France stocks higher at close of trade; CAC 40 up 0.67%

Investing.com -- JPMorgan downgraded Best Buy to Neutral from Overweight, saying any boost from tax-related stimulus is likely to be temporary, with limited upside beyond the near term.

Brokerage has price target of $76. JPM expects a near-term pickup in demand tied to tax stimulus, but said unique factors in 2026 could keep the stock range bound.

These include benefits from the launch of Nintendo’s Switch 2 in the second quarter and demand tied to the expiration of Windows 10 support in October, which JPM said may pull sales forward rather than support sustained growth.

The bank also flagged risks in computing, which makes up more than 35% of Best Buy’s sales. JPM said abnormal memory market conditions, with prices expected to double, are likely to weigh on computing demand. While computing has been one of Best Buy’s more consistent categories, JPM sees pressure ahead as higher component costs dampen replacement demand.

JPM lowered its fourth-quarter outlook, now modeling comparable sales down 3%, compared with the Street’s expectation for modest growth. The bank said sales did not rebound as expected in December, citing ongoing consumer uncertainty, concerns around tariffs and the labor market, and possible pullforward of demand into earlier quarters. JPM also pointed to continued weakness in TVs, which account for more than 20% of sales, and muted trends in appliances, about 11% of the mix, amid a slow housing market.

For the quarter, JPM is modeling gross margin of 21.0%, operating margin of 4.9% and earnings of $2.40 a share, below consensus expectations for earnings.

Looking beyond the near term, JPM said tougher comparisons in categories that have held up better, combined with limited support from housing, reduce confidence in a sustained recovery. While heavy short interest and tax stimulus could drive a short-term rally, the bank said it expects selling pressure to emerge at higher levels, limiting upside.

Investing.com -- ESAB Corp (NYSE:ESAB) stock tumbled 8% on Monday after the industrial compounder announced plans to acquire Eddyfi Technologies, a provider of advanced inspection and monitoring technologies, for $1.45 billion.

The acquisition, which is expected to close in mid-2026, will be funded through a combination of cash, debt, and $318 million in committed equity. ESAB said Eddyfi is projected to generate approximately $270 million in revenue and $80 million in adjusted EBITDA by 2026, or $100 million including expected synergies.

"This acquisition is a pivotal step that strengthens ESAB and sets the course for our next phase of growth," said Shyam P. Kambeyanda, President and CEO of ESAB Corporation. "With the addition of Eddyfi, ESAB becomes the unrivaled provider of a full workflow solution spanning fabrication, inspection and monitoring."

The company noted that the acquisition expands its total addressable market by approximately $5 billion and increases its exposure to high-growth sectors including aerospace and defense, nuclear, energy, and civil infrastructure. ESAB expects to unlock $20 million in synergies through integration and implementation of its Business Excellence System.

ESAB also released preliminary fourth quarter results, projecting revenue between $720-722 million and core revenue of $687-689 million. The company anticipates fourth quarter operating income of $86-88 million and diluted EPS from continuing operations of $0.81-0.83.

For full-year 2025, ESAB expects to report total revenue of approximately $2.84 billion and operating income of $411-413 million. The company projects its net leverage ratio will be less than 3.0x by year-end following the transaction.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Investing.com – Poland stocks were higher after the close on Monday, as gains in the Banking, Energy and Construction sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Warsaw, the WIG30 rose 0.25%.

The best performers of the session on the WIG30 were Jastrzebska Spotka Weglowa SA (WA:JSW), which rose 9.98% or 2.95 points to trade at 32.50 at the close. Meanwhile, Tauron Polska Energia SA (WA:TPE) added 3.23% or 0.35 points to end at 11.35 and Santander Bank Polska SA (WA:SPL1) was up 2.68% or 15.00 points to 574.20 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were KGHM Polska Miedz SA (WA:KGH), which fell 5.99% or 19.90 points to trade at 312.20 at the close. Enea SA (WA:ENAE) declined 0.91% or 0.20 points to end at 21.80 and Cyfrowy Polsat SA (WA:CPS) was down 0.71% or 0.10 points to 13.28.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Warsaw Stock Exchange by 339 to 221 and 90 ended unchanged.

Shares in Jastrzebska Spotka Weglowa SA (WA:JSW) rose to 52-week highs; up 9.98% or 2.95 to 32.50. Shares in Tauron Polska Energia SA (WA:TPE) rose to all time highs; up 3.23% or 0.35 to 11.35.

Crude oil for March delivery was down 5.05% or 3.29 to $61.92 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in April fell 4.69% or 3.25 to hit $66.07 a barrel, while the April Gold Futures contract fell 1.30% or 61.90 to trade at $4,683.20 a troy ounce.

