ByteDance Ltd. is integrating its artificial intelligence developer products into its Doubao super-app to enhance its chatbot capabilities and strengthen its position against rivals like Tencent Holdings Ltd.

Alibaba and ByteDance are reallocating resources to artificial intelligence, divesting from their gaming and retail sectors. This strategic shift aims to double down on AI investments and development.

ByteDance Ltd., the developer of TikTok, has attracted more than $30 billion in orders for its syndicated loan, indicating strong interest from lenders as the Chinese technology giant ramps up investments.

ByteDance's new AI video generator, Seedance 2.5, is reportedly succeeding in blocking attempts to steal Hollywood intellectual property, following outrage over previous versions that enabled AI deepfakes of actors like Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt.

ByteDance, the Chinese company behind TikTok, is heavily investing resources into artificial intelligence technology, a move some observers consider a significant gamble in its bid to dominate the AI sector.

The Department of Justice has stated that US federal employees can now download TikTok on government devices following ByteDance's divestiture of the app.

Indonesia's e-commerce giant Tokopedia, majority-owned by ByteDance, has denied reports of mass layoffs but confirmed a 'restructuring,' fueling fears about the deepening tech winter in Southeast Asia's largest digital economy.

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has chosen Brazil as the location for its largest data center outside of China, marking a significant expansion of its global infrastructure.

Qualcomm is reportedly in discussions to provide custom chip-design services to ByteDance, according to Reuters, indicating a potential collaboration in advanced semiconductor technology.

Microsoft is reportedly expanding its artificial intelligence business within China, with ByteDance identified as a significant customer for its AI services. This move highlights the growing demand for AI infrastructure in the region.

Nvidia's challenges in China are intensifying as TikTok parent company ByteDance reportedly considers sourcing AI chips from Iluvatar CoreX and Baidu, indicating a shift away from Nvidia.

ByteDance is reportedly in discussions with Chinese companies Iluvatar CoreX and Baidu's Kunlunxin to procure AI chips. This move indicates ByteDance's efforts to diversify its chip supply for its artificial intelligence operations.

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is reportedly exploring the possibility of establishing its own car brand, potentially named 'Influence'.

A new report indicates that ByteDance is working on developing an AI chip, which is said to be similar to offerings from Groq.

Sources indicate that ByteDance is developing its own custom CPU chips to support its artificial intelligence rollout efforts.

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is reportedly considering capital expenditures of up to $70 billion as it intensifies its focus on artificial intelligence development.

ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, showcased films created with its AI technology at the Cannes Film Festival, challenging traditional Hollywood production norms and budgets. The company is accelerating efforts to commercialize its Seedance 2.0 model, with two short films, The Golden Tomb Seeker and Series Tower, being featured.

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is reportedly targeting a 25% rise in its spending on AI infrastructure, according to a report by SCMP.

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is reportedly planning to launch subscription services for its artificial intelligence chatbot, Doubao, indicating a monetization strategy for its AI products.

A Chinese regulatory body has identified and flagged issues related to AI labeling failures within applications developed by ByteDance, prompting concerns over content transparency.

Since its founding in 2012, ByteDance has grown into the world's largest app factory, known globally for TikTok and its Chinese equivalent Douyin, significantly expanding its influence across the internet.

The founder of ByteDance is listed among the top 10 richest men in China for the year 2026.

ByteDance has reportedly sold its gaming studio Moonton to Savvy Games Group, a company backed by a Saudi wealth fund, in a deal valued at $6 billion.

Savvy Games Group, owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, has agreed to purchase ByteDance's game studio Moonton for an estimated $6 billion.

Lawmakers say the new version of the Seedance AI video-generation app violates copyright and intellectual property laws.

Exclusive | China’s ByteDance Gets Access to Top Nvidia AI Chips  WSJ

The big winners could be the Toronto Film Festival, the Junos and other marquee Canadian cultural events after funding from TikTok Canada was pulled as Ottawa investigated Chinese parent ByteDance over national security concerns.

Donald Trump and Pam Bondi are facing a lawsuit concerning the approval of ByteDance's sale of TikTok's US assets.

Dongchedi, a company backed by ByteDance, is reportedly exploring the possibility of launching an Initial Public Offering (IPO) in Hong Kong.

TikTok owner ByteDance's valuation has reportedly reached US$550 billion following a proposed equity sale by US private equity firm General Atlantic.

Sources indicate that ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is being valued at $550 billion in a proposed share sale by General Atlantic.

Major Hollywood film studios, including Paramount, Netflix, Warner Bros., Sony, and Disney, have collectively condemned a new artificial intelligence model developed by ByteDance, the Chinese owner of TikTok.

The Motion Picture Association has called on ByteDance to stop copyright infringement on its Seedance 2.0 AI platform, citing concerns over unauthorized use of content.

Warner Bros. has joined a parade of studios in blasting ByteDance for “blatant infringement” on its new AI video service, accusing the Chinese company

Disney has sent a cease-and-desist letter to ByteDance regarding its Seedance 2.0 AI model, which produced AI versions of Disney characters, sparking a copyright dispute.

