Group 1: Intel - Intel's stock fell more than 8% to $20.76 per share after a 3.5% decline on Thursday due to the announcement of a plan to cut 25,000 staff and scrap European projects as part of a turnaround strategy [2] Group 2: AEye - AEye's stock rose about 18% to $3.44 per share following a significant 160% surge on Thursday, attributed to the integration of its Apollo lidar units into Nvidia's Drive AGX platform, with second-quarter results expected next week [3] Group 3: Deckers Outdoor - Deckers Outdoor's stock increased over 12% to $118.19 per share after reporting better-than-expected second-quarter results, with earnings per share 44% higher than analysts' estimates [4][8] Group 4: UnitedHealth - UnitedHealth's stock decreased about 0.6% to $277.03 per share after a nearly 5% decline, following confirmation of a Department of Justice investigation into its Medicare billing practices, with potential Medicare fraud allegations reported [9] Group 5: AST SpaceMobile - AST SpaceMobile's stock dropped over 8% to $54.99 per share after a 2% gain on Thursday, following the announcement of a proposed private offering of $500 million in convertible senior notes [10]

Core Insights - Dell's PC and hardware division, the largest revenue driver, has seen a decline in revenue for the past three years, with total CSG revenue at $48.6 billion in 2025, down 21% from its 2022 peak [1][8] - Jeff Clarke, the vice chairman and COO, will take on day-to-day leadership of the consumer solutions group (CSG) to accelerate decision-making and capitalize on the PC refresh cycle [2][14] - The company is undergoing a reorganization to modernize operations, including leadership changes, with Sam Burd appointed to lead corporate strategy [2][16] Revenue Performance - CSG's revenue has declined annually since 2022, while ISG revenue, driven by AI server demand, increased by 29% in the last financial year [8] - Dell's total annual revenue rose by 8% in the 2025 financial year, and the company's stock increased by 11% since January [9] Market Position - Dell has been losing market share to competitors like Lenovo and HP in consumer and commercial notebooks and desktops [9] - The company aims to lead in the commercial and consumer PC markets and is focused on the critical PC refresh cycle [10] Employee Sentiment - Dell's employee satisfaction score, known as the employee net promoter score (eNPS), fell to 32, a nearly 50% decline over two years amid workforce reductions and return-to-office mandates [13]

Core Insights - Meta is investing heavily in attracting AI talent due to its current position behind competitors like OpenAI, with offers reaching up to $100 million for top researchers [1][2] - The AI talent market is highly competitive, with companies like OpenAI and Anthropic offering substantial salaries to retain their staff, indicating a shift in the industry towards higher compensation [4][10] - Despite the financial incentives, many researchers prioritize the mission and impact of their work over salary, as highlighted by comments from leaders in the AI field [2][3] Company Strategies - Meta's strategy includes recruiting high-profile talent from leading AI labs, reflecting a need to catch up in the AI race [1] - Google has maintained a focus on healthy retention metrics despite the competitive landscape, indicating a stable workforce [11] - Companies are exploring various tactics to retain talent, including noncompete agreements to limit employee movement to competitors [12] Salary Trends - OpenAI's average salary for technical staff is reported at $292,115, with top positions earning up to $530,000, while Anthropic averages $387,500 with top salaries reaching $690,000 [4] - New startups like Thinking Machines Lab are also entering the market with competitive salaries, further driving up compensation expectations in the industry [9]

Core Insights - Tesla's robotaxi pilot launch in Austin has shown progress with over 7,000 miles driven without notable safety incidents, but lacks detailed performance metrics [2][3][11] - Elon Musk projects that autonomous Teslas could be available to half of the US population by the end of the year, contingent on government approval [3][9] - Analysts are seeking more data points on robotaxi performance, including the number of cities deployed, accidents, and disengagements per kilometer [11][14] Group 1 - The robotaxi service in Austin has operated over 7,000 miles with no significant safety issues reported, although the number of vehicles remains limited [2][3] - Tesla has expanded the service area in Austin shortly after its initial launch, but did not disclose the number of additional robotaxis or invitees for the expanded area [9][10] - Analysts express a desire for more transparency regarding robotaxi data, particularly concerning human intervention and safety metrics [11][12] Group 2 - The stock price of Tesla fell approximately 4.4% after reporting a 12% year-over-year revenue decline, missing Wall Street expectations [14] - The company is currently in a cautious phase regarding the removal of human safety monitors in robotaxis, prioritizing safety over rapid deployment [13][14] - Future monitoring of robotaxi's success will focus on the number of cities served, accident rates, and public acceptance of the technology [14]

Core Viewpoint - Intel has warned that it may halt the development of its next-generation chip, 14A, if it fails to secure a significant external customer and meet key milestones, which could have severe implications for American chip manufacturing [1][2]. Group 1: Intel's Current Situation - Intel is focusing on developing the 14A chip and finding a large customer, marking its first warning about potential fallout from failure [1]. - The company stated that without a significant external customer, it may not be economical to continue developing 14A and its successor nodes, potentially leading to a pause or discontinuation of these efforts [2]. Group 2: Industry Context - Intel has historically dominated the semiconductor industry but has missed critical technological advancements in mobile and AI, while most competitors have outsourced manufacturing to TSMC [3]. - The abandonment of the 14A project could severely impact U.S. chip manufacturing, as most cutting-edge semiconductors are produced in regions where China is gaining influence [4]. Group 3: Future Implications - Analysts suggest that if Intel gives up on 14A, it could lead to a monopoly by TSMC and signify the decline of American-made semiconductors [5].

