Meta Platforms, Inc. (ISIN: US30303M1027) shares dropped 2.1% on NASDAQ to $593.66 USD as of March 20, 2026, hit by insider selling, child-safety lawsuits, and broader tech sector retreat on AI valuation reset. DACH investors eye the balance between Meta's AI push and mounting risks. Meta Platforms, Inc. stock fell sharply on March 20, 2026, declining 2.1% on NASDAQ to close at $593.66 USD, with s...
Meta Platforms, Inc. (ISIN: US30303M1027) shares dropped 2.1% on NASDAQ to $593.66 USD as of March 20, 2026, hit by insider selling, child-safety lawsuits, and broader tech sector retreat on AI valuation reset. DACH investors eye the balance between Meta's AI push and mounting risks. Meta Platforms, Inc. stock fell sharply on March 20, 2026, declining 2.1% on NASDAQ to close at $593.66 USD, with shares trading as low as $587.25 USD amid heightened trading volume. This drop reflects investor concerns over regulatory scrutiny, including a high-profile New Mexico child-safety trial accusing the company of prioritizing profits over user protection, alongside notable insider selling and a broader tech sector pullback driven by AI infrastructure spending doubts. For DACH investors, the volatility underscores the tension between Meta's dominant ad revenue engine and escalating legal risks that could impact European operations under strict data privacy rules like GDPR. As of: 21.03.2026 By Dr. Elena Voss, Senior Tech Equity Analyst – 'Tracking Big Tech's AI pivot and its ripple effects on global portfolios, with a focus on sustainable growth in regulated markets.' Recent Price Action and Market Trigger The Meta Platforms, Inc. stock experienced a 2.1% decline on NASDAQ, closing at $593.66 USD on March 20, 2026, after dipping to $593.66 USD from a prior close of $606.70 USD. Trading volume surged 35% above average to over 20 million shares, signaling strong investor reaction. This move aligns with a 1.5% drop reported to around $624.50 USD in some sessions, but the latest verified close confirms the steeper pullback amid profit-taking in mega-cap tech. Key triggers include ongoing insider sales and a New Mexico trial highlighting child-safety lapses on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Investors are reassessing Meta's massive AI capex plans, projected at $115-135 billion within total 2026 expenses of $162-169 billion, questioning returns amid a broader AI valuation rese...
Catch up on all the headlines with 'BTW'. Lisa Mateo, Christina Ruffini and David Gura dive into the headlines you may have missed on Bloomberg This Weekend. (Source: Bloomberg)
Catch up on all the headlines with 'BTW'. Lisa Mateo, Christina Ruffini and David Gura dive into the headlines you may have missed on Bloomberg This Weekend. (Source: Bloomberg)
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is one of Harvard University’s top AI stock picks. On March 14, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) became the first cloud service provider to begin validating the Vera Rubin NVL72 system. Developed by Nvidia, the next-generation rack-scale AI supercomputer is designed for training and inference of trillion-parameter models. Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Starts V...
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is one of Harvard University’s top AI stock picks. On March 14, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) became the first cloud service provider to begin validating the Vera Rubin NVL72 system. Developed by Nvidia, the next-generation rack-scale AI supercomputer is designed for training and inference of trillion-parameter models. Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Starts Validating Nvidia’s Vera Rubin NVL72 for AI Workloads Image by Tawanda Razika from Pixabay The ongoing tests mark an important milestone in Microsoft’s push to deploy next-generation AI infrastructure. The deployment also asserts Azure’s strategy in co-designing data center architecture that can accommodate massive power, cooling, and bandwidth requirements for the most powerful AI superchips. Bernstein has already reiterated that Microsoft’s first-to-validate status underscores its SaaS/Cloud dominance. Microsoft’s validation of the Nvidia system also comes on the heels of a multiyear power and liquid-cooling redesign, crucial to managing the increasing watt density of the NVL72 racks. The likes of Amazon and Alphabet are also expected to deploy Rubin systems in the second half of the year. As more players leverage the new system, it remains to be seen if hardware gains will translate into lower inference costs for customers. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is a leader in artificial intelligence, focusing on integrating generative AI across its entire product ecosystem, providing AI infrastructure through Azure, and developing “agentic” AI capable of autonomous action. Through a multi-year, multi-billion-dollar investment in OpenAI, Microsoft has exclusive access to foundational models like GPT-4 and DALL-E 3. While we acknowledge the potential of MSFT as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era ...
