The latest Market Talks covering Financial Services. Exclusively on Dow Jones Newswires at 4:20 ET, 12:20 ET and 16:50 ET.

0852 GMT - Mediobanca's latest earnings look unexciting and its guidance is vague, but a potential delisting after Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena acquired majority control is still at the top of investors' minds, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods's Hugo Cruz and Ben Maher say in a research note. The results are slightly below expectations, but the market is waiting for more clarity from Monte dei Paschi's business plan, the analysts say. In particular, investors want to know whether Mediobanca will be delisted, which KBW continues to see as the end game. Monte Paschi separately said it is due to present its business plan for the combination with Mediobanca on Feb. 27. Mediobanca shares rise 1.5%. (adria.calatayud@wsj.com)

0839 GMT - Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena's fourth-quarter results look slightly disappointing, although the inclusion of Mediobanca blurs the picture, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods' Hugo Cruz and Ben Maher say in a research note. This was the first quarter of consolidation of Mediobanca within Monte Paschi's earnings and many one-off items related to the acquisition led to a messy set of results, the analysts say. Where comparisons are possible, though, the Italian bank's earnings missed expectations, they say. Net interest income fell short of consensus estimates, fees were also lower than expected and operating expenses were higher, according to KBW. Net profit was just shy of consensus views, KBW says. Shares fall 1.9%. (adria.calatayud@wsj.com)

0834 GMT - Europe's blue-chip indexes open largely down as a rally in Asian stocks fails to extend to the continent. The French CAC 40 is one climber, gaining 0.5% as key luxury stocks rally. Kering surges just shy of 14% as sale trends pick up. In Milan, the FTSE MIB falls 0.3% despite gains for luxuries--Brunello Cucinelli is up 3%--as banks decline, with Banca MPS down 3.05% after earnings. Banks also drag Germany's DAX down 0.2%, with Allianz falling 2.5%. Automakers and chemicals companies in the index gain, however. In the U.K., oil supermajor BP tumbles 4.4% after pausing its share buyback program, while Standard Chartered is down 4.2% after the unexpected departure of its chief financial officer. The FTSE 100 slips 0.3%. Spain's IBEX 35 declines 0.2%, with financial stocks weighing on the index. (josephmichael.stonor@wsj.com)

0824 GMT - DBS Group's subdued earnings outlook keeps Macquarie Capital's Jayden Vantarakis bearish on the stock. The Singapore lender expects flat revenue and slightly lower earnings this year, he notes. The lender's strong wealth segment performance is already known, and its asset quality and trading assumptions offer little room for consensus estimates upgrades, the analyst says. He trims his 2026-2027 earnings per share projections by 2.0%-4.0% to reflect DBS's softer-than-expected 4Q results. Macquarie Capital cuts its target price to S$48.67 from S$50.00 while maintaining its underperform rating. Shares fall 0.65% to S$57.81. (megan.cheah@wsj.com)

0744 GMT - Barclays's profitability target for 2028 is ahead of consensus expectations and should lead to an upgrade in conservative earnings per share assumptions, J.P.Morgan Cazenove says in a research note. The British bank targets a return on tangible equity, or ROTE, of more than 14%, which is ahead of the 13.5% return penciled in by consensus. Guidance for revenue growth of more than 5% a year implies 34 billion pounds in 2028--ahead of consensus' 33 billion pounds, analysts write. "We believe that the group's plan is achievable in the current economic environment with the potential for Barclays to become a 15% ROTE bank over time," they add. (elena.vardon@wsj.com)

0726 GMT - The departure of Standard Chartered's CFO came as a surprise to Morningstar's Kathy Chan, who thinks the abrupt transition will likely trigger investors concerns. The bank's Hong Kong-listed stock fell over 6% after StanChart said it had named Peter Burrill as interim finance chief. Chan views Burrill as a decent candidate for the interim role, given his experience at Deutsche Bank and KPMG. Burrill has also been with StanChart since 2017, indicating familiarity with the group's operations and the management team, the analyst adds. With near-term focus set on completing a restructuring program, Chan expects Burrill to continue to deliver on the targets, with limited operational impact. "This should allow some breathing room for the bank to search for a suitable candidate for the permanent role." Shares down 2.3% at HK$197.40. (kimberley.kao@wsj.com)

