Core Viewpoint - U.S. stocks are experiencing a downturn, particularly in the software sector, with Microsoft facing significant declines despite beating earnings and revenue forecasts due to concerns over slower growth in cloud computing and increased spending on AI infrastructure [1][2]. Group 1: Software Sector Performance - Microsoft shares fell 12%, marking their worst day since March 2020, as investors reacted negatively to its fiscal second quarter results [2]. - Other software companies, including ServiceNow, SAP, and Salesforce, also experienced heavy selling, indicating a broader trend of investors wanting to exit the software sector [2]. - The S&P 500 index decreased by 0.68%, the Nasdaq dropped by 1.45%, and the Dow fell by 0.17%, reflecting overall market struggles [2]. Group 2: Performance Outside Software Sector - Companies outside the software sector showed better performance, with Caterpillar and Mastercard reporting improved year-over-year quarterly results [4]. - Lockheed Martin forecasted 2026 earnings above Wall Street expectations, indicating strong prospects in the defense sector [4]. - Southwest Airlines projected strong full-year profits, and IBM exceeded earnings estimates in its fiscal year-end results [4]. - Meta reported strong sales in the first three months of its fiscal year, highlighting resilience in the social media space [4]. Group 3: Gold Market - Gold prices experienced volatility, reaching a record high above $5,500 per ounce before falling as investors took profits, but they later recovered to show a 1.19% increase [3]. - Despite the recent decline, gold is on track for its best month since the 1980s, driven by economic and geopolitical uncertainties [3].

Microsoft’s (MSFT) second-quarter financials were a classic “good news is bad news” paradox. While the multinational handily topped Street estimates for both profit and revenue, its stock still cratered 13% on Jan. 29, as cloud business growth failed to impress shareholders. The selloff has even pushed Microsoft stock decisively below its 50-day moving average (MA), indicating continued pressure could follow in the weeks ahead. More News from Barchart Following the post-earnings plunge, the tech behemo ...

Software Sector Performance - The software sector is experiencing a significant sell-off, with the iShares Expanded Tech-Software ETF (IGV) down over 5%, marking a decline not seen since tariff Liberation Day [6] - Major tech indices, including the Nasdaq, are also affected, alongside declines in bitcoin, gold, and silver [6] Microsoft and ServiceNow - Microsoft (MSFT) shares have dropped approximately 12%, potentially marking the seventh-worst decline in its history, despite reporting solid quarterly results [7] - Analysts indicate that the focus has shifted from demand to capacity timing and allocation, with a 66% year-over-year increase in capital expenditures raising investor concerns about the effectiveness of this investment in driving Azure growth [7] - ServiceNow (NOW) has seen a decline of over 10% despite reporting a 21.5% growth in subscription revenue, which analysts believe does not indicate acceleration [8] Other Software Companies - Other companies such as Atlassian (TEAM), Salesforce (CRM), Workday (WDAY), and DataDog (DOG) are also experiencing significant declines [8] Caterpillar's Performance - Caterpillar (CAT) reported fourth-quarter sales of $19.1 billion, exceeding the consensus estimate of $17.76 billion, with adjusted EPS of $5.16, surpassing the expected $4.71 [9] - The power and energy sales segment increased by 23% to $9.4 billion, with power generation revenue rising 44% to $3.24 billion, driven by demand related to data centers and AI applications [10] Altria and Joby Aviation - Altria (MO) is facing pressure after slightly missing profit estimates in Q4, while targeting mid-single-digit annual dividend-per-share growth through 2028 [11] - Joby Aviation (JOBY) is declining after announcing a $600 million offering of convertible senior notes and selling approximately 52.9 million shares of common stock at $11.35 per share [11] Barry Diller's Interest in CNN - Barry Diller has expressed interest in acquiring CNN and approached Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) regarding a deal last year, although no serious action was taken on his approach [12][13]

Nasdaq Pulls Back From Lows. It's Still Taking a Beating.CONCLUDED[Stock Market News From Jan. 29, 2026: Nasdaq Slides as Microsoft Gets Pummeled]Last Updated:---7 hours ago# Nasdaq Pulls Back From Lows. It's Still Taking a Beating.By[Connor Smith]The Nasdaq Composite pulled off its lows, but software stocks were still getting hammered.The tech-heavy index was down 1.4%, after falling more than 2.5% earlier in the session. The S&P 500 was down 0.7%. The Dow was down 100 points, or 0.2%.The iShares Expanded ...

ToplineFormer Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s net worth was cut by more than $14 billion on Thursday as the company’s stock plummeted, pacing what would be the tech giant’s worst single-day loss in nearly six years after revenue from its cloud-computing unit failed to grow as expected. Revenue from the company’s cloud computing unit failed to meet analysts’ expectations. Getty ImagesKey FactsShares of Microsoft plunged by 12% to around $423.50 as of 12:55 p.m EST, the largest intraday loss for the stock since ...