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is one of Harvard University’s top AI stock picks. On March 14, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) became the first cloud service provider to begin validating the Vera Rubin NVL72 system. Developed by Nvidia, the next-generation rack-scale AI supercomputer is designed for training and inference of trillion-parameter models. Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Starts V...
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is one of Harvard University’s top AI stock picks. On March 14, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) became the first cloud service provider to begin validating the Vera Rubin NVL72 system. Developed by Nvidia, the next-generation rack-scale AI supercomputer is designed for training and inference of trillion-parameter models. Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Starts Validating Nvidia’s Vera Rubin NVL72 for AI Workloads Image by Tawanda Razika from Pixabay The ongoing tests mark an important milestone in Microsoft’s push to deploy next-generation AI infrastructure. The deployment also asserts Azure’s strategy in co-designing data center architecture that can accommodate massive power, cooling, and bandwidth requirements for the most powerful AI superchips. Bernstein has already reiterated that Microsoft’s first-to-validate status underscores its SaaS/Cloud dominance. Microsoft’s validation of the Nvidia system also comes on the heels of a multiyear power and liquid-cooling redesign, crucial to managing the increasing watt density of the NVL72 racks. The likes of Amazon and Alphabet are also expected to deploy Rubin systems in the second half of the year. As more players leverage the new system, it remains to be seen if hardware gains will translate into lower inference costs for customers. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is a leader in artificial intelligence, focusing on integrating generative AI across its entire product ecosystem, providing AI infrastructure through Azure, and developing “agentic” AI capable of autonomous action. Through a multi-year, multi-billion-dollar investment in OpenAI, Microsoft has exclusive access to foundational models like GPT-4 and DALL-E 3. While we acknowledge the potential of MSFT as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era ...
sanjeri/E+ via Getty Images The past 12-month period has been quite challenging for consumer staples and packaged food companies in particular. Ongoing cost pressures are forcing businesses to undergo yet another round of price increases and this is taking its toll on volumes, margins and investors' confidence as well. General Mills ( GIS ) has not been immune to these trends and the stock's perfo...
sanjeri/E+ via Getty Images The past 12-month period has been quite challenging for consumer staples and packaged food companies in particular. Ongoing cost pressures are forcing businesses to undergo yet another round of price increases and this is taking its toll on volumes, margins and investors' confidence as well. General Mills ( GIS ) has not been immune to these trends and the stock's performance over the past year reflects that. After the Q3 2026 report, it seems that there won't be any changes to the narrative in the near-future as the management reaffirmed its full fiscal year outlook for a low single-digit sales drop and a material drop in both operating profit and earnings per share. GIS Investor Presentation While this could be interpreted as neither good nor bad news, the GIS stock has fallen by more than 36% over the past year and is one of the worst performers within the already challenged peer group. Data by YCharts As a result, GIS is now trading single digit earnings multiple on a GAAP basis and at a forward P/E multiple of 11 once non-recurring items are accounted for. Seeking Alpha On one hand, we now have a stock that is trading at ridiculously low levels, but on the other the latest report has sent a signal to investors that a recovery in the coming quarters is unlikely. Having said that, long-term oriented investors should pay attention as the recent quarter has also shown some early positive signs which coupled with the record-low valuation could present a good entry point. Before we proceed to some of the specifics from the quarter, it should be mentioned that I warned investors about some company-specific risks back in October of last year. These were primarily related to capital allocation decisions and certain operational metrics. While trends in the latter might change in the short-term, mistakes within the capital allocation process are much harder to remedy. Seeing Alpha Lackluster Performance On the surface, the third quarter of FY 2...
Alphabet Inc Class C (ISIN: US02079K1079) shares traded in a narrow range on Nasdaq in USD, reflecting investor concerns over intensifying AI rivalry. DACH investors should watch as Europe's regulatory landscape and tech exposure amplify the stakes for this tech giant. Alphabet Inc Class C stock encountered downward pressure on Nasdaq amid heightened competition in artificial intelligence. Shares ...
