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Mark My Words podcast February 6 2026

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Mark My Words podcast February 6 2026

Sam Jones, Sean Cowan and Claire Tyrrell discuss rates; Bronwyn Barnes; Laurence Escalante; defence sites for sale; and major property news of the week.

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Exclusive-Bangladesh PM front-runner rejects unity government offer, says his party set to win

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Exclusive-Bangladesh PM front-runner rejects unity government offer, says his party set to win


Exclusive-Bangladesh PM front-runner rejects unity government offer, says his party set to win

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Stellantis Stock Drops 25% After Earnings. There Goes the Dividend.

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Stellantis Stock Drops 25% After Earnings. There Goes the Dividend.

Stellantis Stock Drops 25% After Earnings. There Goes the Dividend.

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Automaker is stronger together amid $26 billion reset

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Automaker is stronger together amid $26 billion reset

Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa speaks during an event in Turin, Italy, Nov. 25, 2025.

Daniele Mascolo | Reuters

DETROIT — Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa on Friday said the automaker plans to move forward as one company amid speculation that it would be better off selling brands or splitting up after disappointing results.

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“Stellantis is a very strong global company that is very proud to have very deep regional groups,” Filosa, an Italian native, told reporters during a media call. “It makes all of sense to stay together. We want to stay together for many years to come.”

His comments come hours after the company announced 22 billion euros ($26 billion) in charges from a business restructuring that includes pulling back on electrification plans and reintroducing V8 engines to U.S. models. 

Filosa described the actions as an “important strategic reset of our business model, with the only intention to put our customer preferences back at the center of what we do globally and in each regions.” He said the “mission is to grow” after notable declines in market share in recent years.

Stellantis’ stock plunged more than 20% in Milan and New York markets.

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Filosa on Friday did not specifically rule out the possibility of regionally refocusing or shrinking the company’s vast portfolio of 14 auto brands that includes U.S. brands Jeep, Ram and Chrysler, as well as Italian nameplates Fiat and Alfa Romeo, which have not performed well domestically.

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Stellantis-listed shared in Milan and New York

“We want to really manage our brands in the sense to provide to them the products and the technology that our customers, that are now at the center of our strategic reset, will tell us that they want and they need,” he said. “This is our core mission.”

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Filosa said additional information about the company’s plans moving forward will come at a May 21 investor day.

Friday’s announcement comes days after Stellantis executives met with the company’s U.S. franchised dealers at their annual National Automobile Dealers Association conference with a message that the automaker planned to grow sales across its U.S. lineup of brands, according to two dealers who attended the meeting.

$26 billion in charges

The majority of Friday’s announced charges — 14.7 billion euros — are related to realigning product plans with consumer preferences and new emission regulations in the U.S.

Other charges include 2.1 billion euros in resizing the company’s EV supply chain, 4.1 billion euros in warranty costs and 1.3 billion euros in restructuring European operations.

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The automaker also canceled its dividend for 2026 and issued a 5 billion euro nonconvertible hybrid bond.

2026 Jeep Grand Wagoneer

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The charges related to EVs follow General Motors and Ford Motor announcing billions of dollars in similar expenses due to pullbacks in plans for all-electric vehicles.

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Shares of Ford and GM were not as impacted as much as Stellantis, which also issued lower-than-expected guidance amid years of strategic problems with the company.

Stellantis said it anticipates a net loss for 2025. For 2026, the auto giant is targeting a mid-single-digit percentage increase in net revenue and a low-single-digit rise in its adjusted operating income margin.

“While charges were expected, the amount comes in above F ($19.5B) and GM ($7.6B). Expect shares to trade meaningfully lower today as a result. We continue to believe STLAM is a show-me-story. In the US, the company has lost substantial market share given high pricing and a perceived lack of product investment,” RBC Capital Markets analyst Tom Narayan said in a Friday investor note.

Past mistakes

Filosa on Friday called out mistakes by former company leaders more than he has since he succeeded Carlos Tavares as CEO in June.

