Group 1 - ByteDance plans to increase its capital expenditure on AI to $23 billion (RMB 160 billion) in 2026, up from RMB 150 billion in 2025 [1] - More than half of the 2026 expenditure will be allocated to acquiring advanced semiconductors for AI model and application development [1] - A deal involving Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX will result in them collectively owning 45% of a U.S. entity, with ByteDance retaining nearly 20% [1] Group 2 - Publicly traded companies in the social media sector include Meta Platforms, Pinterest, Reddit, and Snap [1]

Group 1 - The U.S. State Department approved an $11.15 billion arms sale to Taiwan, marking the largest arms sale of its kind amid increasing threats from China [1] - The arms package includes 82 HIMARS rocket artillery systems valued at $4.05 billion, 420 ATACMS missiles, unmanned surveillance systems, and military software [2] - Additional components of the sale consist of 60 M109A7 self-propelled howitzer systems valued at over $4 billion, along with Javelin and TOW anti-tank missiles worth more than $700 million [3] Group 2 - The arms sale is part of Taiwan's $40 billion supplemental defense budget announced by President Lai Ching-te [2] - The U.S. is not legally obligated to defend Taiwan but is committed to providing defense equipment under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act [3] - The sale occurs amidst escalating tensions between the U.S., China, and Taiwan, with recent legislative actions from the U.S. government supporting Taiwan's defense [4]