Core Insights - Outtake, a cybersecurity startup founded in 2023, has raised $40 million in a funding round led by Iconiq Capital, with notable investors including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Palantir's tech chief Shyam Sankar [1][2] Company Overview - Outtake utilizes autonomous artificial intelligence agents to detect and eliminate cyberthreats, such as phishing, through various applications including email verification [2] - The company aims to create a "trust layer for the Internet" in response to the increasing sophistication and speed of cyberthreats driven by AI [3] Financial Performance - Outtake's annual recurring revenue has increased approximately sixfold year over year, indicating strong growth [3] - The company has scanned 20 million potential cyberattacks in the previous year and has expanded its enterprise customer base more than tenfold year over year [3]

Market Overview - Major U.S. index futures indicate a higher open, with stocks expected to continue the upward trend from the previous sessions [1] - Semiconductor stocks are leading the gains, with ASML shares surging 5% after strong Q4 results and positive 2026 guidance [1] Semiconductor Industry - SK Hynix shares spiked after reporting better-than-expected Q4 results and a record full-year profit for 2025 [2] - China has approved Alibaba, ByteDance, and Tencent to purchase over 400,000 Nvidia H200 AI chips, contributing to a 1.6% increase in Nvidia shares [3][2] Technology Sector - Major tech companies like Microsoft, Meta Platforms, and Tesla are set to report quarterly results, with Microsoft shares rising 2.2% and Apple shares increasing by 1.1% [4][6] - The Nasdaq index reached a nearly three-month closing high, driven by strong performances in the tech sector [5][10] Economic Indicators - The Conference Board reported a significant drop in consumer confidence, with the index falling to 84.5 in January from 94.2 in December, marking the lowest level since May 2014 [9][8] Oil and Commodity Markets - Crude oil futures increased by $0.62 to $63.01 per barrel, following a previous surge [12] - Gold prices rose to $5,277.70 per ounce, up $195.10 from the previous session [12] European Market Reaction - European stocks mostly declined ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy decision, with the French CAC 40 Index down by 1.5% and the German DAX Index down by 0.6% [22][23] - ASML Holding saw a significant rise in shares due to exceeding analysts' expectations for Q4 orders [23]

Core Insights - Itron is enhancing its collaboration with Microsoft to leverage AI for improving utility operations, focusing on efficiency, resilience, and customer engagement [1][3] - The introduction of the Itron Intelligent Edge Operating System (IEOS) Connector for Microsoft 365 Copilot allows utilities to utilize natural-language queries to access insights from Itron's data management systems [2][3] - The partnership aims to redefine grid edge intelligence by applying AI to optimize operations and enhance customer experiences, addressing the challenges utilities face in modernizing infrastructure and reducing costs [3] Company Developments - Itron is launching the IEOS Connector, which integrates with Microsoft 365 Copilot, enabling utilities to access data on consumption patterns, outage history, and other operational insights [2] - The collaboration will automate exception handling in utility processes, such as billing, improving accuracy and accelerating revenue cycles [3] - Itron and Microsoft will showcase their innovations and AI roadmap at DTECH from February 2-5, 2026, highlighting their commitment to AI-driven grid modernization [4] Industry Impact - The partnership is positioned to help utilities achieve measurable gains in efficiency and resilience while preparing for a more sustainable grid [3][6] - Itron's solutions will be made available through the Microsoft Marketplace, facilitating easier access for utilities and partners [6] - The collaboration supports immediate operational improvements and lays the groundwork for a future powered by AI in utility management [6]

