Group 1 - The core point of the article is that starting from the 9th, Copilot users in the U.S. can purchase products from Etsy, Urban Outfitters, and Anthropologie directly within the chat interface [1] - A checkout feature supported by payment provider Stripe will be embedded in the chat window, allowing users to complete purchases without leaving Copilot [1] - This feature is supported by the Open Standard Agent Commercial Protocol (ACP) developed collaboratively by Stripe and OpenAI [1]

1月8日，微软在Copilot中推出了一项新功能，允许用户在与AI聊天机器人对话时直接进行购物。微软 分享的一个例子显示，当用户使用Copilot搜索一款适合放在床头柜上的小台灯时，聊天机器人会给出推 荐，并提供一个"详情"按钮供查看更多信息，以及一个"购买"选项。点击"购买"按钮会跳转到结账页 面，用户可以在这里输入收货和付款信息，无需访问零售商网站即可确认购买。 ...

Market Overview - The US stock market showed mixed results, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising by 270.03 points, or 0.55%, closing at 49,266.11 points. In contrast, the Nasdaq fell by 104.25 points, or 0.44%, ending at 23,480.02 points, while the S&P 500 index saw a slight increase of 0.53 points, or 0.01%, to close at 6,921.46 points [4][5]. Economic Outlook - Fitch Ratings has raised its GDP growth forecast for the US for 2025 and 2026, adjusting estimates due to delayed economic data from the government shutdown at the end of last year. The Federal Reserve is expected to lower the federal funds rate to 3.25% in the first half of 2026 [6]. - US Treasury Secretary Becerra indicated that most models suggest the Fed's interest rate range may fall between 2.5% and 3.25%, emphasizing that rates remain significantly above neutral levels [7]. Inflation and Employment - A monthly survey from the New York Federal Reserve revealed an increase in US inflation expectations for December, while consumer confidence in the job market has dropped to its lowest level in over 12.5 years [8]. Energy Sector - Oil prices increased, with WTI crude for February rising by 3.2% to settle at $57.76 per barrel, and Brent crude for March up by 3.4% to $61.99 per barrel. Energy stocks saw a broad increase, with ExxonMobil rising over 3%, Chevron up more than 2%, and ConocoPhillips increasing by over 5% [10][11]. Mining Industry - Glencore and Rio Tinto have resumed negotiations to potentially create the world's largest mining company, with a combined market value exceeding $260 billion. This merger is taking place against a backdrop of increasing competition for copper resources [14]. Technology Sector - The performance of major tech stocks was mixed, with the US Tech Giants Index declining by 0.27%. Notable movements included Amazon rising nearly 2% and Google increasing over 1%, while Apple fell by 0.5%, marking its seventh consecutive day of decline due to high interest rate expectations impacting growth stock valuations [16][18].

Most of Wall Street is still bullish on the AI trade in 2026. Peter Boockvar, CIO of OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, sees it differently. He advises investors not to rely on AI stocks to continue driving growth this year. Wall Street remains bullish on AI, but the investment chief of a $12 billion firm thinks investors need to be careful not to pin all of their hopes on the technology. Peter Boockvar, the chief investment officer of OnePoint BFG Wealth Partners, thinks greater opportunities lie out ...

Group 1 - Nvidia requires overseas customers to pay full prepayment for its H200 AI chips, with orders exceeding 2 million units, and TSMC has been asked to increase production [2] - Sinopec and China National Aviation Fuel are undergoing a restructuring approved by the State Council, aiming to reduce aviation fuel supply costs and enhance industry competitiveness [2] - Alibaba's Taobao Flash Sale has made significant progress, targeting to achieve absolute market share leadership by 2026, reflecting an upgrade in the company's competitive strategy in the e-commerce sector [2] - Nestlé has expanded its global recall of infant formula to at least 50 countries, including China, with regulatory bodies urging the company to manage the recall effectively [2] - TSMC maintains high capacity utilization for advanced processes, with continued demand for 3nm processes, and has paused new project initiations while encouraging clients to evaluate the adoption of 2nm processes [2] Group 2 - Zhongwei Company’s major shareholder plans to reduce its stake by up to 2%, which may exert short-term pressure on the company's stock price [4] - Huaxia Happiness is expected to report a loss in 2025, facing dual pressures from operational losses and arbitration involving its controlling shareholder [4] - Jiechuang Intelligent plans to procure IT equipment and components worth up to 4 billion yuan to enhance its cloud computing infrastructure [4] - Pritchard anticipates no large-scale orders for LCP film products in the brain-computer interface sector in the short term, advising the market to view the concept rationally [4] - Unisoc has initiated IPO counseling, benefiting from the AI-driven demand growth in storage chips, contributing to a wave of IPOs in the industry [4] Group 3 - Changxin Technology's application for an IPO on the Sci-Tech Innovation Board has been officially accepted, marking a significant step in its listing process [5] - Geely Automobile has obtained an L3-level autonomous driving road test license for its Zeekr 9X model, covering an area of 9,224 square kilometers [5] - HSBC's proposal to privatize Hang Seng Bank has been approved by the bank's court meeting and shareholder meeting, with the delisting expected on January 27, 2026 [5] - JD.com has established a "Chameleon Business Department" to oversee the development and commercialization of core AI products [5] - Anta Sports has made a takeover offer to acquire 29% of Puma from the Pinault family, although negotiations are reportedly stalled [5] Group 4 - Apple’s market value has dropped to third globally, with its annual shareholder meeting scheduled for February 24, and CEO Cook's total compensation for 2025 set at $74.3 million [6] - Alphabet has risen to second globally, driven by its AI business, and is enhancing collaboration with Siemens on industrial AI operating systems [6] - Meta Platforms is under scrutiny by China's Ministry of Commerce regarding its acquisition of the AI platform Manus, with delays in the release of AI smart glasses [6] - Microsoft has partnered with Shopify, PayPal, and Stripe to launch a retail AI Copilot Checkout feature, while restructuring its GitHub team to strengthen AI development [6] - Amazon has adjusted its target price and is requiring employees to provide proof of work efficiency, indicating potential personnel optimization [6] Group 5 - Samsung Electronics has regained the top share in the global DRAM market and is in talks with Qualcomm for 2nm chip foundry collaboration [9] - Toyota has announced the independence of Gazoo Racing as a high-performance sub-brand and launched new models in the European market [9] - LG Electronics' CEO presented a profit-oriented growth strategy at CES 2026, focusing on sustainable development [9] - Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group plans to establish a full-service bank in the EU to expand overseas financing profits [9] - SK Hynix has lost its position as the global leader in the DRAM market and is focusing on domestic energy storage orders [9]

