Today: 7 February 2026
Subscribe
Browse Category

Artificial Intelligence News 1 January 2026 - 2 January 2026

Alphabet stock rises to start 2026 as analysts flag AI-search tailwinds for GOOG

Alphabet stock rises to start 2026 as analysts flag AI-search tailwinds for GOOG

Alphabet Class C shares rose 1.3% to $317.82 early Friday, tracking a tech rally as the Nasdaq opened higher for 2026. Citizens analyst Andrew Boone raised his price target to $385, citing stronger engagement from new AI features in Google Search. Investors are watching next week’s U.S. jobs and inflation data ahead of Alphabet’s earnings. The stock touched an intraday high of $322.86.
2 January 2026
···
AI stocks rally today as Nvidia seeks more H200 chips; AMD and Micron lead early gains

AI stocks rally today as Nvidia seeks more H200 chips; AMD and Micron lead early gains

Nvidia shares climbed 2.9% after reports it asked TSMC to boost H200 chip production, with Chinese firms ordering over 2 million units for 2026, far above current inventory. Chip stocks surged, with AMD up 5.5%, Micron 7.8%, and TSMC 4.7%. Baidu’s AI chip unit confidentially filed for a Hong Kong listing; Baidu shares jumped 12.5%. China has not yet approved H200 shipments.
2 January 2026
···········
Microsoft stock slips early as big tech softens; Wedbush flags FY26 as AI “inflection year”

Microsoft stock slips early as big tech softens; Wedbush flags FY26 as AI “inflection year”

Microsoft shares fell 0.8% to $483.62 in early Friday trading as U.S. markets opened for 2026. Analyst Dan Ives of Wedbush maintained a $625 price target, calling fiscal 2026 an AI “inflection” year for Microsoft. The broader Nasdaq 100 also slipped 0.8%. Investors awaited U.S. economic data for signals on interest rates.
2 January 2026
···
Google stock’s best year since 2009 sets up a tougher 2026 test for Alphabet’s AI spending

Google stock’s best year since 2009 sets up a tougher 2026 test for Alphabet’s AI spending

Alphabet shares surged 65% in 2025, their best year since 2009, driven by investor interest in AI. Wall Street expects 2026 earnings growth to slow to 6% as capital spending rises nearly 29% to $114.3 billion. Google Cloud remains a key focus, with $155 billion in backlog and 33.5% revenue growth in Q3. Alphabet’s class A shares were down 0.3% at $313 Friday morning.
2 January 2026
···
Nvidia stock: China’s H200 rush and Samsung HBM4 talks put 2026 AI rally in focus

Nvidia stock: China’s H200 rush and Samsung HBM4 talks put 2026 AI rally in focus

Nvidia has asked TSMC to boost H200 chip production after Chinese firms ordered over 2 million units for 2026, sources said. Nvidia holds about 700,000 units in stock and set China-bound H200 prices near $27,000 each. Samsung confirmed talks to supply HBM4 memory to Nvidia. TSMC may begin expanded output in Q2 as Beijing weighs import approval.
2 January 2026
······
AI’s “Pick-and-Shovel” Boom: Power, Cooling and Networking Stocks Take the Spotlight in 2026

AI’s “Pick-and-Shovel” Boom: Power, Cooling and Networking Stocks Take the Spotlight in 2026

Vertiv and Arista Networks posted three-year revenue growth of 70.4% and 92.8%, outpacing Alphabet and Microsoft, according to The Motley Fool. Both suppliers now trade at higher earnings multiples—Vertiv at 41 times and Arista at 46—versus around 30 for the tech giants. Barron’s warned that power supply could become a bottleneck for AI expansion in 2026. Investors are shifting focus to data-center infrastructure.
2 January 2026
····
Amazon stock slips today in premarket as Brookfield cloud push keeps AI spending under scrutiny

Amazon stock slips today in premarket as Brookfield cloud push keeps AI spending under scrutiny

Amazon shares fell 0.7% to $230.82 in premarket trading Friday, as megacap tech stocks started 2026 lower. The move followed news that Brookfield is launching Radiant, a cloud business leasing chips to AI developers, intensifying competition in cloud infrastructure. Investors are watching for Amazon’s next earnings and AWS demand signals. Broader market sentiment was muted, with Nasdaq and S&P 500 ETFs also down before the open.
2 January 2026
······
Tencent stock jumps in Hong Kong on AI-fueled tech rally; buyback filing in focus

Tencent stock jumps in Hong Kong on AI-fueled tech rally; buyback filing in focus

