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US Markets

Nasdaq, S&P 500 Reach New Peaks; Oil Rises

The Nasdaq Composite and the S&P 500 notched fresh record closing highs on Monday even as oil prices moved higher amid stalled peace talks between the US and Iran.The Nasdaq edged up 0.2% to 24,887.1, while the S&P 500 gained 0.1% to 7,173.9, recording their highest finish ever for a second consecutive session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.1% to 49,167.8. Most sectors were in the red, led by consumer staples, while communication services paced the gainers.Brent crude was last up 2.5% at $107.95 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude rose 1.8% to $96.08.Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi visited Pakistan twice over the weekend, while President Donald Trump called off US officials' previously announced trip to Islamabad.Iran has submitted a new proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz that includes delaying nuclear negotiations, Axios reported, citing a US official and two other sources."The lack of progress (in peace talks) means the market is tightening every day, requiring oil prices to reprice at higher levels," ING Bank said in a note on Monday.Trump was scheduled to meet with top national security officials on Monday to discuss the new Iranian proposal, CNN reported."US stocks enter April's final week with cautiously optimistic momentum, driven by (artificial intelligence) earnings beats and resilient macro prints," Ivan Feinseth, chief market strategist of Tigress Financial Intelligence, said in a report e-mailed to. "However, heightened volatility looms ahead of the conclusion of the (Federal Open Market Committee) meeting on Wednesday, with expectations that the Fed will keep rates unchanged at (3.50% to 3.75%)."With the FOMC decision unlikely to surprise, the market is expected to focus on the policy statement and post-meeting remarks of Chair Jerome Powell, said David Doyle, head of economics at Macquarie Group."Given that elevated oil prices have persisted for nearly two months now, future guidance may shift somewhat," he said in a report e-mailed to. "This would be in contrast to March where there were limited changes made. Our view remains that the next policy move is likely to be a hike with the most likely timing in (the first half of 2027)."US Treasury yields were higher, with the 10-year rate up 3.1 basis points at 4.34% and the two-year rate rising 1.5 basis points to 3.81%.S&P 500 companies' quarterly earnings growth decelerated compared with figures from a week ago, but remained well ahead of expectations, Oppenheimer Asset Management's data showed Monday."The quarter appears to be off to a strong start," Oppenheimer Asset Management Chief Investment Strategist John Stoltzfus said, noting that earnings growth reported by 79% of the firms that have released their quarterly results exceeded analyst estimates.Technology giants Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon (AMZN) and Meta Platforms (META) are slated to release their latest financial results later this week.In company-specific news, Verizon Communications (VZ) lifted its full-year earnings outlook on Monday and reported a first-quarter bottom line above market estimates, while the telecommunications giant unexpectedly added postpaid phone subscribers in the three-month period. The company's shares rose 1.6%, the second-biggest gain on the Dow.Shares of Domino's Pizza (DPZ) tumbled 8.8%, the steepest decline on the S&P 500. The company reported weaker-than-expected first-quarter results on Monday, with the company's chief executive saying consumer uncertainty and inflation weighed on demand late in the quarter.Organon (OGN) shares surged nearly 17% after the healthcare company agreed to be acquired by Indian pharmaceutical firm Sun Pharmaceutical Industries in an all-cash deal with an enterprise value of about $11.75 billion.Gold was last down 1% at $4,694.80 per troy ounce, while silver shed 1.2% to $75.47 per ounce.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$AAPL$AMZN$DPZ$GOOG$GOOGL$META$MSFT$OGN$VZ
Sectors

Sector Update: Tech Stocks Slide Late Afternoon

Tech stocks declined late Monday afternoon, with the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) fractionally lower and the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) falling 3.2%.The Philadelphia Semiconductor index dropped 1.4%.In corporate news, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) shares fell 3.4% after Northland downgraded the company's stock to market perform from outperform.The European Commission on Monday proposed measures that would require Alphabet's (GOOGL) Google to open its Android ecosystem to rival AI services and launched a public consultation under the EU's Digital Markets Act. Alphabet shares were up 2.1%.Microsoft (MSFT) and OpenAI have amended their partnership under which the tech giant will no longer pay a revenue share to the ChatGPT maker, among other things, with Wedbush Securities calling the development a net positive for Microsoft. Microsoft shares rose 0.3%.Meta Platforms' (META) $2 billion acquisition of AI startup Manus was blocked by China's National Development and Reform Commission, media outlets reported Monday, citing the Chinese regulator. Meta shares were up 0.6%.

