Today: 30 April 2026

Khadija Saeed

A dedicated markets reporter, she covers stocks, macroeconomics, and major business developments with a sharp eye for detail and accuracy.

Applied Materials stock jumps nearly 5% as Micron’s Singapore expansion lifts chip-tool shares

Applied Materials stock jumps nearly 5% as Micron’s Singapore expansion lifts chip-tool shares

Applied Materials jumped 4.8% to $334.84 after Micron announced a $24 billion memory plant in Singapore, signaling higher chip equipment demand. Sector peers Lam Research, KLA, and ASML also advanced. Analysts expect enterprise SSD prices to surge as supply tightens. Investors await the Fed’s rate decision Wednesday and ASML’s earnings for clues on 2026 demand.
27 January 2026
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Home Depot stock price slips as contractor AI tool launches and the Fed looms

Home Depot stock price slips as contractor AI tool launches and the Fed looms

Home Depot shares fell 1.9% to $379.20 Tuesday, underperforming as housing-related stocks declined. The drop followed weak U.S. consumer confidence data, which hit its lowest since 2014. On Monday, Home Depot launched its “Material List Builder AI” tool for professional users. Investors are watching for Wednesday’s Fed decision and Home Depot’s Feb. 24 earnings report.
27 January 2026
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Chevron stock price edges up on Iraq oilfield talks, Venezuela sanctions shift ahead of earnings

Chevron stock price edges up on Iraq oilfield talks, Venezuela sanctions shift ahead of earnings

Chevron shares rose 0.3% to $167.93 Tuesday as investors watched talks over Iraq’s West Qurna 2 oilfield and higher crude prices following U.S. supply disruptions. Reuters reported Chevron is seeking improved terms from Iraq before taking over the field from Lukoil, which faces a Feb. 28 sanctions deadline. The U.S. is also preparing a broader Venezuela license that could affect Chevron’s operations. Quarterly results are due Friday.
27 January 2026
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Natural gas prices swing again after Winter Storm Fern — Henry Hub traders eye Thursday storage data

Natural gas prices swing again after Winter Storm Fern — Henry Hub traders eye Thursday storage data

U.S. natural gas futures fell 2.7% to $6.62 per MMBtu Tuesday, retreating from a 29% surge that sent prices to their highest since December 2022. The drop followed easing cold weather after Winter Storm Fern, which had cut Lower 48 production by up to 20 billion cubic feet per day and sent Northeast spot prices briefly to $150. LNG exports remain constrained as freeze-offs persist.
27 January 2026
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AI stocks rise as Nvidia and Microsoft climb into earnings week — what investors watch next

AI stocks rise as Nvidia and Microsoft climb into earnings week — what investors watch next

Nvidia rose 1.7% and Microsoft gained 2.3% Tuesday as AI-linked stocks outperformed the broader market. S&P Global estimates capex by major tech firms jumped over $45 billion in 2025, with total spending expected to approach $500 billion in 2026. Microsoft unveiled its Maia 200 AI chip, set to launch in Iowa and Arizona data centers. Meta and Microsoft report earnings Wednesday, with investor focus on AI investment returns.
27 January 2026
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Silver price stays above $100 after record spike as Fed decision looms

Silver price stays above $100 after record spike as Fed decision looms

Spot silver jumped 4% to $108.05 an ounce Tuesday after hitting a record $117.69 the previous day. Retail traders poured $171 million into the iShares Silver Trust on Monday, with activity in silver ETFs rivaling tech stock frenzies. CME metals contracts hit a record 3.3 million traded Jan. 26. Shanghai silver traded at a $14 premium to London as Chinese demand surged.
27 January 2026
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Caterpillar stock rises after Jefferies lifts CAT target to $750, with earnings next

Caterpillar stock rises after Jefferies lifts CAT target to $750, with earnings next

Caterpillar shares rose about 0.4% to $638.49 Tuesday after Jefferies raised its price target to $750 and kept a Buy rating. The company reports fourth-quarter and full-year earnings Thursday morning. Wall Street expects earnings of $4.67 per share on $17.89 billion in revenue. Investors are watching for the Fed’s rate decision Wednesday and ongoing tariff impacts on industrials.
27 January 2026
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Salesforce stock flips lower after $5.6B U.S. Army deal headline — what’s next for CRM shares

