River Valley Economy

Business

Piper Sandler Lifts Diamondback Energy Target to $218, Citing Permian Basin Strength Amid Volatile Oil Pricing

Analysts at Piper Sandler have increased their price target for Permian Basin-focused producer Diamondback Energy (FANG) to $218, maintaining an Overweight rating. The move comes as the firm anticipates solid Q4 results for gas-focused companies, while oil producers navigate a tougher pricing environment.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Huntington Bancshares Gains Analyst Favor: Price Target Boosted Amid Strong Outlook

Truist Securities raises its price target on Huntington Bancshares (HBAN) following a robust Q4 performance, as the regional bank forecasts record interest income growth and benefits from improving industry tailwinds.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Kimberly-Clark Shares Get a Lift as UBS Analyst Raises Price Target Following Solid Earnings

UBS analyst Peter Grom increased his price target for Kimberly-Clark (KMB) to $110, citing steady core performance despite lingering Kenvue-related uncertainties, after the consumer goods giant reported better-than-expected quarterly profit driven by cost discipline and resilient demand.

Feb 2, 2026

World

UK Fuel Price Transparency Scheme Launches, Forcing Real-Time Updates to Curb 'Rocket and Feather' Pricing

A new mandatory scheme requires all UK fuel stations to report price changes within 30 minutes, with data fed to comparison apps. The government-backed initiative aims to boost competition and save households an estimated £40 annually.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Zegna's Direct-to-Consumer Pivot Fuels Growth, Offsets Wholesale Retreat in 2025

The Ermenegildo Zegna Group reported a 1.1% organic revenue increase to €1.91 billion for 2025, powered by robust DTC performance. While annual sales dipped slightly on a reported basis, a strong fourth-quarter acceleration signals the payoff of its strategic channel shift.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Insiders Bet Big: Three Undervalued Small-Caps Poised for a Turnaround in February 2026

Amid a mixed market landscape, corporate insiders are placing significant bets on select small-cap stocks. We analyze three companies where recent insider buying and strategic moves signal potential value, despite broader economic headwinds.

Feb 2, 2026

Facing Rising Costs? Practical Strategies to Trim Your Monthly Expenses

With the cost of living significantly higher than just a few years ago, Channel 11's Susan Koeppen offers actionable tips to help households reduce recurring bills and ease financial pressure.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Behind Netflix's Stellar Earnings: A Looming Challenge in the Streaming Wars

Despite posting impressive revenue and subscriber growth in 2025, Netflix faces a critical headwind: its share of viewer engagement is growing at a fraction of the overall streaming market's pace, signaling intensified competition for attention.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Iran Detains Four Foreign Nationals Amid Post-Protest Crackdown

Iranian authorities announced the arrest of four foreigners allegedly involved in last month's widespread unrest, seizing homemade explosives in the operation as the government continues to blame external actors for domestic turmoil.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Church & Dwight's Valuation Puzzle: Is the Consumer Staples Giant Overpriced or Undervalued?

A deep dive into the conflicting signals from Church & Dwight's stock valuation. While a discounted cash flow model suggests a significant discount, its premium P/E ratio tells a different story, leaving investors to weigh pricing power against market expectations.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Empire State Realty Trust: A Valuation Puzzle as P/E and Fair Value Tell Conflicting Stories

Shares of Empire State Realty Trust (ESRT) are trading at $6.63, presenting investors with a conundrum: a narrative suggesting undervaluation clashes with a premium price-to-earnings multiple. We examine the divergence and what it means for the iconic property owner.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

UFC Inks Multi-Year Deal with Good Greek, Expanding Year-Round Sponsorship Footprint

TKO Group Holdings' UFC has secured a new, multi-year marketing partnership with Good Greek Moving & Storage. The agreement will feature brand integration across UFC Fight Nights, Dana White's Contender Series, and athlete ambassador campaigns, signaling a continued push to monetize its combat sports audience beyond traditional media rights.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Analyst: Weekend's $250B Crypto Rout Tied to U.S. Liquidity Squeeze, Not Market Breakdown

A sharp $250 billion sell-off across cryptocurrency markets this weekend has been attributed by analysts to a tightening of U.S. dollar liquidity, driven by macro fiscal pressures, rather than a fundamental failure of digital assets.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Bloomberg Strategist Warns of 2008-Style Market Unwind, Sees Bitcoin Plunging to $10,000

A hawkish Fed nominee and geopolitical tensions trigger a broad market sell-off, with one analyst forecasting an 87% collapse in Bitcoin from current levels.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Klöckner Pentaplast Emerges from Chapter 11 with €1.3 Billion Debt Shed, New Owners at Helm

The global packaging giant has successfully completed its court-supervised restructuring, slashing its debt burden by €1.3 billion and securing €349 million in fresh capital to stabilize operations under new ownership led by Redwood Capital Management.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Warsh Nomination Triggers Historic Metals Meltdown, Investors Reassess Fed Outlook

Gold and silver prices plunged to multi-year lows as markets reacted to former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh's nomination, signaling a potential shift toward a more hawkish central bank policy and stronger dollar.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Warsh's Fed Balance Sheet Ambition Faces Daunting Market Realities

Nominee Kevin Warsh's desire to aggressively shrink the Federal Reserve's multi-trillion dollar holdings collides with a financial system now structurally dependent on ample liquidity, making rapid contraction a high-risk endeavor, analysts say.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Beyond the Cloud: Austin's webAI Bets on a Decentralized Future to Challenge Data Center Dominance

With backing from tech giants and a $2.5 billion valuation, Austin-based startup webAI is pioneering a radical shift: moving AI processing from massive, energy-hungry data centers directly to personal devices, promising greater efficiency, privacy, and user control.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Realty Income's 2026 Outlook: International Expansion and Portfolio Diversification Fuel Optimism

Following a strategic partnership with Singapore's GIC, Realty Income (NYSE: O) is poised for a transformative year. Analysts forecast further international growth, portfolio diversification into new property verticals, and a potential rebound in share performance as catalysts align.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

The Hidden Cost of Stability: Three Low-Volatility Stocks That May Hinder Your Portfolio's Growth

While low-volatility stocks offer a haven during market turmoil, their defensive nature can become a liability in bull markets, potentially causing investors to miss out on significant gains. We examine three such stocks and the risks they currently pose.

Feb 2, 2026