$AMD$GOOGL$META$MSFT
Wire

S&P 500 Companies' Quarterly Profit Growth Eases, But Remains Well Above Expectations, Oppenheimer Says

S&P 500 companies' quarterly earnings growth decelerated compared with figures from a week ago, but remained well ahead of expectations, Oppenheimer Asset Management's data showed Monday.Some 28% of companies in the benchmark equity index have reported results in the latest cycle, with earnings up about 25% from a year earlier and revenue growing 10%. Last week's report by the brokerage showed profit growth of 32% and sales increase of 13%, based on financials reported by 9% of the index constituents.Ahead of the reporting season, FactSet put expected earnings growth at 12.6% from a year earlier, according to Oppenheimer."The quarter appears to be off to a strong start," Oppenheimer Asset Management Chief Investment Strategist John Stoltzfus said, noting that earnings growth reported by 79% of the firms that have released their quarterly results exceeded analyst estimates.Among sectors, materials and technology outperformed in terms of earnings, with profit roughly doubling year over year. Tech led the chart for revenue growth, with a nearly 30% increase, followed by real estate's 14% jump.This week, a busier earnings calendar has 179 S&P companies releasing their quarterly financials, according to Oppenheimer. Among the big-cap companies reporting this week are five of the so-called Magnificent 7 stocks; Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon (AMZN) and Meta Platforms (META).Visa (V), Coca-Cola (KO), T-Mobile US (TMUS), and Eli Lilly (LLY) also report this week.On Friday, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite hit all-time peaks as tech stocks rallied, ahead of a second round of US-Iran peace talks. The two sides, however, didn't have direct negotiations in Pakistan over the weekend."Resolution to the conflict in our view persists as a potential negative overhang to market performance on a day-to-day basis tied to news flows from the front, developments in negotiations taking place and supply chain disruptions that carry inflation risks," Stoltzfus said. "That said, stocks are showing thus far an appreciation for fundamentals that matter to revenue and profit growth."Price: $349.73, Change: $+7.41, Percent Change: +2.16%

