About this content About Emily Jarvie Emily began her career as a political journalist for Australian Community Media in Hobart, Tasmania. After she relocated to Toronto, Canada, she reported on business, legal, and scientific developments in the emerging psychedelics sector before joining Proactive in 2022. She brings a strong journalism background with her work featured in newspapers, magazines, and digital publications across Australia, Europe, and North America, including The Examiner, The Advocate, ...

Core Insights - Amazon's Prime Days events are becoming more frequent, resembling quarterly shopping events, which has shifted holiday shopping patterns [2][3][4] - Consumer sentiment regarding Amazon's deals has improved, with a 12% increase in search interest year-over-year for October [5][7] - Amazon's cloud segment, AWS, experienced a growth rate of 17.5% last quarter, but this is slower compared to competitors like Microsoft and Google Cloud, which are growing at rates just under 30% and over 30% respectively [9][10][14] Consumer Behavior - Approximately one-third of consumers are discussing early holiday gift purchases, indicating a strategic advantage for Amazon in creating its own shopping events [4][6] - There is a notable consumer resilience and demand for essentials and household goods, alongside holiday gifts, suggesting a positive outlook for Amazon heading into the holiday season [6][8] - Despite some retail fatigue, consumers are actively seeking deals, leading to a better reception of Amazon's recent promotions [17][18] Market Position - Amazon still commands over 60% of cloud market share, but its dominance is decreasing as competitors like Google are gaining ground [13] - The overall web visits for Amazon are showing a divergence from stock performance, indicating potential concerns about future growth [9][19] - Advertising growth for Amazon was reported at 22% last quarter, with new deals in live sports, which could provide additional revenue streams [20][22] Future Outlook - The upcoming holiday season will be crucial to monitor for potential pull-forward effects from Prime Days and overall consumer spending behavior [16][23] - While there are reasons for caution regarding cloud growth, Amazon's diverse growth levers, including advertising and retail, may help balance out any losses in momentum [23]

Core Insights - The article discusses the rise of delivery fees imposed by state and local governments, often referred to as "doorstep taxes," which are seen as a new form of taxation on consumers [1][5][14] Government Actions - States like Minnesota and Colorado have already implemented delivery fees, with Colorado charging 28 cents and Minnesota 50 cents on orders over $100 [2][3] - Other states, including Nebraska, Ohio, and New York, are considering similar fees ranging from 25 to 75 cents per transaction [3] Revenue Generation - Colorado's delivery fee is projected to generate $5 billion in revenue over the next decade [3] - Legislators view these fees as an effective way to fund government services, especially as traditional tax sources face resistance [6][18] Economic Context - The shift towards a delivery economy has prompted states to impose these fees as a legitimate means of revenue collection [6][17] - Experts suggest that these "sneaky fees" are essentially disguised taxes that consumers may not readily notice [5][11] Consumer Impact - The article highlights concerns that these fees disproportionately affect low-income families who rely on delivery services [15][16] - There is a growing trend of "neighborhood fees" at locations like airports, where additional charges are levied on concessions [9][10] Industry Response - Tech companies, including Amazon and DoorDash, are opposing these taxes, arguing they are regressive and harmful to families living paycheck to paycheck [14][15] - The tech industry views these delivery taxes as ineffective short-term solutions that do not address underlying budget issues [17] Future Considerations - Some lawmakers believe that imposing delivery fees could encourage more thoughtful consumer behavior and help fund infrastructure projects [18][20] - The article suggests that as consumers become accustomed to these fees, states may continue to explore this revenue avenue, despite potential negative impacts on small businesses [13][12]

Group 1: Microsoft and AI Supercomputing - Microsoft unveiled a new AI supercomputing cluster powered by Nvidia GB300s, featuring over 4,600 GPUs and next-gen InfiniBand networking, indicating a significant datacenter crunch due to insufficient power, land, and chips to meet AI demand [1] - The shortage of computing resources is bullish for major cloud providers like AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure, allowing them to charge more for each incremental unit of compute [1][6] Group 2: China's Semiconductor Strategy - China imported a record $49 billion worth of chipmaking equipment over the past year, despite U.S. export restrictions, indicating a strategic push towards semiconductor independence [2] - Semiconductor firms in China are utilizing regional subsidiaries and trade intermediaries to continue sourcing critical tools, intensifying the chip race [2] Group 3: Amazon's Market Position - Amazon's stock has shown a bullish setup as it pushed back toward the 20MA and 50MA, closing strong, which is seen as a positive indicator for future performance [3] - Investors are anticipating AWS's next earnings report, where a potential reacceleration beyond the recent 17% growth rate could signal a significant upward trend for Amazon as the year ends [5]

