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Artificial Intelligence News 4 January 2026 - 5 January 2026

Palantir vs Oracle: Wall Street’s AI stock split — and 3 alternatives investors are watching in 2026

Palantir vs Oracle: Wall Street’s AI stock split — and 3 alternatives investors are watching in 2026

NEW YORK, Jan 5, 2026, 06:50 ET Wall Street analysts are largely neutral on Palantir Technologies (PLTR) and see more upside in Oracle (ORCL) as investors enter 2026 still sorting winners from the artificial intelligence (AI) boom, a Motley Fool analysis published on Sunday showed. The Motley Fool That matters now because last year’s run-up in AI-linked shares left little room for disappointment. Investors are increasingly splitting between companies selling AI software and those building the infrastructure — data centres, cloud capacity and chips — that make the technology run. Cost pressures are also creeping into the conversation as companies
5 January 2026
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Micron stock rises in premarket as AI-era memory pricing stays in focus — what MU investors watch next

Micron stock rises in premarket as AI-era memory pricing stays in focus — what MU investors watch next

NEW YORK, Jan 5, 2026, 05:59 ET — Premarket Micron Technology (MU.O) shares rose about 3% in premarket trading on Monday, adding to a powerful run that saw the stock jump 10.5% on Friday’s close. Shares were indicated at $325.37 after ending Friday at $315.42. The Wall Street Journal The move matters because Micron’s fortunes swing with memory prices, and investors are betting this cycle has shifted in its favor. Demand from data centers building out artificial intelligence systems is pulling in more DRAM — the working memory inside servers — and more high-end variants that carry fatter margins. That
5 January 2026
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Amazon stock: What to watch as analysts raise targets on Rufus AI and AWS

Amazon stock: What to watch as analysts raise targets on Rufus AI and AWS

New York, Jan 5, 2026, 06:02 (EST) — Premarket Amazon.com shares edged higher in premarket trading on Monday as two analyst notes pointed to upside from the company’s AI-powered shopping assistant and cloud growth. The stock was up about 0.4% at $227.33, after ending Friday at $226.50.  MarketWatch The fresh bullish calls matter because investors are pressing Amazon to show that its AI push is moving the needle beyond headlines. That means stronger demand at Amazon Web Services (AWS) and evidence that new shopping tools convert browsers into buyers without squeezing profitability.  Investing The timing is tight. Earnings calendars tracked
5 January 2026
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Nvidia stock starts 2026 higher — CES keynote and jobs report set next test for AI shares

Nvidia stock starts 2026 higher — CES keynote and jobs report set next test for AI shares

NEW YORK, Jan 4, 2026, 12:49 ET — Market closed Nvidia shares closed up 1.2% on Friday at $188.85, helping chipmakers lead Wall Street’s first trading day of 2026. The next read on the AI trade comes when U.S. markets reopen on Monday. Reuters The move matters because chip stocks have become a fast way for investors to express a view on AI infrastructure spending — the servers, chips and networking that power AI systems. Friday’s rebound followed a late-December stumble that left markets without the typical “Santa Claus rally” into year-end. Reuters The calendar is packed early. Nvidia CEO
4 January 2026
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GE Vernova stock jumps nearly 4% to start 2026 as AI-power trade rebounds

GE Vernova stock jumps nearly 4% to start 2026 as AI-power trade rebounds

NEW YORK, Jan 4, 2026, 11:24 ET — Market closed GE Vernova shares ended the first trading day of 2026 up nearly 4%, a sharp rebound that outpaced the broader market and put the power-equipment maker back in focus ahead of a heavy early-January data calendar. Yahoo Finance The move matters now because investors started the year rotating into companies seen as beneficiaries of the energy buildout needed to support fast-growing data-center demand, after a choppy end to 2025. Reuters “Value is outperforming growth and AI infrastructure is up,” Jed Ellerbroek, a portfolio manager at Argent Capital in St. Louis,
4 January 2026
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Applied Optoelectronics stock jumps 14% to start 2026 as AI data-center optics rally

Applied Optoelectronics stock jumps 14% to start 2026 as AI data-center optics rally

NEW YORK, January 4, 2026, 07:17 ET — Market closed Applied Optoelectronics’ shares jumped 13.6% in the last regular session on Friday, closing at $39.60. The stock traded between $35.82 and $40.06 during the session. The outsized move mattered because it came on the first trading day of 2026, when positioning and thinner liquidity can amplify swings in smaller, higher-volatility names. “Value is outperforming growth and AI infrastructure is up,” said Jed Ellerbroek, portfolio manager at Argent Capital, describing Friday’s broader tape. Reuters Applied Optoelectronics’ gain also landed alongside strength in optical and networking peers. Lumentum rose 4.7%, Coherent climbed
4 January 2026
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Applied Digital stock jumps 14% as AI-linked names rebound; APLD earnings on Jan. 7

Applied Digital stock jumps 14% as AI-linked names rebound; APLD earnings on Jan. 7

NEW YORK, January 4, 2026, 06:28 ET — Market closed. Applied Digital Corporation (APLD) shares jumped 14.6% on Friday to close at $28.11, after trading between $24.65 and $28.44. Trading volume was about 36.1 million shares. The move put focus back on one of the market’s more volatile AI infrastructure trades, where sentiment can swing sharply on expectations for data-center demand and funding conditions. Why it matters now: investors are heading into a key earnings week looking for signs that new capacity is translating into steadier revenue, while capital spending remains heavy across the sector. The rally came as risk
4 January 2026
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Micron (MU) stock jumps 10% as Bernstein lifts target on AI-driven memory price upcycle

