Author: [email protected]

10/23/2026

LAKE ZURICH, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– ACCO Brands Corporation (NYSE: ACCO) today announced that its board of directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.075 per share. The dividend will be paid on December 9, 2026, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on November 20, 2026.

About ACCO Brands Corporation
ACCO Brands is the leader in branded consumer products that enable productivity, confidence and enjoyment while working, when learning and while playing. Our widely recognized brands include AT-A-GLANCE^®, Five Star^®, Kensington^®, Leitz^®, Mead^®, PowerA^®, Swingline^®, Tilibra^® and many others. More information about ACCO Brands Corporation (NYSE: ACCO) can be found at www.accobrands.com.

Chris McGinnis
Investor Relations
(847) 796-4320

Kori Reed
Media Relations
(224) 501-0406

Source: ACCO Brands Corporation

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Small-cap stocks are showing renewed strength on Wall Street as investors shift attention away from large technology companies amid growing concerns about artificial intelligence spending, elevated valuations, and interest rates. The Russell 2000 index, which tracks approximately 2,000 smaller publicly traded U.S. companies, has gained 2.3% this week through Thursday, outperforming the Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500.

The divergence became particularly noticeable during Thursday’s trading session, when the Nasdaq plunged 2.6% as technology stocks faced renewed selling pressure. Meanwhile, the Russell 2000 managed a modest 0.1% gain, suggesting investors were finding opportunities outside the technology sector despite broader market uncertainty.

The S&P 500 declined 1.2% Thursday, its steepest daily loss since July, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average finished essentially unchanged. The Russell 2000 closed at 2,784.03, compared with the Nasdaq’s closing level of 26,008.86.

For the week through October 22, the Russell 2000 advanced 2.3%, while the Nasdaq declined 0.5%. The Dow gained 1.7%, and the S&P 500 remained nearly flat.

The performance gap highlights a potential shift in investor sentiment after an extended period in which large technology companies dominated stock market returns.

Artificial intelligence has been a major driver of equity market enthusiasm, particularly among companies developing advanced computing infrastructure, semiconductors, and AI-powered software. However, investors are increasingly examining whether the enormous spending required to build and operate AI systems can generate sufficient financial returns.

Concerns about capital expenditures, borrowing costs, and profitability have contributed to volatility in technology shares, creating opportunities for other sectors to attract investor attention.

Small-cap stocks have historically been sensitive to changes in interest rates because smaller businesses often depend more heavily on external financing. Lower borrowing costs can support expansion, acquisitions, and investment, although the benefits vary considerably across industries and individual companies.

Recent declines in Treasury yields could provide some relief for smaller businesses, but the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy outlook remains uncertain as inflation pressures persist.

Beyond interest rates, investors are also reconsidering valuations. Following substantial gains among leading technology companies, smaller stocks in sectors such as industrials, financial services, transportation, and healthcare may offer different growth opportunities and risk profiles.

Thursday’s market action demonstrated that distinction. Although the major technology-heavy indexes declined, advancing stocks outnumbered declining stocks across the broader market, suggesting the selling was concentrated rather than universal.

For investors focused on emerging companies, this broader participation could be significant. Small-cap businesses often receive less analyst coverage and institutional attention than their large-cap counterparts, creating opportunities for investors willing to evaluate individual companies and industry fundamentals.

However, the Russell 2000’s recent strength does not necessarily signal the beginning of a sustained small-cap rally. Smaller companies remain exposed to economic uncertainty, financing constraints, and changes in consumer and business spending.

A prolonged rotation would likely depend on several factors, including corporate earnings growth, inflation trends, interest-rate expectations, and continued investor demand beyond the largest technology stocks.

For now, the Russell 2000’s relative strength provides an important signal about changing market dynamics. As investors reassess the valuations and spending commitments of major AI companies, smaller publicly traded businesses are attracting renewed attention.

Whether that interest develops into a longer-term trend will depend on the ability of small-cap companies to deliver earnings growth and demonstrate resilience in a challenging economic environment.

New applications for unemployment benefits in the United States fell to one of their lowest levels in nearly six decades, offering fresh evidence that American businesses are holding onto workers despite slower hiring, elevated borrowing costs, and persistent inflation concerns.

According to data released Thursday by the Labor Department, initial jobless claims declined by 6,000 to a seasonally adjusted 194,000 for the week ending October 17. The figure came in below economists’ expectations of 200,000 and marked the sixth consecutive week that claims remained at or below that level.

The latest reading approaches the 189,000 claims recorded in July, the lowest level since 1969. The four-week moving average, which helps smooth weekly fluctuations, declined by 1,000 to 197,750, reinforcing signs that layoffs remain historically low.

The report provides a potentially reassuring signal for investors concerned about the strength of the U.S. economy. Despite higher energy prices, trade uncertainty, and elevated interest rates, employers have largely avoided widespread layoffs.

However, the labor market presents a more complicated picture beneath the headline numbers.

While businesses are retaining existing employees, many remain cautious about expanding their workforces. Economists have characterized the current environment as a “low-hire, low-fire” labor market, where job security remains relatively strong but opportunities for unemployed workers are more limited.

