As UBS consolidates its Hong Kong operations in West Kowloon to deepen mainland-linked growth, it does so at a time when Hong Kong’s office market is showing tentative signs of recovery in prime districts such as Central. The consolidation is set to release office space in Central, contributing to a reshaping of demand as hedge funds and other financial firms take up space vacated by banks. The Sw...
As UBS consolidates its Hong Kong operations in West Kowloon to deepen mainland-linked growth, it does so at a time when Hong Kong’s office market is showing tentative signs of recovery in prime districts such as Central. The consolidation is set to release office space in Central, contributing to a reshaping of demand as hedge funds and other financial firms take up space vacated by banks. The Swiss bank on Tuesday marked the handover of UBS Tower at the International Gateway Centre (IGC), a 14-storey, 460,000 sq ft grade A office building developed by Sun Hung Kai Properties above the West Kowloon high-speed rail station. Advertisement UBS plans to begin moving into the building from the fourth quarter, bringing together staff currently spread across five offices, including Two IFC and One Peking Road. While the move is a high-profile endorsement of the project, IGC also adds a substantial block of new space to a market still grappling with elevated vacancy, increasing near-term pressure even as leasing activity improves in core locations. Advertisement “This is a new chapter,” said Amy Lo, chairman of UBS Global Wealth Management Asia and CEO of UBS Hong Kong.
Seeking Alpha Seeking Alpha Seeking Alpha Seeking Alpha Seeking Alpha Seeking Alpha Seeking Alpha More on Enterprise Products Partners Enterprise Products Partners: Why It Is A Hold In The Quant System Why Enterprise Products Partners Is My Single Best Income Pick Enterprise Products Partners: Past The Rerating, Entering A Durable Income Phase Enterprise Products Partners GAAP EPS of $0.75 beats b...
Seeking Alpha Seeking Alpha Seeking Alpha Seeking Alpha Seeking Alpha Seeking Alpha Seeking Alpha More on Enterprise Products Partners Enterprise Products Partners: Why It Is A Hold In The Quant System Why Enterprise Products Partners Is My Single Best Income Pick Enterprise Products Partners: Past The Rerating, Entering A Durable Income Phase Enterprise Products Partners GAAP EPS of $0.75 beats by $0.06, revenue of $13.79B beats by $1.43B EPD Q4 earnings preview: Street sees $0.69 EPS, revenue down 13% y/y
champpixs/iStock via Getty Images Market Update U.S. equities finished higher for a third consecutive quarter in Q4, with the Russell 3000 Index rising 2.4% and the S&P 500 posting similar gains. The quarter was supported by strong earnings growth, 50 basis points of additional Fed rate cuts, and an extension of the US-China trade truce. However, headwinds emerged from AI investment scrutiny, labo...
champpixs/iStock via Getty Images Market Update U.S. equities finished higher for a third consecutive quarter in Q4, with the Russell 3000 Index rising 2.4% and the S&P 500 posting similar gains. The quarter was supported by strong earnings growth, 50 basis points of additional Fed rate cuts, and an extension of the US-China trade truce. However, headwinds emerged from AI investment scrutiny, labor market softening with unemployment reaching a four-year high of 4.6%, and a prolonged government shutdown. The quarter reflected investors navigating between optimism around earnings strength and concerns about AI returns and macroeconomic softening. Equity market performance was again characterized by uneven leadership beneath strong headline returns. Performance among the Magnificent 7 companies displayed growing divergence, while the high beta rally that began in April showed signs of exhaustion beginning in November. Stylistically, Value outperformed Growth across the market cap spectrum, but performance between Large and Small Cap equities was more balanced. Sector leadership was mixed. Health Care and Communication Services were the most positive, while the other Defensive sectors (Real Estate, Utilities & Consumer Staples) were negative for the quarter. Looking at market factors, Value factors were the primary driver of returns, led by stocks trading at lower prices relative to sales and book value, while cash-flow-based measures were more muted. Quality factors, which our portfolios tilt toward, were headwinds. Momentum and Volatility factors provided support; meanwhile, Growth & Yield factors were mixed. Key Performance Takeaways The London Company Small-Mid Cap portfolio returned 2.2% (2.0% net) during the quarter vs. a 2.2% increase in the Russell 2500 Index. Portfolio finished in line with the benchmark, performance was driven by positive stock selection, partially offset by sector exposure. The SMID portfolio finished 2025 on a high note, exceeding our 85-90%...
