Copyright ©2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

Shares in Berkshire Hathaway gained 3.3% in after-hours trading, after the Omaha, Neb., company said it sold shares in Bank of America and Apple and added a position in the New York Times. Berkshire disclosed its stockholdings in a regulatory filing Tuesday afternoon.

The group shed 50.8 million shares of Bank of America during the December quarter, Warren Buffett’s last few months as Berkshire chief executive. Berkshire sold 10.3 million shares of Apple, marking the third-straight period it cut its stake in the iPhone maker. It bought 5.1 million shares of the New York Times. Read more:

The company’s workforce grew during the 2025 financial year to more than 165,000 staff around the world

Airbus has reported a record financial performance over the year amid rising demand for commercial aircraft. The aerospace giant has UK bases in Broughton, in North Wales, where it manufacturers wings for planes and in Filton, South Gloucestershire, where it designs wings, landing gear and fuel systems.

The company’s consolidated results show revenues increased six per cent year-on-year to €73.4bn, while adjusted EBIT – a measure of performance – totalled €7.1bn, compared to €5.3bn in 2024. The 2024 figure included charges of €1.3bn following an in-depth technical review of space programmes.

Free cash flow before customer financing stood at €4.5bn, with a consolidated net cash position of €12.2bn – up from €11.8bn at year end in 2024.

A total of 793 commercial aircraft were delivered over the year, comprising 93 A220s, 607 A320 Family, 36 A330s and 57 A350s.

The size of Airbus’s global workforce also rose by five per cent during the period to 165,294.

Guillaume Faury, Airbus chief executive, said: “2025 was a landmark year, characterised by very strong demand for our products and services across all businesses, a record financial performance, and strategic milestones.

“We successfully navigated a complex and dynamic operating environment to deliver on our updated guidance.”

Airbus Helicopters’ revenues increased by 13 per cent to €9.bn, with deliveries rising to 392 units – up from 361 in 2024. Revenues at Airbus Defence and Space increased 11 per cent year-on-year to €13.4bn, driven by higher volumes across all business units, Airbus said.

The company’s order intake by value increased to €123.3bn, from €103.5bn a year before, while its consolidated order book value was marginally down at €619bn at the end of 2025 – compared to €629bn in 2024.

Gross commercial aircraft orders totalled 1,000 – up from 878 aircraft a year earlier – with net orders of 889 aircraft after cancellations. The order backlog amounted to a year-end record of 8,754 commercial aircraft at the end of 2025.

Airbus said the production ramp-up of the A220 was “ongoing” and paced by the integration of Spirit AeroSystems work packages and the balance between supply and demand. It is now targeting a rate of 13 aircraft a month for the A220 programme in 2028.

On the A320 Family, Airbus said US engine maker Pratt & Whitney’s “failure to commit to the number of engines ordered by Airbus” was “negatively impacting” this year’s guidance and the ramp-up trajectory.

The company said as a consequence it now expects to reach a rate of between 70 and 75 aircraft a month by the end of 2027, stabilising at rate 75 after that. It said it continues to target rate five for the A330 programme in 2029 and rate 12 for the A350 programme in 2028.

The company’s board has proposed a full-year dividend of €3.20 per share.

“Global demand for commercial aircraft underpins our ongoing production ramp-up, which we are managing while facing significant Pratt & Whitney engine shortages,” added Mr Faury.

“The broad and competitive portfolios of Defence and Space as well as Helicopters allow us to capture the momentum in defence. We are also making progress to establish a new global industrial space player, together with our partners.

“These 2025 results and the confidence in our future financial performance support the proposed higher dividend payment.”

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office, Thames Valley Police confirmed, in connection with allegations that he shared confidential trade documents with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein while serving as Britain’s special trade envoy more than a decade ago.

The 66-year-old, who resides at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, was taken into custody early Thursday morning — coinciding with his birthday — following a police operation involving searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk. Officers executed warrants at the properties as part of an ongoing investigation, Thames Valley Police said in a statement released shortly after 8 a.m. local time.

“We have today (19/2) arrested a man in his sixties from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office and are carrying out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk,” the force stated, without naming the suspect as per national guidance on arrests. Mountbatten-Windsor remains in custody while inquiries continue, police added.

The arrest stems from a complaint lodged by the anti-monarchy group Republic, which alleged that Mountbatten-Windsor forwarded sensitive trade reports to Epstein around 2010 during his tenure as the United Kingdom’s special representative for international trade and investment. The role, held from 2001 to 2011, involved promoting British business interests abroad.

Thames Valley Police opened a formal investigation in mid-February after assessing the allegations, which surfaced amid renewed scrutiny following recent revelations in unsealed Epstein-related court documents. Those files, released in batches through late 2025 and early 2026, included references to Mountbatten-Windsor’s interactions with Epstein, though no new criminal charges related to sexual misconduct have been filed in this probe.

Mountbatten-Windsor, the younger brother of King Charles III, was stripped of his royal titles and military affiliations in 2022 amid fallout from his association with Epstein and a settled civil lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexual abuse — claims he has always denied. He has not held public royal duties since.

The misconduct in public office charge carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment under British law, though such cases often involve abuse of position for personal gain or improper disclosure of information. Prosecutors would need to prove he knowingly breached official duties in a way that harmed public trust.

Buckingham Palace has not commented on the arrest. A spokesperson for King Charles III declined to address the matter, citing it as a police investigation. The development is likely to intensify scrutiny on the royal family at a time when King Charles continues recovery from cancer treatment announced in 2024.

Public reaction has been swift and polarized, with social media flooded by commentary ranging from calls for accountability to expressions of sympathy. Anti-monarchy campaigners hailed the move as a step toward ending royal impunity, while supporters questioned the timing and evidence.

Thames Valley Police emphasized the investigation remains active and urged anyone with information to come forward. No charges have been filed, and Mountbatten-Windsor has not been formally interviewed beyond the initial arrest process.

The case marks an unprecedented legal action against a former senior royal, highlighting ongoing fallout from the Epstein scandal more than a decade after the financier’s 2019 death in custody. Epstein’s network included high-profile figures across politics, business and entertainment, with Mountbatten-Windsor one of the most prominent British connections.

As the investigation proceeds, authorities are expected to review documents, communications and witness statements related to the alleged disclosures. The outcome could have significant implications for Mountbatten-Windsor’s legal and personal standing.