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Tavares, who was ousted in December 2024 amid disagreements with the Stellantis board, in a book last year reportedly said that the group’s French, Italian and U.S. operations might have to be split amid pressure from its main stakeholders.

It’s been just over five years since Stellantis was created through a $52 billion combination of Italian American automaker Fiat Chrysler and France-based Groupe PSA on Jan. 16, 2021.

Stellantis takes €22B hit amid overhaul – shares dive

The merger formed the fourth-largest automaker by volume, but the company has run into significant problems in recent years amid its investments in all-electric vehicles, focus on profits over market share and cost-cutting efforts to the detriment of products.

Stellantis’ global sales under Tavares fell 12.3% from 6.5 million in 2021 — the year the company was formed — to 5.7 million in 2024. That included a roughly 27% collapse in the U.S. in that period to 1.3 million vehicles sold. The automaker dropped from fourth in U.S. sales to sixth, declining from an 11.6% market share to 8% during that time frame.

Stellantis’ global market share has fallen from 8.1% in 2020 to an estimated 6.1% last year, according to S&P Global Mobility.  

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Correction: Global market share for Stellantis has fallen from 8.1% in 2020 to an estimated 6.1% last year, according to S&P Global Mobility. An earlier version mischaracterized the percentage.

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Fractal Analytics raises Rs 1,249 crore from anchor investors ahead of IPO; Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs among key backers

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Fractal Analytics raises Rs 1,249 crore from anchor investors ahead of IPO; Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs among key backers
Fractal Analytics on Friday said it has raised Rs 1,249 crore from anchor investors ahead of its proposed initial public offering (IPO), after allotting 1,38,69,499 equity shares to 52 anchor investors at the upper end of the price band of Rs 900 per share.

The IPO will open for public subscription on Monday, February 9, and close on Wednesday, February 11. The price band has been fixed at Rs 857 to Rs 900 per equity share of face value Rs 1 each, with a minimum bid lot of 16 equity shares.

Out of the total anchor allocation, 52,77,680 equity shares (38.05%) were allotted to 11 domestic mutual funds through a total of 22 schemes, indicating strong participation from domestic institutions.

The anchor book witnessed demand from several leading mutual funds including SBI Mutual Fund, ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund, Motilal Oswal Mutual Fund, UTI Mutual Fund, Trust Mutual Fund, Bandhan Mutual Fund, Invesco Mutual Fund, Baroda BNP Paribas Mutual Fund, and Sundaram Mutual Fund, among others.

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Insurance companies that participated in the anchor round included Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), HDFC Life Insurance, SBI Life Insurance, Bharti AXA Life Insurance, and Edelweiss Life Insurance.


The issue also drew strong interest from global investors, including marquee long-only and institutional names such as Morgan Stanley Investment Funds and Goldman Sachs Bank Europe, along with Ashoka WhiteOak Emerging Markets Funds, Jupiter Global Fund, Societe Generale – ODI, Flumen Investment Trust, Optimix Wholesale Global Emerging Markets Share Trust, Neo Prime Fund, and Neo Secondaries Fund, among others.
Fractal Analytics describes itself as India’s first pure-play artificial intelligence company and a global provider of AI-powered analytics and decision science solutions to Fortune 500 companies, enabling enterprises to unlock business value through advanced data science, artificial intelligence and deep domain expertise.The IPO comprises a fresh issue of equity shares aggregating up to Rs 1,023 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) aggregating up to Rs 1,810 crore. The OFS is being undertaken by existing shareholders including Quinag Bidco Ltd, TPG Fett Holdings Pte., Satya Kumari Remala, Rao Venkateswara Remala, and GLM Family Trust. The issue also includes an employee reservation portion of up to Rs 600 million.

Kotak Mahindra Capital Company, Morgan Stanley India Company, Axis Capital, and Goldman Sachs (India) Securities are the book running lead managers to the offer.

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SEC Chairman Paul Atkins halts trading in China-linked ramp-and-dump stocks

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SEC Chairman Paul Atkins halts trading in China-linked ramp-and-dump stocks

The Securities and Exchange Commission has announced enforcement actions against stocks it suspects are involved in “pump-and-dump” or “ramp-and-dump” schemes tied to foreign-based companies, including entities with operations in China. SEC Chairman Paul Atkins said the agency is intensifying its crackdown on these manipulative practices to protect U.S. investors.