Key Points FTAI Aviation's stock surged due to strategic partnerships and a business pivot toward the AI/data center sector. The recent deals with Palantir and CFM International support FTAI's growth and risk management. FTAI is both using AI to improve its business and service the AI infrastructure market. 10 stocks we like better than Ftai Aviation › Aircraft engine maintenance company FTAI Avia...
Key Points FTAI Aviation's stock surged due to strategic partnerships and a business pivot toward the AI/data center sector. The recent deals with Palantir and CFM International support FTAI's growth and risk management. FTAI is both using AI to improve its business and service the AI infrastructure market. 10 stocks we like better than Ftai Aviation › Aircraft engine maintenance company FTAI Aviation's (NASDAQ: FTAI) surging stock price is driven by deals with Palantir (NASDAQ: PLTR) and GE Aerospace (NYSE: GE). According to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence, the stock rose 38.3% in January and is up 173% over the last year as I write. Here's why. Three reasons why FTAI stock soared The move comes down to three fundamental, and interconnected, drivers. First, in November, FTAI announced a multi-year strategic partnership with Palantir, a leading AI company. The partnership will allow FTAI to use Palantir's Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) to enable AI-assisted decision-making to improve productivity, including managing inventory and scheduling maintenance for equipment worldwide. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » Second, in late December, FTAI announced the creation of FTAI Power, a move that pivots the company toward becoming a provider of critical infrastructure equipment for data centers. FTAI is best known for maintaining and leasing aircraft engines such as the CFM56 (an engine made by GE Aerospace's joint venture CFM International), but FTAI Power will convert CFM56 engines (used on legacy Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft) for use as power turbines for data centers. The deal with Palantir provides FTAI with the digital infrastructure to better manage the transition to converting engines, deal with its supply chain, and predict when the turbines will need servicing. FTAI Aviation secures the future of its core business and FTAI Power Thir...
Barbican Hall, London Samoan choreographer Lemi Ponifasio’s chant-filled music-theatre piece – performed by Theatre of Kiribati and Britten Sinfonia – pushes Mahler into uncharted waters Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde already represents a culture clash, with a German text inspired by Chinese poetry set to music of early 20th-century Viennese headiness. Sea Beneath the Skin takes that a whole ocean...
Barbican Hall, London Samoan choreographer Lemi Ponifasio’s chant-filled music-theatre piece – performed by Theatre of Kiribati and Britten Sinfonia – pushes Mahler into uncharted waters Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde already represents a culture clash, with a German text inspired by Chinese poetry set to music of early 20th-century Viennese headiness. Sea Beneath the Skin takes that a whole ocean further. The brainchild of the Samoan director, artist and choreographer Lemi Ponifasio, it’s an unclassifiable music-theatre piece that’s less a collision of worlds than a collusion between them. It begins with a woman walking on to the dark, glossy-floored stage, on which two white pillars stretch up to the roof to represent the trunks of giant kauri trees. Her song, rich-toned and short-phrased, is eventually answered by another woman high in the auditorium, and their duet grows in urgency and intensity. Later there will be four black-clad men dancing a neat cyclical routine involving lots of body percussion, then a third woman facing us down with terrifyingly aggressive shouted chants, and then a young man in Kiribati ceremonial dress, pouring white sand on to the stage from a black plastic bucket. What do these mean? It’s not clear, but they all frame and link the six movements of Mahler’s song cycle, in which the two singers are on stage as characters in some kind of undefined narrative. Continue reading...
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR, Financials) is aiming high in 2026 after closing out a milestone year with record revenue, strong government contracts, and surging U.S. demand. Fourth quarter sales was $1.407 billion, up 70% year-over-year and above of forecast. That gain was driven by 93% higher U.S. revenues to $1.076 billion. Sales grew 56% to $4.475 ...