0658 GMT - The departure of Standard Chartered's finance chief Diego de Giorgi is likely to weigh, Jefferies says in a research note. The CFO has stepped down with immediate effect to join Apollo and will be replaced on an interim basis by deputy CFO Peter Burrill. "Whilst banks are ultimately run by many more people than the key C-suite members, this departure is a particular blow for STAN in our view," analyst Joseph Dickerson writes. The timing of the move is unhelpful since the lender is publishing full-year results this month and will outline its mid-term strategy in May. De Giorgi transformed investor communications and drove the group's efficiency program. He was well regarded by investors, who saw him as an eventual contender for the CEO post, he notes. (elena.vardon@wsj.com)

0627 GMT - U.S. Treasury yields decline in Asian trade, with attention shifting to Wednesday's release of January employment data, from Japan's Lower House election from the weekend. The data's release was postponed from Friday and is expected to show a small increase of job additions to 55,000 in January from 50,000 previously, according to the Wall Street Journal's poll of economists. Later in the day, a $58 billion auction of three-year Treasury notes will be watched. The two-year Treasury yield declines 0.6 bp to 3.476%, while the 10-year yield falls 1 bp to 4.186%, according to Tradeweb. (emese.bartha@wsj.com)

0549 GMT - Kasikornbank's expected dividend yields of 5.2% in 2H 2025 and 6.2% in 2026 remain attractive, backed by management's strong commitment to shareholder returns and the bank's solid capital position, Thanachart Securities' Rawisara Suwanumphai says in a note. The Thai bank has substantially improved its asset quality with loan exposure to small- and medium-sized enterprises falling to 24% of all loans in 2025 from a peak of 39% in 2016, the analyst says. However, the brokerage cuts its 2026-2027 net-profit estimates for the bank by 6%-7% to reflect narrower net interest margin assumptions. It lowers the stock's target price to THB216.00 from THB222.00 with an unchanged buy rating. Shares are 1.0% higher at THB196.00. (ronnie.harui@wsj.com)

0359 GMT - DBS Group's wealth franchise is likely to support stronger long-term growth, says Morningstar's Kathy Chan in a note. The decline in the Singapore lender's 4Q pretax profit was well within her base-case view as Morningstar has been factoring in normalizing net interest margins and fee income growth. The analyst expects high-single-digit growth in net fee income, as strong assets under management and net new money growth could boost wealth-management fees. DBS is also able to mitigate margin pressure by deploying surplus deposits into high-quality liquidity assets, she adds. Morningstar raises its fair-value estimate to S$50 from S$48, noting the lender's shares are slightly overvalued. Shares fall 0.6% to S$57.82. (megan.cheah@wsj.com)

0324 GMT - DBS Group could potentially boost its dividends next year, say RHB Research analysts in a note. The Singapore lender is committing to its quarterly S$0.15-a-share capital-return dividend in 2026 and 2027, but said its too early to confirm a S$0.24-a-share step-up in ordinary dividends beyond 2026, the analysts say. RHB sees scope for higher dividends next year as DBS said it is keeping its options open for the unused portion of its S$3 billion share buyback program at this stage. RHB trims its 2026 profit after tax projection by 2.0% after the bank's results, but raises its target price to S$63.50 from S$59.00 on lower cost of equity estimates. RHB maintains its buy rating on DBS, which is 0.55% lower at S$57.87. (megan.cheah@wsj.com)

0247 GMT - DBS Group still ranks among the top dividend yield plays in Singapore despite its 4Q results missing expectations, says OCBC Group Research's Carmen Lee in a note. The bank remains committed to its capital-return dividend of 15 Singapore cents a quarter in 2026 and 2027, she notes. Based on the 4Q dividend of S$0.66 a share, she estimates a total dividend of S$3.24 for 2026, which implies an attractive potential dividend yield of around 5.5%. Market conditions remain challenging for the Singapore lender, she says, but its strong balance sheet is likely to position it well, particularly given the growing contribution from its wealth segment. OCBC raises its fair-value estimate on the stock to S$59.43 from S$55.00, but maintains its hold rating. Shares fall 0.3% to S$58.02. (megan.cheah@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 10, 2026 04:20 ET (09:20 GMT)

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