That distinction was evident in continuing unemployment claims, which measure the number of Americans receiving benefits after their initial week. Continuing claims increased by 25,000 to approximately 1.73 million for the week ending October 10.

The increase suggests that some unemployed Americans may be taking longer to find new positions, even as the overall pace of layoffs remains subdued.

Recent employment data further illustrates the uneven recovery in hiring. U.S. employers added just 29,000 jobs in September, following a stronger gain of 133,000 in August. The unemployment rate stood at 4.2%, indicating that the labor market remains relatively stable despite slower job creation.

For Wall Street, the latest unemployment figures arrive at a critical moment for Federal Reserve monetary policy.

The central bank raised its benchmark interest rate by a quarter percentage point in September, bringing the target range to 3.75%–4.00%. Policymakers continue balancing the need to contain inflation against the risk that restrictive borrowing costs could eventually weaken economic activity.

Higher energy prices linked to the conflict involving Iran have complicated that calculation by increasing inflationary pressure on businesses and consumers.

Historically low unemployment claims could give the Federal Reserve additional flexibility to maintain elevated interest rates while monitoring inflation. Economists generally expect policymakers to leave rates unchanged at their upcoming meeting, although another increase remains possible later this year.

The implications extend across financial markets. Interest-rate expectations influence Treasury yields, mortgage costs, corporate borrowing, and equity valuations, particularly among growth-oriented technology companies.

Small-cap companies can also be sensitive to changes in financing conditions because many rely more heavily on external capital to support expansion, research, and operations.

For investors, the latest report offers encouraging evidence that the U.S. economy continues to avoid widespread job losses. Nevertheless, the combination of limited hiring, persistent inflation risks, and higher borrowing costs leaves important questions about the sustainability of economic growth.

With the Federal Reserve’s next policy decision approaching, investors will closely monitor upcoming inflation and employment reports for clues about the direction of interest rates through the remainder of 2026.

Anthropic, the artificial intelligence company behind the Claude chatbot, could publicly file its initial public offering prospectus as early as Friday, October 23, setting the stage for what could become one of the largest stock market debuts in history. The anticipated filing comes as investors increasingly question whether the explosive growth of artificial intelligence can justify the industry’s enormous infrastructure spending and soaring valuations.

According to Yahoo Finance, which cited three people familiar with the company’s plans, Anthropic is preparing to make its S-1 registration statement publicly available following a confidential submission to the Securities and Exchange Commission in June. The filing would represent a significant step toward a potential November IPO, although the company has not confirmed the timing or final offering terms.

Wall Street has reportedly discussed a valuation approaching $2 trillion, with the offering potentially raising as much as $100 billion. If achieved, those figures would make Anthropic’s debut a defining moment for the AI investment boom and provide public-market investors with direct exposure to one of the industry’s leading developers of advanced artificial intelligence models.

Founded in 2021 by former OpenAI researchers, including CEO Dario Amodei and President Daniela Amodei, Anthropic has emerged as a major competitor in generative AI. Its Claude family of models powers enterprise applications, coding tools, and workplace automation, positioning the company to benefit from growing corporate demand for AI-powered productivity solutions.

Anthropic’s revenue growth has been extraordinary. According to financial information reported by The Wall Street Journal, the company generated approximately $16.3 billion in revenue during the first six months of 2026. Revenue reportedly accelerated further during the third quarter, reflecting rapid adoption of its products among business customers.

However, that growth has come with substantial financial costs. Reports indicate Anthropic recorded a net loss exceeding $80 billion during the first half of 2026, although much of that figure was attributed to accounting charges associated with financing arrangements rather than direct operating expenses.

The company also faces enormous computing requirements. Training and operating advanced AI models requires extensive access to specialized chips, data centers, and cloud infrastructure. Anthropic maintains major relationships with technology giants including Amazon and Alphabet’s Google, while competing for computing resources in an increasingly capital-intensive industry.

Those spending requirements are becoming a central concern for investors. AI infrastructure companies have experienced heightened volatility in recent weeks as Wall Street evaluates whether future revenue growth will be sufficient to support rising debt levels, expensive computing contracts, and aggressive expansion plans.

The potential Anthropic IPO could arrive during a period of increasing selectivity in the public markets. Recent weakness in AI-related stocks and disappointing technology IPO performances suggest investors are becoming more cautious about companies carrying ambitious valuations without established profitability.

For investors, Anthropic’s public prospectus would provide a more detailed view of the company’s financial performance, operating costs, customer concentration, and long-term capital commitments. Those disclosures could help establish new valuation benchmarks for the broader artificial intelligence sector, including competitors such as OpenAI.

The offering could also influence other technology companies considering public listings. A successful debut might encourage additional AI businesses to enter the market, while weaker demand could signal that investors are becoming less willing to finance rapid expansion at premium valuations.

Although Anthropic has not announced an official IPO date, share price, or stock ticker, the expected public filing represents a major development for the technology industry. As artificial intelligence companies transition from private funding toward public ownership, investors will increasingly demand evidence that extraordinary revenue growth can translate into sustainable profitability.