This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR, Financials) is aiming high in 2026 after closing out a milestone year with record revenue, strong government contracts, and surging U.S. demand. Fourth quarter sales was $1.407 billion, up 70% year-over-year and above of forecast. That gain was driven by 93% higher U.S. revenues to $1.076 billion. Sales grew 56% to $4.475 billion in the year.Executives were bullish on the results call. A $4.3 billion contract value and a 127% Rule of 40 score made the quarter historic, according to Chief Revenue Officer Ryan Taylor. United States momentum included a $448 million Navy contract and growing adoption of AI technologies like Hivemind and AI FDE.The U.S. commercial sector expanded 137% year over year, extending its triple-digit growth. Customer count jumped 34% yearly to 954 and net dollar retention rose 139%, indicating stronger customer involvement.CFO David Glazer said Palantir expects mid year 2026 sales of $7.19 billion, up 61% from last year. Adjusted free cash flow should exceed $4 billion, with good operational margins.Palantir may struggle to reproduce this success abroad despite the results. CEO Alex Karp acknowledged the difficulty, stating that the company's strong U.S. market position and local institutions' preparedness to embrace large-scale AI solutions drive growth.Still, the corporation enters 2026 strong. Analysts will follow Palantir's speed as business AI demand rises and government investment remains a growth engine.
Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR, Financials) is aiming high in 2026 after closing out a milestone year with record revenue, strong government contracts, and surging U.S. demand. Fourth quarter sales was $1.407 billion, up 70% year-over-year and above of forecast. That gain was driven by 93% higher U.S. revenues to $1.076 billion. Sales grew 56% to $4.475 billion in the year. Executives were bulli...
Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR, Financials) is aiming high in 2026 after closing out a milestone year with record revenue, strong government contracts, and surging U.S. demand. Fourth quarter sales was $1.407 billion, up 70% year-over-year and above of forecast. That gain was driven by 93% higher U.S. revenues to $1.076 billion. Sales grew 56% to $4.475 billion in the year. Executives were bullish on the results call. A $4.3 billion contract value and a 127% Rule of 40 score made the quarter historic, according to Chief Revenue Officer Ryan Taylor. United States momentum included a $448 million Navy contract and growing adoption of AI technologies like Hivemind and AI FDE. The U.S. commercial sector expanded 137% year over year, extending its triple-digit growth. Customer count jumped 34% yearly to 954 and net dollar retention rose 139%, indicating stronger customer involvement. CFO David Glazer said Palantir expects mid year 2026 sales of $7.19 billion, up 61% from last year. Adjusted free cash flow should exceed $4 billion, with good operational margins. Palantir may struggle to reproduce this success abroad despite the results. CEO Alex Karp acknowledged the difficulty, stating that the company's strong U.S. market position and local institutions' preparedness to embrace large-scale AI solutions drive growth. Still, the corporation enters 2026 strong. Analysts will follow Palantir's speed as business AI demand rises and government investment remains a growth engine.
Chilton Capital Management LLC cut its holdings in shares of Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG - Free Report) by 5.1% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 444,116 shares of the information services provider's stock after selling 23,723 shares during the quarter. Alphabet makes up 3.6% of Chilton Capital Ma...
Chilton Capital Management LLC cut its holdings in shares of Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG - Free Report) by 5.1% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 444,116 shares of the information services provider's stock after selling 23,723 shares during the quarter. Alphabet makes up 3.6% of Chilton Capital Management LLC's investment portfolio, making the stock its 5th largest holding. Chilton Capital Management LLC's holdings in Alphabet were worth $108,164,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in GOOG. Alta Advisers Ltd increased its holdings in Alphabet by 0.5% during the third quarter. Alta Advisers Ltd now owns 23,903 shares of the information services provider's stock worth $5,822,000 after buying an additional 120 shares during the last quarter. Fortis Capital Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Alphabet by 9.8% during the 3rd quarter. Fortis Capital Advisors LLC now owns 23,995 shares of the information services provider's stock valued at $5,844,000 after acquiring an additional 2,147 shares during the period. Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS grew its position in shares of Alphabet by 0.9% during the 3rd quarter. Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS now owns 64,176 shares of the information services provider's stock valued at $15,630,000 after acquiring an additional 601 shares during the period. CFS Investment Advisory Services LLC increased its stake in shares of Alphabet by 5.1% during the 3rd quarter. CFS Investment Advisory Services LLC now owns 3,693 shares of the information services provider's stock worth $962,000 after purchasing an additional 178 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Formulate Financial LLC bought a new stake in shares of Alphabet in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $950,000. Institutional investors own 27.26% of the company's stock. Get Alph...
