Market Overview - The S&P 500 is on track for a record close, currently up 0.5%, while the NASDAQ composite is up 1% and the Dow is down 0.8% or about 400 points, primarily due to declines in healthcare stocks, particularly United Health Group [1][2] - Technology stocks are leading the market, with notable gains in companies like Nvidia, Microsoft, and Amazon, while the semiconductor sector is performing strongly, with Micron up over 6% [1][2] - Bitcoin is hovering above $88,000, and commodity prices are rising due to a slide in the US dollar, with crude oil and gold prices also increasing [1][2] Earnings Season Expectations - Investors are optimistic about the upcoming earnings season, with approximately 90 S&P 500 companies reporting this week, particularly focusing on major tech firms [1][2] - Analysts expect strong top-line and bottom-line numbers from big tech companies, with a significant portion of S&P 500 weight concentrated in 20 names [1][2] - The anticipated capital expenditures for major tech firms are projected to exceed $400 billion this year, indicating a strong focus on AI and cloud investments [22][23] AI and Capital Expenditure Insights - There is a growing emphasis on return on invested capital (ROIC) for AI projects, with expectations that this focus may shift within the next 12 to 18 months [1][2] - The AI boom is expected to continue benefiting productivity and margins for corporations over the long term, despite potential volatility in the market [2][3] - Companies like Microsoft are facing constraints in capacity, which may impact their ability to meet demand for AI-related services [26][32] Trade Developments - A significant trade deal has been announced between India and the EU, aimed at creating a free trade zone and lowering tariffs on over 90% of traded goods [12][13] - This deal is part of a broader trend of trade agreements being formed without US involvement, highlighting a shift in global trade dynamics [12][13] Company-Specific Developments - American Airlines reported a revenue miss due to a government shutdown, estimating a $325 million impact, while JetBlue also reported wider-than-expected losses [42][43] - General Motors (GM) shares reached an all-time high following better-than-expected earnings, with a $6 billion buyback plan announced [45][46] - Nvidia is projected to surpass Apple as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's (TSMC) largest customer by 2026, indicating a shift in the chip sector towards high-performance computing [82][83] Consumer Sentiment and Economic Indicators - US consumer confidence dropped sharply in January, reaching its lowest level since 2014, as inflation remains a significant concern for Americans [68] - The Federal Reserve is expected to maintain interest rates, with market expectations indicating no rate cuts in the near term [10][11]

Coworking spaces and shared offices are making a comeback after a post-pandemic slump and tensions over return-to-office mandates. As AI drives uncertainty over the future of their workforces, companies are moving to coworking to get the space they need for in-person work without the commitment. Amazon mandated that its nearly 350,000 corporate employees fully return to office in early 2025, but the chaotic rollout left workers without enough desks or parking spaces. In August, the company signed a lease w ...

每经AI快讯，美股三大指数涨跌不一，道指跌0.83%，纳指涨0.91%，标普500指数涨0.41%。科技股普 涨，英特尔涨超3%，亚马逊涨超2%。医疗保险股普跌，标普1500管理型医疗指数下跌18%，创下自 1997年以来的最大跌幅；联合健康跌超19%，CVS跌超14%。 ...

Core Viewpoint - Tech giants are preparing to report quarterly results, with a significant focus on their capital expenditures related to AI, expected to exceed $400 billion this year [2] Group 1: AI Capital Expenditures - The four major tech companies (Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet) are projected to spend over $400 billion in capital expenditures in 2023 [2] - Analysts predict that the MAG five (excluding Tesla and Nvidia) will see a capital expenditure growth of approximately 34% year-over-year by 2026, with some expecting it to be as high as 50% [3] - There is a belief that the AI capital expenditure boom could exceed current forecasts [4] Group 2: Company-Specific Insights - Microsoft is facing constraints on capacity despite strong demand for its Azure and AI services, which may impact revenue generation [6] - Amazon is expected to report stronger cloud revenue growth due to increased capacity and investments, with a forecast of acceleration in cloud revenue across major players [11][12] - Google is anticipated to benefit from its Gemini product, which has shown strong performance since its launch, contributing to cloud revenue growth [13] Group 3: Competitive Landscape - Nvidia is facing increased competition from Google's TPUs and other alternatives, which may affect its market position [8][9] - Broadcom is positioned as a key player benefiting from competition in the chip space, particularly in relation to Google's TPUs [9] - Oracle is under scrutiny due to cash burn and increasing debt for data center investments, with a significant capital requirement of around $300 billion [15] Group 4: Advertising and Revenue Trends - Meta's ad prices have reportedly increased by approximately 8.8% in Q4 2025, aligning with consensus estimates, indicating potential revenue growth [17][18] - The upcoming midterm elections are expected to provide a seasonal boost to Meta's ad revenue, particularly with limited political ad offerings until the election week [19]

