Category: 3. Business

ARMONK, N.Y., Feb. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — IBM (NYSE: IBM) today released the 2026 X-Force Threat Intelligence Index, revealing that cybercriminals are exploiting basic security gaps at dramatically higher rates, now accelerated by AI tools that help attackers identify weaknesses faster than ever. IBM X‑Force observed a 44% increase in attacks that began with the exploitation of public-facing applications, largely driven by missing authentication controls and AI-enabled vulnerability discovery. 

Some of the key highlights include:

• Active ransomware and extortion groups surged (49%) year over year, marking ecosystem fragmentation, while publicly disclosed victim counts rose roughly 12%.
• Large supply chain and third-party compromises nearly quadrupled since 2020, as attackers increasingly exploit environments where software is built and deployed or SaaS integrations.
• Vulnerability exploitation became the leading cause of attacks, accounting for 40% of incidents observed by X-Force in 2025.

“Attackers aren’t reinventing playbooks, they’re speeding them up with AI,” said Mark Hughes, Global Managing Partner for Cybersecurity Services, IBM. “The core issue is the same: businesses are overwhelmed by software vulnerabilities. The difference now is speed. With so many vulnerabilities requiring no credentials, attackers can bypass humans and move straight from scanning to impact. Security leaders need to shift to a more proactive approach, using agentic-powered threat detection and response to identify gaps and catch threats before they escalate.”

AI’s Mounting Identity Problem

Infostealer malware led to the exposure of over 300,000 ChatGPT credentials in 2025, signaling that AI platforms have reached the same credential risk as other core enterprise SaaS solutions.

Compromised chatbot credentials create AI-specific risks beyond simple account access. Attackers can manipulate outputs, exfiltrate sensitive data or inject malicious prompts. This underscores the need to assess enterprise-wide AI adoption and enforce strong authentication, and conditional access controls.

AI, Leaked Tooling Lower Barriers to Ransomware Ecosystem

In 2025, X-Force observed a 49% increase in active ransomware groups compared to the prior year, as smaller, transient operators whose low volume campaigns complicate attribution. This trend is accelerated by collapsing barriers to entry as threat actors reuse leaked tooling, rely on established playbooks and increasingly tap AI to automate operations. As multimodal AI models mature, X-Force expects adversaries to automate complex tasks like reconnaissance and advanced ransomware attacks, driving faster-moving, more adaptive threats.

Pressure on Supply Chains Poised to Grow

X-Force identified a nearly 4X increase in large supply chain or third-party compromises since 2020, mainly driven by attackers exploiting trust relationships and CI/CD automation across development workflows and SaaS integrations. With AI-powered coding tools accelerating software creation, and occasionally introducing unvetted code, the pressure on pipelines and open‑source ecosystems is expected to grow in 2026.

This rise is also attributed to the blurring line between nation-state and financially motivated actors. As tactics and techniques spread across underground forums, and AI streamlines reconnaissance and exploitation, techniques once reserved for nation-state actors are now being adopted by financially motivated groups.

Additional findings from the 2026 report include:

• AI accelerating attacker lifecycle. Attackers are using AI to speed research, analyze large data sets and iterate on attack paths in real time. For example, North Korean IT worker schemes are using AI to scale operations, including AI-driven image manipulation for synthetic identities and translation tools to interact across global marketplaces.
• Security fundamentals still lacking. X-Force Red penetration tests reveal persistent weaknesses in credential hygiene and software configuration, with misconfigured access controls as the most common entry point for these engagements.
• Manufacturing tops the target list for the fifth year. The sector accounted for 27.7% of incidents observed by X-Force, with data theft being the most common.
• North America emerged as the most‑attacked region. Accounting for 29% of total cases observed by X-Force, and up from 24% in 2024, North America became the most attacked region for the first time in 6 years.

Additional resources:

• Read the full IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Index 2026.
• Sign up for the IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence 2026 webinar on March 17 at 11 am ET.
• Connect with the IBM X-Force team for a tailored review of the findings.
• Read more about the report’s top findings in this blog.

About IBM

IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain a competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of governments and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service. Visit www.ibm.com for more information.

