Real-time News

February 15th - European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde stated during a panel discussion at the Munich Security Conference on Sunday that current market developments indicate investors are interested in allocating more capital to Europe. Creating incentives for European investment is a better approach than using taxes to prevent capital outflows. Lagarde believes that US President Trump's disruptive trade policies serve as a "spur" for Europe to accelerate economic reforms. Beyond economic challenges, this has also brought European leaders closer together. She stated that the EU's €90 billion ($107 billion) support package for Ukraine demonstrates that the union can drive meaningful decision-making even if not all member states support an agreement.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio: The United States has taken note of reports from various countries assessing the poisoning of prominent Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny. The United States does not question this assessment, nor is there any reason to question it.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio believes that President Trump's aide Witkov and Trump's son-in-law Kushner are "at this moment" traveling to Iran for an important meeting on Iran.

Slovak Prime Minister: Hopes to sign an agreement with Westinghouse Electric Company next year to lead the construction of a new nuclear power plant.

February 15th - Russian Armed Forces Chief of the General Staff Gerasimov reported on the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, stating that Russian forces have taken control of 12 settlements previously held by Ukrainian forces since February. During an inspection of the Russian Army Group Center, Gerasimov said that Russian forces have captured 12 settlements, including Popovka and Sidorovka in the Sumy region and Chukhunivka in the Kharkiv region. He also stated that Russian forces are currently using drones at an average frequency twice that of Ukrainian forces. Russian forces are continuing their operations to control other settlements.

U.S. War Department: Last night, the U.S. military conducted a boarding, interception, and landing operation on the (VLCC) Veronica 3. The ship had been tracked from the Caribbean Sea to the Indian Ocean, attempting to defy quarantine orders.

On February 15th, local time, Ibrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, stated that the current negotiations did not discuss Iran halting or abandoning its uranium enrichment activities, nor did they discuss removing Iran's nuclear materials from the country; these issues have been accepted by the United States. Rezaei stated that the Geneva negotiations are unrelated to the missile issue or regional issues. Iran believes that Israel is the primary issue in the region. The threat from Israel should be excluded from the Geneva negotiations and discussed with other countries in the region to ensure their development, peace, and common interests. Rezaei emphasized that the Iranian negotiating team has prepared a negotiating plan, "but considering the United States' past record, we are not very optimistic about the outcome of the negotiations."

On February 15th, Yum China Holdings Limited (09987.HK) announced on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange that on February 6th, 2026 (US time), the company granted certain equity incentives to certain grantees under its 2022 Long-Term Incentive Plan, involving 190,046 stock appreciation rights; 477,790 restricted stock units, of which 86,282 were granted to the company's Chief Executive Officer and Director, Qu Cuirong; and 305,204 performance stock units, of which 103,538 were granted to Qu Cuirong. As previously disclosed, Wei Zhe was appointed as a member of the Nomination and Governance Committee of the Board of Directors, effective December 12th, 2025. On the grant date, the company granted 86 shares to Wei Zhe under the 2022 Long-Term Incentive Plan. These shares were granted as stock-based remuneration for his role as a member of the Nomination and Governance Committee from December 2025 to May 2026, and calculated pro rataly.

The Ukrainian military reported an attack on the Taman oil terminal in Russia's Krasnodar region.

February 15th - According to Hong Kong Stock Exchange filings, Shanghai Greely Software Co., Ltd. has submitted a listing application to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, with Guotai Junan International and CMB Capital as joint sponsors.

Russia has stated that its troops have captured the village of Tsvetkove in the Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine.

On February 15th, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Galuzin stated that Russia is willing to discuss the possibility of introducing a UN-led interim external governance mechanism into Ukraine with the United States, Europe, and other regional countries. Galuzin stated that this approach would allow Ukraine to hold democratic elections and produce a government with governing capacity capable of signing peace treaties and other legitimate treaties related to international cooperation. Similar precedents have been set in UN peacekeeping operations. In March 2025, Russian President Putin stated that this was a feasible option. Galuzin also indicated that the possibility of such an approach has not been publicly discussed recently.