Company News - ASML's ADRs rose 5% after reporting orders significantly exceeding investor expectations, driven by increased demand for AI computing workloads [3][5][17] - Seagate's stock increased by 8% following a strong second-quarter earnings report that surpassed expectations, along with a positive outlook [3] - Texas Instruments gained 7% after providing a favorable outlook, indicating improved demand in industrial and data center markets [3] - AT&T's shares rose 3% after reporting fourth-quarter profit and revenue that exceeded analysts' estimates, attributed to strong broadband subscriber growth [3] - C3.ai's stock surged 15% amid reports of merger talks with Automation Anywhere [3] - F5 Inc. jumped 8% after raising its revenue forecast for the fiscal year [3] - New Oriental Education's ADRs rose 6% after beating second-quarter estimates and increasing its annual net revenue forecast [3] - Corning's shares fell 3% after reporting fourth-quarter results and providing a disappointing outlook [3] - Elevance Health dropped 6% after giving an adjusted profit forecast for 2026 that fell short of Wall Street expectations [3] - Qorvo's stock fell 10% after issuing a weaker-than-expected outlook [3] Industry Trends - The tech sector is experiencing a rally, driven by strong earnings from semiconductor and memory companies, which is boosting the AI trade [1][4][6] - The Magnificent Seven stocks are mostly higher, with Nvidia, Alphabet, and Amazon showing gains, while Meta and Apple experienced slight declines [3] - The semiconductor, memory, and storage sectors are seeing significant gains due to positive earnings reports, particularly from ASML, Seagate, and Texas Instruments [3][4] - Asian equities are also benefiting from the tech rally, with notable gains in TSMC and SK Hynix [5][13] - The demand for AI memory is driving earnings growth for companies like SK Hynix, indicating a strong market for AI-related technologies [5][14]

The fourth quarter earnings season kicks into high gear this week, with Big Tech results from Microsoft (MSFT), Meta (META), Tesla (TSLA), and Apple (AAPL) headlining the earnings calendar. An optimistic consensus is forming: As of Jan. 23, 13% of S&P 500 (^GSPC) companies have reported fourth quarter results, according to FactSet data, and Wall Street analysts estimate an 8.2% increase in earnings per share for the fourth quarter. If that rate holds, it would represent the 10th consecutive quarter of ann ...

钛媒体App 1月28日消息，美股盘前要闻： 1. 美国股指期货涨跌不一，截至目前，道琼斯指数期货跌0.03%，标普500指数期货涨0.21%，纳斯达克 100指数期货涨0.85%。 2. 欧洲斯托克50指数跌0.43%，英国富时100指数跌0.51%，法国CAC40指数跌1.41%，德国DAX30指数 跌0.65%，富时意大利MIB指数跌0.95%。 3. 北京时间周四凌晨3点，美联储即将公布2026年的首份利率决议；市场普遍预期，美联储将在本周政 策会议上维持利率不变。 4. 本周四和周五，特斯拉、Meta、微软和苹果将公布财报，华尔街对"七巨头"业绩充满信心，预计整体 盈利增长率达20.3%。 5. 加密货币巨头Tether囤金140吨，是除已知的主权国家与大型银行外全球最大的黄金储备持有者。 9. 德州仪器美股盘前涨超8%，公司第四季度每股盈利1.27美元，营收44.2亿美元，略低于华尔街预期， 但对当前季度预期高于市场预期。 10. 美股存储股盘前普涨，希捷科技涨超10%，西部数据涨超8%，闪迪涨超5%，美光科技涨超4%。 11. 美国联合包裹运送服务公司（UPS）27日宣布，计划今年减少约3万个运 ...

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) will release earnings for the second quarter after the closing bell on Wednesday, Jan. 28.Analysts expect the company to report earnings of $3.97 per share. That's up from $3.23 per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for Microsoft's quarterly revenue is $80.27 billion (it reported $69.63 billion last year), according to Benzinga Pro. Bank of America Securities analyst Brad Sills maintains a Buy and lowered the price target from $640 to $520.With the rece ...

