarter and raising its sales forecast, fueled by robust demand in automotive and industrial sectors.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Carnival Corp Shares Surge 8.6% on Strong Industry Tailwinds and Corporate Restructuring Plan

Carnival Corporation & PLC saw its stock price climb sharply Thursday, buoyed by robust earnings from rival Royal Caribbean and the company's own announcement of a planned corporate unification and dividend payment.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Tesla's Q4 Results Spark Investor Dilemma: Short-Term Pain Versus AI-Driven Future

Tesla shares face pressure following mixed quarterly results, as surging software subscriptions and ambitious Robotaxi plans clash with declining automotive revenue and soaring capital expenditures.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Beyond the Headlines: Three Middle Eastern Small-Caps Defying Geopolitical Turbulence

As regional tensions weigh on major Gulf indices, a closer look reveals resilient investment opportunities among smaller, financially sound companies. From energy giants to niche manufacturers, these picks highlight value where many fear to tread.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Musk's Empire Consolidation: SpaceX Eyes Mergers with Tesla or xAI Ahead of Anticipated IPO

Elon Musk is reportedly exploring a major consolidation of his business empire, with SpaceX considering mergers either with electric vehicle giant Tesla or his artificial intelligence startup xAI, as the space company prepares for a landmark public offering.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

LendingClub Shares Plunge 16% as Accounting Change Overshadows Strong Earnings

LendingClub Corp. (LC) shares tumbled sharply this week, extending losses for a third consecutive session after the company announced a shift to fair value accounting. The move, aimed at aligning revenue with credit costs, spooked investors despite the fintech firm reporting a 164% surge in annual net income.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Expedia Announces Workforce Reduction Amid AI-Driven Restructuring

Expedia Group has filed a WARN notice confirming 162 job cuts at its Seattle headquarters and among remote staff, marking the latest in a series of layoffs as the company accelerates its AI transformation amid intensifying industry competition.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

SAP Shares Hit 52-Week Low as AI Disruption Fears Rattle Software Sector

SAP SE's stock plunged to a yearly low following a cautious sector outlook from JPMorgan, which highlighted AI's potential to disrupt traditional SaaS business models, despite the company reporting robust annual earnings.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Vizsla Silver Shares Plunge 14.9% Following Abduction of 10 Employees in Mexico

Vizsla Silver Corp. (VZLA) shares tumbled sharply Thursday after reports that 10 of its employees were abducted from company housing in Mexico, forcing a temporary halt to operations and rattling investor confidence amid broader weakness in silver prices.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Las Vegas Sands Shares Plunge 14% on Macau Weakness, Casting Shadow Over Recovery Hopes

A disappointing full-year EBITDA performance from its crucial Macau operations triggered a sharp sell-off in Las Vegas Sands stock, underscoring the lingering challenges facing the gaming giant in the wake of China's regulatory crackdown.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Meta's $135 Billion AI Bet Signals Accelerating Arms Race, With CoreWeave Poised to Capitalize

Meta Platforms' staggering capital expenditure forecast for 2026, heavily weighted toward AI infrastructure, underscores the intensifying tech investment cycle. Specialized cloud provider CoreWeave emerges as a likely key beneficiary, its fortunes tied to the hyperscaler spending spree.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Applied Optoelectronics Shares Tumble 12.5% as Investors Cash In on Eight-Year High

Shares of Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) retreated sharply Thursday, shedding 12.5% as a wave of profit-taking followed the stock's surge to its highest level in nearly eight years. The pullback comes despite analyst optimism around the company's role in powering AI data centers.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Hycroft Mining Shares Tumble Over 11% as Precious Metals Retreat from Peaks

Hycroft Mining Holding Corp. (HYMC) fell sharply for a second consecutive session, mirroring a pullback in gold and silver prices after their record-breaking rallies. The decline highlights the stock's sensitivity to commodity price swings despite recent positive operational updates.

Jan 30, 2026