Tencent shares rose 4.0% to HK$623.00 in Hong Kong after the company bought back 1.1 million shares for HK$635.5 million on Dec. 31. The rally followed renewed optimism in China’s AI sector and a broader tech surge. Traders are watching if U.S.-traded Tencent ADRs will mirror the move when New York trading resumes. Mainland China’s markets reopen Jan. 5.
2 January 2026
···
BigBear.ai stock: $250 million Ask Sage deal closes as markets shut for New Year’s Day

BigBear.ai stock: $250 million Ask Sage deal closes as markets shut for New Year’s Day

BigBear.ai said it closed its $250 million cash acquisition of Ask Sage after markets shut Dec. 31. BBAI shares last traded at $5.40, down 1.7%, with U.S. markets closed for New Year’s Day. The company expects Ask Sage to add $25 million in annual recurring revenue in 2025. Investors are watching for integration signals as markets reopen Friday.
2 January 2026
··
Oracle stock forecast 2026: AI spending scrutiny and new cloud challengers put ORCL in focus

Oracle stock forecast 2026: AI spending scrutiny and new cloud challengers put ORCL in focus

Brookfield is launching a cloud business to lease chips to AI developers, backed by a $10 billion fund, The Information reported. Oracle shares swung sharply in late 2025 as investors questioned its $15 billion increase in expected capital expenditures for fiscal 2026. SoftBank completed a $41 billion investment in OpenAI, which, with Oracle and others, is planning a multi-year data-center project called Stargate.
2 January 2026
····
Broadcom Stock Forecast 2026: Wall Street Sees $460 Target for AVGO as AI Growth Meets Margin Test

Broadcom Stock Forecast 2026: Wall Street Sees $460 Target for AVGO as AI Growth Meets Margin Test

Broadcom forecast fiscal Q1 2026 revenue of about $19.1 billion and said AI semiconductor revenue will double to $8.2 billion. Shares last traded at $346.10, while analysts’ average one-year price target stands at $460.23, according to FactSet data. The company warned gross margin could fall by 100 basis points due to a higher mix of AI sales. Broadcom reported a $73 billion backlog concentrated among five customers.
1 January 2026
·
Meta stock forecast 2026: New scam-ad “playbook” scrutiny collides with a bigger AI spend plan

Meta stock forecast 2026: New scam-ad “playbook” scrutiny collides with a bigger AI spend plan

Internal documents reviewed by Reuters show Meta developed a “playbook” to delay stricter rules on scam ads and resisted universal advertiser verification, citing up to $9.3 billion in potential exposure. Meta shares rose 1.1% on Dec. 30 after announcing the acquisition of AI startup Manus, but closed at about $660, down 0.9%. The company expects 2026 capital spending to grow faster than in 2025.
1 January 2026
·
Western Digital stock slips into 2026 after year-end profit-taking in AI storage winners

Western Digital stock slips into 2026 after year-end profit-taking in AI storage winners

NEW YORK, January 1, 2026, 16:20 ET — Market closed Western Digital Corp shares fell 2.2% to $172.27 in the final trading session of 2025, and were not trading on Thursday with U.S. markets closed for New Year’s Day. Reuters The late slide came after the data-storage maker’s stock more than tripled in 2025, a year in which investors piled into hardware tied to the artificial intelligence buildout, Reuters reported. Reuters That matters now because Western Digital has become a proxy for how long big data-center customers keep expanding capacity — and how quickly investors take profits after a breakout
1 January 2026
·
Caterpillar stock today: CAT slips into New Year holiday as AI data-center power theme stays in focus

Caterpillar stock today: CAT slips into New Year holiday as AI data-center power theme stays in focus

Caterpillar shares closed down 0.8% at $572.87 in the final session of 2025, as U.S. markets shut for New Year’s Day. Investors are watching demand for Caterpillar’s power equipment tied to AI data centers, which drove a 17% jump in Energy & Transportation sales last quarter. The company is expanding engine production with a $725 million investment in Indiana. Next quarterly dividend is $1.51 per share, ex-dividend Jan. 20.
1 January 2026
···
CrowdStrike stock slides after-hours as Wedbush keeps CRWD on its top AI picks list

CrowdStrike stock slides after-hours as Wedbush keeps CRWD on its top AI picks list