EUR/PLN was up 0.33% to 4.22, while USD/PLN rose 0.70% to 3.58.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.57% at 97.41.

Investing.com – Denmark stocks were higher after the close on Monday, as gains in the Personal & Household Goods, Consumer Goods and Real Estate sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Copenhagen, the OMX Copenhagen 20 gained 1.27%.

The best performers of the session on the OMX Copenhagen 20 were Pandora A/S (CSE:PNDORA), which rose 9.16% or 46.60 points to trade at 555.60 at the close. Meanwhile, Genmab (CSE:GMAB) added 3.36% or 68.00 points to end at 2,090.00 and Carlsberg A/S B (CSE:CARLb) was up 3.00% or 25.60 points to 878.60 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were FLSmidth & Co. (CSE:FLS), which fell 0.83% or 4.50 points to trade at 537.00 at the close. NKT Holding (CSE:NKT) declined 0.67% or 5.50 points to end at 820.50 and Novozymes AS (CSE:NSISb) was down 0.65% or 2.50 points to 383.20.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange by 74 to 47 and 17 ended unchanged.

Crude oil for March delivery was down 5.01% or 3.27 to $61.94 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in April fell 4.65% or 3.22 to hit $66.10 a barrel, while the April Gold Futures contract fell 1.37% or 65.20 to trade at $4,679.90 a troy ounce.

USD/DKK was up 0.40% to 6.33, while EUR/DKK unchanged 0.03% to 7.47.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.57% at 97.41.

Investing.com -- Eldorado Gold Corporation (NYSE:EGO) stock fell 8.2% Monday after the company announced it would acquire Foran Mining Corporation (TSX:FOM) in a deal valued at approximately C$3.8 billion.

The transaction, which will create a combined gold-copper mining company, involves Foran shareholders receiving 0.1128 Eldorado shares and $0.01 in cash for each Foran share held. This represents no premium to Foran’s closing price on January 30 following a recent increase in Foran’s share price.

Upon completion, existing Eldorado and Foran shareholders will own approximately 76% and 24% of the combined company, respectively. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals.

The combined entity aims to benefit from two fully financed development projects – Skouries in Greece and McIlvenna Bay in Saskatchewan, Canada – both scheduled to achieve commercial production by mid-2026. According to the companies, the merged operation is projected to produce approximately 900,000 gold equivalent ounces in 2027.

Eldorado CEO George Burns emphasized the strategic benefits of the acquisition, noting it creates "a stronger gold and copper growth company, defined by near-term cash flow generation and multiple catalysts."

The transaction diversifies Eldorado’s portfolio with balanced exposure across gold (77%), copper (15%), and other metals (8%) in Canada, Greece, and Türkiye. The combined company expects to generate approximately $2.1 billion in EBITDA and $1.5 billion in free cash flow in 2027.

Dan Myerson, Foran’s Executive Chair and CEO, will join Eldorado’s Board of Directors following the completion of the transaction. The combined business will remain headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Investing.com -- Peakstone Realty Trust (NYSE:PKST) stock surged 33% Monday after announcing it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by a Brookfield Asset Management (NYSE:BAM) private real estate fund for $21.00 per share in cash.

The all-cash transaction values the industrial real estate investment trust at approximately $1.2 billion in enterprise value and represents a 34% premium to Peakstone’s closing price on January 30, 2026. The deal also offers a 46% premium to the company’s 30-day volume weighted average price and a 51% premium to its 90-day VWAP.

The acquisition comes shortly after Peakstone completed its strategic transformation into an industrial-only REIT in December 2025 by divesting all of its office properties. The company’s current portfolio consists of 76 industrial properties, including 60 industrial outdoor storage properties and 16 traditional industrial properties.

"We are pleased to enter into this agreement with Brookfield, which will deliver significant value to Peakstone shareholders," said Michael Escalante, Chief Executive Officer of Peakstone. "Following an offer from Brookfield, our Board of Trustees evaluated the proposed transaction with the assistance of external advisors and determined that it achieves the best value and other terms reasonably available for shareholders and is in the best interests of the Company."

The transaction, unanimously approved by Peakstone’s Board, includes a 30-day "go-shop" period expiring on March 4, 2026, during which the company may solicit alternative acquisition proposals. Peakstone has agreed to suspend its regular quarterly dividend until the deal closes or the agreement terminates.

The acquisition is expected to close by the end of the second quarter of 2026, subject to shareholder approval and other customary closing conditions. Upon completion, Peakstone will become a privately-held company and its shares will no longer trade on the New York Stock Exchange.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.