$AAPL$AMZN$GOOG$GOOL$KO$LLY$META$MSFT$TMUS$V
US Markets

Equities Mixed Intraday, Oil Rises Amid Stalled US-Iran Talks

US benchmark equity indexes were mixed intraday, while oil prices rose as investors wavered after peace talks between Washington and Tehran apparently stalled.The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.1% at 49,161.3 after midday Monday, while the Nasdaq Composite edged up 0.1% to 24,856.1. The S&P 500 gained 0.1% to 7,169.8. Among sectors, consumer staples saw the biggest drop, while communication services paced the gainers.Brent crude was up 3.2% at $108.73 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude rose 2.4% to $96.63.Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi visited Pakistan twice over the weekend, while President Donald Trump called off US officials' previously announced trip to Islamabad.Iran has submitted a new proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz that includes delaying nuclear negotiations, Axios reported, citing a US official and two other sources."Brent crude trades at a three-week high as efforts to revive peace talks have stalled, with an Iranian proposal reportedly calling for nuclear negotiations to be postponed to a later stage," Saxo Bank said in a report.The strait, the world's most important chokepoint for crude flows, remains at a near-complete halt, with Iran and the US imposing their respective blockades of maritime traffic, Bloomberg News reported Sunday.Trump was scheduled to meet with top national security officials on Monday to discuss the new Iranian proposal, CNN reported."Oil is trading stronger this morning after attempts to get US-Iran peace talks back on track broke down, erasing hopes for a resumption of energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz anytime soon," ING Bank said in a note on Monday. "The lack of progress means the market is tightening every day, requiring oil prices to reprice at higher levels."US Treasury yields were higher intraday, with the 10-year rate up 3.8 basis points at 4.35% and the two-year rate rising 2.7 basis points to 3.82%.In company news, Verizon Communications (VZ) lifted its full-year earnings outlook on Monday and reported a first-quarter bottom line above market estimates, while the telecommunications giant unexpectedly added postpaid phone subscribers in the three-month period. The company's shares were up 2.6% intraday, the biggest gain on the Dow.Shares of Domino's Pizza (DPZ) were down 9.5%, the steepest decline on the S&P 500. The company reported weaker-than-expected first-quarter results on Monday, with the company's chief executive saying consumer uncertainty and inflation weighed on demand late in the quarter.Organon (OGN) shares surged 17% after the healthcare company agreed to be acquired by Indian pharmaceutical firm Sun Pharmaceutical Industries in an all-cash deal with an enterprise value of about $11.75 billion.Technology giants Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon (AMZN) and Meta Platforms (META) are slated to release their latest financial results later this week.Gold was down 1.1% at $4,688.80 per troy ounce, while silver shed 1.6% to $75.20 per ounce.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$AAPL$AMZN$DPZ$GOOG$GOOGL$META$MSFT$OGN$VZ
Sectors

Sector Update: Tech Stocks Lower Monday Afternoon

Tech stocks declined Monday afternoon, with the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) decreasing 0.1% and the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) falling 3.7%.The Philadelphia Semiconductor index dropped 1.8%.In corporate news, Microsoft (MSFT) and OpenAI have amended their partnership under which the tech giant will no longer pay a revenue share to the ChatGPT maker, among other things, with Wedbush Securities calling the development a net positive for Microsoft. Microsoft shares rose 0.2%.Meta Platforms' (META) $2 billion acquisition of AI startup Manus was blocked by China's National Development and Reform Commission, media outlets reported Monday, citing the Chinese regulator. Meta shares were up 0.7%.Alphabet (GOOGL) unit Google's 560 employees have signed an open letter to CEO Sundar Pichai, urging him to block the use of its AI technology by the US government for military operations, the Financial Times reported Monday, citing the letter. Alphabet shares added 2.5%.

$GOOGL$META$MSFT
Wire

Top Midday Stories: Microsoft, OpenAI Amend Agreement; Qualcomm Reportedly Collaborating With OpenAI on Smartphone AI Chip

All three major US stock indexes were down in late-morning trading Monday, as investors parse ongoing developments in peace talks between the US and Iran.Iran has offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for an end to the US' blockade of the country and an end to the war, media outlets reported Monday, citing officials.In company news, Microsoft (MSFT) and OpenAI said Monday they have amended their agreement so that Microsoft will no longer pay a revenue share to OpenAI, and its license will now be non-exclusive. Microsoft will remain OpenAI's primary cloud partner, and its Azure will receive the first shipments of OpenAI products, unless Microsoft cannot and chooses not to support the necessary capabilities, the companies said. Separately, industry checks indicate that OpenAI is working with Qualcomm (QCOM) and MediaTek to develop smartphone processors, a TF International Securities analyst said. Microsoft shares were down 0.7% around midday, while Qualcomm shares were down 0.2%.ARC Resources said Monday it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Shell (SHEL) in a cash-and-share deal valued at about 22 billion Canadian dollars ($16.17 billion). Under the terms of the deal, ARC shareholders will receive 0.40247 of a Shell share and CA$8.20 in cash consideration in exchange for each ARC share they own, representing a total consideration of CA$32.80 per ARC share. The deal is expected to close in H2, ARC said. Shell shares were down 1.3%.Meta Platforms' (META) $2 billion acquisition of AI startup Manus was blocked by China's National Development and Reform Commission, media outlets reported Monday, citing the Chinese regulator. Meta shares were down 0.1%.Eli Lilly (LLY) said Monday it has agreed to acquire Ajax Therapeutics for up to $2.3 billion in cash. The deal includes an upfront payment and subsequent payouts based on the achievement of certain clinical and regulatory milestones, the company said. Eli Lilly shares were down 0.5%.Verizon Communications (VZ) reported Q1 adjusted earnings Monday of $1.28 per diluted share, up from $1.19 a year earlier and above the FactSet consensus analyst estimate of $1.21. First-quarter operating revenue was $34.44 billion, up from $33.49 billion a year ago but below the FactSet consensus of $34.82 billion. For 2026, the company said it expects adjusted EPS of $4.95 to $4.99, above the FactSet consensus of $4.90. Verizon shares were up 3.6%.Price: $422.11, Change: $-2.49, Percent Change: -0.59%

