(Representative AI image)Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index surged 2.2% to 26,189.79. Markets in Tokyo, Shanghai, Thailand and New Zealand remained closed for holidays.South Korea's Kospi climbed 1.5% to 4,277.94, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 edged up 0.2% to 8,727.30. Taiwan’s Taiex rose 1.1%, and India’s Sensex added 0.1%.Chinese tech majors were among the top gainers.Alibaba jumped 3.2%, while Baidu rallied 7.5% after announcing plans to spin off its artificial intelligence chip unit, Kunlunxin. The unit is ex ...

Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) is permitting employees stranded in India due to visa delays to work remotely until early March.Remote Work With LimitationsThis decision to allow remote work comes amidst changes to the H-1B visa program under the Trump administration.Employees can work remotely until March 2 if they were in India as of December 13 and are awaiting rescheduled visa appointments, according to an internal memo viewed by Business Insider.However, they face strict limitations: coding, strategic de ...

Core Insights - The H-1B visa program is essential for U.S. companies to recruit skilled foreign professionals, particularly in the tech sector [10] - The Trump administration has raised application fees and changed the lottery system for H-1B visas, which has significant implications for the immigration landscape [10] - Indian immigrants, who are the largest beneficiaries of the H-1B visa program, are disproportionately affected by these changes [10] Immigration Impact - 22% of immigrants report knowing someone who has been arrested, detained, or deported on immigration-related grounds since Trump took office [9] - Concerns about detention or deportation have increased, with 41% of immigrants expressing worry, up from 26% in 2023 [8] - The lack of confidence in fair treatment by the U.S. legal system is prevalent, with 53% of immigrants lacking such confidence [8] Travel Concerns - Nearly 30% of immigrants have canceled travel plans to avoid scrutiny from immigration authorities, with 63% of undocumented immigrants reporting travel avoidance [8] - Caution extends to H-1B visa holders, with 32% refraining from travel, and 15% of naturalized citizens also reporting similar behavior [8] Policy Changes - The Department of Homeland Security plans to replace the traditional lottery system for H-1B visas with a weighted selection system favoring higher-paid and more skilled applicants, effective February 27, 2026 [3] - The increase in H-1B visa fees and the new selection system are part of a broader immigration policy shift under the Trump administration [4][5]

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) today is down -0.15%, the Dow Jones Industrials Index ($DOWI) (DIA) is down -0.18%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) is down -0.19%.  March E-mini S&P futures (ESH26) are down -0.17%, and March E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQH26) are down -0.22%. Stock indexes are under pressure today, with the Dow Jones Industrials sliding to a 1-week low and the Nasdaq 100 falling to a 1.5-week low.  The weakness in the Magnificent Seven technology stocks is leading the broader market low ...

US stock market ends 2025 on a high note after volatile year1 hour agoDanielle KayeBusiness reporterMichael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesIt's been a roller-coaster year for financial markets - but US stock investors are heading into 2026 on a high note.US President Donald Trump's global trade tariffs sent shockwaves through markets in the spring. But by summer, the US saw record highs fuelled by strong company profits and confidence in artificial intelligence investments.The S&P 500 index is on track to ...

Core Insights - Meta is acquiring AI startup Manis for over $2 billion to enhance its AI capabilities beyond advertising [2][4] - The startup has shown significant growth, with revenue increasing over 20% month-over-month, providing Meta with a subscription revenue stream [3] - Meta's stock has seen a slight increase, but it still lags behind Alphabet and the broader tech sector year-to-date [3][5] Company Strategy - The acquisition of Manis is part of Meta's strategy to bolster its business offerings and integrate AI solutions into its platform, which has a user base of approximately three billion [4] - CEO Mark Zuckerberg has invested around $30 billion in hiring this year, indicating a strong commitment to AI development [3] - The urgency to demonstrate return on investment (ROI) has increased, especially after a significant investment in Scale AI to lead AI initiatives [4]

You don’t need a psychic to tell you that we could be in for a rough ride in 2026. Of course, that’s not slowing down the ESP brigade one little  bit, as the internet is rife with bleak predictions of global conflict and economic ups and downs. People are certainly worried about the economy. Consumer sentiment in December sank 29% from 2024, according to the University of Michigan’s monthly survey. Nearly half of Americans said they are more stressed heading into 2026 than they were at the beginning of ...

California is considering a “wealth tax,” a concept that has failed everywhere it has ever been attempted.California is one of the world’s top economies, competing with Germany and Japan with a GDP of around $4 trillion – far more than almost all other countries.California’s innovation-driven economy fuels this dramatic wealth and prosperity, as many big tech firms, including Apple, Google, and Meta, call the state home.California is also a high-tax state, as it adds 13.3% income tax on higher-income reside ...

Since 2020, U.S. stocks — as measured by the S&P 500 — have delivered returns so strong they seem implausible, even in hindsight. Despite the shock of the Covid-19 pandemic, the index logged 18% gains in 2020 and a staggering 29% in 2021. It then endured a brutal slide in 2022, falling 18%. In 2023, it staged a major comeback, surging 25%. Yet another strong year followed in 2024, with total returns again north of 20%. Now 2025 is on track to deliver returns around 17%, despite dramatic falls tied to tari ...

For decades, Warren Buffett had a simple rule that shaped his entire investment philosophy: “Buy what you know.” And if there was one thing Buffett made crystal clear, it’s that he didn’t know tech. He joked that smartphones were “too smart” for him. He didn’t keep a computer on his desk. He tweeted only nine times in four years, because — in his words — the alternative was “going to a monastery.” So when people asked why the Oracle of Omaha wasn’t buying flashy tech stocks during some of the biggest ...