Alphabet Inc Class C (ISIN: US02079K1079) shares traded in a narrow range on Nasdaq in USD, reflecting investor concerns over intensifying AI rivalry. DACH investors should watch as Europe's regulatory landscape and tech exposure amplify the stakes for this tech giant. Alphabet Inc Class C stock encountered downward pressure on Nasdaq amid heightened competition in artificial intelligence. Shares fluctuated between $299.98 and $305.77 USD, closing around $300.85 USD. This movement highlights investor digestion of AI challenges facing Google parent Alphabet. As of: 21.03.2026 By Dr. Elena Voss, Senior Tech Markets Analyst – Tracking AI-driven shifts in Big Tech for European investors, with focus on regulatory impacts and growth sustainability. Recent Trading Dynamics on Nasdaq Alphabet Inc Class C, ticker GOOG, trades primarily on Nasdaq in USD. On this date, the stock opened near recent levels but faced selling amid broader tech sector rotation. The daily range captured a modest volatility, with intraday highs testing resistance around $305 USD before retreating. This pullback aligns with Class A shares GOOGL, which saw similar patterns around $302 USD on Nasdaq. Investors noted the divergence from earlier 2026 peaks, where the stock had approached $349 USD over 52 weeks. Class C lacks voting rights but mirrors economic performance closely with Class A. Volume remained robust, averaging near 30 million shares daily for the class. This liquidity suits DACH investors accessing via international brokers. The P/E ratio hovers around 28, signaling premium valuation sustained by cloud and AI bets. AI Competition Intensifies for Alphabet Core pressure stems from rivals advancing in generative AI. OpenAI and others challenge Google's search dominance, prompting heavy capital outlays. Alphabet's response includes Gemini model iterations, yet monetization lags peers in some views. Market cares now as AI capex surges strain margins. Recent quarters showed cloud growth accelera...
"I'd Like To Pay Their Salaries": Elon Musk Offers Lifeline To TSA Agents As Democrats Hold Paychecks Hostage In Shutdown The Department of Homeland Security shutdown entered its 36th day on Saturday after Senate Democrats blocked yet another funding bill for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Transportation Security Administration, and other federal agencies, triggering weeks of chaos at ai...
"I'd Like To Pay Their Salaries": Elon Musk Offers Lifeline To TSA Agents As Democrats Hold Paychecks Hostage In Shutdown The Department of Homeland Security shutdown entered its 36th day on Saturday after Senate Democrats blocked yet another funding bill for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Transportation Security Administration, and other federal agencies, triggering weeks of chaos at airports nationwide, including long TSA checkpoint lines during the peak of the spring break travel season. Early Saturday morning, Elon Musk, closely tracking the DHS funding lapse, wrote on X that he would personally pay the salaries of TSA agents to get them back to airports and help avert further chaos. "I would like to offer to pay the salaries of TSA personnel during this funding impasse that is negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country," Musk said. I would like to offer to pay the salaries of TSA personnel during this funding impasse that is negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 21, 2026 On Friday, a motion to advance a funding bill failed 47-37, falling short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a Democratic filibuster. John Fetterman (Pa.) was the only Democrat to vote "yes" on the DHS funding bill. Sixteen senators from both parties were absent for the vote. This marks the fifth time Democrats have blocked the Homeland Security Appropriations bill since DHS funding ended in mid-February. Democrats have been absolutely furious over any funding bill for ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that does not include reforms to immigration enforcement operations. That is mostly because they are watching President Trump erode their political power by deporting the very illegal aliens their party allowed to invade the nation under the Biden-Harris regime. Remember, these illegals are the future voting bloc of the Democratic Party, meant to seize pol...
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is one of Harvard University’s top AI stock picks. On March 16, NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) unveiled Agent Toolkit, a new open-source software platform tailored for building autonomous enterprise agents. The toolkit comes with OpenShell, an open-source runtime that provides policy-based security, network, and privacy controls. NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) Unveils...
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is one of Harvard University’s top AI stock picks. On March 16, NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) unveiled Agent Toolkit, a new open-source software platform tailored for building autonomous enterprise agents. The toolkit comes with OpenShell, an open-source runtime that provides policy-based security, network, and privacy controls. NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) Unveils Agent Toolkit For Creating Specialized AI Agents Agent Toolkit comes with open-source models and software for enterprises and developers to build tools that scale productivity. For instance, it includes NVIDIA Nemotron open-source agents like NVIDIA AI-Q and NVIDIA cuOpt. Therefore, developers can use it to create specialized AI agents that can act autonomously. NVIDIA AI-Q can enable developers to build custom AI agents that perceive, reason, and act on enterprise knowledge. At the GTC 2026 Keynote, CEO Jensen Huang reiterated that the company is well-positioned to expand its AI capabilities and solidify partnerships across sectors. The push is part of an effort to capitalize on computing demand that could surpass $1 trillion by 2027. Consequently, the company is partnering with major automotive and cloud service companies to expand market reach. NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is the dominant leader in AI computing, providing a full-stack platform spanning hardware, software, and services for AI development, training, and inference. The company has transformed from a GPU manufacturer into an AI infrastructure company, with its technology driving advancements in generative AI, large language models (LLMs), and physical AI (robotics). While we acknowledge the potential of NVDA as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI ...