Doctors have found that metformin, an everyday medicine for diabetes, is associated with less progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the commonest cause of blindness in western countries. People with diabetes over the age of 55 years taking metformin were 37% less likely to develop the intermediate stage of AMD over a five year period compared to those not taking metformin. AMD is ...
Doctors have found that metformin, an everyday medicine for diabetes, is associated with less progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the commonest cause of blindness in western countries. People with diabetes over the age of 55 years taking metformin were 37% less likely to develop the intermediate stage of AMD over a five year period compared to those not taking metformin. AMD is a disease which affects the central retina or macular at the back of the eye. It eventually causes the light-sensitive tissue to die off (geographic atrophy, a form of 'dry' AMD) or be damaged by abnormal blood vessel growth ('wet' AMD). Intermediate and advanced AMD affects 10-15% of people over 65 years of age (1.1 to 1.8 million people in the UK), and is the commonest cause of blindness in high-income countries. The annual cost of AMD is estimated to be £11.1billion in the UK. Geographic atrophy has no treatment in the UK and Europe, while treatments for wet AMD are expensive and unpleasant (repeated injections into the eye). The research from the University of Liverpool used pictures taken of the eyes of 2,000 people attending the routine diabetic eye disease screening programme in Liverpool over 5 years. The researchers assessed whether AMD was present on the photographs and how severe it was, and then compared those taking metformin and those who were not. They also adjusted for factors which might bias the result such as age, sex, and duration of diabetes. The odds of developing intermediate AMD over 5 years in the metformin group was 0.63 compared to the no metformin group (95% confidence range 0.43 to 0.92). A potential benefit from metformin in AMD has been suspected before, but this is the first study to grade AMD from eye photographs. Previous studies on metformin have used secondary information on AMD such as GP diagnostic codes, or insurance claims in the US. Dr. Nick Beare, an eye doctor who led this research, says: "Most people who suffer from AMD have no tr...
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CorVel press release ( CRVL ): Q3 GAAP EPS of $0.47. Revenue of $236M (+3.5% Y/Y). Exited the quarter with $230 million of cash, cash equivalents, and no borrowings. The Company repurchased $13.4 million of common stock during the quarter. More on CorVel CorVel: Numbers Remain Buoyant, But AI Proliferation Remains An Elevated Risk Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on CorVel Financial information for Co...
CorVel press release ( CRVL ): Q3 GAAP EPS of $0.47. Revenue of $236M (+3.5% Y/Y). Exited the quarter with $230 million of cash, cash equivalents, and no borrowings. The Company repurchased $13.4 million of common stock during the quarter. More on CorVel CorVel: Numbers Remain Buoyant, But AI Proliferation Remains An Elevated Risk Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on CorVel Financial information for CorVel
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images News Palantir ( PLTR ) CEO Alex Karp defended the company's technology, saying it is designed to prevent government overreach, amid criticism of the firm's role in expanding government surveillance amid the immigration crackdown in the U.S. "It is confounding to many that the same software system that is capable of preventing a terror attack may be equally capable ...
