NEWSMAKERS AND MARKET MOVERS. THIS IS THE PULSE WITH FRANCINE LACQUA. FRANCINE: WELCOME TO THE PULSE.I'M FRANCINE LACQUA IN LONDON. A BOLD GAMBLE BY THE JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER PAID OFF IN SPECTACULAR FASHION WITH TAKAICHI SECURING THE BIGGEST EVER PARLIAMENTARY MAJORITY FOR ANY POST WAR LEADER IN JAPAN. A REVERSAL OF FORTUNE FOR THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY THAT LOST CONTROL OF BUST -- BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT A FEW MONTHS AGO.SILAS, THANK YOU TO JOINING -- FOR JOINING US. WHEN IT COMES TO DOMESTIC FISCAL ...

LATEST: 🔍 Google search interest for Bitcoin hit a 12-month high during the week of Feb. 1-7 as BTC briefly dropped to $60,000, with some proclaiming retail investors are returning to the market. https://t.co/yxWwpPP9ik ...

Core Viewpoint - The A-share market has shown strong performance with significant increases in major indices and high trading volumes, driven by sectors such as AI and commercial aerospace, while oil and gas sectors lagged behind [2]. Group 1: Market Performance - In the last trading week before the holiday, the A-share market maintained high activity, with the ChiNext index rising nearly 3% and the Shanghai Composite Index returning to 4100 points [2]. - The total trading volume of the Shanghai and Shenzhen markets reached 2.25 trillion yuan, marking the 30th consecutive trading day of over 2 trillion yuan in volume, with over 4600 stocks rising [2]. - The Shanghai Composite Index closed up 1.41% at 4123.09 points, the Shenzhen Component Index rose 2.17%, and the ChiNext Index increased by 2.98% [2]. Group 2: Sector Highlights - The CPO concept stocks, including Zhongji Xuchuang, Xinyi Sheng, and Tianfu Communication, saw significant trading activity, with Tianfu Communication rising 17.76% to reach a historical high [4][6]. - The AI hardware and software sectors experienced substantial gains, with major players in the AI infrastructure space, such as Nvidia, indicating a sustainable increase in capital expenditure [7]. - The video generation sector also saw a surge, with companies like Zhongwen Online and Haikan Co. hitting the daily limit of 20% increase, driven by advancements in AI video generation technology [9][11]. Group 3: Investment Opportunities - The ongoing increase in capital expenditure by major cloud service providers is expected to drive demand for AI servers, benefiting related stocks in the AI infrastructure supply chain [7]. - The advancements in AI video generation technology are anticipated to lower production costs and enhance efficiency in content creation, presenting investment opportunities for companies with strong IP reserves and platform advantages [12]. - The space photovoltaic sector is gaining momentum, with companies like Jieput and Xiexin Integrated achieving daily limit increases, driven by strategic plans for deploying solar energy satellites in space [14][16].

Is this the future of online shopping. A complete change to Google searches and no more endless scrolling through blue links. In its place, AI agents offering a hyperpersonalized experience for now.That means that AI can recommend products and compare prices as well as allow you to check out all on the same page. And the vision is that in the future, you'll set the AI agent a task and a budget and leave it to it. But is this really what shoppers want.After all, AI shopping agents can raise serious concerns ...

If you had to pick a soundtrack for Spotify shares in 2026, a Baroque lament or a mopey darkwave number might work best, considering their 27% drop. As the music and podcast streaming giant prepares to report its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 earnings tomorrow, its vaunted pricing power and the business potential of new offerings will face the music. More optimistic analysts are keeping the faith that it will be a mix heavy on sunshine pop. SUBSCRIBE:  Receive more of our free The Daily Upside newsle ...

WASHINGTON POST REPORTED THIS WEEK ON THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY'S USE OF A SECRET OF LEGAL WEAPON TO TARGET PEOPLE WHO QUESTION the Trump administration's brutal immigration crackdown. It's called an administrative subpoena. Unlike traditional subpoenas which require a court order by a judge or on behalf of a grand jury, administrative subpoenas can be issued by federal agencies without approval THE WASHINGTON POST REPORTED EXTENSIVELY ON ONE SUCH CASE.IT'S A REMARKABLE STORY, YOU SHOULD READ THE ...

