On February 18, 2026, a coalition of major investors called for Starbucks shareholders to remove directors Jorgen Vig Knudstorp and Beth Ford at the March 25 annual meeting, citing failures in overseeing labor relations. The campaign follows a historic nationwide strike by over 3,800 baristas and heightened tensions with Starbucks Workers United over pay, scheduling, and staffing. Starbucks maintains that its baristas earn an average of $30 per hour including benefits and says labor oversight has been reassigned among existing board committees.

On February 18, 2026, Berkshire Hathaway released its final 13F report of the Warren Buffett era, covering holdings as of December 31, 2025, when he retired as CEO at age 95. The filing shows a new position of more than five million New York Times shares, a larger Chevron stake, and notable reductions in Amazon and a smaller trim in Apple and Bank of America. Core holdings such as Alphabet, American Express, and Coca-Cola were left unchanged as Greg Abel assumes leadership of the $1 trillion conglomerate.

On February 18, 2026, minutes from the Federal Reserve's January FOMC meeting showed broad support for keeping the federal funds rate in the 3.50%–3.75% range, with only a few officials favoring a cut. Policymakers cited persistent inflation, steady economic growth and stabilizing job gains for the pause, while markets now expect a 25 basis point reduction in June.

On February 17, 2026, the FTSE 100 inched higher while sterling retreated after fresh UK labor figures showed unemployment rising and wage growth slowing. Investors viewed the softer pay data as easing inflation pressure and reducing the need for further Bank of England tightening, lifting exporters and globally focused energy, mining, and pharmaceutical shares.

On February 17, 2026, Citi analysts stated that global oil prices could fall if former President Donald Trump successfully brokers new geopolitical peace deals, as a significant risk premium remains embedded in crude markets. They estimate that geopolitical tensions can add $5 to $10 per barrel, and credible ceasefires or settlements could rapidly unwind this premium even before supply changes, while OPEC+ policy, China's demand and US Strategic Petroleum Reserve decisions continue to shape the broader price outlook.

On February 15, 2026, the United States added Alibaba and BYD to a government watchlist, increasing oversight of the two major Chinese companies. The move heightens regulatory and geopolitical risk for investors, may affect future US-related partnerships, and fits into Washington's broader strategy of tightening controls on Chinese technology and advanced manufacturing sectors.

On February 15, 2026, Iran indicated it may accept restrictions on its nuclear program in return for sanctions relief, highlighting a potential shift in its stance toward the United States. Markets are watching whether renewed diplomacy could unlock frozen assets, boost Iranian oil exports and increase volatility in energy and regional assets.

On February 14, 2026, SpaceX was reported to be preparing a 2026 IPO that could use a dual-class share structure, aiming to maintain Elon Musk’s voting influence. Secondary-market trades last year put the firm around $800 billion, and market reports suggest a listing could approach $1.5 trillion as Starlink’s 9,400 satellites and 9 million users bolster growth.

On February 14, 2026, Tesla signaled plans to scale its U.S. solar manufacturing to as much as 100 gigawatts of annual capacity, a level that would surpass current domestic panel output. The initiative would deepen Tesla's shift beyond electric vehicles into energy generation and storage, while raising questions for investors about capital needs, execution risk, and pressure on its core automotive margins.