Key Takeaways
- Accenture (ACN) reported strong Q4 2026 earnings with revenue of $18.7 billion and EPS of $3.29, both exceeding Wall Street expectations.
- President Donald Trump publicly criticized the Federal Reserve for its recent interest rate hikes, calling the trend "pretty bad" and demanding rates be lowered to 1% or less.
- Novo Nordisk (NVO) clinical data revealed that Wegovy reduced liver fat to normal levels in 9 out of 10 adults with obesity and excess liver fat.
- EU and UK officials are holding emergency calls to discuss releasing diesel stocks following pressure from the Trump administration to ease global fuel prices.
- UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham signaled a potential shift in post-Brexit policy, stating it is up to the UK to decide how to "manage and develop" closer ties with the European Union.
Accenture Delivers Strong Q4 Results and FY2027 Outlook
Accenture (ACN) closed its fiscal year 2026 on a high note, reporting Q4 revenue of $18.7 billion, a 6.2% increase year-over-year that surpassed the estimated $18.03 billion. The consulting giant posted an EPS of $3.29, well above the $3.18 expected by analysts, driven by broad-based growth across all industry groups and geographic regions.
For the upcoming fiscal year 2027, Accenture (ACN) provided an optimistic outlook, projecting revenue growth of 3% to 6% and an EPS range of $14.39 to $14.81. CEO Julie Sweet highlighted the company's record $11.5 billion returned to shareholders in 2026 and a new high of 141 quarterly client bookings exceeding $100 million each, signaling robust demand for enterprise AI and digital transformation services.
Trump Escalates Pressure on Federal Reserve
In a series of statements and a high-profile interview with Time, President Donald Trump intensified his rhetoric against the Federal Reserve, labeling the central bank's decision to continue raising interest rates as "pretty bad." Trump argued that the United States should be paying "the lowest interest rate in the world," specifically targeting a rate of 1% or less to support economic growth.
Despite the President's objections, the Fed—led by his appointee Kevin Warsh—recently implemented a 0.25% rate hike to combat persistent inflation, which reached 3.4% in August. Trump expressed a mix of frustration and cautious support for Warsh, stating, "I'm relying on Kevin," while simultaneously warning that high borrowing costs are hurting the economy more than inflation itself.
Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy Shows Significant Liver Health Benefits
Novo Nordisk (NVO) presented breakthrough data at the EASD 2026 conference in Milan, showing that Wegovy (semaglutide) significantly improves liver health in obese patients. A post hoc analysis of the STEP UP trial found that 88.5% of participants with elevated liver fat reached normal levels (below 5%) after 72 weeks of treatment.
The study measured a mean reduction in liver fat from 8.8% to 3.1%, suggesting that semaglutide could address metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in its early stages. These findings further solidify Novo Nordisk’s (NVO) position in the cardiometabolic market as it explores the drug's efficacy beyond weight loss and diabetes management.
European Energy Coordination Amid Diesel Supply Concerns
Officials from the EU Commission, UK, France, Italy, and Ireland are currently engaged in multilateral discussions regarding the potential release of emergency diesel stocks. The move comes as the Trump administration reportedly warned European leaders to draw down inventories to stabilize global fuel prices or face a potential U.S. diesel export ban.
Diesel prices have surged to near-record levels, underpinned by supply disruptions linked to ongoing geopolitical tensions. The U.S. Department of Energy has specifically urged Germany and France, which hold roughly 35% of the bloc's strategic reserves, to release approximately 120 million barrels over the next six months to ease the "gasoil crack" and lower costs for consumers.
UK Signals Potential Pivot Toward Closer EU Ties
An EU spokesperson clarified that it remains "up to the UK" to determine the future trajectory of its relationship with the bloc, following comments from UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Burnham, who recently stated that Brexit has done "more harm than good," is exploring several options for the UK's long-term relationship with Europe, including rejoining the Single Market or a Customs Union.
The British government is expected to present these options at an upcoming UK-EU summit later this year. While some officials in Downing Street are testing public support for reversing Brexit, the move remains politically sensitive as the government balances economic recovery with the risk of reviving domestic political divisions.
Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications.