New data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York show widening spending divergence in the United States that reinforces a “K‑shaped” recovery. The Fed’s economic heterogeneity indicators, using monthly retail‑goods data from analytics firm Numerator covering 200,000 consumers from January 2023 through December 2025, found inflation‑adjusted retail spending rose about 6% for households with a college degree versus roughly 4% for those without. Higher‑income households (annual income above $125,000) increased spending by about 2.3% since 2023, while middle‑income households rose 1.6% and those under $40,000 rose 0.9%. The report also notes that lower‑income and rural households faced higher inflation in late 2025. College‑educated households continued to boost consumption through 2025 despite a softer white‑collar labor market and job cuts in tech and other sectors. The findings underline that consumption — a primary engine of U.S. growth — is increasingly concentrated among wealthier and more educated Americans, while lower‑income groups lag behind.

Brad Karp, the long-time chairman of US law firm Paul Weiss, resigned his leadership role on Feb. 5, 2026, after emails and other documents released by the US Department of Justice linked him to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The firm said partner Scott Barshay will succeed Karp effective immediately. The released tranche of files showed a series of personal and business communications — including social dinners, Karp asking Epstein to help secure a film job for his son, and Karp’s role in negotiating fee disputes involving client Leon Black. Paul Weiss, which employs more than 1,000 lawyers and reported annual revenues above $2.6 billion in 2024, said Karp regrets the interactions and will continue focusing on client work. The disclosures follow earlier controversy over the firm’s decision to pledge tens of millions in pro bono work tied to a 2023 White House dispute over an executive order, and reporters’ reviews show Karp’s name appearing across millions of pages in the DOJ release. The firm emphasized the departure was to avoid distraction; Karp remains at the firm in a non-chair capacity.

Kennametal Inc. reported stronger-than-expected fiscal second-quarter results on Feb. 4-5, 2026, driven by pricing, volume and restructuring savings. For the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2025 the Pittsburgh-based industrial toolmaker posted sales of $529.5 million, up about 10% year-on-year (10% organic), and adjusted EPS of $0.47 (reported EPS $0.44). Operating income rose to roughly $53 million and adjusted operating income to $56 million; adjusted EBITDA margin improved to 17.1%. Management cited buy-ahead activity tied to rising tungsten prices and stronger end-market demand in mining, infrastructure and aerospace. Working capital rose materially — inventory climbed (reported at about $690 million) and primary working capital increased by roughly $97 million — pushing year-to-date free operating cash flow down to $38 million and pausing share repurchases. Kennametal raised its full-year sales outlook to $2.19–$2.25 billion and adjusted EPS guidance to $2.05–$2.45, and issued Q3 guidance of $545–$565 million sales and $0.50–$0.60 adjusted EPS. The company also declared a $0.20 quarterly dividend.

Reynolds Consumer Products Inc. reported fourth-quarter 2025 results on Feb. 4 that beat top‑line estimates but came with conservative 2026 guidance. Net revenue for Q4 was $1.034 billion versus $1.01 billion consensus; adjusted EBITDA rose to $220 million (up 3% year‑on‑year) and adjusted EPS was $0.59. Full‑year 2025 revenue totaled $3.72 billion with adjusted EBITDA of $667 million and adjusted EPS of $1.64. Management flagged persistent input‑cost pressures from aluminum and tariffs, citing roughly $100 million of higher commodity and tariff costs in 2025. Reynolds set FY2026 guidance of $1.57–$1.63 EPS and revenue of $3.6–$3.8 billion (versus street expectations ~ $1.75 EPS and $3.8B revenue), and Q1 guidance of $0.23–$0.25 EPS. The company said share gains across core categories helped offset volume softness and announced elevated 2026 capex (low‑$200M) to drive productivity and automation. Shares jumped 10–15% intraday on the results and guidance release; the firm also declared a $0.23 quarterly dividend (ex‑dividend Feb. 13, pay Feb. 27).

