Australia Stock Market Today: ASX 200 Hits Two-Week Low as Banks, Miners Slide; Santos Jumps. (Indo Premier)
The S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.6% to 8,793.40, its lowest close since April 7, as financials and
Sensex, Nifty Fall Again Today as Oil Holds Above $100 and HSBC Cuts India to Underweight
Indian stocks fell Thursday, with the Nifty 50 at 24,207.25 and Sensex at 77,799.23 by early afternoon, as Brent crude stayed above $100 and HSBC downgraded Indian equities to “underweight.” The rupee
Lululemon names former Nike executive Heidi O’Neill CEO as founder pressure mounts
Lululemon named former Nike executive Heidi O’Neill as CEO, effective Sept. 8, amid pressure from founder Chip Wilson and Elliott Investment Management. The announcement follows a 4% drop in Americas revenue last quarter, while international sales climbed 17%. O’Neill will join the board and be based in Vancouver. Interim co-CEOs Meghan Frank and André Maestrini will return to their previous roles in September.
Texas Instruments Stock Jumps as Strong Forecast Signals Chip Demand Is Waking Up
Texas Instruments projected second-quarter revenue of $5.00–$5.40 billion and earnings per share of $1.77–$2.05, both above analyst estimates. First-quarter revenue rose 19% to $4.83 billion, with net income up to $1.55 billion. Shares jumped about 8% in after-hours trading. The company cited stronger demand from data-center and industrial customers.
ServiceNow Stock Sinks As Iran War Hits Deals And CEO Calls AI Threat ‘Parlor Tricks’
ServiceNow shares dropped 14% in after-hours trading Wednesday after the company said Middle East conflict delayed several large deals, despite raising its annual subscription revenue forecast. First-quarter subscription revenue rose 22% to $3.67 billion. Short interest in the stock stood at 2.9%, with shares down about 35% this year before earnings. CEO Bill McDermott highlighted growing demand for AI products, raising the 2026 AI sales target to at least $1.5 billion.
Tesla Earnings Surprise: $1.4 Billion Cash Flow Steals Focus From Revenue Miss
Tesla reported $1.44 billion in free cash flow for the first quarter, sending shares up 3.4% in late trading, despite revenue of $22.39 billion missing Wall Street estimates. Vehicle deliveries rose 6% to 358,023 but lagged forecasts, while global inventory climbed to 27 days of supply. Net income rose 17% to $477 million. Tesla ended the quarter with $44.74 billion in cash and short-term investments.
Warner Bros. Discovery Shareholders Are Hours From Paramount Vote That Could Redraw Hollywood
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders face a Wednesday night deadline to vote on Paramount Skydance’s $110 billion takeover offer, with a special meeting set for Thursday morning. Shares traded 12% below the $31-per-share offer Wednesday, signaling investor doubts despite board support. The U.S. Justice Department has issued subpoenas, and UK regulators are reviewing the deal. Nearly 3,500 industry figures have signed an anti-merger letter.
TSMC Debuts A13, Holds Off on ASML’s High-NA EUV Tools Until 2029
TSMC unveiled its A13 chip technology Wednesday, confirming it will not adopt ASML’s High-NA EUV machines before 2029. The A13 node offers 6% area savings over A14 and maintains design compatibility. TSMC also introduced N2U, a 2-nanometer variant due in 2028. The company is expanding advanced packaging, with a 14-reticle CoWoS platform planned to combine large compute dies and high-bandwidth memory.
ASML Says It Can Keep Up With AI Chip Boom in 2026, but China Curbs Still Loom
ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet told investors the company will not be a bottleneck for chipmakers in 2026 after boosting capacity and productivity. ASML last week raised its 2026 sales forecast to 36–40 billion euros following first-quarter sales of 8.8 billion euros and net income of 2.8 billion euros. Risks remain from U.S. export controls on China and the pace of next-generation EUV tool adoption.
Alphabet Stock Gets Fresh $410 Target Ahead of Earnings as Gemini and Google Cloud Lift Outlook
Alphabet shares rose 1.7% to $337.93 midday Wednesday after BMO Capital Markets raised its price target to $410 and BofA Securities reiterated a Buy at $370 ahead of next week’s earnings. At Google Cloud Next in Las Vegas, Google unveiled new AI agents, custom chips, and announced major deals with Merck, PepsiCo, and Salesforce. Analysts cited accelerating Google Cloud growth and stronger AI integration in Search.