Chinese tech giant ByteDance has announced the release of its Doubao 2.0 AI model, positioning it for the emerging 'agent era' of artificial intelligence.

Nvidia's H200 chips have begun entering China in small batches, with reports indicating that Tencent and ByteDance have each received 10,000 units as Beijing eases some restrictions.

Chinese AI company MiniMax has introduced its new H3 multimodal video generation model, aiming to disrupt the market with open weights and competitive pricing. This move positions MiniMax as a direct competitor to ByteDance's latest Seedance 2.5 model.

China's Ministry of Commerce is discussing with major tech companies like Alibaba and ByteDance to implement stricter controls on the export of advanced AI models, aiming to prevent "colonization" by the US.

Chinese tech companies, including ByteDance, are increasingly using AI tokens as an internal corporate currency for employees, which cannot be used for external purchases but signifies a new trend in corporate compensation and resource allocation.

Chinese tech giants ByteDance and Alibaba have removed their AI companion products from the market as Beijing implements stricter regulations on artificial intelligence.

Qualcomm is reportedly exploring a potential deal with ByteDance as part of its strategy to expand its chip-design business, according to Reuters.

Microsoft has established a billion-dollar AI business in China, selling OpenAI's GPT models through Azure to major firms like ByteDance, Tencent, Ant Group, and Meituan. This growth occurs even as OpenAI and Anthropic refrain from direct sales in the region, and despite U.S. concerns about the market.

Chinese tech giant ByteDance is significantly increasing its investment in artificial intelligence and shifting towards domestic chips, creating opportunities for smaller Chinese suppliers to fill the void left by Nvidia due to regulatory hurdles.

BytePlus, the enterprise technology arm of ByteDance, hosted a closed-door AI roundtable to kick off APOS 2026 in Bali. The private luncheon drew senior executives from broadcasters, creators, and streaming platforms across six Asian markets.

ByteDance is reportedly in discussions with Chinese chipmaker Iluvatar CoreX to purchase AI chips, according to sources.

A prominent artificial intelligence researcher, who led foundational AI research for TikTok owner ByteDance, has announced his departure from the company as it focuses on monetizing its core products.

Qualcomm's stock has achieved new record highs, with investors attributing the surge to a significant deal with ByteDance. This partnership is seen as a positive development for the semiconductor company's market position.

Sources indicate that ByteDance is developing its own custom CPU chips to support its artificial intelligence initiatives and broader AI rollout.

ByteDance is reportedly offering special stock incentives to its artificial intelligence team in an effort to combat poaching of its talent.

TikTok owner ByteDance is issuing shares tied to its AI business unit, a move aimed at fending off poaching as the competition for tech talent in China intensifies.

Chinese artificial intelligence companies like ByteDance and Kuaishou are reportedly surpassing their US counterparts in the development of video generation technology, enhancing quality in advertising and entertainment sectors.

The Chinese technology company ByteDance, known for TikTok, has reportedly been valued at $550 billion.

TikTok owner ByteDance is reportedly increasing its planned capital expenditure for artificial intelligence infrastructure by at least 25% to over 200 billion yuan (US$30 billion) for 2026, driven by the AI boom and rising memory costs.

ByteDance's Doubao is drawing attention over its potential plan to introduce paid services, with the company stating that details are still under testing.

A former ByteDance LLM engineer, Zhang Chi, claims that China's artificial intelligence industry is significantly behind the US and that this gap is widening.

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, reportedly saw its net profit drop by over 70% in 2025 due to heavy investments in artificial intelligence, even as revenue from overseas markets surged.

ByteDance has equipped its video-generation model, Seedance 2.0, with advanced watermarking and intellectual property protection features in preparation for its global launch.

ByteDance has quietly launched its new video generator, SeeDance 2.0, on a global scale, expanding its suite of creative tools.

ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, has reportedly sold its gaming unit Moonton to Saudi Arabia for $6 billion in a significant merger and acquisition deal.

ByteDance is reportedly aiming for a 'strategic partnership' as part of its sale of gaming company Moonton, according to its gaming chief.

ByteDance has reportedly paused the global launch of its new product, Seedance 2.0, according to a recent report.

Good morning! Bytedance can get Nvidia's best chips, a darknet leak suggests Swedish authorities have been hacked, and new information about the criticized Millennium in Skåne.

Exclusive | China’s ByteDance Gets Access to Top Nvidia AI Chips  WSJ

ByteDance's reported order for data center services is seen as a significant potential win for VNET, indicating a major business development for the Chinese data center firm.

Donald Trump and his attorney general were sued on Thursday by retail investors in two social media rivals of TikTok seeking to reverse the US president’s approval of a deal by the company’s Chinese owner ByteDance to form a majority American-owned joint venture. The lawsuit, the ‌first legal challenge to the deal, argues that Trump’s approval last year violated requirements set out in a 2024 divestiture law. Two California residents who hold shares in Alphabet and Meta Platforms sued, backed...

