Gold and silver prices rose as U.S. Treasury bond yields fell after December retail sales growth stalled, signaling a softening economy ahead of key jobs data.Gold's wild price swings in recent weeks are increasingly being linked to speculative trading in China by some analysts, with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent attributing the heightened volatility to "unruly" Chinese activity.Gold prices jumped to a record high of $5,594 per ounce on Jan. 29 only to plummet nearly 10% the next day in its sharpest ...

Core Viewpoint - The ongoing dispute between CK Hutchison Holdings and A.P. Moller-Maersk over the operation of two strategic ports in Panama has escalated into a geopolitical issue, with implications for U.S.-China relations [2][3]. Group 1: Legal Actions and Disputes - CK Hutchison has warned A.P. Moller-Maersk that any attempts to operate the ports without its consent will likely lead to legal action [2]. - CK Hutchison has initiated arbitration proceedings against Panama following a Supreme Court ruling that deemed its subsidiary's concession to operate the ports as "unconstitutional" [4]. - The company has also notified Panama of a separate dispute under an investment protection treaty, indicating it will pursue all available legal recourse [5]. Group 2: Geopolitical Context - The dispute has become a flashpoint in U.S.-China relations, with Panama caught in the middle [2]. - CK Hutchison's negotiations for a $23 billion deal to sell its non-Chinese port subsidiaries were influenced by U.S. allegations regarding China's control over the Panama Canal [3].

Core Insights - Xiaomi's electric car venture has overtaken Tesla in China for January sales, with the YU7 SUV selling 37,869 units compared to Tesla's 16,845 Model Y vehicles [1] - The Model Y, previously the best-selling model in December, dropped to 20th place in January, and among new energy vehicles, it fell from first to seventh [1] Group 1: Sales Performance - The Xiaomi YU7 SUV ranked first in China by sales in January, achieving sales of 37,869 units [1] - Tesla's Model Y saw a significant decline in sales, with only 16,845 units sold, marking a drop from its previous top position [1] Group 2: Market Positioning - Xiaomi launched the YU7 at a starting price 10,000 yuan ($1,450) lower than the Model Y in China, indicating a competitive pricing strategy [3] - The company claims that the YU7 outperforms Tesla's Model Y in key metrics, such as driving range on a single battery charge [3] Group 3: Product Launch Timeline - The YU7, Xiaomi's second electric car model, was introduced approximately six months ago in the summer of 2025 [2]

Core Insights - Waymo is piloting a program in Atlanta to compensate DoorDash drivers for closing doors left ajar on its autonomous vehicles, highlighting the need for human intervention in certain basic operations despite advanced technology [2][4]. - The company is also collaborating with Honk, an independent roadside assistance service, to pay users for similar tasks, with reports indicating payments of up to $24 in Los Angeles for closing a Waymo door [5]. - Waymo's valuation stands at $126 billion following a recent financing round, and it is a key component of Alphabet's Other Bets segment, which aims to leverage technology to address significant industry challenges [4]. Financial Performance - Alphabet's Other Bets segment, which includes Waymo, reported an operating loss of $7.5 billion last year, which encompassed a $2.1 billion stock-based compensation charge attributed to Waymo [5]. - Waymo's operational costs are impacted by the need to employ gig workers for tasks that could eventually be automated, indicating a reliance on human labor in the short term [4]. Market Expansion - Waymo has begun deploying its next-generation robotaxi and currently operates its fully autonomous service in six U.S. markets, with plans for further expansion within the year [6].

Core Points - The U.S. and Taiwan have signed a trade deal that lowers tariffs on Taiwanese exports to 15%, aligning them with those of Japan and South Korea, while Taiwan will reduce or eliminate 99% of tariffs on U.S. goods [1] - Taiwan plans to purchase over $84 billion in U.S. goods from 2025 to 2029, including liquefied natural gas, crude oil, aircraft, and power equipment [2] - Taiwanese chip and technology companies have committed to invest at least $250 billion in U.S. production capacity, supported by government credit [3] - The goal is to relocate 40% of Taiwan's semiconductor supply chain to the U.S., although Taiwan has expressed that this is "impossible" [4][5] - China has criticized the trade agreement, claiming it will harm Taiwan's economic interests and accusing the ruling party of allowing the U.S. to undermine Taiwan's key industries [6] Trade Deal Details - The trade deal includes preferential market access for U.S. industrial and agricultural exports, such as autos and beef products [1] - Taiwan has committed to resolving longstanding non-tariff barriers, including accepting U.S. vehicles built to U.S. safety standards without additional requirements [2] Semiconductor Industry Implications - The semiconductor ecosystem in Taiwan, developed over decades, is seen as essential to remain rooted in Taiwan while expanding investments internationally [5] - Taiwan's government has indicated that moving a significant portion of its semiconductor supply chain to the U.S. is not feasible [4][5] Geopolitical Context - The U.S. has approved $11.15 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, which has drawn criticism from China, emphasizing the geopolitical tensions surrounding Taiwan [7]