AMD Stock Jumps as Stifel Lifts Price Target to $320 Ahead of May 5 Earnings
AMD shares jumped 6% to $302.24 after Stifel raised its price target to $320 and reiterated a Buy rating. The stock is now less than 6% below Stifel’s new target and near Bank of America’s $310 target. AMD has major AI chip supply deals with Meta and OpenAI, with shipments set to begin in late 2026. The company reported record Q4 2025 revenue of $10.3 billion, with data-center sales up 39%.
Why GE Aerospace Stock Fell Despite an Earnings Beat and a $210 Billion Backlog
GE Aerospace shares fell 4% Wednesday despite beating Q1 estimates and raising its 2026 profit outlook, as management kept its full-year forecast unchanged. First-quarter orders jumped 87% to $23 billion and adjusted EPS rose 25% to $1.86. Airlines warned that the Iran war has raised fuel costs and clouded demand, testing GE’s service revenue resilience. GE’s commercial-services backlog stands above $170 billion.
Microsoft Stock’s $500 Question: Why Wall Street Is Watching Azure Before Earnings
Microsoft shares rose 1.7% to $431.31 Wednesday as investors focused on Azure growth and Copilot adoption ahead of next week’s earnings. Bank of America maintained a buy rating and $500 target, citing AI infrastructure and cloud gains as key factors. Last quarter, revenue climbed 17% to $81.3 billion, but heavy AI spending and only slightly better-than-expected cloud growth unsettled some investors.
IBM Earnings Today: Red Hat, Confluent and AI Risk Put a $15.6 Billion Quarter in Focus
IBM will report first-quarter results Wednesday after markets close, with analysts expecting adjusted earnings of $1.81 per share on $15.6 billion in revenue. Investors are watching for signs that software growth, boosted by the $11 billion Confluent acquisition in March, can support a higher 2026 outlook. Red Hat’s performance and updated guidance are in focus. Several analysts cut price targets ahead of the report but kept positive ratings.
Broadcom Stock Nears Record as Google AI Chip Push Fuels AVGO Breakout Bet
Broadcom shares jumped over 4% Wednesday, trading near a record $420, after Google unveiled new TPU 8t and TPU 8i AI chips. Broadcom recently disclosed a long-term deal to supply Google with custom TPUs and networking components through 2031. The company reported $19.31 billion in fiscal Q1 revenue, with AI revenue up 106% to $8.4 billion. Investors remain divided over valuation and margin pressures.
US Stock Market Today: Nasdaq Leads Wall Street Rally as Iran Ceasefire Relief Meets Earnings Momentum
The Nasdaq rose 1.29% as technology and chip stocks led gains after President Trump extended the Iran ceasefire. GE Vernova, Boeing, and Boston Scientific advanced following earnings reports. Oil hovered near $100, with fresh ship seizures in the Strait of Hormuz highlighting ongoing risks. At 11:25 a.m. ET, the Dow was up 381 points, the S&P 500 gained 61 points, and the Nasdaq climbed 314 points.
Uber Now Owns 11.5% of Lucid. The Robotaxi Bet Is Bigger Than It Looked
Uber disclosed an 11.52% passive stake in Lucid Group, owning 37.8 million shares through a subsidiary, according to an SEC filing dated April 20. The move follows Uber’s expanded $500 million investment and a commitment to purchase at least 35,000 Lucid robotaxi vehicles. Lucid shares fell 1.3% Wednesday after a prior rally. The companies plan a commercial robotaxi launch in the Bay Area later this year.
Super Micro Stock Climbs Before Earnings As Options Traders Price An 11% Swing
Super Micro shares rose 2.7% to $29.20 Wednesday morning, extending a rebound ahead of its May 5 earnings report. Options markets are pricing in high volatility, with a 50% chance of a move larger than 10.99% around the results. The report follows a March indictment tied to export controls and compliance concerns. JPMorgan last week cut its price target to $28.
GameStop Stock Jumps Again: Why GME Is Back Above $25 And What Could Break The Rally
GameStop shares rose about 4.2% to near $25.49 in midday New York trading Wednesday, with volume topping 5.3 million shares after a short Xbox and PlayStation trade-in promotion and renewed speculation about CEO Ryan Cohen’s acquisition plans. Cohen told CNBC he wants GameStop to buy a much larger public consumer company but did not name a target. GameStop’s cash and securities rose to $9 billion last quarter as net sales fell.