Vnet is said to secure data centre deal with TikTok owner ByteDance  The Star | Malaysia

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has reportedly been valued at $550 billion, reflecting its substantial growth in the global tech market.

Investment firm General Atlantic is reportedly selling an equity stake in TikTok parent company ByteDance, in a deal that values the Chinese social media giant at $550 billion.

Sources indicate that ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is being valued at $550 billion in a proposed share sale by General Atlantic.

Major Chinese technology companies, including ByteDance and Baidu, are aggressively expanding their US-based research and development teams, specifically targeting AI and semiconductor talent as competition intensifies.

Google and Sea, the parent company of Shopee, are partnering to develop advanced AI tools specifically designed for the e-commerce and gaming sectors.

Superman, Batman and Game of Thrones bosses Warner Bros Discovery joined Disney and Paramount today in putting the copyright infringement gears to TikTok owners ByteDance over AI generated videos of D

ByteDance has acknowledged copyright allegations from Disney regarding its AI tool.

TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, is reportedly developing a new application designed to challenge traditional Hollywood studios and expand its presence in the entertainment sector.

Savvy Games given war chest of tens of billions of dollars by Public Investment Fund

TikTok has agreed to pay $400 million to the United States as part of a settlement related to child privacy violations, making it one of the largest child privacy settlements in the country's history. The deal stems from a lawsuit alleging TikTok and its parent company ByteDance collected vast amounts of data on millions of users under the age of 13.

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has attracted more than $30 billion in orders for a substantial bank loan.

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is reportedly in the process of testing a new artificial intelligence model. This development indicates the company's continued investment and expansion into AI technology.

According to The Paper, ByteDance founder has instructed employees to avoid AI distillation practices, signaling a specific internal policy.

ByteDance has integrated its enterprise collaboration unit into other teams, sharpening its focus on AI for corporate clients as its annualised AI revenue reaches US$4 billion.

Following ByteDance's divestiture, the US Department of Justice has announced that federal employees are now permitted to download TikTok on government-issued devices. This decision reverses previous restrictions on the app for official use.

China has prohibited AI chatbots from fostering emotional reliance among users, aiming to encourage human relationships and increase birthrates, leading tech giants like Alibaba and ByteDance to disable popular chatbot features.

Researchers at ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, have identified a new scaling law that governs the improvement rate of artificial intelligence agents, a finding that could help sustain the ongoing AI boom.

Baidu’s (BIDU) Kunlunxin chip unit is attracting interest from ByteDance, potentially ahead of its anticipated initial public offering.

The data centre sector continues to attract billions in deals, remaining a hot market despite some investors' wariness regarding tenants like ByteDance and broader geopolitical tensions.

Qualcomm (QCOM) is expanding its presence in AI infrastructure through a collaboration with SLB and a chip agreement with ByteDance.

Qualcomm shares dropped 8% and Marvell fell 10% following news of a ByteDance ASIC deal, contributing to a broader slide in custom-silicon stocks.

Arm has announced that major tech companies ByteDance and Oracle are utilizing its data center CPU chips, highlighting its growing presence in the enterprise market.

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is reportedly developing its own custom CPU chips to support its artificial intelligence initiatives. This move aligns ByteDance with other major tech companies that are also investing in in-house chip development for AI inference.

ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, is reportedly weighing an investment of up to $89 billion in its artificial intelligence initiatives. This significant potential expenditure underscores the company's commitment to advancing its AI capabilities.

Qualcomm has announced a collaboration with ByteDance, a development that is expected to have implications for Qualcomm's stock performance.

Japanese actor Kenjiro Tsuda has filed a lawsuit against ByteDance, the operator of TikTok, in Tokyo District Court over the unauthorized use of his AI-generated voice. This is believed to be the first such lawsuit in Japan.

A $3 billion fund has been anchored by a significant stake in ByteDance, marking a strategic win for investor HSG, according to Bloomberg.

ByteDance's cloud unit, Volcano Engine, is focusing on its OpenClaw-based cloud agent tool ArkClaw, believing the future of AI lies in cheaper tokens, higher inference efficiency, and longer context windows. The company aims to turn the OpenClaw craze into a profitable AI venture.

ByteDance's artificial intelligence chatbot, Doubao, is encountering resistance from users in China regarding its proposed subscription price, with many expressing unwillingness to pay for the service.

ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, is expanding into artificial intelligence with its drug-discovery unit, Anew Labs, which has begun showcasing its AI-designed therapies at international conferences.

A former ByteDance engineer has stated that China's artificial intelligence industry is significantly behind that of the United States, with the gap reportedly widening.

Major Chinese tech companies Alibaba and ByteDance are reportedly preparing to place orders for Huawei's newly developed artificial intelligence chip, indicating strong market interest.

ByteDance is rapidly expanding its influence, effectively 'swallowing the internet' both within China and globally, prompting questions about the limits of its stunning rise.

