Friday, 13 February 2026
Anthropic raised $30 billion in a Series G funding round, bringing its valuation to $380 billion, making it the second-largest venture funding deal of all time. The round was led by Singapore's GIC and U.S.-based Coatue, with participation from major investors including Microsoft and Nvidia. Anthropic, known for its chatbot Claude, is among the top contenders for an initial public offering this year, alongside OpenAI and SpaceX.
Global markets faced a downturn as concerns over technology profits resurfaced, leading to a sell-off in U.S. stocks. The S&P 500 fell 1.6%, marking its second-worst day since Thanksgiving, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.3% and the Nasdaq composite lost 2%. Emerging market assets also struggled, with a gauge for developing-world stocks advancing only 0.4% after earlier gains were halved, as currencies like the South African rand and Mexican peso underperformed.
American Electric Power and Exelon, among the largest US electric utilities, are significantly increasing their investments in power infrastructure to accommodate the rising demand from data centers, which are essential for the expansion of artificial intelligence technologies. This surge in electricity consumption marks a departure from two decades of flat demand, prompting concerns about affordability as utilities also adjust profit forecasts upward due to strong power demand and higher rates.
The U.S. and Taiwan have finalized a trade deal in which Taiwan will eliminate or reduce 99% of its tariff barriers, according to the U.S. Trade Representative's office. This agreement aims to strengthen economic ties, particularly in the semiconductor sector, as the U.S. faces a trade imbalance of nearly $127 billion with Taiwan. The deal includes a commitment from Taiwan to invest $250 billion in U.S. industries, including computer chips and artificial intelligence, while most of Taiwan's exports to the U.S. will now be taxed at a 15% rate.
US President Donald Trump has enacted significant rollbacks of climate regulations since his inauguration on January 20, 2025, fundamentally altering the nation's environmental policy. The Trump administration has rescinded the Environmental Protection Agency's endangerment finding, which had previously supported federal climate initiatives, and has opened up protected areas in Alaska for oil and gas exploration. Additionally, Trump aims to extend US oil interests to Venezuela, further emphasizing his administration's focus on fossil fuel development.
Kathy Ruemmler, Goldman Sachs's top lawyer, resigned on February 13, 2026, following the release of documents by the Justice Department that revealed her extensive ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Despite previously asserting a strictly professional relationship, the newly disclosed emails and correspondence indicated a much closer connection, prompting her decision to step down amid growing media scrutiny. Ruemmler, who had served as general counsel since 2021 and was a former White House counsel under President Obama, stated that the attention on her past was becoming a distraction for the firm.
DayOne Data Centers Ltd. has selected banks to facilitate a U.S. initial public offering expected to raise approximately $5 billion. The Singapore-based data center operator has appointed JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Morgan Stanley as lead underwriters, with Bank of America Corp. and Citigroup Inc. also involved in the process. Backed by GDS Holdings, DayOne is targeting a valuation of up to $20 billion, with a potential listing as early as this year.
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