In September 2025, the SEC announced the formation of a Cross-Border Task Force within its Division of Enforcement to investigate potential violations of U.S. securities laws by foreign-based companies, including market manipulation. Atkins said the agency began investigating one such case as recently as last week.

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Atkins said the SEC has seen a rise in so-called “ramping-and-dumping” schemes, in which prices are artificially inflated before insiders sell their shares at elevated levels. These manipulative practices can leave retail investors with significant losses.

KEVIN O’LEARY WARNS CANADA OVER CHINA TIES AS TRUMP THREATENS 100% TARIFF ON NORTHERN NEIGHBOR

Paul Atkins speaks ahead of a Bloomberg Television interview

Paul Atkins, chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), prior to a Bloomberg Television interview in Washington, DC, US, on July 18, 2025 (Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“Especially it’s some East Asia, China-related, companies where they’re small, kind of penny stocks on Nasdaq,” said Atkins Friday on “Mornings with Maria.”  

Atkins pointed to a recent investigation involving a New York Stock Exchange-listed company, where trading was halted after the firm failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for a sudden spike in its stock price.

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TRUMP TO BEGIN STOCKPILING CRITICAL MINERALS WITH $12 BILLION IN SEED MONEY

He said the company informed regulators that it had no material news or information that would explain the unusual rise in its stock price.

SEC Chair Paul Atkins speaks at New York Stock Exchange

Paul Atkins, chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, speaks at the New York Stock Exchange in New York on Dec. 2, 2025. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“So we halted that. New York Stock Exchange is investigating it. So hopefully, you know, we’ll get to the bottom of that,” he added. 

PALANTIR EXECUTIVE PREDICTS AI BECOMING ‘MASSIVELY MERITOCRATIC FORCE’ IN WORKPLACE

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The SEC’s Cross-Border Task Force announced it would focus on “investigating potential U.S. federal securities law violations related to foreign-based companies,” including market manipulation schemes like pump-and-dump and ramp-and-dump. It also will scrutinize gatekeepers such as auditors and underwriters that assist these companies in accessing U.S. capital markets.

SEC Chair Paul Atkins wears

Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Paul Atkins wears a hat reading “Make IPOs Great Again” on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York City on Dec. 2, 2025. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images)

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“We welcome companies from around the world seeking access to the U.S. capital markets,” said Atkins during the task force announcement. 

“But we will not tolerate bad actors – whether companies, intermediaries, gatekeepers or exploitative traders – that attempt to use international borders to frustrate and avoid U.S. investor protections,” he continued. 

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Washington Trust Bancorp’s Surge Doesn’t Justify An Upgrade (NASDAQ:WASH)

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Washington Trust Bancorp's Surge Doesn't Justify An Upgrade (NASDAQ:WASH)

This article was written by

Daniel is an avid and active professional investor.
He runs Crude Value Insights, a value-oriented newsletter aimed at analyzing the cash flows and assessing the value of companies in the oil and gas space. His primary focus is on finding businesses that are trading at a significant discount to their intrinsic value by employing a combination of Benjamin Graham’s investment philosophy and a contrarian approach to the market and the securities therein. Learn more.

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

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Why the Epstein files have become a serious political risk for Labour

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Why the Epstein files have become a serious political risk for Labour

Political judgement matters to markets as much as it does to voters. As fresh revelations from the Epstein files trigger police interest and intensify scrutiny of Peter Mandelson’s role in public office, the controversy is fast becoming a wider test of Labour’s credibility in government.

In this exclusive commentary for Business Matters, former Downing Street strategist Alastair Campbell reflects on how a story once seen as historical embarrassment has evolved into a live political risk,  and why the consequences for Keir Starmer’s leadership could be profound.