ByteDance is reportedly in the process of selling its gaming unit, Moonton, to a firm owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.

US Senators have called on ByteDance to immediately shut down its AI application, Seedance 2.0, citing significant concerns over copyright infringement and intellectual property theft.

China is counting on artificial intelligence (AI) to help the 450 million people living in rural areas left behind by the nation’s economic boom. Farmers are already benefiting from the technology, using AI offerings such as DeepSeek or ByteDance’s Doubao for help with issues like pig rearing, pest control and government subsidies. The State Council’s “No 1 document” of 2026, extended a push for the “digital upgrading” of farming, with an emphasis on the greater integration of AI, drones, rob...

Oracle has announced a $2.2 billion investment in TikTok's US operations, securing a 15% stake following ByteDance's divestment of the popular social media platform.

Exclusive | China’s ByteDance Gets Access to Top Nvidia AI Chips  WSJ

Exclusive | China’s ByteDance Gets Access to Top Nvidia AI Chips  WSJ

Oracle bought 15% of TikTok's U.S. operations in January after China's ByteDance was forced by U.S. law to divest.

A first-of-its-kind lawsuit has been filed against Donald Trump and Bondi concerning the approval of ByteDance's TikTok asset sale, following Trump's decision not to enforce a 2024 congressional mandate for ByteDance to divest its U.S. assets by January 2025.

Alibaba, Baidu, ByteDance, and Tencent collectively spent an estimated US$1.1 billion on an AI-powered marketing blitz during Chinese New Year to promote their artificial intelligence assistants.

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has been valued at $550 billion following a new transaction where investment firm General Atlantic sold a stake.

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is reportedly valued at $550 billion in a proposed stake sale by General Atlantic.

ByteDance's AI chatbot, Doubao, has achieved significant success during a recent Chinese holiday, attracting 100 million users and winning a competitive battle.

ByteDance, Alibaba and Moonshot among those targeting consumers with a promotional blitz during the week-long new year holiday

ByteDance is reportedly building out its artificial intelligence team in the United States, indicating a strategic focus on AI development within the region.

Owning a white vehicle in China may mean lower car insurance premiums because it is less likely to get in an accident, according to an executive from SunCar Technology Group, which uses artificial intelligence from ByteDance to personalise services. “This is what we found based on our massive data,” said SunCar chief strategy officer Breaux Walker in an interview with the South China Morning Post. Other factors also affect premiums, including car usage, commuting routes and driving habits....

