Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is one of the 10 Best Dow Stocks to Buy According to Wall Street Analysts. On October 24, TD Cowen reaffirmed its Buy rating on Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) with a price target of $640. This decision comes ahead of the company’s first-quarter earnings report for its fiscal year 2026, which is scheduled for October 29. TD Cowen’s research shows that activity in Azure data centers has increased over the past month, which indicates strong demand for AI and potential ...

‘Severe Outages’—Switch To Gmail, Google Warns Microsoft UsersGoogle has attacked Microsoft for its relentless campaign to “trick” Chrome users into changing their browsers. But now it has borrowed from that playbook with aggressive tactics of its own, warning Microsoft users that “frequent and severe outages” as well as “security incidents” mandate a rethink. It’s time to switch to Gmail, Google says. https://t.co/w7o4l7Q0Dt ...

Google And Microsoft Issue Password Warnings—Most Users Must Act NowYour Google and Microsoft passwords are under attack, with leaked or stolen credentials the likely way hackers will gain access to your account. Both have issued warnings with clear calls to action. https://t.co/s2LEnDr7x1 ...

We have a huge week this week.Earnings for Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Meta.FOMC, more rate cuts are expected.Trump meeting with Xi to discuss trade deal. ...

[Music] Top of the morning from Yow Fines's New York City headquarter studios. I'm Yao Fines executive editor Brian S. You're watching Optimal Bank Holdings ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on this Monday and fortunate getting trading underway over at the NASDAQ.promises to be a super busy week for the markets. And if you are ready for the smoke, I encourage you to get ready starting right this very moment. The Fed is likely get likely to cut rates for the second straight time in its ...

Core Viewpoint - Guggenheim has upgraded Microsoft shares to "buy," reflecting a nearly 99% bullish sentiment among analysts ahead of the upcoming earnings report on October 29 [2][6]. Company Analysis - The price target for Microsoft has been raised to $586, indicating a potential upside of approximately 12% from the last closing price [3]. - Guggenheim analysts express optimism regarding Microsoft's ability to leverage advancements in AI, positioning it as a key beneficiary in the current market landscape [4]. - Microsoft holds a near monopoly in the productivity suite market with its Office products, which are being monetized through AI offerings like co-pilot [4]. - The analysts also believe that Microsoft's Windows segment is well-positioned to exceed consensus estimates in the near to medium term, representing a second monopoly [4]. Market Sentiment - No analysts covering Microsoft have a "sell" rating, indicating strong market confidence ahead of the earnings report [5][6]. - The overall sentiment among analysts is favorable, with expectations focused on AI-related growth trends and insights into Microsoft's capital expenditures [6][12]. Earnings Expectations - Analysts anticipate that if Microsoft's capital expenditures align with or fall below expectations, and if the company demonstrates effective monetization of its AI investments, it could lead to significant stock price appreciation [15]. - There is a potential for the stock to reach around $575 post-earnings if results are strong, although there is also a risk of disappointment if capital expenditures exceed expectations [10][15]. Broader Market Context - The market is currently in a "risk-on" mode, with positive developments in U.S.-China trade negotiations contributing to a favorable trading environment [17][19]. - The recent CPI report has alleviated some market fears, supporting a bullish outlook as the NASDAQ trades at all-time highs [18][19].

Market Performance - The three major U.S. stock indices opened higher, reaching new historical highs, with the Nasdaq index up nearly 1.5%, and both the Dow Jones and S&P 500 indices rising over 0.5% [1] - The Dow Jones index closed at 47,455.47, up 248.35 points (+0.53%), while the Nasdaq and S&P 500 indices closed at 23,550.83 (+345.96, +1.49%) and 6,853.08 (+61.39, +0.90%) respectively [2] Technology Sector - Qualcomm led the tech sector with a significant increase, rising over 20%, marking its largest intraday gain since 2019, following the announcement of its AI chips aimed at competing with Nvidia in the data center market [2] - Intel's stock rose over 5%, pushing its market capitalization above $190 billion, while Nvidia, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft also saw gains of over 2% [2] Chinese Stocks - Chinese assets surged, with the Nasdaq Golden Dragon Index and the Wind Chinese Concept Stock Index both increasing by approximately 2%, driven by notable gains in Baidu (+5%), JD.com (+3%), and Alibaba (+2%) [2] Gold Market - Gold prices fell below $4,000 per ounce for the first time since October 10, with a daily decline exceeding 3%, while silver prices also dropped around 5% [5] - Analysts noted that the recent decline in gold prices was due to profit-taking after a significant rise, with Citigroup downgrading its overweight recommendation on gold due to concerns over high positions [7] Cryptocurrency Market - The cryptocurrency market experienced mixed performance, with over 12,500 traders liquidated, resulting in over $400 million in liquidation amounts [9] - Bitcoin's trading volume surged by 78.21%, with its price at $114,793, while Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies also saw significant trading volume increases [10] Regulatory Environment - The Governor of the People's Bank of China emphasized the need to combat domestic virtual currency operations and speculation, highlighting the risks associated with stablecoins and their regulatory challenges [12]

Core Points - Microsoft is set to upgrade the location tracking feature in Microsoft Teams by December, allowing detection of whether employees are working from home or the office when connected to Wi-Fi [1] - The feature will be disabled by default and requires IT management to enable it, with individual employee consent needed for location sharing [1] - The introduction of this feature has sparked controversy, as the implication of voluntary consent raises concerns about actual privacy [1] - Microsoft has implemented measures to prevent employees from circumventing the system by changing their home Wi-Fi names, as the system is likely tied to IP or MAC addresses [1] - The upgrade aims to automate the location sharing process, reducing confusion about work locations and improving collaboration among hybrid teams [1]

Market Performance - The three major US stock indices opened higher, with the Dow Jones up 0.56%, S&P 500 up 0.86%, and Nasdaq up 1.38%, all reaching new historical highs [1] - Major tech stocks saw significant gains, with Nvidia, Google A, and Tesla rising over 2%, while Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, Broadcom, and Apple increased by more than 1% [2] - Most large bank stocks also rose, with Barclays up over 2%, and Citigroup, UBS, and Morgan Stanley up over 1% [3] Economic Indicators - The upcoming "Super Central Bank Week" is anticipated, with the Federal Reserve's meeting scheduled for October 28-29, where a 25 basis point rate cut to the 3.75%-4% range is widely expected [3] - According to CME's FedWatch, the probability of a 25 basis point cut in October is 98.3%, while the chance of maintaining the current rate is only 1.7% [3] Chinese Market Insights - The Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index surged over 2% in early trading [3] - Popular Chinese stocks mostly rose, with Baidu up over 5%, Vipshop up over 4%, and NIO, Xpeng, and JD.com up over 3% [6] Currency and Commodity Trends - The offshore RMB strengthened, rising over 200 basis points against the US dollar [8] - Gold prices experienced a significant drop, with London gold and COMEX gold both falling nearly 3%, and London gold dropping below $4000 per ounce [9] - Capital Economics has revised down its gold price forecast, expecting it to fall to $3500 per ounce by the end of 2026 [10] - However, Fidelity International remains bullish on gold, citing factors like Fed rate cuts and geopolitical risks as supportive for gold's performance [11]

The biggest reason to invest in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT ) is its status of the world's by far largest software company. This status makes Microsoft the cornerstone of the world's digitalWith a decade at a Big 4 audit firm specializing in the banking, mining, and energy sectors, I bring a strong foundation in finance and strategy. Currently, I serve as the Head of Finance for a leading owner and operator of retail real estate, where I oversee complex financial operations and strategy. I’ve been a ...