Core Points - The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved Skydance Media's $8 billion acquisition of Paramount Global with conditions on content production [2][4] - Skydance committed to ensuring diverse viewpoints in programming and will have an ombudsman for at least two years to address bias complaints [2][3] - The merger approval followed a $16 million settlement between Paramount and Donald Trump over allegations of deceptive editing in a CBS interview [7][8] Group 1 - The FCC's approval includes significant conditions aimed at promoting unbiased journalism and diversity in programming [2][3] - Skydance's commitment to appoint an ombudsman reflects efforts to address public concerns about media bias [3] - The merger comes after a tumultuous dealmaking process and is seen as politically influenced due to the timing of the settlement with Trump [8][9] Group 2 - The approval of the merger coincided with CBS's cancellation of "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," raising questions about potential political motivations [9][10] - Paramount's board approved the merger on July 7, marking a significant step in the company's restructuring [9]

Blackstone reported that the trillion-dollar investment firm's Wall Street deal engine is revving back to life as it sees a pickup in initial public offerings and merger and acquisition transactions. "We are preparing a number of other companies for public offerings over the coming quarters," Stephen Schwarzman, Blackstone's CEO, said during the company's second-quarter earnings call on Thursday, after pointing to the investment firm's July IPO of Cirsa, a gambling company in Spain.Jon Gray, Blackstone's p ...

Core Insights - Microsoft has announced significant job cuts, totaling approximately 15,000 employees, despite generating substantial profits and investing heavily in AI infrastructure [1][2] - The company's net income reached around $75 billion over the last three fiscal quarters, while it is investing $80 billion in AI [2] - Microsoft’s stock has increased by 21% this year, reaching a record high earlier in July [2] Group 1: Job Cuts and Company Performance - CEO Satya Nadella addressed the paradox of job cuts occurring alongside strong financial performance, stating that progress in the industry is dynamic and often dissonant [1][9] - Despite layoffs, Microsoft’s overall headcount remains relatively unchanged, and the company is recognized for its talent and expertise [2][8] - Nadella emphasized the importance of navigating through difficult processes to meet changing customer needs and to create new business models [10] Group 2: Strategic Focus and Future Direction - Microsoft aims to redefine its mission in the era of AI, shifting from a software factory to an intelligence engine that empowers individuals and organizations [14][16] - The company has identified three key business priorities: security, quality, and AI transformation, while continuing to innovate and improve operational metrics [17][18] - The cultural shift towards a growth mindset is crucial for Microsoft to adapt and thrive in the evolving tech landscape [20][22]

This is where they were trading premarket at 7 a.m. ET Thursday. 1. Tesla The move: Elon Musk's EV maker is down about 6% to $313.44 a share after rising slightly over 0.1% on Wednesday. Why: Tesla reported disappointing second-quarter results before the closing bell on Wednesday, with revenue dropping 12% year-on-year — the biggest fall in a decade. Shares rose after the past two earnings reports, despite also being weak. Tesla's, Alphabet's, and IBM's second-quarter earnings are on investors' minds this m ...

Core Insights - Tesla urges American consumers to purchase vehicles now due to limited supply and the impending removal of the $7,500 EV tax credit by the end of the quarter [1][2] - The company reported second-quarter revenue of $22.5 billion, marking its sharpest quarterly revenue decline in at least the last 10 years, with earnings per share at 40 cents, below Wall Street's estimate of 42 cents [9][10] - Tesla's stock fell over 4% after hours on the earnings report and is down 17.6% year-to-date [11] Supply and Demand - Limited vehicle supply in the U.S. is expected this quarter, prompting the CFO to recommend placing orders immediately [2] - The removal of the EV tax credit is seen as beneficial for smaller competitors like Lucid and Rivian, who are less reliant on such incentives [2] Financial Performance - Tesla delivered over 384,000 vehicles in the quarter ending in June [3] - The company is experiencing a "weird transition period" as it adjusts to the expiration of incentives and the regulatory environment for autonomous vehicles [8] Cost Pressures - The CFO indicated that tariffs imposed by the Trump administration have raised costs by approximately $300 million this quarter [9] - Tesla is beginning to reduce planned incentives as vehicle sales increase, including perks like free supercharging and discounts for certain groups [3]