Futures, Global Markets Rise With US Markets Closed For President's Day Stocks gained, bitcoin tumbled and bonds steadied after Friday's cool CPI data reinforced expectations that the Fed will cut interest rates on multiple occasions this year. With US markets closed for the Presidents’ Day holiday and mainland China’s markets closed for Lunar New Year holidays, trading was muted on Monday. As of 9:00am ET, futures on the S&P 500 added 0.4% and Europe’s Stoxx 600 index rose 0.4% as banking shares rebounded from a sharp decline last week. German bunds and Treasury futures were steady after US yields touched the lowest since December on Friday. The path of US interest rates remains in focus following Friday’s slower-than-expected US inflation print as traders fully price a Fed cut in July and the strong chance of a move in June.   “The backdrop for equities is positive post CPI,” said Andrea Gabellone, head of global equities at KBC Securities. At the same time, there could be “more dispersion ahead as sentiment around key AI-exposed sectors is still very critical,” he added.  That sentiment was echoed by other strategists seeking to distinguish between AI losers and winners. A JPMorgan Chase & Co. team led by Mislav Matejka urged caution on stocks at risk of AI-driven “cannibalization,” including software, business services and media companies. Meanwhile, banks are developing baskets to capitalize on the divergence: as we first reported last Thursday, Goldman launched a new basket of software stocks that goes long firms that will benefit from AI adoption, while shorting the companies whose workflows could be replaced. With AI disruption rippling through markets, a lot will come down to earnings resilience, in particular in the US.  “When you look at the current earnings season, the companies are showing 13% of growth,” Nataliia Lipikhina, head of EMEA equity strategy at JPMorgan, told Bloomberg TV. “Overall, this is the reason why we continue to be positive on the S&P.” Later this week, traders will be watching for ADP private payrolls numbers on Tuesday and the minutes from the Fed’s January meeting on Wednesday for a fresh read on the economy. European stocks gained with bank shares rebounding, after posting their biggest weekly decline since April on worries about disruption from artificial intelligence. The basic resources sector lags, with Norsk Hydro among Europe’s worst performers as both Goldman Sachs and RBC downgrade the stock. Stoxx 600 rises 0.4% to 620.26 with 253 members down, 336 up, and 11 unchanged. Here are some of the biggest movers on Monday:  NatWest shares rise as much as 4%, the most since October, as Citi analyst Andrew Coombs raises his price target on the UK bank to a Street-high. Seraphim Space shares rise as much as 9.2%, briefly hitting a new all-time high, after the space tech investment firm said the valuations of its four largest holdings increased over the final months of 2025. AECI shares rally as much as 6.1%, the most since July, after the South African commercial-explosives maker shared improved 2025 headline earnings per share guidance. Orsted shares rise as much as 3.8% after analysts at Kepler raise the recommendation to buy from hold over the Danish renewable energy firm’s outlook, despite ongoing uncertainty for the industry in the US. Norsk Hydro shares fall as much as 4.4%, extending Friday’s 5.9% earnings-triggered drop, after being downgraded at Goldman Sachs and RBC over disappointments and pricing pressures in the Norwegian aluminum company’s downstream business. Galderma shares slip as much as 2.2% after naming Luigi La Corte as its new chief financial officer following the news back in July that Thomas Dittrich was departing. Pinewood Technologies shares tumble as much as 32%, the most since April 2024, after Apax Partners said on Friday it will not proceed with a possible cash offer for the car dealership software provider. FlatexDEGIRO shares drop as much as 7.2% after BNP Paribas downgraded the online brokerage firm to neutral from outperform, saying the price reflects too much optimism about its market position in Germany. Maurel & Prom shares slump as much as 12%, pulling back after ending last week at a 2015-high, after announcing it is not currently authorized to resume oil and gas operations in Venezuela. Barratt Redrow shares fall as much as 3.7%, leading a drop in British homebuilders after Rightmove said house prices are stalling. Asian stocks slipped for a second day, led by declines in Japan as traders booked profits after last week’s post-election rally. Several markets were closed or held shortened trading sessions for the Lunar New Year holiday. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index was down 0.1%. Japan’s Topix Index fell 0.8%, with Mizuho Financial Group Inc. and Toyota Motor Corp. among the companies contributing to the index’s losses.In Hong Kong, AI model developer Minimax Group Inc. surged as much as 30% to more than four times its original listing price, while competitor Knowledge Atlas JSC Ltd. ended 4.7% higher. The market will be closed until Thursday. As investors across the region begin to reevaluate their bets on its artificial-intelligence-driven rally, traders in Japan cashed in gains driven by expectations of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s proactive spending policies last week.Trading in Singapore ended early Monday and will be shut until Wednesday. Equity markets in mainland China, South Korea, Indonesia and Vietnam were closed.  In FX, the yen is the notable mover in currencies, weakening 0.5% against the dollar and pushing USD/JPY back above 153. The offshore yuan is one of the better performers against the greenback. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index rises 0.1%. There is no cash trading in Treasuries due to the Presidents’ Day holiday. European government bonds are little changed In commdities, gold dipped below $5,000 an ounce, as traders booked profits from a gain in the previous session. Bitcoin tried anf ailed to stage a modest rebound; it last traded around $68,275 after posting its fourth consecutive weekly loss, with the cryptocurrency struggling to find clear direction as a weekend rally fizzled once the momentum ignition algos emerged.  WTI crude futures tread water near $62.90 a barrel.  