[Music] Welcome back to Market on Close. I'm Sam Bardis alongside Alex Coffeeoffe. So just some final thoughts on today's session, Alex.I mean really the conversation right now has been centered around the 2026 outlook as most of our guests have been talking about over the last 90 minutes or so. The guests I've been speaking to really believe that the beginning of 2026 is likely going to be really an extension of the end of 2025. And what they mean by that is the drivers which are really propelling this mar ...

The power sector is grappling with a fundamental mismatch: hyperscale data centers demand electricity at unprecedented speed and scale, while the infrastructure to serve them operates on timelines measured in years, not months. According to Stephen Empedocles, PhD, founder and CEO of Clark Street Associates (CSA), an advisory firm specializing in government funding for technology companies, the industry may be getting some of its assumptions wrong—and the consequences could ripple through grid planning, su ...

As electricity demand from data centers continues to surge, a persistent question has dogged the industry: Are residential ratepayers footing the bill for massive tech infrastructure? According to Amazon Web Services (AWS) and an independent study it commissioned, the answer is a definitive no. As a guest on The POWER Podcast, Mandy Ulrich, senior manager of energy and water for Americas East at AWS, outlined the company’s energy strategy and discussed findings from a study by Energy and Environmental Econ ...

Core Viewpoint - SoftBank is acquiring Digital Bridge, a data center firm, for $4 billion, indicating a strong push towards building AI infrastructure [1][2]. Company Actions - SoftBank's founder, Masayoshi Son, emphasizes the urgent need for AI infrastructure, leading to the acquisition of Digital Bridge at $16 per share in cash [1][2]. - Son has liquidated nearly $6 billion worth of Nvidia stock to fund AI infrastructure investments, showcasing a strategic shift towards owning physical data center assets [3][4]. Industry Trends - The data center acquisition landscape is heating up, with major players like BlackRock and Microsoft closing a $40 billion deal for Align Data Centers, marking the largest data center acquisition to date [5]. - The demand for data centers is driven by the increasing need for computing power for AI applications, prompting companies to secure existing data center capacity rather than building new facilities [6]. Competitive Landscape - Other companies are also making significant moves in the data center space, including Blackstone's acquisition of Air Trunk for approximately $16 billion and Google's purchase of Intersect for nearly $5 billion [5]. - The competition for data center space is likened to a land grab, as companies rush to secure server space before others do [6][7]. Future Outlook - SoftBank's acquisition of Digital Bridge allows for immediate access to existing data center capacity, with potential for future leases as current agreements expire [8][10]. - The ongoing delays in building new AI infrastructures, such as Micron's project in New York, highlight the urgency for companies to solidify their data center capabilities [9][10].

WhiteFiber Inc. (NASDAQ:WYFI) is one of the AI stocks under $20 to buy now. On December 18, WhiteFiber, through its subsidiary Enovum Data Centers Corp., finalized a landmark 10-year colocation agreement with Nscale Global Holdings. The partnership centers on the first 40 MW delivery of critical IT load at WhiteFiber’s flagship NC-1 data center campus located in Madison, North Carolina. The contract carries a total value of ~$865 million, which includes non-recurring installation services and 3% annual rat ...

SoftBank Group Corp. has agreed to acquire DigitalBridge Group Inc. (DBRG) for $16 per share in cash, valuing the digital infrastructure investor at approximately $4 billion including debt.The acquisition enhances SoftBank’s position in the AI-driven data center boom, providing access to DigitalBridge’s $108 billion in assets under management and its portfolio of leading operators such as DataBank, Vantage Data Centers, and Switch Inc.The transaction, expected to close in the second half of 2026 pending reg ...

U.S. equity markets commenced the final trading week of 2025 on a subdued note, with major indexes opening lower on Monday, December 29th, as investors paused after a robust year and a recent five-session winning streak. The slight pullback comes amidst thin holiday trading volumes and a focus on upcoming economic data and corporate developments as the year draws to a close. Despite the modest dip at the open, 2025 has been a strong year for U.S. markets, with the S&P 500 having climbed nearly 18% year-to-d ...

(Bloomberg) — SoftBank Group Corp. (9984.T) agreed to acquire private equity firm DigitalBridge Group Inc. (DBRG) in a deal valuing the data center investor at $4 billion including debt. The Japanese conglomerate will pay $16 per share in cash for New York-listed DigitalBridge, the companies said in statement Monday, confirming an earlier report by Bloomberg News. The acquisition is part of SoftBank’s push to invest in the digital infrastructure fueling the artificial intelligence boom. Most Read from B ...

The move signals SoftBank's aggressive push to consolidate AI infrastructure assets as the industry races to build the computing capacity AI demands. Shares surged more than 50% in premarket trading as investors placed bets on how this acquisition accelerates the global AI infrastructure buildout. DigitalBridge stock spikes ahead of decision Copy link to section DigitalBridge stock jumped from Friday's close of $13.62 to $20.10 in premarket trading Monday morning, reflecting the market's appetite for digita ...

SoftBank Group agreed to buy all outstanding shares of DigitalBridge Group for $16 apiece, part of the Japanese conglomerate's strategy to take advantage of an AI-driven boom in digital infrastructure. ...