Fresh revelations linking Peter Mandelson to Jeffrey Epstein have escalated rapidly from a troubling disclosure into a full-blown political crisis for the Labour government, raising urgent questions about judgement, accountability and leadership at the top of British politics.

In the days since the latest tranche of Epstein files was published, two issues have come to dominate the debate in the UK: whether Mandelson could face criminal investigation for misconduct in public office, and whether Keir Starmer can weather the political fallout from appointing him as Britain’s ambassador to the United States, despite his known association with the convicted paedophile.

The intensity with which those questions are now being asked underlines how precarious the situation has become for Labour. What might once have been dismissed as historical embarrassment has morphed into a live test of political judgement and ethical standards at the heart of government.

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For many observers, the shock lies not only in the scale of Epstein’s abuse, and the casual disregard shown towards his victims, but in the tone of some of the correspondence now in the public domain. The suggestion that Mandelson was providing Epstein with commentary on sensitive political developments during the fraught period surrounding the 2010 general election, alongside allegations of sharing potentially market-sensitive material and receiving money, has been particularly damaging.

These revelations sit uneasily with Labour’s attempts to project integrity and seriousness after years of Conservative scandal. They also reopen long-standing concerns about Mandelson’s judgement, concerns that were well known during his earlier Cabinet career, but which now carry far heavier consequences given the role he was asked to play on the world stage.

The political danger for Starmer is compounded by the perception that this controversy was avoidable. Mandelson’s friendship with Epstein was already on the record when the ambassadorial appointment was made. Critics argue that failing to anticipate how further disclosures might land reflects a broader pattern of miscalculation that has frustrated Labour MPs and unsettled supporters.

At the same time, there is a striking contrast between the scrutiny now facing the UK government and the relative lack of accountability for many prominent American figures named in the Epstein files. That imbalance has fuelled a sense of injustice and disbelief, particularly among Labour supporters who fear their party is paying a disproportionate political price.

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The timing could hardly be worse. With elections looming and opinion polls offering little comfort, the government is grappling with a restless parliamentary party and a Downing Street operation that many MPs privately describe as error-prone and overly defensive. The Epstein-Mandelson affair has become a focal point for wider discontent about direction, competence and political instincts.

For Labour veterans, the disappointment is acute. After a landslide victory that promised stability and renewal, the government now finds itself firefighting a crisis that cuts to the core of trust in public life. External pressures – from a harsher media environment to geopolitical instability, undoubtedly make governing harder than in previous eras. But they do not explain why unforced errors continue to accumulate.

The deeper question is whether this moment marks a turning point or a slow-burning erosion of authority. Can the government regain control of the narrative, reassert clear ethical standards and restore confidence among its own ranks? Or does the Epstein affair expose structural weaknesses in Labour’s leadership and decision-making that will continue to surface?

As police inquiries progress and political pressure mounts, one thing is clear: this story will not fade quickly. It will shape how voters, investors and international partners assess the judgement and resilience of the current government. And for a party that returned to power promising higher standards, the stakes could hardly be higher.

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Alastair Campbell

Alastair Campbell

Alastair Campbell is a writer, broadcaster and political strategist, best known as former Director of Communications and Strategy for UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. He is the co-host of the hit podcast The Rest Is Politics with Rory Stewart, one of the UK’s most-listened-to political podcasts. Watch or listen to The Rest Is Politics, wherever you get your podcasts.

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Earnings call transcript: Philip Morris Q4 2025 meets EPS forecast, revenue slightly exceeds

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Earnings call transcript: Philip Morris Q4 2025 meets EPS forecast, revenue slightly exceeds

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Amazon stock price target lowered to $260 by Piper Sandler on capex concerns

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Amazon stock price target lowered to $260 by Piper Sandler on capex concerns

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10 Must-Know Facts About America’s Comeback Queen

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Alysa Liu

Alysa Liu stands as one of figure skating’s most remarkable stories — a prodigy turned retiree turned world champion. Here are 10 essential facts about the 20-year-old American sensation eyeing Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic gold.