Top Headlines President Trump said there will be voter ID rules in the mid-term elections this year, whether Congress approves it or not, and they will present a legal argument in an Executive Order. Furthermore, Trump said he has searched the depths of legal arguments not yet articulated nor vetted on this subject, and they will be presenting an irrefutable one in the very near future. Iran says potential energy, mining and aircraft deals on table in talks with US: RTRS Pentagon threatened to cut its ties with Anthropic over the company’s insistence that some limitations are kept on how the military uses its AI models: RTRS UK eyes rapid ban on social media for under 16s, curbs to AI chatbots: RTRS Rampant AI Demand for Memory Is Fueling a Growing Chip Crisis: BBG Warner Bros. Weighs Reopening Sale Negotiations With Paramount: BBG Companies Are Replacing CEOs in Record Numbers—and They’re Getting Younger: WSJ Europe aims to rely less on US defence after Trump's Greenland push: RTRS DOJ Tells Lawmakers Epstein File Redactions Complied With LawL BBG For College Applicants, Pressure to Make Summers Count Has Gotten Even Worse: WSJ Fed's Goolsbee (2027 voter) said on Friday that they are still seeing pretty high services inflation, and he hopes they have seen the peak impact of tariffs, while he added that the job market has been steady, with only modest cooling.  The Break Is Over. Companies Are Jacking Up Prices Again: WSJ Trade/Tariffs USTR Greer said the US and Ecuador expect to sign a trade agreement in the coming weeks. China will waive import value-added taxes on selected seeds, genetic resources, and police dogs through to 2030 to increase agricultural competitiveness and breeding capacity. It was also reported that China will grant zero-tariff access to 53 African nations from May 1st, according to Bloomberg. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his French and German counterparts that China and the EU are partners, not rivals, while he added that China and the EU should manage differences, deepen practical cooperation and work together on global challenges. A more detailed look at global markets courtesy of Newsquawk APAC stocks began the week in the green but with gains limited following a lack of major fresh catalysts from over the weekend and amid thinned conditions owing to holiday closures in the region and North America. ASX 200 traded marginally higher with upside led by tech, although gains are capped by underperformance in the utilities, mining, materials and resources sectors, while participants also digested a slew of earnings releases. Nikkei 225 traded indecisively with the index constrained by disappointing Japanese preliminary Q4 GDP data, which showed the economy returned to growth but failed to meet expectations with GDP Q/Q at 0.1% (exp. 0.4%), and annualised GDP at 0.2% (exp. 1.6%). Hang Seng finished higher in a shortened trading session on Chinese New Year's Eve but with upside limited by tech weakness amid some confusion after the Pentagon added several companies including Baidu, Cosco, BYD, Huawei, Nio, SMIC, Tencent, and more to a list of Chinese firms aiding the military on Friday, but then withdrew the updated list shortly after it was posted. Furthermore, price action was also restricted by the closure of mainland markets and the absence of stock connect flows, which will remain shut for more than a week. US equity futures kept afloat in quiet trade amid the absence of drivers and participants. European equity futures indicate a mildly positive cash market open with Euro Stoxx 50 futures up 0.1% after the cash market closed with losses of 0.4% on Friday. Asian Headlines Chinese President Xi called for the anchoring of economic growth around domestic demand as its main driver, in a speech during a key policy meeting late last year that was released on Sunday. China is to establish a permanent financial support framework to promote rural revitalisation and prevent a slide back into poverty, which represents a shift from transitional aid to long-term support. China’s market regulator summoned major online platform companies on Friday, including Alibaba, Douyin and Meituan, while it directed them to comply with laws and regulations, and rein in promotional practices, according to Bloomberg. US Secretary of State Rubio and Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi reaffirmed their commitment to deepen bilateral ties. Disney (DIS) sent a ‘cease and desist’ letter to ByteDance over Seedance 2.0 and alleged that ByteDance has been infringing on its IP to train and develop an AI video generation model without compensation, according to Axios. It was later reported that ByteDance said it would curb its AI video app following Disney's legal threats, according to the BBC. RBI tightened rules for loans provided to brokers and proprietary firms in an effort to reduce market speculation FX DXY eked slight gains in rangebound trade after a lack of major catalysts and with US participants away on Monday. EUR/USD was little changed amid the absence of any major macro catalysts and with light newsflow from the bloc, while comments from ECB President Lagarde and news that the ECB is to make its repo backstop available to other central banks across the world, did little to spur price action. GBP/USD held on to most of Friday's spoils but with price action contained by resistance around 1.3650 and following comments from BoE's Mann that the UK economy is sluggish and tepid, with consumers spending less due to being scarred by high inflation. USD/JPY edged higher and returned to above the 153.00 level in the aftermath of the weaker-than-expected preliminary Q4 GDP data for Japan. Antipodeans were mixed with little fresh macro drivers and a lack of tier-1 data from either side of the Tasman. Fixed Income 10yr UST futures traded little changed and held on to last week's spoils after returning above the 113.00 level in the aftermath of the softer US inflation data, while price action was contained to start the week by the closure of US cash markets for Washington's Birthday. Bund futures lacked demand in the absence of any major catalysts and with light newsflow from the bloc. 10yr JGB futures were marginally higher following disappointing preliminary GDP data for Q4, but with gains limited after failing to sustain a brief reclaim of the 132.00 level. Commodities Crude futures were rangebound amid light energy-specific newsflow from over the weekend and after last Friday's indecisive performance, where attention was on a source report that noted OPEC+ is leaning towards resuming oil output hikes from April, but with no decision made. Slovak PM Fico said he has information that the Druzhba pipeline has been fixed after damage in Ukraine, although he believes that supplies to Hungary and Slovakia have become a part of political blackmail. Spot gold took a