Media Contact:

Michele Brancati

IBM Communications

Mbrancati@ibm.com

SOURCE IBM

South Korea recorded 254,500 births in 2025, the largest annual increase in 15 years, driven largely by a temporarily enlarged generation – known as “echo boomers” – now in their early thirties, alongside marriage rates recovering from Covid-era delays.

The country’s fertility rate – the average number of babies a woman is expected to have in her lifetime – rose to 0.80 from 0.75 last year, returning to the 0.8 range for the first time since 2021, according to provisional figures released by South Korea’s ministry of data and statistics on Wednesday.

The 6.8% increase in total births marks the second consecutive annual rise, although deaths exceeded births by 108,900, meaning the population continued to shrink. South Korea remains the only OECD country with a fertility rate below 1.0.

Much of the rebound reflects what demographers describe as the “echo boomer” effect. Roughly 3.6 million children were born between 1991 and 1995, when births briefly rose after the government in effect ended its family planning policy.

That cohort is now in its early thirties, the age at which birth rates are highest. Women in their early thirties numbered an estimated 1.7 million in 2025, up 9% from 2020.

Park Hyun-jung, the director of the population trends division at the ministry, said the increase reflected the demographic effect, alongside sustained growth in marriages as Covid-era delays unwound and improving attitudes toward having children.

Government survey data showed the share of respondents intending to have children after marriage rose 3.1% between 2022 and 2024.

Births within two years of marriage increased 10.2%, continuing a recovery that began in 2024 after more than a decade of decline, suggesting couples marrying later may be bringing forward childbirth.

Demographers caution that this demographic tailwind is likely to fade from 2027 as smaller post-1996 cohorts move into their thirties.

Asked whether government policy contributed to the growth in birthrate, Park said she “cannot clearly analyse the correlation”, though she noted that young people appeared to be influenced by policies aimed at “removing penalties from marriage and childbirth”.

South Korea has spent hundreds of billions of dollars over two decades on pro-natal measures, including generous cash handouts, housing subsidies, extended parental leave and childcare support. Some corporations now offer up to 100 million won (£51,500) per birth.

However, experts cite persistently high housing costs, soaring private education spending, workplace stigma against parents and stagnant youth employment as structural barriers that policy has struggled to overcome.

At the same time, the infrastructure supporting childbirth has continued to shrink.

Paediatric clinics are closing faster than they open, while many municipalities now lack adequate delivery facilities, reflecting the long-term effects of years of ultra-low births.

Final confirmed figures will be released in August.

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© 2026 RICOH COMPANY, LTD. All rights reserved. All referenced product names are the trademarks of their respective companies.

(Bloomberg) — Asian stocks opened higher after a rally in technology shares lifted Wall Street benchmarks, tempering concern about the disruptive effects of artificial intelligence that had rattled markets for weeks.

Shares opened higher in Japan, South Korea and Australia, helping the MSCI Asia Pacific Index extend its advance to a third day. A rebound in the battered software stocks drove the Nasdaq 100 up 1.1%, while the S&P 500 also advanced, ahead of the key earnings from Nvidia Corp. on Wednesday. Advanced Micro Devices Inc.’s deal with Meta Platforms Inc. also boosted sentiment.

A Bloomberg gauge of the dollar was steady ahead of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address late in Washington Tuesday. Treasuries were a touch lower with the yield on the benchmark 10-year rising almost one basis point to 4.04%. Gold pared some losses from the prior session, while Bitcoin headed for its worst month since crypto’s collapse of June 2022.

The disruptive potential of artificial intelligence has roiled stocks across sectors for weeks in what’s become known as the AI scare trade. Tuesday’s rebound followed comments from Anthropic PBC, which said it plans to build partnerships — easing concerns that its Claude chatbot technology will integrate with, rather than displace, existing businesses.

“This ‘we’re here to help, not hurt’ message from Anthropic is helping to trigger a fairly healthy rebound rally in software,” said Adam Crisafulli at Vital Knowledge.

Before Tuesday’s recovery, investors had been skittish for weeks on AI-related selloffs targeting a range of industries such as software, insurance brokerage, wealth management and cybersecurity, among others.

Earlier this week, concerns over tariffs and geopolitics coupled with a report by Citrini Research and worries about the potential disruption caused by another tool from Anthropic were enough to send the stock market careening.