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images News Palantir ( PLTR ) CEO Alex Karp defended the company's technology, saying it is designed to prevent government overreach, amid criticism of the firm's role in expanding government surveillance amid the immigration crackdown in the U.S. "It is confounding to many that the same software system that is capable of preventing a terror attack may be equally capable of preventing an unconstitutional intrusion into the private lives of citizens by the state," Karp wrote in a shareholder letter. "But that is the software system that we have, quite intentionally, built." Karp said Palantir ( PLTR ) developed its technology with granular permissioning capabilities to "ensure that the state and its agents can see only what ought to be seen" and functional audit logs to ensnare external and internal threats. Palantir's ( PLTR ) revenue earned from U.S. government work grew 55% Y/Y to nearly $1.86B in 2025. In Q4, that revenue rose 66% Y/Y to $570M. In an earnings call, Karp said Palantir ( PLTR ) is "supporting in critical manner, some of the most interesting, intricate unusual operations that the U.S. government has been involved in, many of which we can't comment on, but were the highlight of last year." Karp also weighed in on the protests across the U.S. against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, after ICE agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis. "If you are critical of ICE, you should be out there protesting for more Palantir," he said in an interview with CNBC . "Our product actually, in its core, requires people to conform with Fourth Amendment data protections." More on Palantir Palantir Technologies (PLTR) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript Palantir: Q4 Earnings, Valuation, Technicals, And More (Rating Upgrade) Palantir Blows Away Estimates, Shares Soar Palantir outlines 61% revenue growth target for 2026 as U.S. business surges
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images News Palantir ( PLTR ) CEO Alex Karp defended the company's technology, saying it is designed to prevent government overreach, amid criticism of the firm's role in expanding government surveillance amid the immigration crackdown in the U.S. "It is confounding to many that the same software system that is capable of preventing a terror attack may be equally capable ...
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images News Palantir ( PLTR ) CEO Alex Karp defended the company's technology, saying it is designed to prevent government overreach, amid criticism of the firm's role in expanding government surveillance amid the immigration crackdown in the U.S. "It is confounding to many that the same software system that is capable of preventing a terror attack may be equally capable of preventing an unconstitutional intrusion into the private lives of citizens by the state," Karp wrote in a shareholder letter. "But that is the software system that we have, quite intentionally, built." Karp said Palantir ( PLTR ) developed its technology with granular permissioning capabilities to "ensure that the state and its agents can see only what ought to be seen" and functional audit logs to ensnare external and internal threats. Palantir's ( PLTR ) revenue earned from U.S. government work grew 55% Y/Y to nearly $1.86B in 2025. In Q4, that revenue rose 66% Y/Y to $570M. In an earnings call, Karp said Palantir ( PLTR ) is "supporting in critical manner, some of the most interesting, intricate unusual operations that the U.S. government has been involved in, many of which we can't comment on, but were the highlight of last year." Karp also weighed in on the protests across the U.S. against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, after ICE agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis. "If you are critical of ICE, you should be out there protesting for more Palantir," he said in an interview with CNBC . "Our product actually, in its core, requires people to conform with Fourth Amendment data protections." More on Palantir Palantir Technologies (PLTR) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript Palantir: Q4 Earnings, Valuation, Technicals, And More (Rating Upgrade) Palantir Blows Away Estimates, Shares Soar Palantir outlines 61% revenue growth target for 2026 as U.S. business surges
Thapana Onphalai/iStock via Getty Images Market Recap The SPDR® S&P 500 ETF Trust ( SPY ) kicks off 2026 on a bright note, delivering a gain of 1.47% on the month. Vanguard's High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF Shares ( VYM ) started the year much better, posting a gain of 4.49%. My Top 10 list for the prior month fared okay with a gain of 1.12%. It's worth noting that the objective of the Top 10 l...
Thapana Onphalai/iStock via Getty Images Market Recap The SPDR® S&P 500 ETF Trust ( SPY ) kicks off 2026 on a bright note, delivering a gain of 1.47% on the month. Vanguard's High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF Shares ( VYM ) started the year much better, posting a gain of 4.49%. My Top 10 list for the prior month fared okay with a gain of 1.12%. It's worth noting that the objective of the Top 10 list is to present me with opportune investment ideas with a long-term mindset. Therefore, it's not necessary for this list to outperform the market consistently, especially in a single month. My main objective in tracking this stock screening process is to see it deliver a respectable compounded annual growth rate over the long term. This would indicate to me that the process works and that the ideas it presents me with are, in fact, opportune. Inception-to-date, my Top 10 list has a CAGR of 14.63 %, while VYM's CAGR is 16.12 % and SPY's 16.93 %. And while my list is trailing both benchmarks in total return, it does offer twice the starting yield of VYM and more than 3 times the yield of SPY. And measured by my own benchmark with a 12% target, it is performing very well. As stated earlier, the primary purpose of this watchlist is to generate investment ideas for further review. My selection process focuses on identifying potentially high-quality stocks trading at attractive prices, with an emphasis on a respectable starting dividend yield and a focus on future return potential. I track the list's overall performance to measure the effectiveness of this stock screening process. Performance is measured against SPY and VYM as benchmarks for alternative investment options. The goal is for the watchlist to achieve a long-term CAGR of 12% while offering dividend investment ideas with a track record of dividend growth and a reasonable starting dividend yield. If you'd like to know more about the methodology and selection criteria for this watchlist, you can read the first article ...