breather after edging higher in the aftermath of the recent softer-than-expected US inflation data, with price action also contained by the holiday closures across Asia and North America. Copper futures were subdued, with their largest buyer away for more than a week due to the Chinese New Year/Spring Festival holiday. Texas venture-backed startup Hertha Metal vowed mass production of steel with 25% cost savings, which could reduce US reliance on imports. Geopolitics: Middle East US military is preparing for potential operations against Iran that could last for weeks if US President Trump orders an attack and the US fully expects Iran to retaliate, according to sources cited by Reuters. US President Trump told Israeli PM Netanyahu during a meeting in December that he would support Israel striking Iran’s ballistic missile program if the US and Iran are not able to reach a deal, according to CBS. Iran confirmed that indirect talks between the US and Iran will resume in Geneva on Tuesday under the mediation of Oman, while Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi left for Geneva on Sunday. Iranian diplomat said Iran is open to nuclear deal compromises if the US discusses lifting sanctions, while it was also reported that Iran said potential energy, mining and aircraft deals are on the table in talks with the US. Israel’s cabinet approved the proposal to register West Bank lands as ‘state property’, while Palestinians condemned the ‘de facto annexation’ which Peace Now said likely amounts to a ‘mega land grab’. Geopolitics: Ukraine US President Trump said on Friday that Ukrainian President Zelensky is going to have to get moving and that Russia wants to get a deal. US Secretary of State Rubio said they don’t know if Russia is serious about finding an end to the war in Ukraine and will continue to test it, while it was reported that he met with Ukrainian President Zelensky on security and deepening defence and economic partnerships. Ukrainian drones targeted Russia’s Taman seaport and fuel tanks in the Black Sea region. UK and European allies were reported on Friday to be weighing seizing Russian shadow fleet ships and tightening curbs on Russia's economy. French Foreign Minister Barrot said some G7 nations have expressed a willingness to proceed with a maritime services ban on Russian oil, which they hope to include in the 20th sanctions package that they are actively preparing. Geopolitics: Other European Commission President von der Leyen said that they face the very distinct threat of outside forces trying to weaken their union, while she added that mutual defence is not an optional task for the European Union; it is an obligation within their own treaty, and it is their collective commitment to stand by each other in case of aggression. Pentagon said the US military struck an alleged drug cartel boat in the Caribbean, which killed three people. DB's Jim Reid concludes the overnigt wrap I hope you all had a good weekend. To stay in Winter Olympics mood the family watched "Cool Runnings" last night. I haven't seen it for 32 years. Please don't tell anyone but I had a few tears in my eyes at the end. I blamed it on the hay fever that has now started. There will be a lot of tears out there in markets for other reasons at the moment. Just two weeks ago, the idea of AI-driven disruption still felt like an abstract, almost academic thought experiment—something we could safely revisit once we had clearer evidence of how AI would be deployed and integrated across the economy. Fast forward 14 days, and markets have wiped out well over a trillion dollars of global equity value on the fear that AI could fundamentally reshape business models and compress profitability across a wide range of industries, including software, legal services, IT consulting, wealth management, logistics, insurance, real estate brokerage and commercial real estate. Some of the sell off in “old economy” sectors feels overdone to me. But as I argued in our 2026 World Outlook back in November, the real challenge is that even by the end of this year we still won’t have enough evidence to identify the structural winners and losers with confidence. That leaves plenty of room for investors’ imaginations—both optimistic and pessimistic—to run wild. As such big sentiment swings will continue to be the order of the day. My instinct is that the reaction in things like commercial real estate, for example, has been particularly exaggerated. Markets seem to be extrapolating a scenario in which vast numbers of white collar workers are made redundant almost overnight, leading to a dramatic collapse in office demand. If that view turns out to be correct, we’ll be facing societal challenges far larger than anything currently being priced into equities. While trying to catch a falling knife may be too risky for many, beginning to cushion the descent could be sensible in many old economy sectors. Markets can’t sustain a disruption narrative across multiple sectors for months or quarters without concrete evidence — and that evidence is likely to take much longer to emerge. Fascinating times. As for this week, today is a US holiday but inflation will remain in the spotlight at a global level after Friday's slightly softer US CPI which helped contribute to a decent rates rally to end the week. Prints are due in the US (PCE - Friday), the UK (Wednesday), Canada (Tuesday) and Japan (Friday). Other economic highlights will include the FOMC minutes (Wednesday), Q4 GDP in the US (Friday), as well as the global flash PMIs (Friday). Earnings reports will feature Walmart (Thursday), Nestlé (Thursday) and BHP (today). It's the earnings calm before next week's Nvidia storm. In the US, this holiday shortened week (President's Day today) features a data calendar dominated by releases that were pushed back by last year’s government shutdown. The most consequential updates will land on Friday, when the advance estimate of Q4 GDP arrives alongside December’s personal income and consumption figures—key inputs for shaping expectations for the early part of this year. For markets assessing the underlying pulse of demand heading into 2026, private final sales to domestic purchasers (PFDP) will carry more weight than the headline GDP print. This indicator—closely monitored by Fed Chair Powell—is expected by our economists to slow to 2.0% from 2.9% in Q3, though risks appear tilted upward. One swing factor: Wednesday’s durable goods report, where modest gains outside of transportation could soften the deceleration. On the consumer front, real PCE growth is expected to cool to 2.5% after two