$LLY$META$MSFT$QCOM$SHEL$VZ
Asia Markets

US Equity Futures Fall Pre-Bell as Middle East Peace Talks Remain Stalled, Iran Reportedly Floats New Peace Offer

US equity futures were marginally lower pre-bell Monday amid reports of Iran's new proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz against the backdrop of stalled US-Iran negotiations.Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were 0.2% lower, S&P 500 futures were down 0.1%, and Nasdaq futures were 0.1% higher.Iran has sent the US a new proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the conflict, with nuclear talks deferred to a later date, according to an Axios report citing a US official and two other sources.President Donald Trump cancelled the trip of US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan for negotiations with Iran, saying, "If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!" according to a post on Truth Social on Sunday.Earnings kicked off for the week, with Verizon Communications (VZ) posting higher Q1 adjusted earnings and revenue.Among the companies expected to report quarterly earnings this week are Visa (V), Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon (AMZN), Meta Platforms (META), Apple (AAPL), and Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A, BRK.B).Oil prices were higher, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude up 1.8% at $100.86 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 1.7% higher at $96.05 per barrel.The Dallas Federal Reserve's manufacturing reading will be released at 10:30 am ET.The policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee is scheduled to release a statement 2 pm ET on Wednesday.In other world markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 1.4% higher, Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 0.2% lower, and China's Shanghai Composite finished 0.2% higher. Meanwhile, the UK's FTSE 100 was down 0.2%, and Germany's DAX index was 0.8% higher in Europe's early afternoon session.In equities, Qualcomm (QCOM) shares were up 9.4% after industry checks suggested that Microsoft-backed OpenAI is working with the semiconductor company and MediaTek to develop smartphone processors, according to a TF International Securities analyst. Verizon Communications stock was up 3% after the company reported its Q1 financial results.On the losing side, Domino's Pizza (DPZ) shares were down 7.4% after the company posted fiscal Q1 earnings and revenue that fell short of analysts' estimates.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$AAPL$AMZN$BRK.A$BRK.B$DPZ$GOOG$GOOGL$META$MSFT$QCOM$V$VZ
Japan

US Equity Futures Mixed Pre-Bell as Middle East Peace Talks Remain Stalled, Iran Reportedly Floats New Peace Offer

US equity futures were mixed pre-bell Monday amid reports of Iran's new proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz against the backdrop of stalled US-Iran negotiations.Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were 0.1% lower, S&P 500 futures were flat, and Nasdaq futures were 0.2% higher.Iran has sent the US a new proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the conflict, with nuclear talks deferred to a later date, according to an Axios report citing a US official and two other sources.President Donald Trump cancelled the trip of US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan for negotiations with Iran, saying, "If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!" according to a post on Truth Social on Sunday.Earnings kicked off for the week, with Verizon Communications (VZ) posting higher Q1 adjusted earnings and revenue.Among the companies expected to report quarterly earnings this week are Visa (V), Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon (AMZN), Meta Platforms (META), Apple (AAPL), and Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A, BRK.B).Oil prices were higher, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude up 1.1% at $100.19 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 0.7% higher at $95.08 per barrel.The Dallas Federal Reserve's manufacturing reading will be released at 10:30 am ET.The policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee is scheduled to release a statement 2 pm ET on Wednesday.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$AAPL$AMZN$BRK.A$BRK.B$GOOG$GOOGL$META$MSFT$V$VZ
US Markets

