Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman appeared together on CNBC in September to announce a mammoth $100 billion deal that was poised to usher in a new chapter for the booming artificial intelligence industry. Five months later, no contract has been signed and no money has changed hands. More concerning to investors, the two companies are seemingly at odds. The Wall Street Journal on Friday reported that the negotiations between the companies were "on ice" after some within Nvidia expressed doubt ...

Core Insights - Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) reported fourth-quarter earnings that exceeded expectations, with a forecast for the first quarter of $9.8 billion in revenue, surpassing the consensus estimate of $9.38 billion [1][5] Financial Performance - Net income for the quarter climbed to $1.51 billion, or 92 cents per share, compared to $482 million, or 29 cents per share in the same period last year, reflecting a significant annual growth [2] - Overall revenue increased by 34% year-over-year, reaching $10.27 billion, which also exceeded the estimated $9.67 billion [2][5] Segment Performance - The data center segment generated $5.4 billion in sales, up 39% year-over-year, driven by growth in both central processors and AI GPUs [3] - The client and gaming segment rose 37% year-over-year to $3.9 billion, fueled by demand for Ryzen processors, which gained market share against Intel [4] - The embedded segment experienced slower growth, increasing by 3% year-over-year to $950 million [4] Market Position and Challenges - AMD is one of two major manufacturers of large graphics processors for artificial intelligence, although it holds a smaller market share compared to Nvidia [2] - The company reported $390 million in sales of its Instinct MI308 chips in China during the fourth quarter, amid concerns regarding U.S. export controls [5]

Match Group beat Wall Street's estimates on Tuesday but issued weak guidance as it invests in new artificial intelligence initiatives to turn around declining user growth at Tinder. Shares popped 12% during extended trading. The stock closed 8% lower on Tuesday.Here's how the company did versus LSEG estimates:Earnings per share: 83 cents vs. 70 cents expectedRevenue: $878 million vs. $871 million expectedThe dating platform issued lackluster guidance for 2026, forecasting between $3.41 billion and $3.54 bil ...

A Chipotle store stands in the Bronx in New York City on April 23, 2025.Chipotle Mexican Grill on Tuesday reported quarterly earnings and revenue that topped analysts' expectations, although traffic to its restaurants fell for the fourth straight quarter.For 2026, the company is projecting flat same-store sales growth, signaling that the burrito chain's woes are not expected to disappear quickly. Chipotle ended a bumpy 2025 with a full-year same-store sales decline of 1.7%.Shares of the company fell as much ...

Core Viewpoint - The Trump administration is expected to issue a general license for U.S. companies to produce oil and gas in Venezuela, potentially revitalizing the country's energy sector [1][2][3]. Group 1: U.S. Companies and Investments - Chevron is currently the only U.S. company permitted to pump oil in Venezuela under a special license from the Treasury Department, with several joint ventures with PDVSA [2]. - The Trump administration is urging the oil industry to invest at least $100 billion to repair Venezuela's energy infrastructure following the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro [2]. - The oil industry's response has been mixed, with ExxonMobil's CEO stating that Venezuela is "uninvestable" under the current system, while smaller companies show more enthusiasm for investment opportunities [5]. Group 2: Regulatory Changes and Production Potential - The Treasury Department recently issued a general license allowing U.S. companies to engage in various activities related to Venezuelan crude oil, although upstream production was not included [4]. - The Venezuelan government has enacted reforms to reduce state control over the oil industry, granting more autonomy to private companies [4]. - Chevron's CEO indicated that the company could increase production in Venezuela by 50% within 18 to 24 months, contingent on U.S. approvals, with current production at approximately 250,000 barrels per day [6].

Market Overview - Stocks declined on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 falling over 1% and the Nasdaq dropping approximately 2% due to a selloff in technology stocks [1] - Financial stocks, including Blue Owl Capital, KKR, Apollo Global Management, and BlackRock, also experienced declines as the market reacted to potential software losers from AI [1] Company-Specific Updates - Nvidia's stock fell more than 3% on Tuesday, maintaining a flat performance over the past six months; CEO Jensen Huang denied rumors of a fraying relationship with OpenAI during an interview with Jim Cramer [1] - Eli Lilly's shares dropped nearly 4% ahead of its earnings report, influenced by Novo Nordisk's disappointing guidance for 2026, which included a projected sales decline of 5% to 13% year over year [1] - Novo Nordisk's stock fell over 15% after announcing it expects lower sales in the U.S. due to price pressures and increasing competition, suggesting a potential loss of market share to Eli Lilly [1] Housing Market Insights - Housing-related stocks saw a rally following a report indicating efforts to make entry-level home buying more affordable, involving companies like Lennar and Taylor Morrison Home [1] - Despite the broader market decline, Home Depot's shares rose nearly 1%, indicating potential benefits from a revived housing market [1] Upcoming Earnings Reports - Key earnings reports expected after Tuesday's close include Advanced Micro Devices, Super Micro, Chipotle, Enphase Energy, Amgen, Amcor, Prudential Financial, Mondelez, and Corteva [1] - Notable reports before Wednesday's opening bell include GE Healthcare, Uber, Boston Scientific, Johnson Controls, AbbVie, Bunge, and Fortive [1]

