Earnings live: Verizon, Sandisk stocks surge to cap a Big Tech-heavy earnings week

Group 1 - The fourth quarter earnings season is underway, with major companies like Microsoft, Meta, Tesla, and Apple reporting results, and more tech giants such as Alphabet, Amazon, AMD, and Qualcomm expected to report soon [1][5] - A consensus is forming among analysts, with 33% of S&P 500 companies having reported fourth quarter results, and an estimated 11.9% increase in earnings per share for the quarter, marking the 10th consecutive quarter of annual earnings growth for the index [2] - Analysts had initially expected an 8.3% increase in earnings per share before the reporting period, which was a decrease from the previous quarter's 13.6% growth rate, but expectations have been raised recently, particularly for tech companies [3] Group 2 - The results from Big Tech are influencing market trends, with ongoing capital expenditures and themes such as artificial intelligence and economic policies continuing to impact investor sentiment [4] - In addition to the major tech stocks, earnings updates are also coming from various sectors, including telecommunications, oil, and insurance, with companies like AT&T, Verizon, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, and UnitedHealth reporting [5]