Salesforce stock flips lower after $5.6B U.S. Army deal headline — what’s next for CRM shares

Salesforce shares fell 0.4% to $228.39 after news of a 10-year U.S. Army contract capped at $5.6 billion. The deal, awarded to Salesforce’s Computable Insights unit, allows the Army to order services as needed but does not guarantee the full amount will be spent. The contract includes a five-year base period with a five-year option. Salesforce will report earnings around Feb. 25.
27 January 2026
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IonQ stock rises as $1.8 billion SkyWater deal puts dilution and quantum chip roadmap in focus

IonQ stock rises as $1.8 billion SkyWater deal puts dilution and quantum chip roadmap in focus

IonQ shares rose 3.5% to $44.87 after announcing a $1.8 billion cash-and-stock deal to acquire SkyWater Technology for $35 per share. The offer gives SkyWater holders a 38% premium and would make them owners of 4.4% to 6.7% of the combined company. The deal awaits shareholder and regulatory approvals. SkyWater shares gained 3.3% to $33.43.
27 January 2026
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Western Digital stock price jumps as new target hikes sharpen focus ahead of earnings

Western Digital stock price jumps as new target hikes sharpen focus ahead of earnings

Western Digital shares jumped 5.5% to $254.06 Tuesday, ahead of its quarterly earnings report due after Thursday’s close. Mizuho and Cantor Fitzgerald raised price targets, citing strong AI-driven demand and higher hard drive prices. Seagate and Micron also surged over 5%. Traders tracked the launch of a new 2x leveraged ETF linked to Western Digital.
27 January 2026
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Stock Market Today

  • ASX set to slide as oil prices jump over $120 a barrel
    April 29, 2026, 6:07 PM EDT. The Australian share market (ASX) is expected to open lower, with futures down 0.8% to 8,627 points, following mixed results on Wall Street. The Dow Jones fell 0.6%, S&P 500 slipped 0.04%, while the Nasdaq rose 0.6%. European markets also declined, led by the FTSE down 1.2%. Oil prices surged 8.7% to over $US120 a barrel, driven by Brent crude hitting $US120.92. Commodities like iron ore rose 0.6%, while precious metals and the Australian dollar weakened. This sharp oil price increase pressures markets and is a key factor behind the ASX's anticipated drop. The market will be closely watching further economic and commodity developments throughout the trading day.

Latest article

Microsoft Stock Falls After Earnings Beat as Azure Growth Hits 40% and AI Revenue Surges

Microsoft Stock Falls After Earnings Beat as Azure Growth Hits 40% and AI Revenue Surges

29 April 2026
Microsoft reported fiscal Q3 revenue of $82.9 billion, up 18%, and net income of $31.8 billion, up 23%, beating analyst estimates. Azure revenue jumped 40%, and AI business annual run rate hit $37 billion, up 123%. Shares fell over 2% after hours as investors focused on rising capital expenditures, which climbed 49% to $31.9 billion. Free cash flow dropped to $15.8 billion from $20.3 billion a year earlier.
Meta Stock Slides as $145 Billion AI Spending Plan Overshadows Blowout Earnings

Meta Stock Slides as $145 Billion AI Spending Plan Overshadows Blowout Earnings

29 April 2026
Meta Platforms shares dropped about 5% in after-hours trading Wednesday after the company raised its 2026 capital spending forecast to $125–$145 billion. First-quarter revenue rose 33% to $56.31 billion, beating estimates, while net income reached $26.77 billion, boosted by an $8.03 billion tax benefit. Meta expects second-quarter revenue of $58–$61 billion. Daily active users across its apps increased 4% to 3.56 billion.
Chipotle Stock Jumps After Chicken Bet Breaks Its Sales Slump

Chipotle Stock Jumps After Chicken Bet Breaks Its Sales Slump

29 April 2026
Chipotle Mexican Grill reported a 0.5% rise in first-quarter comparable sales, reversing recent declines and beating analyst expectations. Total revenue rose 7.4% to $3.09 billion, while shares jumped 7% in after-hours trading. Operating margin narrowed to 12.9% from 16.7% a year earlier. Menu items like Chicken al Pastor and Honey Chicken drove increased restaurant visits.
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