Payments Infrastructure

World

Pressure Mounts on Lord Mandelson to Resign from House of Lords Amid Deepening Epstein Scandal Fallout

Former UK ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, faces intensifying political and public pressure to relinquish his lifetime seat in the House of Lords following new revelations about his financial and personal ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called for his resignation, as documents suggest payments and close correspondence between the two.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Linq Secures $20M Series A to Power AI Assistants Inside Everyday Messaging Apps

The startup, which pivoted from digital business cards, now provides the API infrastructure enabling AI companies to deploy chatbots directly within iMessage, RCS, and SMS, capitalizing on the shift away from traditional apps.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Oracle Bets Big on AI Cloud Future with $50 Billion Fundraising Drive

Oracle is launching a massive $45-$50 billion capital raise to aggressively expand its cloud infrastructure, fueled by long-term contracts with AI giants like OpenAI, NVIDIA, and Meta. The move underscores the fierce competition in the cloud arms race, even as the company's stock faces recent headwinds.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Beyond the AI Hype: Energy and Utilities Stocks Offer Steady Dividends for 2026 Income

While tech captures headlines, a selection of energy and utility companies present a compelling case for reliable, high-yield dividend income in the coming year, backed by essential infrastructure and evolving demand drivers.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Nvidia's AI Dominance and the $3 Trillion Data Center Boom: Why Analysts See Room to Run

As the AI infrastructure race accelerates, Nvidia's relentless innovation cycle and commanding market position point to sustained growth, with data center spending projected to reach trillions annually by 2030.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Qatar Launches Historic Offshore Decommissioning, Taps McDermott for Landmark Project

QatarEnergy awards McDermott a pivotal contract to plan the removal of 27 aging offshore platforms, marking the nation's first major step in responsibly retiring legacy oil and gas infrastructure.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Oracle Seeks Massive $50 Billion War Chest to Fuel AI Ambitions

The tech giant plans a colossal capital raise through debt and equity to expand its cloud infrastructure, aiming to meet surging demand from major AI players amid growing investor scrutiny over spending.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Norfolk Southern Unveils Major East Coast Rail Corridor, Aiming to Unclog Freight Bottlenecks

Norfolk Southern has inaugurated its new 'East Edge' double-stack corridor, a decades-in-the-making infrastructure project linking Chicago to New England. The move is set to bolster intermodal capacity in the Northeast and could sharpen the railroad's competitive edge and investor appeal.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Jelou Secures $10M to Bring AI-Powered Banking to WhatsApp in U.S. Expansion

Fintech startup Jelou has raised $10 million in Series A funding to scale its AI-driven conversational banking platform, Brain, from Latin America to the U.S., enabling payments, verification, and credit services directly within messaging apps.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Tarabut Bolsters Open Banking Platform with Strategic Acquisition of AI Firm Servable

Bahrain's Tarabut, a regulated open banking platform, acquires AI engineering specialist Servable to embed advanced financial AI capabilities—from risk assessment to fraud detection—directly into its infrastructure for banks and fintechs across the Middle East.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Navigating the Downturn: Three Asset Strategies Gaining Traction Amid Market Volatility

As markets face significant pressure, certain portfolios tied to strategic commodities, resilient tech, and innovative crypto infrastructure are showing notable resilience. Analysts point to long-term thematic bets that are weathering the current storm.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Visa Posts Strong Q1 2026 Results, Fueled by Robust Consumer Spending and Cross-Border Growth

The global payments giant reported a 15% surge in net revenue and processed a record 69.4 billion transactions in its fiscal first quarter, signaling resilient consumer confidence and a rebound from previous quarters.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Profit-Sharing as a Catalyst: How One CEO Turned AI Skepticism into a Productivity Boom

Facing internal resistance to AI adoption, payments company MassPay linked its use directly to a profit-sharing pool. The result, according to CEO Ran Grushkowsky, was not just significant cost savings and eliminated hiring needs, but a notable boost in team morale.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Triumph Financial Beats Q4 Estimates, But Market Skepticism Persists Amid Trucking Headwinds

Despite reporting revenue and earnings that topped Wall Street forecasts, Triumph Financial's stock fell post-earnings. While management pointed to strength in its payments network and cost controls, analysts on the call focused on persistent challenges in the freight sector and the sustainability of margins.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Cross-Chain Protocol CrossCurve Hit by $3 Million Bridge Exploit, Highlighting Persistent Sector Vulnerabilities

CrossCurve's cross-chain bridge was exploited on February 2, leading to an estimated $3 million loss. The incident underscores the recurring security challenges within decentralized finance's bridging infrastructure.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Ondas Holdings' Optimus Drone Secures Coveted DCMA Blue List Status, Paving Way for Accelerated Defense Adoption

Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: ONDS), through its subsidiary American Robotics, has achieved a significant milestone with its Optimus drone system being added to the Defense Contract Management Agency's (DCMA) Blue List. This designation streamlines procurement for U.S. defense and critical infrastructure missions, bolstering the company's position in the competitive autonomous systems market.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Sanmina's Q4: Strong Revenue Meets Margin Pressure as Analysts Probe AI Growth and Integration Challenges

Sanmina posted robust Q4 revenue, fueled by communications and AI infrastructure demand, yet shares fell as investors scrutinized softer margins and the integration of ZT Systems. Analysts on the earnings call zeroed in on the path to profitability and market diversification.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Beyond the Hype: How a Power Giant is Fueling the AI Revolution

As tech giants pour trillions into AI infrastructure, the insatiable demand for electricity is creating a new class of winners. NextEra Energy, America's largest utility, is emerging as a critical, if unexpected, backbone of the artificial intelligence boom through strategic partnerships with Alphabet and Meta.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Energy Transfer Raises Payouts, Commits Billions to Pipeline Expansion in Dual-Pronged Strategy

Energy Transfer LP announced a significant increase to its quarterly distribution alongside a multi-billion dollar capital expenditure plan for new pipeline and infrastructure projects, signaling confidence in its cash flow stability and long-term growth prospects.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

SBA Communications Stock Slump: A Buying Opportunity or a Sign of Deeper Trouble?

Shares of SBA Communications have faced persistent pressure, declining over 5% in the past year. A detailed analysis of its discounted cash flow and P/E ratio suggests the wireless infrastructure REIT may be significantly undervalued, presenting a potential entry point for long-term investors.

Feb 2, 2026