Core Viewpoint - Goldman Sachs' Chief Legal Officer Kathy Ruemmler announced her resignation effective June 30, 2026, following scrutiny over her past communications with Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender [1][3][6]. Company Summary - Ruemmler has been with Goldman Sachs for six years, overseeing legal, reputational, and regulatory matters, and enhancing risk management processes [2][6]. - The firm had previously defended Ruemmler amid the release of emails and documents related to her interactions with Epstein, asserting her exceptional capabilities as general counsel [9]. - Ruemmler expressed her commitment to prioritizing Goldman Sachs' interests in her resignation announcement [3]. Industry Context - Ruemmler's resignation is part of a broader trend where individuals with past associations to Epstein are losing high-profile positions, as seen with Morgan Sweeney and Brad Karp [6][7]. - The Department of Justice released new documents, including emails from Ruemmler to Epstein, which have contributed to the scrutiny surrounding her [10][12]. - Ruemmler's prior role as White House counsel under President Obama adds to the high-profile nature of her position and the implications of her resignation [5][6].

Core Viewpoint - Ring has decided to terminate its partnership with Flock Safety due to increasing scrutiny and pressure from privacy advocates and employees within the tech industry [1][2][3] Group 1: Partnership Termination - Ring's partnership with Flock Safety faced criticism after an advertisement during the Super Bowl highlighted a controversial AI feature for locating lost pets, which was labeled a "surveillance nightmare" by the Electronic Frontier Foundation [1] - The decision to cancel the partnership comes amid a broader trend where tech companies are reevaluating their collaborations with federal agencies, as seen with Salesforce and Google employees advocating against ties with ICE and CBP [2] - Ring stated that the planned integration with Flock Safety would require more time and resources than initially anticipated, leading to the joint decision to cancel the integration [3] Group 2: Industry Context - Privacy and civil liberties advocates have been vocal in urging companies like Ring to sever ties with Flock, ICE, and CBP, indicating a growing movement against surveillance partnerships in the tech industry [3] - A protest is scheduled outside Amazon's Seattle headquarters, reflecting the heightened activism surrounding privacy issues and corporate responsibility in technology [3]

Tim Cook, chief executive officer of Apple Inc., during the 60th presidential inauguration in the rotunda of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025.Apple is having its worst day in the stock market in months. Shares of Apple were down 5% Thursday as reports surfaced about delays with Siri and its news app faced Federal Trade Commission pressure over political bias.The long-awaited artificial intelligence update to the iPhone-maker's personal assistant Siri has been internally pushed ...

Core Insights - Instacart shares increased by 14% in after-hours trading following a strong fourth-quarter revenue report and positive guidance [1] - The company reported a 12% year-over-year revenue growth, with net income of $81 million, equating to 30 cents per share, and adjusted EBITDA of $303 million, exceeding expectations [1][6] Financial Performance - Revenue reached $992 million, surpassing the expected $974 million [6] - Gross transaction value grew by 14% year-over-year to $9.85 billion, exceeding the estimate of $9.54 billion, marking the strongest growth in three years [3] - Total orders amounted to 89.5 million, beating the estimate of 87.8 million [3] Future Guidance - For the first quarter, Instacart anticipates gross transaction value between $10.13 billion and $10.28 billion, ahead of the $9.97 billion estimate [4] - The company expects adjusted EBITDA to be between $280 million and $290 million, compared to the $277 million expected [4] Strategic Initiatives - CEO Chris Rogers highlighted that the company's technology and customer-focused approach are driving growth and engagement [2] - The finance chief noted strong gains in the enterprise platform, with 70 net new retailers added last year contributing to robust gross transaction value [4] - Instacart is also seeing contributions from future growth drivers, including investments in infrastructure, international markets, and artificial intelligence [5]

Pinterest shares dropped 19% in after-hours on Thursday after the social media company reported fourth-quarter earnings in which the company revealed an earnings per share miss while also providing weak guidance.Here's how the company did, compared to analysts' consensus estimates from LSEG:Earnings per share: 67 cents adjusted vs. 69 cents expectedRevenue: $1.32 billion vs. $1.33 billion expectedPinterest said it expects first-quarter sales to come in between $951 million to $971 million, trailing analyst ...