EZCORP Inc. (NASDAQ: EZPW) reported a strong start to fiscal 2026 after filing results for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2025. Total revenues rose 19% year-on-year to $382.0 million and net income increased 43% to $44.3 million, while diluted EPS was $0.55. Adjusted EBITDA improved to roughly $70–71 million and pawn loans outstanding grew 14% to $314.4 million. The company added 23 stores during the quarter and completed two strategic acquisitions in January 2026: an 87.7% controlling interest in Founders One (adding 105 stores across 12 countries) and a $27.5 million purchase of 12 Texas stores (El Bufalo Pawn). Following these deals EZCORP operates about 1,500 pawn stores across 16 countries. The results and M&A pushed the stock to a 52-week high near $22.14 and attracted analyst target increases and fresh institutional buying. Balance-sheet metrics remain liquid (current ratio ~5.6) with modest leverage (debt-to-equity ~0.5).

Indian consumer goods firm Marico has agreed to acquire a 60% stake in digital-first wellness brand Cosmix Wellness for Rs 225.67 crore (about Rs 2.26 billion), valuing the company at roughly Rs 375 crore, the company said in filings in early February 2026. The deal, to be executed as a secondary buyout from the founders, is expected to close within about 30 days subject to customary conditions. Marico has a right to purchase the remaining stake after the end of fiscal 2029, with the price to be determined then and contingent on milestones and approvals. Cosmix, headquartered in Bengaluru and founded by Vibha Harish and Soorya Jagadish, sells plant‑based protein powders, fermented yeast protein products, functional superfood blends and functional foods such as protein pancake mixes and bars. The brand reported about Rs 100 crore annualised recurring revenue in the last six months and has been profitable with a high‑teen EBITDA margin; reported turnover was around Rs 50.9 crore in FY25. Marico said the acquisition will expand its premium food and nutrition portfolio and accelerate its digital‑first wellness offerings across India.

Queensland Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie was heckled on Feb. 3, 2026, while unveiling a plan to sell surplus state land to fast-track housing supply, officials said. The first parcel is a six-hectare former Energex site at Banyo in north Brisbane, transferred to Economic Development Queensland (EDQ) and expected to deliver about 400 homes in partnership with private developers. The Crisafulli government said other underused government sites will be identified and put to market, and private sector parties may nominate land for activation. There is no requirement for a proportion of social or affordable housing under the policy; ministers argued increasing supply will ease prices. Local residents condemned the proposal, raising concerns about traffic, neighbourhood character and contamination (PFAS and asbestos) — issues the government says have been assessed and remediated. The Property Council backed the move as necessary to boost supply, while the Queensland Council of Social Services and Opposition figures warned the approach favours developers and risks failing low-income renters and buyers without mandated affordability measures.

New York and New Jersey on Feb. 3-4 sued the Trump administration in federal court in Manhattan seeking an emergency order to restore roughly $16 billion in federal funding for the Gateway Hudson River tunnel. State attorneys general said the U.S. Department of Transportation has frozen congressionally approved grants since September while reviewing contracting practices, including claims tied to diversity, equity and inclusion, and that the pause amounts to unlawful political retribution. The Gateway Development Commission filed a related challenge in the Court of Federal Claims earlier in the week. Officials warned construction — started in 2023 — could halt within days, imperiling immediate work and risking thousands of jobs and wider disruption to the Northeast Corridor, whose century-old North River Tunnel carries hundreds of thousands of daily passengers. The states seek a court declaration ordering release of funds so work can continue and remedial work on the existing tunnel can proceed.

Tesla sold 69,129 China-made vehicles in January, a 9.3% increase year-on-year but a 28.9% drop month-on-month, according to China Passenger Car Association data published Feb. 4, 2026. The figures mark Tesla’s third consecutive month of annual growth even as China’s wider electric-vehicle sector cooled sharply: CPCA reported roughly 900,000 EVs sold in January, down about 42% from December. Major domestic players including BYD, Xpeng, Li Auto and Nio posted steep delivery declines after Beijing scaled back tax breaks and revised subsidy rules, while firms cited rising costs and intensifying price competition. Tesla’s Shanghai factory continues to supply domestic buyers and exports to Europe, and the company has rolled out seven-year low-interest financing in China to bolster demand. Tesla is also awaiting regulatory approval for its driver-supervised Full Self-Driving system in China and Europe, which it expects this month, as it looks to lean more on software revenue amid softer hardware sales.