Core Viewpoint - Broadcom is a $1.5 trillion company that remains relatively unknown compared to other major firms, but it has significant growth potential in the AI semiconductor market [1][2]. Company Overview - Broadcom's current market capitalization is approximately $1.6 trillion, with a stock price of $333.06 and a gross margin of 64.71% [8]. - The company has a dividend yield of 0.73% and expects its AI semiconductor revenue to double year over year, indicating strong growth potential [8]. Growth Potential - Over the next two years, Broadcom is expected to experience substantial growth, potentially elevating its profile similar to Nvidia's rise in the market [2]. - Wall Street analysts project a 52% revenue growth for Broadcom in fiscal year 2026, with 39% growth expected in fiscal year 2027, suggesting a strong upward trajectory [9]. Competitive Landscape - Broadcom is positioning itself as a significant competitor to Nvidia in the AI computing market by developing custom AI chips tailored for hyperscalers, which are more cost-effective than Nvidia's GPUs [4][5]. - The company already has major clients, including Google, utilizing its chips, and more AI hyperscalers are expected to adopt Broadcom's technology through 2026 and 2027 [6]. Market Positioning - Broadcom's strategy to partner with AI hyperscalers and focus on application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) allows it to capture market share from Nvidia, which has dominated the AI computing space [5][6]. - The anticipated growth in AI semiconductor revenue is expected to significantly contribute to Broadcom's overall revenue, despite other business units growing at a slower pace [8].

how is openai going to outspend google on capex?Flood (@ThinkingUSD):If OpenAI can’t raise the $100B is it just over? ...

Core Viewpoint - The recent $1 trillion decline in U.S. software giants like Microsoft and Salesforce has raised concerns, but many industry leaders believe the narrative of a software "Armageddon" is exaggerated, despite acknowledging that AI valuations appear inflated [1][5]. Group 1: AI Valuations and Market Sentiment - Arvind Jain, founder of Glean, a $7 billion AI unicorn, believes AI will not render software-as-a-service obsolete, emphasizing the importance of integration for future success [2][5]. - Andrey Khusid, founder of Miro, a $17 billion decacorn, acknowledges that AI valuations are excessive but predicts normalization within the next two years [5]. - Larry Li, founder of Amino Capital, suggests that the AI bubble is deflating, particularly for larger companies, indicating a potential market correction [5]. Group 2: IPO Market and Company Strategies - Discussions at the Web Summit highlighted that AI giants like OpenAI and Anthropic are competing to go public, aiming to attract investor interest in the rapidly growing sector [7]. - Khusid prefers to remain private, citing profitability and operational efficiency without the pressures of public markets [7][9]. - Many AI startups, including OpenAI, are not yet profitable, with OpenAI projected to lose $14 billion this year, yet investment in the sector remains robust, with over $340 billion directed towards global startups in 2025, 65% of which is in AI [9][10]. Group 3: Funding Landscape and Competitive Dynamics - Non-AI startups are facing a tougher funding environment, as they are often compared to AI companies that are experiencing extreme growth rates [10][11]. - The U.S.-China AI race is a significant topic, with the U.S. leading in innovation while China excels in scaling due to its supply chain advantages and a larger pool of AI engineers [13]. - Despite recent stock market volatility, the Dow Jones has surpassed the 50,000 mark, reflecting ongoing optimism in the AI sector, although a valuation reset is anticipated [14].

Core Viewpoint - More than 900 Google employees have signed an open letter condemning the company's involvement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), urging for transparency and divestment from these agencies [1][4]. Group 1: Employee Concerns - The letter expresses that employees are "appalled by the violence" associated with ICE and are horrified by Google's role in it, stating that Google is facilitating a campaign of surveillance and repression [2][3]. - Employees demand that Google disclose all contracts and collaborations with CBP and ICE, emphasizing the ethical responsibility of leadership to address these partnerships [3][4]. Group 2: Specific Actions and Demands - The letter highlights that Google Cloud supports CBP surveillance and powers Palantir's ImmigrationOS system used by ICE, and calls for an emergency internal Q&A regarding the company's contracts with DHS and military [3]. - Employees request the implementation of safety measures, such as flexible work-from-home policies and immigration support, to protect workers from potential dangers posed by ICE [3]. Group 3: Broader Industry Context - The letter reflects a growing trend among tech employees, as similar demands have been made by workers from other companies like Amazon, Spotify, and Meta, urging tech CEOs to take a stand against ICE [5].