Investors just handed Meta a $69 billion reward for scaling back metaverse spending

Core Viewpoint - Meta Platforms' stock experienced a significant increase, adding $69 billion to its market cap, now totaling $1.68 trillion, with a year-to-date rise of 13% [1] Group 1: Stock Performance - The stock rose by as much as 4% following news of budget cuts in the metaverse division [1][2] - The market's positive response indicates investor confidence in the company's shift towards AI over metaverse investments [5] Group 2: Strategic Shift - Meta plans to reduce its metaverse budget by 30%, reflecting a strategic pivot away from metaverse investments [2] - The company has increasingly focused on AI, moving away from its initial emphasis on metaverse technology since its rebranding in October 2021 [3] Group 3: Financial Impact - The Reality Labs Division has incurred losses of $70 billion since 2021, indicating a lack of return on investment in the metaverse [4] - The absence of any mention of the metaverse in the most recent earnings call further underscores the company's shift in focus [4]