Alysa Liu
Alysa Liu

1. Youngest U.S. women’s champion ever — at just 13

Liu shattered records at the 2019 U.S. Championships in Detroit, becoming the youngest women’s senior national champion in history at age 13 years, 8 months. She placed second in the short program before dominating the free skate, landing three triple Axels — the first U.S. woman to do so at nationals. The feat broke Tara Lipinski’s previous age record and marked her as a generational talent.

2. Back-to-back U.S. titles at 14 — first since Ashley Wagner

In 2020, Liu defended her title in Greensboro, becoming the first American woman to win consecutive senior nationals since Ashley Wagner (2012-13). She set a national scoring record of 235.52 points and became the first U.S. woman to land a quad Lutz at championships. At 14, Liu also joined Mirai Nagasu as the first to sweep junior and senior titles back-to-back.

3. First woman EVER to land quad Lutz + triple Axel in one program

During her 2019 junior Grand Prix USA win in Lake Placid, Liu made history as the first female skater worldwide to complete both a quadruple Lutz and triple Axel in the same program. She also notched the first ratified quad Lutz by an American woman and the first triple Axel-triple toe in a senior short program. These technical milestones redefined women’s jumping standards.

4. Shocking retirement at 16 after Worlds bronze

After earning bronze at the 2022 World Championships in Montpellier — the first U.S. women’s Worlds medal since Ashley Wagner’s 2016 silver — Liu stunned the sport by retiring at age 16 in April 2022. “I honestly never thought I’d accomplish as much as I did,” she said, enrolling at UCLA in fall 2023. The decision followed Beijing 2022’s sixth-place Olympic finish and Worlds success.

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5. Epic comeback: World gold in 2025, first for U.S. woman in 19 years

Liu returned for the 2024-25 season and dominated, winning the 2025 World Championships in Boston — the first U.S. women’s world title since Kimmie Meissner in 2006. Her comeback path included second at U.S. Nationals, Grand Prix Final gold (2025-26), and four Challenger Series titles. She called it “improbable,” inspired by a skiing trip friend’s encouragement.​

6. Olympic debut: 6th place in Beijing 2022

Liu’s senior international debut came at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, where she placed sixth — best among U.S. women — despite jumping challenges. The result qualified her for Worlds bronze weeks later, launching her senior medal haul.

7. Junior phenom: JGP Final silver, world junior bronze

As a junior, Liu won two straight JGP events (Lake Placid, Poland), took silver at the 2019-20 JGP Final behind Kamila Valieva, and bronze at 2020 Worlds Junior Championships. She led the 2021-22 ISU Challenger Series standings by nearly 40 points over Anastasia Gubanova.

8. Technical pioneer: Redefined women’s jumping

Liu pioneered jumps now standard: first American woman with quad Lutz (2019 Aurora Games), first with triple Axel-double toe at U.S. Nationals short program, and youngest with clean triple Axel internationally (2018 Asian Open, age 12). Her free skate records include highest TES (83.94, 2019 JGP Poland) and PCS (72.27, 2025 Worlds Team Trophy).

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9. Life off ice: UCLA student, Everest Base Camp climber

During retirement, Liu climbed Mount Everest Base Camp (17,598 ft), pursued photography, and started at UCLA. She returned selectively choosing costumes, music and programs, embracing creative control post-hiatus. Liu credits the break for maturity fueling her world title.​

10. Milano Cortina 2026 gold favorite

Now 20, Liu enters the 2026 Winter Olympics as America’s top medal hope, blending senior experience with prodigy technique. Her 2025-26 Grand Prix Final win, three GP medals and world gold position her for podium contention in Milano Cortina. CBS’s 60 Minutes profiled her “improbable comeback” ahead of the Games.

Career Highlights Achievement Year(s)
U.S. Champion 2x 2019, 2020 ​
World Champion 1x 2025
World Bronze 1x 2022 ​
GP Final Champion 1x 2025-26
Olympics 6th 2022 ​
JGP Wins 2x 2019

From 13-year-old phenom to world champion comeback queen, Alysa Liu’s journey captivates — technical wizardry, resilience and maturity positioning her for Olympic immortality.

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