Stocks Mostly Down Pre-Bell as Iran Reportedly Offers New Proposal to Open Strait of Hormuz

The benchmark US stock measures were mostly tracking in the red before the opening bell Monday as traders assess media speculation about Iran's new proposal to open the Strait of Hormuz.The S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.1% each in premarket activity, while the Nasdaq was up 0.1%. The Nasdaq and S&P 500 finished Friday's trading session with new closing highs, while the Dow was down.Iran has sent a new proposal to the US to reopen the crucial Strait of Hormuz, the world's most important chokepoint for crude flows, Axios reported, citing a US official and two sources with knowledge of the matter. The proposal reportedly includes postponing nuclear negotiations to a later stage.Shipment traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains at a near-complete halt with Iran and the US imposing their respective blockades of maritime traffic, Bloomberg News reported Sunday.West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 2.1% to $96.38 a barrel before the open, while Brent gained 2.3% to $107.77.President Donald Trump cancelled plans to send his representatives to Pakistan for negotiations with Iran, saying too much time has been "wasted on traveling.""We have all the cards, they have none!" Trump said in a social media post on Saturday. "If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!"Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi travelled to Islamabad over the weekend to convey Tehran's "observations" to Pakistan's high-level officials, foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said in a post on X. There was no meeting planned with the US, according to Baqaei.Trump last week extended a ceasefire with Iran, but maintained the naval blockade of Iranian ports.The personal income and outlays report for March is scheduled to be released on Thursday. The report includes the personal consumption expenditure core price index, the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation metric.US consumer sentiment improved from an initial April estimate, but remained at a record low as near-term inflation expectations logged the biggest monthly increase in a year, final University of Michigan survey results showed Friday.Monday's thin economic calendar has the Dallas Fed manufacturing survey for April at 10:30 am ET.Technology giants Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon (AMZN) and Meta Platforms (META) are slated to release their latest financial results later this week.Verizon Communications (VZ) and Domino's Pizza (DPZ) report their earnings before the bell, while Cadence Design Systems (CDNS) announces its financial statement after the markets close.Organon (OGN) shares climbed 16% pre-bell after the healthcare firm agreed to be acquired by India's Sun Pharmaceutical Industries in an all-cash deal worth about $11.75 billion. Qualcomm (QCOM) added 13% after finishing the previous trading session up 11%, while Nvidia (NVDA) increased 1%.Treasury yields were trending upwards in premarket action, with the two-year rate inclining 1.3 basis points to 3.79% and the 10-year rate moving 0.6 basis points higher to 4.32%.Gold slipped 0.5% to $4,718 per troy ounce, while bitcoin decreased 0.6% to $77,804.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$AAPL$AMZN$CDNS$DPZ$GOOG$GOOGL$META$MSFT$NVDA$OGN$QCOM$VZ
Asia Markets

US Equity Investors to Focus on Mag-7 Earnings, Possibility of Iran War Resolution This Week