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is one of Harvard University’s top AI stock picks. On March 16, NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) unveiled Agent Toolkit, a new open-source software platform tailored for building autonomous enterprise agents. The toolkit comes with OpenShell, an open-source runtime that provides policy-based security, network, and privacy controls. NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) Unveils...
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is one of Harvard University’s top AI stock picks. On March 16, NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) unveiled Agent Toolkit, a new open-source software platform tailored for building autonomous enterprise agents. The toolkit comes with OpenShell, an open-source runtime that provides policy-based security, network, and privacy controls. NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) Unveils Agent Toolkit For Creating Specialized AI Agents Agent Toolkit comes with open-source models and software for enterprises and developers to build tools that scale productivity. For instance, it includes NVIDIA Nemotron open-source agents like NVIDIA AI-Q and NVIDIA cuOpt. Therefore, developers can use it to create specialized AI agents that can act autonomously. NVIDIA AI-Q can enable developers to build custom AI agents that perceive, reason, and act on enterprise knowledge. At the GTC 2026 Keynote, CEO Jensen Huang reiterated that the company is well-positioned to expand its AI capabilities and solidify partnerships across sectors. The push is part of an effort to capitalize on computing demand that could surpass $1 trillion by 2027. Consequently, the company is partnering with major automotive and cloud service companies to expand market reach. NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is the dominant leader in AI computing, providing a full-stack platform spanning hardware, software, and services for AI development, training, and inference. The company has transformed from a GPU manufacturer into an AI infrastructure company, with its technology driving advancements in generative AI, large language models (LLMs), and physical AI (robotics). While we acknowledge the potential of NVDA as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI ...
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is one of Harvard University’s top AI stock picks. On March 16, NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) unveiled Agent Toolkit, a new open-source software platform tailored for building autonomous enterprise agents. The toolkit comes with OpenShell, an open-source runtime that provides policy-based security, network, and privacy controls. NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) Unveils...
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is one of Harvard University’s top AI stock picks. On March 16, NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) unveiled Agent Toolkit, a new open-source software platform tailored for building autonomous enterprise agents. The toolkit comes with OpenShell, an open-source runtime that provides policy-based security, network, and privacy controls. NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) Unveils Agent Toolkit For Creating Specialized AI Agents Agent Toolkit comes with open-source models and software for enterprises and developers to build tools that scale productivity. For instance, it includes NVIDIA Nemotron open-source agents like NVIDIA AI-Q and NVIDIA cuOpt. Therefore, developers can use it to create specialized AI agents that can act autonomously. NVIDIA AI-Q can enable developers to build custom AI agents that perceive, reason, and act on enterprise knowledge. At the GTC 2026 Keynote, CEO Jensen Huang reiterated that the company is well-positioned to expand its AI capabilities and solidify partnerships across sectors. The push is part of an effort to capitalize on computing demand that could surpass $1 trillion by 2027. Consequently, the company is partnering with major automotive and cloud service companies to expand market reach. NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is the dominant leader in AI computing, providing a full-stack platform spanning hardware, software, and services for AI development, training, and inference. The company has transformed from a GPU manufacturer into an AI infrastructure company, with its technology driving advancements in generative AI, large language models (LLMs), and physical AI (robotics). While we acknowledge the potential of NVDA as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI ...
Key Points However, Oracle is an artificial intelligence (AI) company, particularly with its massive pivot into next-generation data centers. This strategic shift won't be cheap or easy, so the stock is a risky play. 10 stocks we like better than Oracle › To put it mildly, 2026 has not been a good year for Big Software so far. Even the giants in the industry have taken serious hits to their stock ...