Micron (MU) stock jumps 10% as Bernstein lifts target on AI-driven memory price upcycle

NEW YORK, January 4, 2026, 05:50 ET — Market closed Micron Technology shares surged 10.5% to close at $315.42 on Friday, as a bullish analyst note helped extend a powerful rally in memory stocks tied to artificial-intelligence data centers. The move matters now because memory is one of the key inputs for AI servers, and tighter supply can push up prices quickly. Higher prices typically flow straight into chipmakers’ margins when they sell more of the same bits at better terms. Micron is a major supplier of DRAM (dynamic random access memory, a type of working memory used in computers
4 January 2026
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AAOI stock jumps 14% to start 2026 as Applied Optoelectronics rides AI data-center demand

AAOI stock jumps 14% to start 2026 as Applied Optoelectronics rides AI data-center demand

NEW YORK, Jan 3, 2026, 19:00 ET — Market closed Shares of Applied Optoelectronics rose 13.6% to $39.60 on Friday, the first U.S. trading session of 2026, after swinging between $35.82 and $40.06. The sharp move matters because investors are resetting portfolios for the new year and revisiting “AI infrastructure” trades tied to data-center spending, where optical hardware is a key bottleneck. Friday’s gains also looked sector-wide. Lumentum rose 4.7%, Coherent gained 5.3% and Ciena advanced 5.2%, helping pull smaller optics suppliers higher. The rally came on a day when Wall Street finished mixed and Treasury yields moved higher, with
4 January 2026
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Baidu stock jumps nearly 15% after AI chip unit Kunlunxin files for Hong Kong IPO

Baidu stock jumps nearly 15% after AI chip unit Kunlunxin files for Hong Kong IPO

NEW YORK, Jan 3, 2026, 18:50 ET — Market closed Baidu’s U.S.-listed American depositary shares (BIDU) closed up 14.9% at $150.30 on Friday after the company said its AI chip unit Kunlunxin had filed for a Hong Kong listing. Baidu said Kunlunxin submitted a listing application to the Hong Kong stock exchange (HKEX) on a confidential basis, setting the stage for a spin-off — listing a subsidiary separately from the parent. The company said the move is meant to better showcase Kunlunxin’s value and broaden financing channels, and that Kunlunxin is expected to remain a Baidu subsidiary after the transaction.
4 January 2026
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Fluence Energy stock jumps 16% to kick off 2026 as AI-power demand lifts storage names

Fluence Energy stock jumps 16% to kick off 2026 as AI-power demand lifts storage names

NEW YORK, Jan 3, 2026, 18:36 ET — Market closed Shares of Fluence Energy Inc (FLNC) jumped 16.3% on Friday to close at $23.01, after trading as high as $23.12 and as low as $20.14. The stock was up about 0.4% in after-hours trading, StockAnalysis data showed. StockAnalysis The rally put the battery-storage name back in focus as U.S. equities opened 2026 with a mixed session and investors debated the interest-rate path. “Value is outperforming growth and AI infrastructure is up,” said Jed Ellerbroek, a portfolio manager at Argent Capital in St. Louis. Reuters Energy storage has increasingly been pulled
4 January 2026
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BigBear.ai stock today: BBAI eyes $125M debt cut as 38M shares come into view

BigBear.ai stock today: BBAI eyes $125M debt cut as 38M shares come into view

NEW YORK, Jan 3, 2026, 18:09 ET — Market closed BigBear.ai Holdings (BBAI) said after the market close on Friday it will redeem all outstanding 6.00% convertible senior secured notes due 2029, a move it expects will eliminate about $125 million of debt and cut total note-related debt to about $17 million. It set Jan. 16 as the redemption date and said it expects to issue about 38 million shares as noteholders convert, with any notes not converted to be redeemed for cash at par plus accrued interest. BigBear.ai Holdings, Inc. The debt cleanup matters because convertible notes are debt
4 January 2026
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Stock Market Today

Verizon stock price snaps 7-day run as consumer chief exit sharpens focus on turnaround

Verizon stock price snaps 7-day run as consumer chief exit sharpens focus on turnaround

7 February 2026
Verizon shares fell 1.7% to $46.31 Friday, ending a seven-session rally and closing about 2.7% below Thursday’s one-year high. The dip follows news that consumer chief Sowmyanarayan Sampath will step down, with Alfonso Villanueva named interim head. Verizon has climbed 16% since January 29 amid strong subscriber growth and a $25 billion buyback plan.
Cisco stock jumps 3% near $85 as UBS sticks with Buy ahead of Feb. 11 earnings

Cisco stock jumps 3% near $85 as UBS sticks with Buy ahead of Feb. 11 earnings

7 February 2026
Cisco shares rose 3% to $84.82 Friday, nearing $85 ahead of fiscal Q2 results due Feb. 11. UBS maintained a Buy rating and $90 target, citing strong product order growth and data-center demand. Investors are watching AI-related spending and U.S. economic data that could affect rates. Peers Fortinet, CrowdStrike, and Palo Alto Networks also gained.
Coherent stock whiplash: COHR jumps after earnings drop — what to watch next week

Coherent stock whiplash: COHR jumps after earnings drop — what to watch next week

7 February 2026
Coherent Corp shares jumped 8.8% to $227.68 Friday, rebounding after a two-day slide following its quarterly results. The company reported December-quarter revenue of $1.69 billion and non-GAAP earnings of $1.29 a share, with datacenter and communications driving 72% of sales. Barclays, Stifel, and JPMorgan raised price targets to $235–$245. FMR LLC disclosed a 15% stake as of Dec. 31.
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