US equity investors will focus on mega-cap earnings this week alongside geopolitical developments, especially any possibility of a deal to end the Iran war.* Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon (AMZN), Meta Platforms (META), and Apple (AAPL), five out of the seven so-called Magnificent-7 companies will report quarterly earnings this week alongside scores of others. Last week, Intel's (INTC) blowout Q1 reflected the scale of demand for artificial intelligence-related products and services, boosting the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite to record highs.* US President Donald Trump on Sunday reportedly said Iranian authorities "can call" if they want to talk, while reiterating the war could "come to an end very soon." This statement from Trump comes after the president canceled his envoys' trip to Pakistan over the weekend to negotiate a peace deal with Iran.* In the absence of any face-to-face discussions in Pakistan, Iran offered a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the war, Axios cited a US official and two people with knowledge of the matter in a news report. That proposal, however, includes postponing nuclear negotiations between the two countries, according to the Axios report.* Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is in Russia ahead of a meeting with President Vladimir Putin to discuss the conflict with the US, after Tehran's top diplomat visited with key mediators Pakistan and Oman over the weekend, CNN reported Monday.* The Federal Reserve on Wednesday is certain to keep the federal funds range unchanged at 3.5% to 3.75%, according to the CME FedWatch tool.* Data due this week includes the personal consumption expenditures price index, the Fed's preferred inflation gauge for March, the ISM survey on manufacturing and services activity in April, the Q1 employment cost index, the Q1 gross domestic product advance estimate, and durable goods orders for March.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$AAPL$AMZN$GOOG$GOOGL$INTC$META$MSFT
Sectors

Sector Update: Tech Stocks Gain Late Afternoon

Tech stocks were higher late Friday afternoon, with the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) rising 2.7% and the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) jumping 5.9%.The Philadelphia Semiconductor index climbed 4%.In sector news, the Trump administration is supporting Elon Musk's AI company xAI in its suit challenging Colorado's new law aimed at preventing discrimination by AI systems, Bloomberg reported Friday, citing a court filing. The law, set to take effect June 30, will regulate how businesses use AI tools in decisions involving employment, health care, housing and other areas, the report said. The US Department of Justice argued the measure violates the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause and would distort model outputs in ways that "discriminate based on race, sex, religion, and other protected characteristics," the report added.In corporate news, Intel (INTC) shares surged nearly 23% after the chipmaker reported late Thursday fiscal Q1 results above Wall Street's estimates as it benefited from AI-driven demand for its products.Meta Platforms (META) said Friday it signed an agreement to incorporate tens of millions of Amazon (AMZN) Web Services Graviton cores into its computing network. Meta shares rose 2.5%, and Amazon gained 3.6%.Alphabet's (GOOGL) Google is planning to invest $10 billion in Amazon-backed Anthropic with the possibility of an additional $30 billion, Bloomberg reported, citing a statement from Anthropic. Google has committed to investing $10 billion now at a $350 billion valuation, and could invest an extra $30 billion if Anthropic hits performance targets, the report said, citing the company. Alphabet shares rose 1.7%.Alphabet's Google and Microsoft (MSFT) are set to take part in a bidding process to select operators for a US data center being developed by SoftBank, Nikkei Asia reported. The decision, potentially coming as early as this month, is linked to a 10-gigawatt data center planned in Piketon, Ohio, which is part of a broader investment expected to eventually reach $500 billion, the report said. Microsoft shares added 2.1%.

$AMZN$GOOGL$INTC$META$MSFT
Sectors

Sector Update: Tech Stocks Gain Friday Afternoon

Tech stocks were higher Friday afternoon, with the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) rising 2.5% and the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) jumping 6.1%.The Philadelphia Semiconductor index climbed 4.3%.In corporate news, Intel (INTC) shares surged 21% after the chipmaker reported late Thursday fiscal Q1 results above Wall Street's estimates as it benefited from AI-driven demand for its products.Meta Platforms (META) said Friday it signed an agreement to incorporate tens of millions of Amazon (AMZN) Web Services Graviton cores into its computing network. Meta shares climbed 2.8%, and Amazon gained 3%.Alphabet's (GOOGL) Google is planning to invest $10 billion in Amazon-backed Anthropic with the possibility of an additional $30 billion, Bloomberg reported, citing a statement from Anthropic. Google has committed to investing $10 billion now at a $350 billion valuation, and could invest an extra $30 billion if Anthropic hits performance targets, the report said, citing the company. Alphabet shares rose 1%.