Core Insights - Apple is introducing agentic coding into its Xcode tool, supporting AI-driven code generation, which aligns with current trends in Silicon Valley [1][2] - The latest update allows Xcode to work with AI agents like Anthropic's Claude and OpenAI's Codex, enabling complex task handling [2] - The practice of "vibe coding" is gaining popularity among developers, allowing for faster software development through AI assistance [3] Company Developments - Xcode 26.3 is currently in beta for registered developers and will be available on the App Store in the future [5] - Users must connect their OpenAI or Anthropic accounts to Xcode via an API key, promoting compatibility with various AI tools [4] - Apple's consumer AI suite, Apple Intelligence, has experienced delays but AI coding is gaining traction among iPhone developers [3]

Group 1 - Intel has appointed a new chief architect to enhance its graphics processing units (GPUs) amid rising demand driven by artificial intelligence infrastructure and data centers [1][2] - The company has experienced a stock rally over the past year due to increased optimism regarding its foundry business, although it primarily produces chips for its own use [2] - Intel has faced challenges in keeping pace with major semiconductor competitors who have benefited from the AI data center expansion [2][3] Group 2 - Recent production issues and supply chain troubles have overshadowed Intel's better-than-expected quarterly results, with investors seeking more clarity on an anchor customer for its foundry segment [3] - The company received significant investments last year from the U.S. government, SoftBank, and Nvidia, indicating strong external support [3]

Core Viewpoint - Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang confirmed that the company's investment plan in OpenAI is still on track despite recent tensions and reports suggesting the deal is "on ice" [1][2]. Group 1: Investment Plans - Nvidia plans to invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI in tranches, with the investment aimed at building AI infrastructure that requires up to 10 gigawatts of power [1]. - Huang stated that Nvidia will participate in OpenAI's next fundraising round, which is expected to be the largest private round ever raised, potentially reaching $100 billion [3]. - Nvidia is open to investing in any future fundraising rounds for OpenAI and aims to participate in an eventual IPO [3]. Group 2: Relationship Dynamics - OpenAI has historically relied on Nvidia's graphics processing units for its AI models but has recently faced chip shortages, prompting it to seek deals with competitors like AMD, Broadcom, and Cerebras [4]. - OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman expressed a positive sentiment towards Nvidia, emphasizing their strong working relationship and the quality of Nvidia's AI chips [5]. Group 3: Market Reaction - Following the uncertainty surrounding the investment deal, Nvidia's shares fell by more than 3.4%, contributing to a broader decline in tech stocks, and are currently 13% below their October peak [2].

Core Insights - The private equity industry is experiencing a shift, with an increase in exits but at lower valuations, indicating a recalibration of expectations in response to market pressures [2][4]. Group 1: Private Equity Exits - The number of global private equity exits rose by 5.4% last year, totaling 3,149 exits [2]. - However, the total value of these exits declined by 21.2% year over year, amounting to $412.1 billion [2]. Group 2: Market Dynamics - The private equity sector is under pressure to monetize aging assets, with many firms previously reluctant to mark down portfolio values, leading to a gap in buyer expectations [4]. - A backlog of tens of thousands of companies remains, resulting in lower cash returns for limited partners (LPs) and a subsequent hesitance to reinvest in private equity [5]. Group 3: Fundraising and Deal Activity - Fundraising for private equity declined by 11% in 2025, reaching $490.81 billion, marking the second consecutive annual slowdown [5]. - Although there was growth in U.S. private equity deal value in the first half of last year, the number of new deployments remained flat, indicating stagnation in overall deal activity [6]. Group 4: Performance of Larger Funds - Larger private equity funds, such as Blackstone, are seeing benefits in monetization, with Blackstone reporting $10.8 billion in realizations from exits in the fourth quarter, the highest quarterly total of the year [7][8]. - Blackstone's successful IPO of Medline, which raised over $7 billion, is noted as the largest private equity-backed IPO in the U.S., with the stock surging nearly 30% since its debut [9].