CrowdStrike shares last traded at $468.76, down 1.5% after the New Year’s holiday market closure. Analyst Dan Ives of Wedbush reiterated a $600 price target, citing AI-driven security demand. Sector peers Palo Alto Networks and Fortinet also fell. Investors await early January U.S. economic data and CrowdStrike’s next results for updates on subscription growth.
1 January 2026
····
2026 stock market forecast: After 2025’s rally, Wall Street sees earnings, Fed cuts and AI spending as the big tests

2026 stock market forecast: After 2025’s rally, Wall Street sees earnings, Fed cuts and AI spending as the big tests

The S&P 500 closed 2025 at 6,845.50, up 16.39% for the year, as Nvidia became the first company to reach a $5 trillion market value. Strategists say 2026 gains depend on profit growth broadening beyond megacap tech and on AI spending delivering returns. Rate policy and Fed uncertainty are expected to drive early-year volatility.
1 January 2026
····
Communication Services stocks: Meta’s Manus AI deal and Warner takeover battle set early 2026 agenda

Communication Services stocks: Meta’s Manus AI deal and Warner takeover battle set early 2026 agenda

Meta agreed to acquire AI startup Manus for $2–$3 billion, according to a source. U.S. markets were closed for New Year’s Day after the Communication Services Select Sector SPDR ETF ended 2025 down 0.5%. Warner Bros Discovery is expected to reject Paramount Skydance’s $108.4 billion bid as a rival Netflix offer remains.
1 January 2026
····
Data center stocks slide into 2026 as xAI expansion keeps Nvidia, Dell, Super Micro in focus

Data center stocks slide into 2026 as xAI expansion keeps Nvidia, Dell, Super Micro in focus

U.S. markets were closed Thursday for New Year’s Day after data center-linked stocks ended 2025 lower. Nvidia slipped 0.5%, Dell fell 1.6%, and Super Micro Computer lost 1.3% in the last session. Elon Musk’s xAI bought a third building for data center expansion, aiming for nearly 2 gigawatts of compute power. Traders await Friday’s reopening and early U.S. factory data next week.
1 January 2026
···········
Google stock caps best year since 2009 as AI bets carry Alphabet into 2026

Google stock caps best year since 2009 as AI bets carry Alphabet into 2026

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 19:50 ET Alphabet closed out 2025 up about 66%, its best year since 2009, as investors warmed to Google’s push into artificial intelligence. Shares rebounded from an April low of $144.70, and Wall Street has pointed to new search features such as AI Overviews and AI Mode, built on its latest Gemini 3 model, as key to keeping users inside Google even as rivals such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Perplexity gain traction. Barron’s The year-end run matters because big tech has set the tone for equity performance, and investors are pressing companies to show that
1 January 2026
···
1 … 37 38 39 40 41 … 144

Stock Market Today

Data Center Stocks Surge Into the Weekend: Digital Realty, Equinix and Vertiv Set Up a Big Week Ahead

Data Center Stocks Surge Into the Weekend: Digital Realty, Equinix and Vertiv Set Up a Big Week Ahead

7 February 2026
Digital Realty, Equinix, and Vertiv shares surged Friday, with Vertiv up 10% and Digital Realty rising 4.1%, as investors rotated back into AI-linked data center stocks. The move followed Amazon’s $200 billion and Alphabet’s $175–185 billion 2026 capex targets. Digital Realty set 2026 core FFO guidance at $7.90 to $8.00 per share. Wall Street ended the week broadly higher, led by chipmakers.
Quantum computing stocks bounce hard: IonQ, Rigetti, D‑Wave rally as traders reset for a data-heavy week

Quantum computing stocks bounce hard: IonQ, Rigetti, D‑Wave rally as traders reset for a data-heavy week

7 February 2026
IonQ, Rigetti, D‑Wave, and Quantum Computing Inc shares surged 15–21 percent Friday, erasing losses from the previous session. The rebound followed a Wall Street rally that sent the Dow above 50,000 for the first time. IonQ remains under scrutiny after a short-seller report questioned its Pentagon contract revenue. Investors await delayed U.S. jobs and inflation data next week.
Defense and space stocks rally, but Trump’s buyback-dividend squeeze is the next test

Defense and space stocks rally, but Trump’s buyback-dividend squeeze is the next test

7 February 2026
U.S. space and defense stocks rose Friday, with sector ETFs gaining up to 4.8% and Lockheed Martin up 2.4%. Investors are awaiting a Pentagon list that could restrict buybacks and dividends at underperforming contractors under a Trump executive order. Companies named would have 15 days to submit remediation plans. Lockheed’s board approved a $3.45 per share dividend for Q1 2026.
Go toTop