$AMZN$GOOGL$INTC$META
US Markets

Meta Platforms May Disclose More Job Cuts as AI Integration Ramps Up, Wedbush Says

Meta Platforms (META) may disclose more layoffs later this year as the technology giant looks to boost operational efficiency through artificial intelligence, Wedbush Securities said in a note.Meta is laying off roughly 8,000 employees, about 10% of its workforce, to improve efficiency and help it cover other investments, Bloomberg News reported Thursday, citing a memo sent to the company's employees.In addition, the Facebook parent will no longer hire for about 6,000 open roles, according to the report. Meta spokesperson Tracy Clayton confirmed the content of the Bloomberg article.Meta is likely targeting a leaner operating structure by leveraging AI tools to automate tasks, Wedbush analysts including Dan Ives said in the note on Thursday."While this number represents a significant cut to its workforce, we note that additional layoffs could come later this year," Ives wrote.Shares of Meta, which also owns WhatsApp and Instagram, rose 3.3% in Friday trade.Meta said in January it expected capital spending at $115 billion to $135 billion in 2026, driven by increased investment to support the Meta Superintelligence Labs efforts and its core business. Meta has seen a series of job cuts over the past few months, including a 10% workforce reduction within Reality Labs, Wedbush said."While we acknowledge investor concern around management's intent to invest more deeply this year, we believe the company is taking a more intentional approach, and this cycle is more disciplined than Meta's investment thesis four years ago," Ives said.Meta is scheduled to release its first-quarter results on April 29.Price: $680.10, Change: $+20.95, Percent Change: +3.18%

$META
Wire

Meta's Compute Costs Likely to Limit Earnings Leverage, Oppenheimer Says

Meta Platforms (META) is expected to post strong Q1 revenue growth, but rising operating expenses may limit earnings upside, Oppenheimer said in a note Thursday."Despite a robust revenue outlook, higher compute costs will limit earnings upside, even with headcount reductions," the report said. Oppenheimer kept its perform rating for the stock.Oppenheimer analysts said they are cautious heading into Q1 results due April 29. They expect revenue growth of over 30%, in line with guidance midpoint, but about 1% below Street.While 2026 capex guidance could remain constant or be lowered or deferred, Meta is leveraging more third-party compute, driving higher operating costs, the report said.Price: $671.34, Change: $+12.19, Percent Change: +1.85%

$META
Wire

Top Midday Stories: Intel Shares Soar After Q1 Beat; Meta to use AWS Graviton Cores

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite were up, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down in late-morning trading Friday, as investors are hopeful that peace talks will soon take place between the US and Iran.In company news, Intel (INTC) reported fiscal Q1 adjusted earnings late Thursday of $0.29 per diluted share, up from $0.13 a year earlier and above the FactSet consensus of $0.02. Fiscal Q1 revenue was $13.58 billion, up from $12.67 billion a year ago and above the FactSet consensus of $12.42 billion. For fiscal Q1, the company said it expects adjusted EPS of $0.20 and revenue of $13.8 billion to $14.8 billion, above the FactSet consensus of $0.10 and $13.1 billion, respectively. Intel shares were up 23.7% around midday.Meta Platforms (META) said Friday it entered into an agreement to incorporate tens of millions of Amazon (AMZN) Web Services Graviton cores into its computing network. The company said it requires increased central processing capabilities to support the development of agentic AI systems capable of reasoning and executing complex tasks. Meta shares were up 1.4%, while Amazon shares were up 2.5%.Procter & Gamble (PG) reported fiscal Q3 core earnings per diluted share Friday of $1.59, up from $1.54 a year earlier and above the FactSet consensus of $1.56. Fiscal Q3 net sales were $21.24 billion, up from $19.78 billion a year ago and above the FactSet consensus of $20.53 billion. Procter & Gamble shares were up 3.8%.HCA Healthcare (HCA) reported Q1 adjusted earnings Friday of $7.15 per diluted share, up from $6.45 a year ago and above the FactSet consensus of $7.12. First-quarter revenue was $19.11 billion, up from $18.32 billion a year ago and above the FactSet consensus of $19.09 billion. HCA shares were down 8.0%.Charter Communications (CHTR) reported Q1 earnings Friday of $9.17 per diluted share, up from $8.42 a year earlier but below the FactSet consensus of $9.96. First-quarter revenue was $13.60 billion, down from $13.74 billion a year ago and above the FactSet consensus of $13.55 billion. Charter shares were down 22%.Price: $82.55, Change: $+15.77, Percent Change: +23.61%