RTX Raises 2026 Outlook on Missile Demand and Jet-Service Strength, but Stock Slides Again
RTX raised its 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to $6.70-$6.90 and sales outlook to $92.5-$93.5 billion after first-quarter revenue rose 9% and adjusted EPS climbed 21%. Raytheon missile programs and Pratt & Whitney’s aftermarket work drove gains; backlog reached $271 billion. Shares fell about 2.5% Wednesday morning after a 4.4% drop Tuesday. First-quarter sales totaled $22.08 billion, up from $20.31 billion a year ago.
Vanguard ETF Splits Take Effect: What Lower Prices for VGT, VUG, MGK, VOOG and VO Mean Now
Vanguard’s five planned ETF share splits took effect, dropping prices for VGT to $102.24, VUG to $82.59, MGK to $83.55, VOOG to $77.16, and VO to $76.68 by Wednesday morning in New York. The splits do not affect portfolio composition or investor value. Fund assets as of March 31 totaled $317.8 billion for VUG and $198.3 billion for VO. Vanguard says splits aim to improve trading by lowering share prices.
Trump Administration Nears $500 Million Spirit Rescue as American Rejects United Merger (Bloomberg)
The Trump administration is close to a deal to lend Spirit Airlines up to $500 million, with Washington set to receive warrants for future shares, according to Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal. The rescue, not yet finalized, would be a rare federal intervention in a single airline. Spirit sought emergency aid after fuel prices doubled its costs, threatening its bankruptcy exit plan. The White House opposes a United-American merger.
Opendoor Technologies Stock Keeps Climbing as Earnings Test Looms
Opendoor Technologies shares rose 0.8% to $5.50 Wednesday morning, continuing a rebound ahead of first-quarter results due May 7. The stock is up from $4.51 on April 14. The company will replace its usual earnings call with a video "Financial Open House" for live shareholder questions. Wall Street remains divided on Opendoor's path to profitability as investors watch for improved unit economics.
Indian Stock Market Today: Sensex, Nifty 50 Slide as HCLTech Sparks IT Selloff; 24,000 in Focus
HCLTech shares plunged 10.7% Wednesday after a weak growth forecast, dragging the Nifty 50 down 0.81% to 24,378.10 and the Sensex 0.95% lower. Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services also fell sharply, pulling the Nifty IT index down 3.9%. Small- and mid-cap stocks rose, but financials slipped. Traders are watching whether banks can keep the Nifty 50 above 24,000 amid volatile oil prices and Middle East tensions.
United Airlines CEO Sidesteps American Airlines Merger Talk as Trump Opposes Deal, Signals Support for Spirit
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby declined to confirm interest in acquiring American Airlines, keeping merger speculation active after President Trump voiced opposition. United cut its 2026 outlook as jet-fuel costs rise amid the Iran conflict, but reported $14.6 billion in first-quarter revenue. American rejected merger talks, citing competition concerns. A combined carrier would control about 40% of U.S. domestic flying capacity.
Boeing Q1 2026 Earnings Beat as 143 Jet Deliveries Cut Losses, but Cash Burn Still Weighs
Boeing posted a first-quarter net loss of $7 million, far smaller than analysts’ forecasts, as revenue rose 14% to $22.2 billion on stronger jet deliveries. Free cash flow remained negative at $1.5 billion, but improved from last year. Commercial airplanes delivered 143 jets, outpacing Airbus, but the unit still lost $563 million. Total backlog reached a record $695 billion, with defense and services offsetting some losses.
Why Strategy Stock (MSTR) Is Outpacing Bitcoin Again After a $2.54 Billion Buy
Strategy, formerly MicroStrategy, bought 34,164 bitcoin for $2.54 billion in the week ended April 19, raising its total to 815,061 coins. The company funded the purchase by selling $2.54 billion in securities, including 21.8 million STRC preferred shares. Strategy’s latest acquisition puts its bitcoin holdings ahead of BlackRock’s IBIT. Shares were down 4% premarket Wednesday but had risen nearly 37% in April.