February 15th news: The fourth issue of Qiushi magazine, to be published on February 16th, will carry an important article by Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the People's Republic of China, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, entitled "Key Tasks of Current Economic Work." The article points out that it is necessary to adhere to the bottom line and actively and steadily resolve risks in key areas. Strengthen the coordination between risk prevention and development promotion policies to further enhance development resilience. Focus on stabilizing the real estate market, implementing city-specific policies to control new supply, reduce inventory, and optimize supply, encouraging the acquisition of existing commercial housing for the purpose of affordable housing, etc. Deepen the reform of the housing provident fund system, orderly promote the construction of "good houses," and accelerate the construction of a new model for real estate development. Actively and orderly resolve local government debt risks, urging local governments to proactively resolve their debts. Optimize debt restructuring and replacement methods, and take multiple measures to resolve the operational debt risks of local government financing platforms.

February 15th news: The fourth issue of Qiushi magazine, to be published on February 16th, will carry an important article by Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the People's Republic of China, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, entitled "Key Tasks of Current Economic Work." The article points out that it is necessary to persist in reform and strengthen the driving force and vitality of high-quality development. This includes formulating regulations for the construction of a unified national market, thoroughly addressing "involutionary" competition, and creating a sound market ecosystem. It also includes formulating and implementing a plan to further deepen the reform of state-owned assets and enterprises, and improving supporting regulations and policies for the Law on Promoting the Private Economy. Furthermore, it calls for accelerating the clearing of overdue payments to enterprises, promoting win-win development for platform enterprises and their operators and workers, expanding pilot projects for market-oriented reforms of factors of production, optimizing the structure of fiscal transfer payments, and improving the local tax system. Finally, it emphasizes further promoting the reduction and improvement of small and medium-sized financial institutions and continuously deepening the comprehensive reform of investment and financing in the capital market.

February 15th news: The fourth issue of Qiushi magazine, to be published on February 16th, will carry an important article by Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the People's Republic of China, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, entitled "Key Tasks of Current Economic Work." The article points out that it is necessary to adhere to innovation-driven development and accelerate the cultivation and expansion of new growth drivers. It emphasizes adhering to the principle of using scientific and technological innovation to lead industrial upgrading and continuously generate new quality productivity. It calls for formulating an integrated plan to promote the development of education, science and technology talent. It also emphasizes building international science and technology innovation centers in Beijing (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region), Shanghai (Yangtze River Delta region), and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, creating world-class sources of scientific and technological innovation. Furthermore, it stresses strengthening the leading role of enterprises in innovation, supporting the expansion of application demonstrations of new technologies, new products, and new scenarios, improving the intellectual property protection system in emerging fields, and accelerating the transformation of scientific and technological achievements. The article also calls for formulating an action plan to expand and improve the service industry, implementing a new round of high-quality development action for key industrial chains, deepening and expanding "artificial intelligence +", improving artificial intelligence governance, and innovating science and technology financial services.

On February 15th, the Equipment Industry Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology organized the National Automotive Standardization Technical Committee to revise the mandatory national standard "Marking of Automotive Control Components, Indicators and Signaling Devices." A draft for public comment has been completed and will be released soon. The document explicitly requires that turn signal lights, window operation, and activation of combined driver assistance systems should be equipped with physical control components. This document replaces GB 4094—2016 "Marking of Automotive Control Components, Indicators and Signaling Devices." This revision adds new types and technical requirements for physical control components, aiming to improve driving safety, ensure that key control components are accessible, usable, and largely blind-operable during driving, allowing drivers to perceive the triggering results of control components without overly relying on visual cues, reducing distractions caused by display screens, and further ensuring the reliability and effectiveness of control components. Other modifications and additions include: changing the scope of application of the standard, deleting descriptions inapplicable to electric vehicles, adding requirements for the display level and visibility of signs, and adding a power battery fault signal device sign, etc.

Musk: As far as I can imagine for the future, Tesla (TSLA.O) will have the largest fleet of self-driving cars.