Core Viewpoint - Investors are concerned about the return on massive investments in artificial intelligence (AI) as Microsoft and Meta Platforms prepare to release their earnings reports, which may provide insights into the profitability of such expenditures [1][4]. Group 1: Company Earnings and Market Reactions - Microsoft and Meta are among the top four companies in the U.S. for AI spending, with a projected capital expenditure of approximately $505 billion in 2026, up from an estimated $366 billion in 2025 [1]. - Since the last earnings report on October 29, 2022, Microsoft's stock has dropped by 11%, while Meta's stock has decreased by about 10%, contrasting with a 1.3% increase in the S&P 500 index during the same period [1]. - Investors are closely monitoring the return on investment for these expenditures, with Jonathan Kofsky from Janus Henderson emphasizing that quarterly evaluations will be critical [1][4]. Group 2: AI Spending and Market Implications - Any indication that Microsoft and Meta plan to invest more than expected in AI could pressure their stock prices, while benefiting companies like Nvidia, Broadcom, and Micron that stand to gain from such spending [4]. - Seagate has reported strong demand for high-capacity hard drives, which is expected to continue at least until 2027, positively impacting the stock prices of related companies [4]. - Kofsky noted that investor expectations are that results will often meet or exceed the upper limits of projections, particularly for AI infrastructure companies like Nvidia and TSMC [4]. Group 3: Microsoft and Meta's Specific Challenges - For Microsoft, the focus will be on its Azure cloud computing business, which is experiencing strong demand for AI service development and operation [5]. - Azure's revenue is expected to grow by 38% year-over-year in the second quarter, following a 39% increase in the first quarter [5]. - Investors are also interested in the progress of Microsoft's Copilot product, which is a key AI software tool for office workers, although details on its contribution to overall sales growth remain limited [5]. Group 4: Meta's Growth Pressure - Unlike Microsoft, Meta lacks a cloud computing business and relies on AI to enhance advertising targeting and user engagement on its social media platforms [6]. - Meta faces significant pressure to demonstrate how its AI spending translates into growth, especially after a previous drop in stock price following its commitment to increased capital expenditures without clear return timelines [6]. - Market expectations for Meta's fourth-quarter revenue are optimistic, projecting a 21% increase to $58.4 billion, with earnings per share expected to rise by 2.1% to $8.19 [5].

Core Insights - The focus of Wall Street is shifting towards "remaining performance obligations," a metric indicating future sales backlog from long-term contracts in the cloud computing sector, as companies like Microsoft and Amazon report earnings [1][2] - The surge in long-term commitments from AI companies to cloud service providers is reshaping the competitive landscape of the cloud market, with Microsoft surpassing Amazon in new order backlog [1][3] - Concerns arise regarding the actual realization of these sales commitments, highlighted by Oracle's case where a significant increase in backlog did not translate to stock price gains due to doubts about profitability and execution [1][6] Group 1: Remaining Performance Obligations - "Remaining performance obligations" is gaining attention as a financial metric that reflects future sales from long-term contracts, particularly in the context of AI companies making substantial commitments to cloud providers [2] - Analysts note that when order backlog diverges from revenue growth, it becomes a critical indicator for investors to monitor [2] Group 2: Competitive Landscape - Amazon, while still holding the largest market share in cloud computing, has fallen behind Microsoft in terms of new order backlog since the launch of ChatGPT, with Google also emerging as a strong competitor [3] - Google's advancements in AI technology have allowed it to attract significant business from AI companies, altering the competitive dynamics in the cloud market [3] Group 3: Concerns Over Backlog Data - The data on order backlog has limitations, as different companies may have varying accounting methods, which can affect the comparability of the figures [4] - There are concerns about the reliability of these commitments, especially given past instances where companies renegotiated contracts to defer spending [4][5] Group 4: Oracle's Warning - Oracle's experience serves as a cautionary tale, where a massive increase in order backlog did not lead to positive market reactions due to skepticism about the profitability and realization of those contracts [6] - The market's response to the latest commitments from Microsoft, Amazon, and Google will be crucial in assessing investor sentiment regarding potential AI bubbles [6]

Group 1 - AI spending and advancements have led to the emergence of the "Magnificent Seven," which includes Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Tesla, significantly impacting market returns and contributing to the outperformance of the large cap S&P 500 Index over the small cap Russell 2000 Index for the past five years [1] - The Russell 2000 Index has gained over 7% at the start of the year, outperforming the S&P 500 Index, which only gained just over 2% [2] - The recent 14-day win streak for the Russell 2000 Index is the second longest on record, indicating a potential trend in small-cap outperformance [3] Group 2 - Following a win streak of at least eight consecutive trading days, the Russell 2000 Index has averaged a 2.72% return in the month after, with 79% of the returns being positive and outperforming the S&P 500 Index 74% of the time [4] - The S&P 500 Index, after similar win streaks, has shown a short-term average gain of 1.49% in one month, but underperformed in the six-month period with an average loss of -0.36% [7][8] - Both the Russell 2000 and S&P 500 Indexes exhibit momentum immediately after small-cap outperformance streaks, but tend to pull back and become more volatile around the three-month mark, ultimately nearing breakeven after six months [9][10]