Core Viewpoint - Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is recognized as a significant player in the AI sector, with analysts expressing a positive outlook on the stock, particularly in the context of AI monetization and growth potential [1][4]. Group 1: Analyst Ratings and Predictions - Jefferies analyst Brent Thill has reiterated a Buy rating on Microsoft with a price target of $675.00, suggesting a selective investment approach in the software sector until AI monetization becomes clearer [1]. - The average price target among Wall Street analysts for Microsoft is $630, indicating a potential upside of 33.23%, while the highest target of $730 suggests a 54.38% upside [4]. - Predictions for 2026 include strong AI growth for Microsoft, alongside a resurgence in AI at Meta and a rebound for Amazon driven by AWS [2]. Group 2: Business Performance and AI Integration - Microsoft is showing robust performance across its various business segments, with a notable expansion in its artificial intelligence capabilities and the integration of AI features throughout its product portfolio [3]. - The company focuses on providing AI-powered cloud, productivity, and business solutions, emphasizing efficiency, security, and advancements in AI technology [4].

Core Viewpoint - Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) is expected to deliver exceptional performance in 2026, both in execution and share price appreciation [1]. Group 1: Company Analysis - The company is positioned to leverage its strengths in execution performance to enhance shareholder value [1]. - There is a strong belief in the company's ability to translate operational success into significant share price growth [1]. Group 2: Analyst Background - The analysis is conducted by a stock analyst with over 20 years of experience in quantitative research, financial modeling, and risk management [1]. - The analyst has a background as a former Vice President at Barclays, focusing on model validation, stress testing, and regulatory finance [1]. - The research approach combines rigorous risk management with a long-term perspective on value creation, emphasizing macroeconomic trends and corporate earnings [1].

Core Insights - PayPal is collaborating with Microsoft to launch Copilot Checkout, enhancing AI-powered shopping experiences for consumers and merchants [1][3] - The integration of PayPal's services with Copilot's platform aims to facilitate seamless transactions, marking a shift towards autonomous commerce [3][4] Group 1: Partnership Details - The partnership allows shoppers to browse and pay directly within Copilot, with PayPal providing features like merchant inventory display, branded checkout, guest checkout, and credit card payments [2] - This collaboration is part of PayPal's strategy to support merchants and consumers in evolving shopping experiences driven by AI [3] Group 2: Industry Trends - The emergence of agentic AI is transforming traditional eCommerce models, moving from assistive AI tools to systems that can autonomously execute transactions [4][5] - Recent research indicates that agentic AI is prompting retailers to reconsider how products are discovered and purchased when the decision-maker is an AI rather than a human [5] Group 3: Additional Collaborations - PayPal has also partnered with Paychex to offer employees early access to their paychecks through PayPal Direct Deposit, reflecting a growing demand for instant payroll solutions [6] - Over 80% of workers aged 18 to 44 prefer daily access to wages, highlighting the importance of flexible payment options in today's economic climate [7]

Group 1: AI Investment Interest - Younger investors, particularly Gen Z, show strong confidence in AI investments, with 67% believing in their long-term return potential compared to 50% of baby boomers [1] - Overall, 62% of respondents express confidence in AI's ability to generate long-term returns [1] Group 2: Microsoft Overview - Microsoft is focusing on scaling real-world AI deployments across Azure, which holds a 20% global market share in public cloud computing [3] - In fiscal Q1 2026, Microsoft's cloud revenues increased by 26% year over year to $49.1 billion, with plans to boost AI capacity by over 80% and double its data center footprint in the next two years [4] - The AI-powered virtual assistant, Copilot, is being developed as a platform for managing workflows across Microsoft 365, GitHub, and security, with over 900 million monthly active users for AI features and 150 million for Copilot [5] - Microsoft's commercial remaining performance obligations rose by 50% year over year to nearly $400 billion, indicating strong revenue visibility for AI services [6] Group 3: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Overview - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing holds a 72% share of the chip foundry market and is crucial for AI infrastructure [7] - The company is aligning its technology roadmap and capacity expansion to meet the rising demand for AI-optimized chips [7]

Payments/financial services technology provider Fiserv has launched an AI-focused partnership with Microsoft.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.This new collaboration is designed to further embed artif ...