Key Points However, Oracle is an artificial intelligence (AI) company, particularly with its massive pivot into next-generation data centers. This strategic shift won't be cheap or easy, so the stock is a risky play. 10 stocks we like better than Oracle › To put it mildly, 2026 has not been a good year for Big Software so far. Even the giants in the industry have taken serious hits to their stock prices. One stark example of this is Oracle's (NYSE: ORCL) near-21% year-to-date decline. The rout is due largely to investor fears that tech companies identified with legacy solutions -- like Oracle, with its databases -- will be swept up in a great wave of disruption from artificial intelligence (AI) models that can do their work better, cheaper, and quicker. Yet Oracle is actually pivoting toward an AI-heavy business model. So does the sell-off make the best bargain AI stock these days? Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » Oracle of the future Oracle's big gamble is that it can transition from its traditional wheelhouse of database and software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions into a massive AI infrastructure hyperscaler (i.e., operator of large-scale data centers). In short, it aims to be a major -- if not the major -- landlord in the AI revolution. Speaking of AI, Oracle also wants to become a prominent vendor in the space. It envisions developing industry-specific AI "agents," i.e., next-generation models that can autonomously perform tasks for the client. The company also aims to become a purveyor of "sovereign AI" solutions for national governments that, instead of being housed on company servers, would rest entirely within the client's IT assets. That next-generation technology should help Oracle trim costs, too. It has shrunk its developer teams through a series of layoffs, as it can rep...
photovs/iStock via Getty Images Almost three years ago, in May of 2025, I wrote my last article about Regal Rexnord Corporation ( RRX ). At the time, I found it to be an interesting prospect, even though revenue, profits, and cash flows, had experienced weakness. The stock was decently attractive from a valuation standpoint. This was true on both an absolute basis and relative to other similar com...
photovs/iStock via Getty Images Almost three years ago, in May of 2025, I wrote my last article about Regal Rexnord Corporation ( RRX ). At the time, I found it to be an interesting prospect, even though revenue, profits, and cash flows, had experienced weakness. The stock was decently attractive from a valuation standpoint. This was true on both an absolute basis and relative to other similar companies. And I believed that, in the long run, this play would ultimately work out. Since then, however, the stock has underperformed the market. It's up only 47.1% while the S&P 500 is up 58%. Considering that I rated it a ‘buy’, I would say that it has fallen short of my expectations. The good news is that the picture for the business is improving. At first glance, financial performance looks mixed, but when you dig deeper, things are going surprisingly well. Management has also set forth an ambitious plan for the next couple of years, and key parts of the company are expanding nicely. Add on top of this the fact that while the stock might not be the cheapest on an absolute basis, it is cheap compared to other similar firms, and I believe that maintaining it as a ‘buy’ makes all the sense in the world right now. Taking a new look at Regal Rexnord Given the amount of time that has passed since my last article about Regal Rexnord, I think it would be appropriate to talk a bit about exactly what the company does. At its core, the company focuses on certain power systems. But to best understand it, it would be wise to look at each of its operating segments in turn. The largest of these at the end of 2025 ended up being its Industrial Powertrain Solutions segment. Through this unit, the company offers highly engineered transmission products such as mounted and unmounted bearings, couplings, mechanical power transmission drives, clutches, brakes, and certain industrial powertrain components. You also have the Automation & Motion Control segment. This unit produces and services c...
SoFi (NASDAQ: SOFI) is down by about 45% from its recent high, despite reporting extremely strong results throughout its business. In this video, I'll take a look at the latest numbers and will also give my thoughts on the recent short-seller report targeting the company. *Stock prices used were the morning prices of March 20, 2026. The video was published on March 21, 2026. Continue reading
SoFi (NASDAQ: SOFI) is down by about 45% from its recent high, despite reporting extremely strong results throughout its business. In this video, I'll take a look at the latest numbers and will also give my thoughts on the recent short-seller report targeting the company. *Stock prices used were the morning prices of March 20, 2026. The video was published on March 21, 2026. Continue reading
Strictly Come Dancing's longest serving female professional dancer, Karen Hauer, is leaving the show after 14 years. The 43-year-old Venezuelan–American dancer was very emotional in a video she posted on social media announcing the news. She said it was "the right time to close this chapter and take on new projects in other areas I'm passionate about", and said she hoped she could now have the tim...
Strictly Come Dancing's longest serving female professional dancer, Karen Hauer, is leaving the show after 14 years. The 43-year-old Venezuelan–American dancer was very emotional in a video she posted on social media announcing the news. She said it was "the right time to close this chapter and take on new projects in other areas I'm passionate about", and said she hoped she could now have the time to go for nice lunches with hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman who have also left the show.
Key Points Alphabet's Gemini app now has over 750 million monthly active users. Meta Platforms wants its artificial intelligence (AI) to completely automate the ad process for its customers. These leading AI stocks could be winners over the long term. 10 stocks we like better than Alphabet › It looks like the next big technological shift is underway. Artificial intelligence (AI) has kicked off a g...