On Monday, Amazon's chief merchant, John Farrell, announced in a LinkedIn post that he's leaving the company to "explore new challenges." Farrell oversaw buying for its Fresh division and joined Amazon in 2019 from British supermarket chain Tesco. Amazon is reshaping its grocery business as it continues its nearly two-decade effort to become a giant in the U.S. grocery market. In recent years, Amazon has expanded its selection of fresh food and grocery staples at same-day warehouses in the U.S., while testi ...

Core Viewpoint - Amazon has reached a settlement exceeding $1 billion to address claims regarding improper refunds for customer returns [1][2] Group 1: Settlement Details - The settlement includes over $600 million already distributed or soon to be paid in refunds to affected customers [1] - Amazon will contribute $309.5 million to a non-reversionary common fund for members of the class-action lawsuit [2] - The company has issued approximately $570 million in refunds, with about $34 million remaining to be refunded [2] Group 2: Non-Monetary Relief - Amazon has agreed to provide over $363 million in non-monetary relief to improve its return and refund processes [2] Group 3: Background of the Lawsuit - The lawsuit, initiated in 2023, claimed that Amazon caused "substantial unjustified monetary losses" for consumers who returned items but were still charged [3] Group 4: Company Response and Previous Settlements - Following an internal review in 2025, Amazon identified issues with a subset of returns where refunds were not properly issued [4] - Amazon previously settled a lawsuit with the FTC for $2.5 billion over allegations of misleading users regarding Prime subscriptions [4]

NEW YORK — Amazon said it’s closing all of its Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh locations, as the online behemoth focuses on its grocery delivery, Whole Foods Market and a new “supersized” store concept.The Seattle-based online retailer said Tuesday in a blog post that it plans to convert some of those soon-to-be shuttered locations into Whole Foods Market stores. The company operates 57 Amazon Fresh stores and 15 Amazon Go stores.Amazon announced it’s closing all of its Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh locations. AFP ...

Amazon is closing its Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh stores while adding more same-day grocery delivery services.By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions .Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.“While we’ve seen encouraging signals in our Amazon-brand ...

Core Viewpoint - Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) is considered an attractive investment option among hyperscalers due to the potential resilience of its retail business, which offers consumers value-oriented alternatives through its private label [1] Group 1: Investment Potential - The retail business of Amazon may provide rotational value-oriented alternatives to consumers, which could enhance its appeal as an investment [1] - Consumer sentiment remains subdued, influenced by inflationary pressures and rising fears, which may impact retail performance [1]

Core Insights - UPS is planning to cut an additional 30,000 operational positions in 2026, following the previous reduction of over 48,000 jobs in the last year as part of its strategy to reconfigure its delivery network and reduce reliance on Amazon [1][2] - The company aims to achieve $3 billion in total savings from these reductions, with a significant portion of the cuts expected to come through attrition and a voluntary buyout program for full-time drivers [2][3] Financial Performance - For Q4, UPS reported revenues of $24.5 billion, reflecting a 3.2% decline year-over-year, while net income was $1.8 billion, translating to adjusted earnings of $2.38 per share, surpassing analyst expectations [4] - The forward-looking guidance for 2026 indicates projected revenues of approximately $89.7 billion, which is above the analyst forecast of $88.1 billion and represents a 1.1% increase from the previous year's revenue [5] Operational Changes - The company has successfully saved $3.5 billion in 2025 through cost-cutting measures, including the closure of 93 facilities as part of a nationwide automation initiative [3] - The average domestic daily volumes (ADV) have declined by 10.8% to 20 million packages, largely due to the reduction in Amazon packages and the removal of less profitable e-commerce volumes from the network [6]