Labor faces mounting pressure as unions and parts of the party press Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to tighten investor tax concessions ahead of the May budget. The Australian Council of Trade Unions on Feb. 5 urged limiting negative gearing to one investment property and cutting the 50% capital gains tax (CGT) discount — proposals Labor previously ran on and lost in 2019. Government sources and reporting on Feb. 4-5 say Treasurer Jim Chalmers has not ruled out CGT reform, with options ranging from a partial cut to 33% or 25%, possibly grandfathered for existing holdings. A Greens-led Senate inquiry is due to report soon. Proponents argue changes could curb speculation, free revenue for other measures and improve intergenerational fairness; critics warn of construction and investor impacts. PropTrack data cited by union backers show steep annual price rises in some cities (Perth ~17.5%, Brisbane ~14.4%, Adelaide ~13.8%), while a 2019 Deloitte analysis warned of potential GDP and construction losses from such reforms. The debate has triggered political pushback from the opposition and raised questions about electoral risk for Labor.

Top Natera Inc. (NASDAQ: NTRA) executives and senior managers disclosed a series of large stock sales on Feb. 2-3, 2026. CEO Steven L. Chapman sold tens of thousands of shares in multiple transactions — MarketBeat reported 85,299 shares for about $19.7 million (Investing.com reported a slightly higher figure) — reducing his direct holdings by roughly 40%. CFO Michael Brophy sold 6,939 shares for about $1.58 million, and Solomon Moshkevich, president of clinical diagnostics, sold about 4,639 shares for roughly $1.07 million; other smaller insider disposals were also filed. Several sales were executed under pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plans and some to cover taxes on vested RSUs. The disclosures coincided with a sharp one-day market move — NTRA shares fell about $22 (near a 9.7% decline) to roughly $205.61 — against a backdrop of strong preliminary fourth-quarter results (nearly 40% revenue growth year-over-year), an FDA premarket approval submission for the Signatera CDx test, completed enrollment in a transplantation study and new AI initiatives. Natera’s market capitalization is roughly $28.4 billion and institutional ownership is high.

Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah inaugurated Bharat Taxi on Feb. 5, 2026, a government‑backed, cooperative-driven ride‑hailing platform operated by Sahkar Taxi Cooperative Ltd. The service, piloted in December 2025 across Delhi‑NCR and Gujarat, is promoted as a zero‑commission, surge‑free alternative to Ola, Uber and Rapido that places drivers — called Sarathis — at the centre of ownership and earnings. Authorities say the platform has registered between roughly 3 lakh and 4 lakh drivers, and earlier trial figures reported average daily rides ranging from about 5,500 to 10,000. Features include driver verification, emergency assistance, integration with Delhi Police, 35 special assistance booths, dedicated support centres, and social security provisions such as health and accident insurance and retirement benefits. The app allows drivers to work on other platforms, includes initiatives to onboard women (Bike Didi) and offers competitive fares — officials say rides could be up to 30% cheaper than private rivals, with a published minimum fare of ₹30 (up to 4 km) and per‑km slabs thereafter. The cooperative may later retain a fee (reported up to 20%) to fund incentives and operations.

Atkore Inc. (NYSE: ATKR) reported fiscal Q1 2026 results on Feb. 3 that topped company outlooks, driven by modest volume gains and productivity improvements. Net sales were $655–656 million, adjusted EBITDA $69 million and adjusted EPS $0.83. Organic volume rose about 2% while average selling prices fell roughly 3%, largely reflecting weakness in PVC conduit. Management said price-cost headwinds were concentrated in the first half of the year and reiterated full-year guidance: adjusted EBITDA $340m–$360m and EPS $5.05–$5.55. The company generated more than $30 million of year-over-year productivity savings, completed a divestiture of its Tectron/TekTube mechanical tube line, and plans to exit three manufacturing facilities in coming quarters. Atkore also released its 2025 sustainability report and announced a quarterly dividend of $0.33. Following the results, analysts updated targets: Roth Capital lifted its target to $77 and Citigroup to $74 on Feb. 4. Shares traded around $70 following the announcements.