While US stocks have been volatile, Asian markets have outperformed their global peers and largely avoided the tech volatility. The standout gainer was South Korea, which advanced as much as 1.2% to a record on Wednesday.

South Korea’s Kospi Index has gained about 43% this year and is the world’s best-performing stock market.

What Bloomberg Strategists say…

“For all the worries over the tech sector’s performance this year, one thing is clear: its earnings outlook is far superior to that of its peers, which will be key to drawing a line under share prices.”

—Kristine Aquino, Managing Editor, Markets Live. For the full analysis, click here.

Elsewhere, the yen was steady in early trading, following declines on Tuesday as local media reported that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi voiced apprehension over more rate hikes in a meeting with Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda last week.

Still, the main risk event in the tech sector on Wednesday will be Nvidia’s earnings.

The company is facing a high-stakes moment with its latest quarterly results, with the world waiting for fresh evidence that the AI spending boom remains on track.

To satisfy investors, Nvidia likely needs to deliver another blockbuster report. That means easily topping the forecasts it gave three months ago and setting new targets that are above current Wall Street estimates. The company has done this repeatedly, but concerns have grown that the AI spending frenzy isn’t sustainable.

This week’s earnings will either “calm or exacerbate” AI fears, said David Laut at Kerux Financial.

“We won’t have all of the answers this week, but worried investors are hungry for clarity,” he said.

Corporate News:

Workday shares are down 8% in extended trading, after the software company gave a full-year forecast that is weaker than expected. HP Inc. shares are down 6.8% in extended trading, after the computer company reported its first-quarter results and gave an outlook. The company said it expects its full-year results “to be closer to the low end of our range,” given rising memory prices and other factors. Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. said a new $31-a-share buyout offer from Paramount Skydance Corp. could lead to a better deal than its existing agreement with Netflix Inc. HSBC Holdings Plc’s earnings Wednesday come with revenue prospects and the buyout of a subsidiary in focus. Payment processing firm Stripe Inc. is considering an acquisition of all or parts of PayPal Holdings Inc. The board of Tata Sons Pvt. deferred a decision on granting a third term to Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran in the latest sign that another leadership tussle is brewing at India’s oldest conglomerate. Some of the main moves in markets:

Stocks

S&P 500 futures were little changed as of 9:44 a.m. Tokyo time Hang Seng futures rose 0.8% Nikkei 225 futures (OSE) rose 0.8% Japan’s Topix fell 0.2% Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.9% Euro Stoxx 50 futures rose 0.1% Currencies

The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index was little changed The euro was little changed at $1.1778 The Japanese yen was little changed at 155.86 per dollar The offshore yuan was little changed at 6.8768 per dollar The Australian dollar rose 0.2% to $0.7072 Cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin rose 0.2% to $64,191.25 Ether was little changed at $1,855.31 Bonds

The yield on 10-year Treasuries was little changed at 4.04% Australia’s 10-year yield advanced one basis point to 4.71% Commodities

West Texas Intermediate crude rose 0.8% to $66.18 a barrel Spot gold rose 0.1% to $5,150.93 an ounce This story was produced with the assistance of Bloomberg Automation.

©2026 Bloomberg L.P.

In this case, Lewis Stores attempted to intervene in a merger between Shoprite and Pepkor, a transaction worth approximately R3 to R3.2 billion (approx. US$200.44 million). Lewis raised concerns about competitive effects in local furniture retail markets, especially in areas where lower-income consumers depend on in store credit.

The Constitutional Court clarified the legal standard for third-party intervention in merger cases under section 53(c) of the Competition Act. It reaffirmed that the Tribunal is the specialist body best placed to decide when non-merging parties can participate meaningfully in merger proceedings, provided they can assist the Tribunal’s analysis based on a clear and principled test.

The Tribunal originally granted Lewis limited rights to participate because its sector-specific insights could help address competitive issues that the Competition Commission had not fully examined, before an appeal to the Competition Appeal Court (CAC) ruled that Lewis did not demonstrate access to unique information. The CAC warned that allowing Lewis’s involvement could cause procedural delays and confidentiality problems.

