Qualcomm Inc. ( QCOM ) saw its stock tumble by over 5% despite delivering robust first-quarter earnings that surpassed expectations. The San Diego-based semiconductor giant reported earnings per share of $3.41, significantly above the Wall Street consensus of $2.96, and revenue of $11.67 billion, up 18% year-over-year. However, investor sentiment soured as the company’s licensing revenue, a critical high-margin segment, missed projections, coming in at $1.54 billion against an expected $1.56 billion. The company’s outlook for its licensing business, which is closely tied to global smartphone sales, added to investor unease. Qualcomm Chief Financial Officer Akash Palkhiwala stated that the smartphone market is expected to remain flat or grow only in the low single digits in 2025, aligning with forecasts from research firm IDC. The company also faces uncertainty regarding revenue from Chinese telecom giant Huawei, which is renegotiating its licensing agreement. Adding to the pressure is ...

Advanced Micro Devices ( AMD ) shares plunged on Wednesday, falling as much as 10%, after the chipmaker’s data center sales missed expectations. Despite reporting better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings and issuing revenue guidance in line with analyst estimates, concerns about its artificial intelligence (AI) strategy and data center growth weighed heavily on investor sentiment. AMD’s data center revenue for the quarter came in at $3.86 billion, falling short of the $4.14 billion consensus estimate. This slowdown in AMD’s core x86 business, which has been gaining market share from Intel (INTC), raised fears that the momentum may be fading. Additionally, AMD faces increasing competition from Arm-based server chips, with major cloud providers such as Microsoft ( MSFT ), Amazon Web Services ( AMZN ), and Nvidia ( NVDA ) introducing their own designs. AI Market Doubts: Nvidia’s Lead Looms Large While AMD has made strides in AI with its MI300X GPUs, analysts remain skeptical about its...

The recent emergence of DeepSeek, a Chinese AI model claiming to rival Silicon Valley’s best at a fraction of the cost, sent shockwaves through the tech investment world. With reported development costs of just $5 million to $6 million, the model cast doubt on the astronomical sums being spent by U.S. tech giants like Google parent Alphabet ( GOOG ) and Meta ( META ) on artificial intelligence. While initial panic over DeepSeek has subsided, it raised serious questions about AI’s cost-effectiveness and the sustainability of Silicon Valley’s investment strategies. Some analysts cautioned against taking DeepSeek’s claims at face value, given China’s opaque tech landscape. Nevertheless, the episode underscored China’s growing capabilities in AI and its potential to disrupt the global tech hierarchy. Google’s AI Bet: A Costly Gamble or Strategic Move? Alphabet’s recent earnings report painted a mixed picture. The company exceeded earnings per share expectations but fell short on key revenu...

Spotify ( SPOT ) delivered a blockbuster fourth-quarter earnings report, marking its first full year of profitability since its inception 17 years ago. The audio streaming giant posted an operating income of €477 million ($509.48 million) for Q4 and €1.4 billion ($1.495 billion) for the full fiscal year 2024. Subscriber growth fueled much of the success, with the company adding a record-breaking 35 million monthly active users (MAUs) in Q4, surpassing its internal projections by 10 million. This brought the total MAUs to 675 million, a 12% year-over-year increase. Paid subscribers also climbed to 263 million, up from 240 million in the previous quarter, despite two consecutive price hikes on Premium subscriptions. Spotify’s revenue reached €4.24 billion ($4.38 billion), a 16% year-over-year increase, while free cash flow surged 121% to €877 million, reinforcing the company's financial stability. Gross margin hit a record 32.2%, signaling stronger operational efficiency. Strategic M...

Palantir Technologies ( PLTR ) surged over 21% on Tuesday after delivering an earnings report that shattered expectations. The company posted a 36% year-over-year revenue increase to $828 million, significantly outperforming Wall Street’s consensus estimate of $782 million. Adjusted earnings per share came in at $0.14, soaring 75% and easily surpassing forecasts. The government segment remained strong with 45% growth, while the U.S. commercial business emerged as the key driver, expanding 64% year over year to $214 million. Palantir’s Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) fueled this momentum, attracting a 73% increase in commercial customers and pushing its remaining deal value up 99%. With no debt and a robust $5.2 billion cash reserve, Palantir raised its 2025 revenue guidance to between $3.74 billion and $3.75 billion. The company’s U.S. commercial revenue is now expected to climb 54%, reflecting an acceleration in enterprise AI adoption. The AI Landscape: Commoditization Fuels Gr...

The U.S. stock market took a hit on Monday after President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs against the country’s three largest trading partners—Mexico, Canada, and China. Investors fear that these tariffs could ignite inflationary pressures and slow economic growth, forcing Wall Street strategists to reevaluate their forecasts. Trump’s new measures include a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico—except Canadian energy products, which will face a 10% levy—while all Chinese imports will be subject to an additional 10% tariff starting February 4. While some analysts see these tariffs as a negotiating tactic, others are warning of longer-term economic consequences. Markets initially reacted sharply, with U.S. equities plunging in early trading. However, after a call between Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum resulted in a one-month delay for tariffs against Mexico, stocks pared some of their losses. Just before the market closed, President Trump spoke with Canadian ...

President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China officially went into effect on Saturday, rattling global markets. The measures impose a 25% levy on Canadian and Mexican imports, while Chinese goods face a 10% tariff. The move, widely anticipated but still met with alarm, has already triggered retaliatory measures from affected nations, further fueling uncertainty in financial markets. Asian Markets Plunge, U.S. Futures Tumble In early Monday trading, Asian markets felt the immediate impact of Trump’s aggressive trade policy. The Shanghai Composite dropped 2.5%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index slid 2.9%. Japan’s Nikkei 225 tumbled nearly 3%, with exporters taking the hardest hit. The sell-off was mirrored in currency markets, where the Chinese yuan weakened by 0.5% offshore, and the risk-sensitive Australian dollar fell more than 1%. The U.S. stock market is poised for a rough start to the week. S&P 500 futures dropped nearly 2%, while the tech-...