$AMZN$CHTR$HCA$INTC$META$PG
Wire

Sector Update: Tech Stocks Mixed Late Afternoon

Tech stocks were mixed late Thursday afternoon, with the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) falling 1.7% and the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) rising 1.3%.The Philadelphia Semiconductor index added 0.9%.In corporate news, Meta Platforms (META) plans to eliminate roughly 8,000 jobs, or 10% of its workforce, in an attempt to boost efficiency and offset significant spending on AI, Bloomberg reported, citing a memo the company sent to employees. Meta shares were down 2.3%.IBM (IBM) shares fell past 8% after its quarterly results. Software growth decelerated to 8% in constant currency from 11% in Q4 and 9% in Q3, a "potential red flag for the bears," CFRA said in a note late Wednesday.ServiceNow (NOW) reported strong Q1 results, but softer organic revenue trends and a slightly weaker margin outlook weighed on its overall forecast, Oppenheimer said in a note. Its shares tumbled past 17%.Texas Instruments (TXN) shares jumped past 18% after it posted higher Q1 earnings and revenue and set out Q2 guidance above consensus.

$IBM$META$NOW$TXN
Sectors

Sector Update: Tech

Tech stocks were mixed late Thursday afternoon, with the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) falling 1.6% and the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) rising 1.5%.The Philadelphia Semiconductor index added 1%.In corporate news, Meta Platforms (META) intends to eliminate roughly 8,000 jobs, or 10% of its workforce, in an attempt to boost efficiency and offset significant spending on AI, Bloomberg reported, citing a memo the company sent to employees. Meta shares were down 2.4%.

$META
Wire

Market Chatter: Meta Plans to Cut 10% of Workforce

Meta Platforms (META) intends to eliminate roughly 8,000 jobs, or 10% of its workforce, in an attempt to boost efficiency and offset significant spending on artificial intelligence, Bloomberg reported Thursday, citing a memo the company sent to employees.The layoffs will take place May 20, and the tech giant also said it won't hire workers to fill 6,000 roles it had intended to fill, the report said, citing the memo.Meta didn't immediately reply to a request for comment from.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)Price: $655.94, Change: $-18.78, Percent Change: -2.78%

$META
Wire

Meta Plans to Cut 10% of Workforce, Bloomberg Reports

Meta Plans to Cut 10% of Workforce, Bloomberg Reports

$META
Commodities

Meta, Noon Energy Sign Deal for Ultra-Long Duration Energy Storage

Meta Platforms (META) has agreed to secure up to 1 gigawatt of ultra-long-duration energy storage capacity from Noon Energy to support the growing energy requirements of its artificial intelligence data centers, the companies said on Tuesday.The deal includes a reservation for up to 100 gigawatt-hours of storage capacity, aimed to provide continuous, reliable power as Meta accelerates the deployment of energy-intensive AI infrastructure.The partnership will begin with a 25-megawatt/2.5-gigawatt-hour project, expected to be completed by 2028. Noon Energy will scale up deployments under a broader 1 GW/100 GWh supply arrangement.Noon Energy's technology is based on modular, reversible solid oxide fuel cells capable of storing energy for more than 100 hours and discharging it over multi-day periods.The systems offer baseload-like clean power, helping ensure a round-the-clock energy supply when renewable generation is low."Bringing data centers online faster requires rapid deployment of reliable energy sources," Noon Energy said. "Our agreement with Noon advances that goal with a storage technology that delivers grid resilience and firm power."Noon Energy said it would begin development of the initial project in the near term while building out production capacity and supply chains for its storage systems.Price: $674.42, Change: $+5.58, Percent Change: +0.83%

$META

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