Canada’s Financial Consumer Agency (FCAC) has applied a $4-million penalty to the Bank of Montreal after finding the lender charged monthly fees that should have been waived or discounted. The FCAC says 101,091 customers were affected between 2010 and 2024, including newcomers, medical and dental students, Indigenous banking clients and participants in a home financing promotion. BMO issued refunds totalling more than $3 million (reported as $3,027,956.44) and made charitable payments of over $600,000 to cover amounts it could not return. The regulator noted more than 500 customer complaints about monthly fee changes and said the penalty reflects the bank’s negligence in preventing and detecting the error. BMO told media it proactively reimbursed customers and self-reported the issue to the FCAC; the bank paid the $4-million fine in April 2025 and the regulator published details in early February 2026. The ruling centres on disclosure and controls failures around discounted account plans and highlights consumer-protection scrutiny of retail banking practices in Canada.

E.l.f. Beauty reported stronger-than-expected third-quarter fiscal 2026 results on Feb. 4–5, 2026 for the period ended Dec. 31, 2025. Net sales rose 38% year-over-year to $489.5 million, driven by retailer and e-commerce growth across the U.S. and internationally. Adjusted net income was $74.5 million and adjusted diluted EPS beat estimates at $1.24 (consensus ~$0.72). Adjusted EBITDA climbed 79% to $123.0 million. Management said the Rhode acquisition contributed approximately $128 million to Q3 net sales and could add up to $265 million in net sales for the fiscal year. E.l.f. gained 130 basis points of market share and said Rhode’s Sephora U.K. launch set new records; Naturium expansion and a Super Bowl ad were noted as growth levers. The company raised fiscal 2026 net sales guidance to $1.60–1.612 billion and adjusted net income to $180–183 million. Cash stood at $196.8 million while long-term debt rose to $816.7 million; management flagged higher tariff exposure and supply-chain actions as headwinds.

India’s tax authority is moving to implement the Income‑tax Act, 2025 from April 1, 2026, and the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) plans to publish new forms, rules and detailed FAQs for stakeholder consultation within February, CBDT chairman Ravi Agrawal said. The administration is preparing guidance and presentations to ease the transition and has flagged a limited overlapping period when some transactions or filings will still follow the old Income‑tax Act, 1961. Adoption of the new personal tax regime has surged: roughly 86–88% of individual filers (ITR‑1 to ITR‑4) and about 97% of presumptive taxpayers have migrated, while about 60% of reported corporate income is under the new framework. Budget 2026 also introduces structural changes—MAT will be treated as final tax and the rate cut to 14% was proposed; STT on derivatives has been raised; TCS on overseas tour packages and some LRS remittances has been cut; and a string of compliance reforms were clarified in post‑Budget FAQs. Notable changes include an extended updated‑return window up to 48 months and stepped additional tax on late disclosures (rising to 70%, and up to 80% where an updated return follows a reassessment notice). Many offences were decriminalised and several penalties converted to fixed fees to reduce litigation.

Boot Barn Holdings Inc. reported robust third-quarter fiscal 2026 results on Feb. 4, beating expectations and raising full-year targets. Net sales rose 16% year‑over‑year to $705.6 million and diluted EPS was $2.79, topping consensus. Consolidated same‑store sales increased 5.7% (retail +3.7%; e‑commerce +19.6%), while gross profit climbed to $281.2 million and gross margin widened to 39.9% driven by a 110‑basis‑point merchandise‑margin gain and a 240‑basis‑point lift in exclusive‑brand penetration. The company opened a record 25 stores in the quarter, taking the network to 514, and reiterated aggressive new‑store growth plans. Management raised fiscal‑2026 guidance to roughly $2.24–$2.25 billion in sales and $7.25–$7.35 in EPS, and set Q4 EPS guidance at $1.35–$1.45 (revenues $525–$535 million). Near‑term headwinds include a roughly $5 million revenue hit from winter storms and higher inventory (up about 17% to ~$805 million); management flagged a modest Q4 merchandise‑margin normalization. Shares traded higher and institutional buying, including Principal Financial, increased exposure.