The Constitutional Court ultimately overturned the CAC’s ruling and reinstated the Tribunal’s original order, ruling that the correct test is whether the third party can reasonably assist the Tribunal based on credible and admissible material, not whether the information is exclusive or unavailable elsewhere.

Anthony Crane, an expert in competition law at Pinsent Masons, said: “The judgment restores a coherent, workable standard for intervention.” 

“It confirms that the Tribunal is the expert forum entrusted with evaluating whether a third party can genuinely contribute to merger assessment. The judgment reaffirms that intervention is not about gatekeeping exclusivity of information, but about equipping the Tribunal with the insights it needs to reach robust merger decisions,” he said.

“Lewis had submitted detailed market data and analysis, which the Tribunal deemed potentially helpful. The Constitutional Court confirmed that the Tribunal acted properly in granting only limited, issue specific rights and that the CAC had overstepped by substituting its own view of the evidence.”

The Constitutional Court stated that while third parties gain the right to be heard, the Tribunal alone retains the authority to approve, approve with conditions, or prohibit mergers.

Caroline Bergmann of Pinsent Masons said: “The decision confirms a balanced approach: third-party input is welcome where it adds real value, but the Tribunal retains full authority to manage and limit participation to ensure a fair and efficient process.”

“The judgment highlights the role of Tribunal Rule 46, which allows the Tribunal to manage participation by setting limits, confidentiality protections, or issue specific boundaries to ensure efficient proceedings,” she said.

Future merger proceedings are likely to be guided by the judgment, both in terms of its clarification of when a third-party can intervene and its reinforcement of the Tribunal’s ability to ensure both informed participation and procedural discipline, according to Bergmann.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. and TEL AVIV, Israel, Feb. 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA) today announced that Richard Francis, Teva’s President and CEO, will participate in the upcoming investor conferences in March as follows:

• UBS European Healthcare Conference
  Tuesday, March 3, 2026 (investor meetings only – no webcast)
• Leerink Partners Global Healthcare Conference
  Monday, March 9, 2026, at 10:00 am ET (webcast fireside chat)
• Barclays 28^th Annual Global Healthcare Conference
  Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at 8:00 am ET (webcast fireside chat)

To access live webcasts of the presentations, please visit Teva’s Investor Relations website at https://ir.tevapharm.com/Events-and-Presentations.

Archived versions of the webcasts will be available within 24 hours after the end of the live discussion and will be accessible for up to 30 days.

About Teva

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA) is transforming into a leading innovative biopharmaceutical company, enabled by a world-class generics business. For over 120 years, Teva’s commitment to bettering health has never wavered. From innovating in the fields of neuroscience and immunology to providing complex generic medicines, biosimilars and pharmacy brands worldwide, Teva is dedicated to addressing patients’ needs, now and in the future. At Teva, We Are All In For Better Health. To learn more about how, visit www.tevapharm.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This document and the presentation at the conference may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, statements regarding our financial guidance, which are based on management’s current beliefs and expectations and are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, that could cause our future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from that expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include statements concerning our plans, strategies, objectives, future performance and financial and operating targets, and any other information that is not historical information. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “should,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “target,” “may,” “project,” “guidance,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe” and other words and terms of similar meaning and expression in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. Important factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include risks relating to: our ability to successfully compete in the marketplace, including: that we are substantially dependent on our generic products; our ability to develop and commercialize additional pharmaceutical products; competition for our innovative medicines; our ability to achieve expected results from investments in our product pipeline; our ability to successfully execute our Pivot to Growth strategy, including to expand our innovative and biosimilar medicines pipeline and profitably commercialize the innovative medicines and biosimilar portfolio, whether organically or through business development, to sustain and focus our portfolio of generic medicines, and to execute on our organizational transformation and to achieve expected cost savings; the effectiveness of our patents and other measures to protect our intellectual property rights; our significant indebtedness, which may limit our ability to incur additional indebtedness, engage in additional transactions or make new investments; our business and operations in general; compliance, regulatory and litigation matters; other financial and economic risks; and other factors discussed in this document, in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, including in the sections captioned “Risk Factors.” Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or other information contained herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

Teva Media Inquiries
TevaCommunicationsNorthAmerica@tevapharm.com

Teva Investor Relations Inquires
TevaIR@Tevapharm.com