quarters of outsized strength but should still signal ample momentum heading into the new year. Friday’s income and spending report will also offer the latest reading on core PCE, the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge. Our economists expect another 0.4% monthly increase for December, lifting the year over year rate to 2.9%. Updated seasonal factors from last week’s CPI release suggest some mild downward pressure on inflation trends in the second half of 2025. Still, January’s CPI data, although softer than we anticipated, do not translate into equivalent relief for core PCE—in fact, our team currently sees another 0.4% gain for January's release (delayed until March 13th). Depending on the strength of medical services, airfare, and portfolio management components in the upcoming PPI report, a 0.5% monthly rise cannot be ruled out, which would push the year over year rate toward 3.1%. So don't get too excited about the softer CPI last week and the huge rates rally. Additional releases this week will help clarify whether recent severe winter weather has disrupted factory sector activity. January industrial production, due Wednesday, should benefit from a jump in utility output, while weather effects may weigh on the Empire State Survey tomorrow and the Philadelphia Fed survey on Thursday. Labor market data will also be in focus, particularly Thursday’s jobless claims, which line up with the survey week for the February employment report. As our economists have pointed out, private nonfarm job gains have averaged 103k over the past three months, slightly above the pace at this point in 2025 and matching the start of 2024. See their latest US employment chartbook here. This week will also feature a dense lineup of Federal Reserve speakers which you can see alongside all the key global data in the day-by-day week ahead calendar at the end as usual. Moving away from the US, inflation will also be in focus in Japan (Friday) and Canada (tomorrow). For the former, our Chief Japan Economist sees the January nationwide CPI showing a slowdown in both core CPI inflation ex. fresh food to 2.1% YoY (+2.4% in December) and core-core CPI inflation ex. fresh food and energy to 2.7% (+2.9%). Also important will be the global flash PMIs due on Friday as a health check on global growth. In Europe, the spotlight will be on UK inflation (Wednesday), with labour market data due tomorrow and retail sales on Friday. Our UK economist expects headline CPI inflation to drop to 3.0% YoY (3.4% in December) and core CPI also landing at 3.0% YoY (3.2% YoY). See more in his full preview here. In terms of key rate decisions, the RBNZ are expected to remain on hold on Wednesday. Finally, the Munich Security Conference wrapped up over the weekend, where key topics included Ukraine, Russia, and the fate of Greenland. And while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s speech was nothing like Vice President JD Vance’s at last year’s conference, which triggered a “wake-up” call for European leaders, Rubio reiterated the administration’s view that Europe needed to leave behind its focus on energy policies, trade and mass migration. Recapping last week now, the tech volatility that has dogged markets since the start of the month broadened into a far more indiscriminate sell-off. The trough came on Thursday, marked by a sharp drop in software stocks, but the weakness extended well beyond tech. Companies across wealth management, real estate and financials suffered double digit declines, underscoring how widespread the pullback has become. Market breadth confirmed this shift as the equal weighted S&P 500 fell -1.37% on Thursday, though it managed to finish the week up +0.29% (+1.04% on Friday). Ultimately, the sell-off left the major US indices on the back foot: the S&P 500 slipped -1.39% (+0.05% on Friday), the Nasdaq lost -2.10% (-0.22% on Friday), and the Magnificent 7 slid -3.24% (-1.11% on Friday). Although the AI scare dominated sentiment, a heavy slate of US data also shaped the market narrative. Early in the week, softer prints—including flat December retail sales, a dovish Q4 Employment Cost Index, and slower Q4 growth expectations from the Atlanta Fed—pushed Treasury yields lower across the curve. That picture shifted midweek after a stronger than expected January jobs report, which delivered the largest gain in nonfarm payrolls (+130k vs. +65k expected) since December 2024 and reinforced confidence that the US economy carried solid momentum into 2026. Then on Friday, January CPI came in below expectations, adding another dovish note. Although the data offered mixed signals at times, the overall takeaway was sufficiently dovish for traders to increase the number of expected rate cuts by December 2026 to 63.4bps (+7.7bps on the week). This helped drive the largest weekly drop in the 10 year Treasury yield since August 2025, down -15.8bps (-5.0bps on Friday) to 4.05%. The 2 year yield also moved sharply lower, falling -8.9bps to 3.41% (-4.8bps on Friday), its lowest level since 2022. European markets, meanwhile, delivered a comparatively resilient performance. The STOXX 600 (+0.09%, -0.13% Friday), DAX (+0.78%, +0.25% Friday) and FTSE 100 (+0.74%, +0.42% Friday) all posted modest gains for the week. European sovereign bonds rallied as well, with the 10 year bund yield dropping -8.7bps—its steepest weekly decline since April 2025. That move was outpaced by gilts, which fell -9.8bps (-3.6bps on Friday) despite a sharp early week sell-off triggered by renewed questions surrounding Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s position. Elsewhere, performance was mixed. Brent crude edged down -0.44% (+0.34% on Friday), while gold extended its upward run, rising +1.56% (+2.43% on Friday). Will London’s half term week finally give us a quiet week in 2026? You’d probably have to guess at ‘unlikely’. Tyler Durden Mon, 02/16/2026 - 09:40

Paramount has joined Disney in sending cease and desist letters to ByteDance, accusing the company's AI models, Seedance and Seedream, of illegally using copyrighted material from their studios.

ByteDance is working to strengthen safeguards in its Seedance 2.0 video-generation tool after it received global blowback for alleged intellectual property (IP) violations, the Chinese short-video giant said on Sunday. The controversy focuses on the TikTok owner’s alleged use of copyrighted content to train its artificial intelligence model, as videos of Hollywood celebrities, Disney characters and comic book heroes generated by Seedance have flooded the web in recent days. On Saturday, Disney...