Axe Compute (AGPU) stock in focus after biggest-ever $260 million Nvidia B300 contract
Axe Compute announced a $260 million, 36-month contract to supply 2,304 Nvidia B300 GPUs and high-speed storage to an undisclosed enterprise customer, with deployment set for Q3 2026 at a U.S. Tier 3 data center. The company reported only $125,284 in 2025 revenue, all from its legacy business, and has not yet recognized any revenue from AI infrastructure.
SoundHound AI Stock Rebounds After $43 Million LivePerson Deal as Investors Reassess the Selloff
SoundHound AI shares rose 3.8% in premarket trading after announcing a $43 million all-stock deal to acquire LivePerson. The merger would unite 25 Fortune 100 customers and a network handling 1 billion messages monthly. SoundHound expects the combined company to be debt-free at closing and forecasts 2027 revenue of at least $350 million. The deal requires LivePerson shareholder and regulatory approvals.
AT&T Earnings Beat as Meritage, TD Waterhouse and Zurcher Stake Cuts Resurface
AT&T added 294,000 postpaid wireless subscribers in the first quarter, beating forecasts, and reported a 2.9% revenue rise to $31.5 billion. The company maintained its 2026 outlook. Recent reports of institutional stake cuts were based on year-end 2023 data, before AT&T’s Lumen fiber deal and latest earnings. Free cash flow dropped to $2.5 billion as capital spending increased.
Best Buy CEO Corie Barry to Step Down, Jason Bonfig Named Successor as Sales Stay Sluggish
Best Buy said CEO Corie Barry will step down Oct. 31, with Jason Bonfig, chief customer, product and fulfillment officer, taking over Nov. 1 and joining the board. The move comes as Best Buy faces sluggish sales; fourth-quarter comparable sales fell 0.8%. Barry will remain as a strategic adviser for six months. Bonfig, with Best Buy since 1999, currently oversees merchandising, e-commerce, and supply chain.
Why POET Technologies Stock Is Soaring Again After PFIC Tax Fix and Marvell Order Talk
POET Technologies shares jumped 19.3% to $10.25 Tuesday, extending Monday’s 18.3% gain after management addressed tax concerns raised by a short-seller. CFO Thomas Mika said POET does not expect to qualify as a PFIC in 2026 and confirmed a purchase order tied to Marvell. The company reported $341,202 in Q4 revenue and a $42.7 million net loss. POET targets second-quarter sampling of its 1.6T module with Lessengers.
GE Vernova Lifts 2026 Forecast as AI Data-Center Power Demand Drives Orders
GE Vernova raised its 2026 revenue forecast to $44.5–$45.5 billion after first-quarter orders surged to $18.3 billion, driven by data center demand. Revenue climbed 16% to $9.34 billion, while net income hit $4.75 billion, boosted by $4.5 billion in M&A gains. The electrification unit booked $2.4 billion in data center orders, surpassing last year’s total. Wind unit revenue dropped 23%, posting a $382 million EBITDA loss.
Vertiv Q1 Earnings Beat, 2026 Outlook Raised, but Shares Slip as AI Data Center Bar Stays High
Vertiv reported first-quarter net sales up 30% to $2.65 billion and raised its 2026 outlook, citing strong AI data center demand. Adjusted earnings reached $1.17 a share, beating estimates, but shares fell premarket as the second-quarter forecast matched analyst targets. Americas core growth was 44%, while EMEA sales dropped 20.3%. Full-year sales guidance increased to $13.5–$14.0 billion.
UK Inflation Hits 3.3% as Fuel Shock Threatens Higher Bills and BoE Rate Cuts
UK consumer price inflation rose to 3.3% in March from 3.0% in February, driven by higher fuel, air fares, and food costs, according to the Office for National Statistics. Petrol prices jumped 8.6p to 140.2p per litre, and diesel climbed 17.6p to 158.7p. Economists expect the Bank of England to keep rates at 3.75% at its April 30 meeting.
FTSE 100 Today: Why London Stocks Are Stuck Near 10,500 as Inflation Bites
UK inflation rose to 3.3% in March, driven by higher motor fuel prices, the Office for National Statistics said Wednesday. The FTSE 100 hovered near 10,500, down 0.04%, as losses in Reckitt and JD Sports offset gains in miners and BP. Reckitt fell 5% after missing sales forecasts and warning on margins. Investors weighed whether the inflation jump could prompt a tougher Bank of England stance.