Monday 9 February 2026

Written By Mighty Memo

The Mighty Headlines

 

Economics: Russia’s economy slows to 1% growth in 2025

 

Business and markets: Dow Jones surpasses 50,000 for the first time

 

Foreign Affairs: Japan’s Takaichi wins landslide in snap election gamble

 

Security and intelligence: US to sell up to $20 billion of arms to Taiwan

 

Domestic politics: UK PM’s Chief of Staff resigns - jittery bond markets likely

 

The Mighty Stats

 

FTSE = 10,369.75 (up 0.59%)

S&P 500 = 6,932.30 (up 1.97%)

Nasdaq = 23,031.21 (up 2.18%)

Stoxx 600 = 617.12 (up 0.89%)

 

Biggest UK gainer: Burberry (up 5.17%)

Biggest US gainer: SMX Security Matters (up 89.58%)

 

Lab / Con / Reform: 23 / 16 / 31 per cent (Opinium, 4-6 February)

 

£1 = $1.36 / €1.15

 

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The Mighty Detail

 

Economics: Russia’s economy grew by 1 per cent in 2025, according to official statistics (although the IMF has forecast growth of just 0.6 per cent for 2025). This contrasts with GDP growth of 4 per cent in 2023 and 2024.

  • It marks a significant slowdown for the country, which is struggling with falling oil prices and sanctions.

  • Interest rates in Russia are currently at 16 per cent, inflation is at 5.6 per cent and VAT stands at 22 per cent.

 

Business and markets: The Dow Jones reached a record 50,115.67 during trading on Friday. It marks the first time in history that the Dow has surpassed the 50,000-threshold. Tech stocks seesawed back into growth on Friday after falling earlier in the week. Nvidia rose by nearly 8 per cent.

 

Foreign Affairs: Japan’s Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, has won an historic election victory, after her snap election gamble paid off.

  • Takaichi’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party has a won a two-thirds supermajority in the lower house, with a total of 310 seats.

  • It means that Takaichi will be able to pursue her expansionist fiscal policy and assertive foreign policy largely unopposed.

 

Security and intelligence: The US is preparing a package of arms sales to Taiwan worth as much as $20 billion. The deal is on top of an $11 billion package announced in December. This new deal would include Patriot and NASAMS missiles. President Xi warned President Trump last week about arms sales to Taiwan.

 

Domestic politics: The UK Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff, Morgan McSweeney, has resigned over his involvement in the appointment of Peter Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to Washington.

 

The Mighty Calendar

 

*We incorrectly stated in Friday’s Mighty Memo that the Australian F1 Grand Prix was taking place at the weekend. The Grand Prix is actually taking place on Sunday, 8 March. Please accept our apologies for the mistake.*

 

What’s happening today?

 

  • Prince William begins three-day visit to Saudi Arabia

  • Munich Security Report 2026 due to be published ahead of Munich Security Conference (13-15 February 2026)

  • Nigel Farage gives speech in Birmingham

  • Home Office Questions in UK House of Commons

  • UK retail sales data (January) – set to increase from 1.0% to 1.2%

  • Company results from: Unicredit

  • Winter Olympics focus: women’s snowboarding, ice hockey, freeski slopestyle

 

Lookahead to tomorrow

  • Heads of ICE, US Customs and Border Protection, and US Immigration Services appear before the US Congress

  • Archbishop of Canterbury addresses CoE General Synod

  • Energy Questions in UK House of Commons

  • China CPI inflation data (January) – set to fall from 0.8% to 0.4%

  • Company results from: BP, Barclays, Coca-Cola, Spotify, Ford, Honda, Mattel, Hasbro

  • Winter Olympics focus: alpine skiing, mixed doubles curling, men’s freeski slopestyle, women’s ice hockey – USA vs Canada

 

The Mighty Finale

 

🌤️Weather today

 

Morning rain in the north of England and rain for most of the day in the southwest. Light cloud in the southeast of England. High of 12C and low of 8C in London. Rain in Belfast and in Edinburgh.

 

✏️Life coaching quote of the day

 

“One must accept the fact that we have only one companion in this world, a companion who accompanies us from the cradle to the grave – our own self. Get on good terms with that companion – learn to live with yourself.” – Agatha Christie, novelist and playwright

 

Mighty takeaway: Be a friend to yourself and support yourself.

 

That’s it for this Monday morning. We hope that you have a good start to the week.

 

Adios!

 

The Mighty Memo team

 

*To read the Mighty Memo manifesto and learn about why we do this visit: https://www.mightymemo.co.uk/why*

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Friday 6 February 2026