Core Insights - Michael Burry, known for predicting the 2008 financial crisis, has made significant adjustments to his stock portfolio, reducing the number of stocks to roughly half and exiting Chinese stocks while betting against the US tech sector [1][2][3] Group 1: Portfolio Adjustments - Burry's portfolio adjustments include a focus on healthcare, retail, and biotechnology sectors, moving away from technology stocks amid the AI boom [5] - Scion Asset Management has achieved an 11.01% return over the past year and a 113.55% return over the past five years, showcasing Burry's successful investment strategy [4] Group 2: UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) - UnitedHealth Group is a significant holding in Burry's portfolio, with an equity stake of $6.24 million and a stock performance increase of 16.58% from the end of Q2 to October 9 [9] - The company is facing pressure from shareholders to adopt an independent board chair due to concerns over governance and recent earnings misses [10][11] Group 3: MercadoLibre Inc. (NASDAQ:MELI) - MercadoLibre holds an equity stake of $7.84 million in Burry's portfolio, with a stock performance decline of 14.78% from the end of Q2 to October 9 [13] - The company is experiencing competitive pressures from Amazon and Shopee in Brazil, which may impact its earnings in the upcoming quarters [14][15] - Despite expected revenue growth, analysts forecast that MercadoLibre's EBIT and earnings will fall short of consensus estimates, indicating potential challenges ahead [16]

Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google is reportedly scaling back one of its most popular pandemic-era benefits — its "Work From Anywhere" policy.Google Narrows Flexibility On Remote WorkAccording to internal documents reviewed by CNBC, Google's "Work From Anywhere" policy has been updated to significantly limit how employees can use it.Under the new rule, even a single day of remote work outside an employee's primary office location will now count as a full week against their annual WFA allowa ...

Tech giant Amazon.com Inc NASDAQ: AMZN is once again getting investors excited about an imminent breakout. Shares closed Wednesday near $225, up more than 4% from Tuesday’s lows, as investors digested the aftermath of this week’s two-day Prime Day event. Full results haven’t yet been released, but Wall Street will be looking for signs of another record shopping surge, which is precisely what the stock needs. Given Amazon is still consolidating below its long-standing $240 resistance level, the timing couldn ...

Core Insights - Twitch is a live streaming platform that allows users to share their lives and engage authentically with viewers, creating a sense of community [2][3][4] - The platform has evolved from its gaming origins to include a diverse range of content, including "in real life" (IRL) streams [5][7] - Twitch distinguishes itself from other platforms by focusing on community-centric live streaming, offering a long-form social media experience [10][11] Company Overview - Twitch started as Justin.tv, which focused on life casting before pivoting to gaming, leading to its significant growth [6] - The platform continues to maintain a strong gaming presence while expanding into various content types [7][9] Competitive Landscape - Twitch faces competition from platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, but remains unique in its community-centric approach to live streaming [10] - Content creators on Twitch are securing lucrative contracts, with some earning up to $100 million, highlighting the platform's financial potential [9] Content Guidelines and Community Management - Twitch has established guidelines to ensure appropriate content and interactions, emphasizing the importance of authenticity in live streaming [12][19] - The platform employs both automated systems and human moderators to enforce community guidelines and manage content violations [20]

RT Bloomberg Live (@BloombergLive)"We have really deep tech partnerships that are really going to enable Paramount for the first time to build platforms that are competitive with Netflix, that are competitive with Amazon." David Ellison #BloombergScreentime @Lucas_Shaw⏯️https://t.co/SRNm6rWY6G https://t.co/TvvG4x5vTW ...

Core Insights - Shoppers utilized Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days on October 7 and 8 to purchase practical everyday essentials, influenced by inflation and economic uncertainty [1][2] - Despite high awareness of the event, participation was lower than expected, with only 61% of July Prime Day shoppers returning for October deals [5][6] Consumer Behavior - 45% of shoppers aimed to buy items they had been waiting to go on sale, while 28% focused on everyday essentials and 25% on stocking up on sale items [4] - 90% of shoppers were aware of the event, but only 61% returned for additional deals, indicating a decline in engagement compared to July [5] Sales Performance - Amazon's October Prime Big Deal Days saw a drop in average order size by 15%, from $53.54 in July to $45.42, with 44% of orders under $20 [8] - Satisfaction with sales decreased from 66% in July to 58% in October, reflecting a decline in consumer enthusiasm [6] Economic Context - Tariffs and inflation are influencing consumer purchasing decisions, with 48% of shoppers considering tariffs and 28% limiting spending due to cost of living concerns [8] - The Consumer Confidence Index fell to 94.2 in September, indicating a decline in consumer sentiment due to economic factors [12][13] Holiday Shopping Outlook - Only 23% of shoppers used Prime Big Deal Days to start holiday shopping, a significant drop from 45% the previous year [10] - Predictions for the 2025 holiday shopping season are uncertain, with 80% of shoppers expecting higher prices and 31% planning to buy fewer items [15][16]