Core Insights - U.S. stocks ended flat following the Fed's decision to keep interest rates unchanged, with only two governors dissenting for a rate cut [1] - Fed Chair Powell indicated that future rate hikes are not the base case, but economic growth may challenge further easing [2] - Treasury Secretary mentioned a potential dovish pick for Fed Chair could positively impact major indexes, particularly the Nasdaq [3] Microsoft Earnings Overview - Microsoft reported fiscal Q2 2026 results with revenue of $81.3 billion, a 17% year-over-year increase, surpassing expectations [6] - Cloud revenue reached $51.5 billion, up 26%, highlighting its role as the primary growth engine [6] - Intelligent Cloud division generated $32.9 billion in revenue, up 29%, with Azure services growing 39% [7] Segment Performance - Productivity and Business Processes contributed $34.1 billion, up 16%, driven by Microsoft 365 [8] - More Personal Computing saw a 3% decline to $14.3 billion due to weaker gaming and devices [8] Market Reaction and Future Outlook - Despite strong earnings, Microsoft shares fell approximately 12% in early trading, attributed to concerns over high capital expenditures and potential margin pressures [9] - The results indicate sustained leadership in cloud and AI, with strong visibility from commercial performance obligations [10] - The post-earnings pullback may present a buying opportunity if AI adoption continues, reinforcing Microsoft's position in technology portfolios [11] - Azure's AI momentum remains a key growth driver for Microsoft, despite significant upfront investments [12]

格隆汇1月30日丨Saxo Markets英国投资策略师尼尔·威尔逊表示："黄金和白银的价格似乎因自身过度膨 胀而达到的创纪录高位而遭受重创。铜价也大幅下跌。金属和外汇市场出现了极度的波动，这导致了严 重的混乱局面，并可能对股市情绪造成严重冲击。标普500指数一度跌破6900点，微软股价暴跌11%。 就金属市场而言，目前的情况看起来相当混乱。" MACD金叉信号形成，这些股涨势不错！ ...

Group 1: Market Overview - The US trading day shows a divergence in major averages, with the Dow down about 104 points (0.25%), the S&P 500 down 0.7%, and the Nasdaq down 1.5% [2][3] - Microsoft is a significant contributor to the Nasdaq's decline, with its shares falling over 11% due to concerns over its capital expenditure plans despite beating second-quarter earnings estimates [8][10] - Meta, in contrast, is up 8.5%, indicating a mixed performance among tech stocks [4][5] Group 2: Microsoft Earnings and Capex - Microsoft reported strong Azure growth, adding approximately $9 billion in annual recurring revenue (ARR) sequentially, but its capex spending plans have raised investor concerns [14][15] - The Azure growth rate was 38% in constant currency, slightly below expectations, contributing to the stock's decline [14][15] - Analysts note that Microsoft's capex is necessary to address capacity constraints and build out data centers, which will take time to translate into revenue [12][16] Group 3: AI and Software Industry Insights - The software industry is experiencing a shift towards AI, with companies like Microsoft and Meta investing heavily in AI capabilities [10][31] - Microsoft Fabric reached $2 billion in ARR, up 60%, indicating strong demand for its AI-driven products [19] - Concerns exist about the sustainability of software companies in the face of AI advancements, but there is potential for significant growth through innovation and customer engagement [30][35] Group 4: Commodities and Economic Indicators - Oil prices have risen over 4%, with WTI at $66 per barrel, while gold and silver prices are also increasing, indicating a commodity super cycle [6][7][68] - Central banks have been significant buyers of gold, purchasing approximately 863 tons recently, contributing to rising gold prices [63] - The US dollar continues to decline, impacting the broader market and commodity prices [6][52] Group 5: Tesla's Strategic Shift - Tesla plans to shift focus from electric vehicles to robotics and autonomous vehicles, with a projected $20 billion in capital expenditures for production improvements [102][103] - The company will wind down production of its Model S and Model X, marking a significant strategic pivot [99][101] - This shift may lead to negative free cash flow in the short term but aims to position Tesla for long-term growth in autonomous technology [102][103]

Core Viewpoint - Microsoft shares experienced a significant decline of up to 12.6% following its quarterly earnings report, despite delivering solid financial results that exceeded analyst expectations [1][3]. Financial Performance - For fiscal Q2 2026, Microsoft reported revenue of $81.3 billion, marking a 17% year-over-year increase and a 15% increase in constant currency [2]. - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) reached $4.14, reflecting a 24% increase or 21% in constant currency [2]. - Analysts had projected revenue of $80.3 billion and EPS of $3.92, indicating that Microsoft surpassed these expectations [3]. Business Segment Performance - The productivity and business processes segment generated $34.1 billion in revenue, growing by 16% [4]. - The personal computing segment reported revenue of $14.3 billion, which was a decline of 3% [4]. - Intelligent cloud revenue increased by 29% to $51.5 billion, with Azure Cloud growing by 39% [4]. Capital Expenditures and Future Outlook - Microsoft’s capital expenditures (capex) rose to $37.5 billion in Q2, up from $26.6 billion in the same quarter last year, as the company works to meet AI demand [5]. - Management is balancing capex spending against AI demand while expanding data center infrastructure [5]. - The trailing 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio for Microsoft has decreased to 30, aligning it with other tech giants [6]. - Management indicated that cloud and AI growth will fluctuate quarterly as additional capacity becomes available, emphasizing a long-term growth strategy [6].

-- Why Microsoft's Stock Is Tumbling Thursday [Stocks Little Changed After Fed Decision][Fed Holds Key Rate Steady][Meta and Tesla Shares Surge, Microsoft Slides After Earnings][Nvidia's Plans to Sell More Chips in China Clear Major Hurdle]- Top StoriesMicrosoft revealed that nearly half of its backlog was attributable to OpenAI.David Paul Morris / Bloomberg / Getty ImagesClose### Key Takeaways- Analysts said the tech giant's growing AI spending, weaker-than-expected cloud growth, and reliance on a few larg ...