WCM Investment Management LLC grew its position in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. (NYSE:TSM - Free Report) by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 10,090,519 shares of the semiconductor company's stock after buying an additional 31,860 shares during the period. Taiwan Semiconduc...
WCM Investment Management LLC grew its position in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. (NYSE:TSM - Free Report) by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 10,090,519 shares of the semiconductor company's stock after buying an additional 31,860 shares during the period. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing makes up 5.7% of WCM Investment Management LLC's holdings, making the stock its 3rd biggest position. WCM Investment Management LLC owned 0.19% of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing worth $2,757,033,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Get TSM alerts: Sign Up A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Heartwood Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing during the third quarter worth $32,000. Fairman Group LLC grew its position in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing by 171.2% during the 3rd quarter. Fairman Group LLC now owns 141 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $39,000 after acquiring an additional 89 shares during the last quarter. Resources Management Corp CT ADV acquired a new position in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in the 2nd quarter worth about $32,000. Mid American Wealth Advisory Group Inc. acquired a new position in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in the 2nd quarter worth about $33,000. Finally, Navigoe LLC bought a new position in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in the third quarter valued at about $42,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 16.51% of the company's stock. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Trading Up 3.3% TSM opened at $341.37 on Tuesday. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. has a twelve month low of $134.25 and a twelve month high of $351.33. The company has a fifty day moving average of $310.86 and a 200-day moving average of $282.04. The stock has a m...
STORY: From Elon Musk's SpaceX deal to a bumper earnings week, this is Tech Weekly. :: Tech Weekly Elon Musk announced SpaceX bought his AI startup xAI in the world's largest ever M&A deal. It brings the rocket-and-satellite company together with the maker of the Grok chatbot. A source said the transaction valued SpaceX at $1 trillion and xAI at $250 billion. It also comes ahead of a planned IPO t...
STORY: From Elon Musk's SpaceX deal to a bumper earnings week, this is Tech Weekly. :: Tech Weekly Elon Musk announced SpaceX bought his AI startup xAI in the world's largest ever M&A deal. It brings the rocket-and-satellite company together with the maker of the Grok chatbot. A source said the transaction valued SpaceX at $1 trillion and xAI at $250 billion. It also comes ahead of a planned IPO this year for Musk's space company. Meta, Microsoft and Tesla kicked off a wave of Big Tech earnings. The Facebook parent company did the most to wow investors. Meta saw ad revenues surge and forecast first-quarter revenue above Wall Street expectations. It also boosted spending plans by close to three quarters in pursuit of "superintelligence", or where machines surpass human performance. Apple said the iPhone set sales records in every region it operates in during the holiday quarter. iPhone revenue reached $85 billion - much higher than analysts projected. While rival Samsung also enjoyed a bumper end to the year. It said operating profit more than tripled to a record high of just under $14 billion. China approved its first batch of Nvidia’s H200 chips for import, according to a source. It's a big shift for Beijing as it tries to balance its AI development needs with support for its own semiconductor industry. The H200 is Nvidia’s second most powerful AI chip and a key point of tension in U.S.-China relations. More sources further said Beijing gave its top AI startup DeepSeek approval to buy the H200. And Amazon announced it would cut 16,000 jobs worldwide. It was the company’s second major round of layoffs in three months. The tech giant is restructuring after pandemic-era over-hiring, and it's expanding its adoption of AI tools. It comes months after Amazon cut 14,000 white-collar jobs in late October.