Key Points Alphabet's Gemini app now has over 750 million monthly active users. Meta Platforms wants its artificial intelligence (AI) to completely automate the ad process for its customers. These leading AI stocks could be winners over the long term. 10 stocks we like better than Alphabet › It looks like the next big technological shift is underway. Artificial intelligence (AI) has kicked off a gold rush. And companies looking to be leaders in this area have no intention of slowing down. These are exactly the strategies that Alphabet(NASDAQ: GOOGL)(NASDAQ: GOOG) and Meta Platforms(NASDAQ: META) are deploying. Combined, they plan to spend $305 billion (at the midpoints of their forecasts) on capital expenditures (capex) just in 2026. Both businesses are going all in on AI. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » But which is the better AI stock to buy and hold with a five-year time horizon? From infrastructure to end users Alphabet isn't new to the AI race. It's been using similar capabilities for decades. In 2001, the company was leveraging machine learning to improve users' spelling in search queries. In 2016, Sundar Pichai shifted Alphabet's focus to becoming an AI-first enterprise. In 2026, this business looks like a true AI juggernaut. Google DeepMind is a leading research lab. Alphabet is a dominant force at the infrastructure layer of AI, developing its own chips called Tensor Processing Units (TPUs). And Google Cloud is a thriving platform that sells AI-related and other IT products and services to enterprise clients. It generated $58.7 billion in revenue and $13.9 billion in operating income in 2025. Google Cloud now has a backlog of $240 billion. Alphabet has one of the most popular AI assistants in Gemini, which had 750 million monthly active users in the fourth quarter last yea...
Key Points The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF holds more than 3,500 stocks. If it can duplicate its returns over the last decade, the VTI ETF provides a path to greater wealth. 10 stocks we like better than Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF › One of the most important lessons of investing is to spread the wealth around. While it's fun to choose individual winners like Nvidia or Palantir Technologie...
Key Points The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF holds more than 3,500 stocks. If it can duplicate its returns over the last decade, the VTI ETF provides a path to greater wealth. 10 stocks we like better than Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF › One of the most important lessons of investing is to spread the wealth around. While it's fun to choose individual winners like Nvidia or Palantir Technologies and see your nest egg climb, it's even more important to create a diversified portfolio so you can spread your investments across sectors and geographies, helping you reduce your risk should tragedy strike any single investment or industry. Broad market exchange-traded funds are ideal vehicles for this task. These passively managed funds cover hundreds -- or in some cases, thousands -- of stocks. And they often have extremely low expense ratios, making them ideal for a set-it-and-forget-it strategy. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » One of my favorite picks in this arena is the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (NYSEMKT: VTI), which tracks the entire U.S. stock market and has an expense ratio of just 0.03%, or $3 annually on a $10,000 investment. If you can pool together $1,000 and add $200 a month on an ongoing basis, the VTI ETF could be your ticket to wealth. Because after 30 years of consistent accumulation and reinvestment, your $1,000 could turn into a nest egg of nearly $1.4 million. Here's how you get there. A look at the VTI ETF First, let's take a closer look at the VTI. This fund tracks the CRSP US Total Market Index, which measures the performance of U.S. companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq, and other smaller exchanges. It's designed to measure nearly 100% of the investible market. That means you get access to thousands of stocks, from large caps to those ...
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman attends an event to pitch AI for businesses in Tokyo, Feb. 3, 2025. Kim Kyung-hoon | Reuters Artificial intelligence start-up OpenAI plans to nearly double its workforce to 8,000 from 4,500 by the end of 2026, the Financial Times reported on Saturday, citing two people with knowledge of the matter. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. OpenAI did not immediately re...
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman attends an event to pitch AI for businesses in Tokyo, Feb. 3, 2025. Kim Kyung-hoon | Reuters Artificial intelligence start-up OpenAI plans to nearly double its workforce to 8,000 from 4,500 by the end of 2026, the Financial Times reported on Saturday, citing two people with knowledge of the matter. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. OpenAI did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment. OpenAI plans to deploy most of the new hires across product development, engineering, research and sales, the FT said. The ChatGPT-maker is also ramping up recruitment of specialists focused on "technical ambassadorship," aimed at helping businesses make better use of its tools, the report added. The company's latest funding round valued it at $840 billion as Big Tech and Masayoshi Son's Softbank joined its blockbuster $110 billion round. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reportedly issued an internal "code red" in early December last year, pausing non-core projects and redirecting teams to accelerate development in response to Google's Gemini 3. Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.