Markets are navigating a volatile mix of geopolitics, deal drama and shifting investor sentiment.
US-Iran nuclear talks open in Geneva under a military shadow, while Netflix has granted Warner Bros. Discovery a brief waiver that could reshape a high-stakes media deal.
In India, Adani has unveiled a bold $100 billion bet on AI-ready data centres, lifting its shares.
Meanwhile, Europe’s luxury stocks are being whipsawed by hedge funds, heavy shorting and fears that an AI-driven selloff could hit global wealth effects.
US-Iran nuclear talks
The US and Iran headed into nuclear talks in Geneva on Tuesday with little sign of an easy bargain and a military shadow.
Oman is mediating indirect discussions involving US envoys Steve Witzoff and Jared Kushner, as well as Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.
US officials say the Pentagon is preparing for the possibility of weeks of operations if President Donald Trump orders strikes, while Iran has launched drills in the Strait of Hormuz.
Washington wants the agenda to go beyond nuclear issues, including Iran’s missiles.
Tehran says it will only curb nuclear activity for sanctions relief and won’t give up enrichment.
Netflix grants WBD waiver
Netflix has given Warner Bros. Discovery a seven-day waiver to reopen talks with rival bidder Paramount Skydance, forcing one last test of whether the offer can be tightened into a binding deal.
The window runs through Feb. 23, with WBD saying it will press Paramount to fix “deficiencies” and submit a best-and-final proposal.
Paramount’s hostile $30-a-share approach is still on the table, and WBD said a senior Paramount representative floated $31 if talks resumed.
Even so, WBD’s board reiterated its unanimous backing for the existing Netflix agreement, with a shareholder vote set for March 20.
Netflix keeps matching rights, too.
Adani bets big on AI data centres
The Adani Group plans to invest $100 billion by 2035 in building renewable energy-powered, AI-ready hyperscale data centers in India, betting that cheap green power and abundant land can anchor the country’s next tech boom.
The conglomerate says the push could help create a $250 billion AI infrastructure ecosystem over the next decade and catalyse a further $150 billion in related spending, from server manufacturing to sovereign cloud services.
The roadmap builds on AdaniConnex’s existing 2 gigawatts of capacity, targeting 5 gigawatts, and leans on partnerships including Google.
Adani Enterprises shares rose after the announcement. Unveiled during India’s AI Impact Summit.
Luxury stocks whipsawed
Europe’s luxury names are getting whiplash.
As LVMH and Gucci-owner Kering try to climb out of a two-year slowdown, their shares are swinging harder, amplified by hedge funds and jitters from AI-driven market selloffs in the US Earnings days are the real flashpoints, with bigger intraday moves as funds trade headlines and data.
Hazeltree data show luxury and broader consumer discretionary stocks were among the most shorted ahead of this reporting season.
Kering CEO Luca de Meo warned that an ‘AI bubble’ bursting could hit US wealth effects and, in turn, luxury demand.
Long-only holders say nerves are high still.
https://invezz.com/news/2026/02/17/evening-digest-us-iran-talks-netflix-deal-twist-adani-ai-bet/