ATS Corporation reported fiscal third-quarter results on Feb. 4, 2026 showing broad revenue growth alongside margin headwinds as new CEO Doug Wright led his first earnings call. Revenue rose 16.7% year-on-year to about $761 million, driven by 12.6% organic growth and favourable FX, while order bookings were $821 million and trailing-12-month book-to-bill ended the quarter at roughly 1.06x. Adjusted earnings from operations were $79.9 million and adjusted EPS was $0.48; GAAP net income for the quarter was reported at $30.0 million. Gross margin declined to 29.6% (down ~111 basis points) largely because of program mix and timing. Order backlog stood at roughly $2.05–2.1 billion, with life sciences (quarterly revenue $391 million; backlog ~$1.1 billion) and a record energy backlog (CAD 296 million) highlighted as key growth areas. Management disclosed restructuring costs (about CAD 20 million total expected), a net-debt-to-adjusted-EBITDA ratio near 3x, and plans to embed services into operating units to boost recurring revenue. CFO Ryan McLeod will leave Feb. 15; Anne Cybulski will serve as interim CFO.

Aflac Inc. reported fourth-quarter 2025 results showing mixed operational and financial trends. Adjusted earnings per diluted share rose slightly to $1.57, but adjusted earnings fell 5.4% year-over-year to $818 million; GAAP net earnings were $1.4 billion. Total fourth-quarter revenue was $4.9 billion. The company recorded $537 million of net investment gains in the quarter and said variable investment income ran about $12 million below long‑term expectations. Segment performance diverged: Aflac Japan saw net earned premiums down about 1.9% (¥252.6 billion) with solid persistency and favorable benefit trends, while Aflac U.S. premiums increased ~4% but experienced a higher benefit ratio. Adjusted ROE was 11.7% (14.5% excluding foreign‑currency remeasurement). Shareholders’ equity rose to $29.5 billion. Management reiterated capital deployment through dividends and buybacks; a quarterly dividend of $0.61 per share was announced (payable March 2). The company flagged foreign exchange, lower floating‑rate income and reserve remeasurements as notable drivers. Aflac will present at the UBS Financial Services Conference on Feb. 11 and plans to provide additional investor commentary on strategy and outlook.

Adient PLC reported a solid start to fiscal 2026 on Feb. 4, posting Q1 revenue of about $3.6 billion (up ~4% year‑on‑year) and adjusted EBITDA of $207 million (5.7% margin). On an adjusted basis the company recorded net income of $28 million, or $0.35 per share; GAAP results showed a $22 million loss driven by a one‑time non‑U.S. tax settlement. Management cited temporary disruptions in the quarter (Novelis fire, Nexperia shortage, JLR production) but stronger China volumes and FX tailwinds. Adient raised full‑year guidance to roughly $14.6 billion in revenue, $880 million in adjusted EBITDA and $125 million in free cash flow. Cash on hand was $855 million, free cash flow in Q1 was $15 million, and the company repurchased $25 million of stock. Management highlighted a $500 million onshoring/conquest pipeline (approximately $300 million expected to impact FY2027 and full $500 million by FY2028), continued product launches and ModuTec modular manufacturing plans, while Europe remains challenged by volume pressures and restructuring spend.

Weatherford International reported stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results in filings and an earnings call in early February 2026. Q4 revenue was $1.289 billion, up 5% sequentially, with adjusted EBITDA of $291 million and a 22.6% margin. Fourth-quarter adjusted free cash flow was $222 million; full-year adjusted free cash flow was $466 million. The company posted diluted EPS of $1.91, beating estimates, and returned $173 million to shareholders in 2025 through dividends and buybacks. Management highlighted regional divergence: Latin America led growth (Q4 +16%), Middle East/North Africa/Asia rose ~4%, North America saw modest gains driven by Canada and offshore, while Europe/Sub‑Saharan Africa and Russia declined. Mexico revenue fell sharply in 2025 but management said activity and collections stabilized in H2. Weatherford reduced gross debt by $161 million, trimmed its workforce by around 2,000, upsized its revolving credit facility to $1 billion and reported net leverage near 0.42x. The board approved a 10% dividend increase to $0.275 quarterly. 2026 guidance targets revenue of $4.6–$5.05 billion, adjusted EBITDA of $980 million–$1.12 billion and CapEx of $190–$230 million, with management warning of a softer first half and pickup in the back half of the year.