Nvidia (NVDA 0.79%) has held the title of world's most valuable company for nearly a year now, after first claiming it in June 2024 and then trading places with Apple and Microsoft. That's a testament to both the power of the AI boom and Nvidia's own success in dominating the market for data center GPUs, the chips that have been the building blocks for the AI revolution. In fiscal 2026, which ende...
Nvidia (NVDA 0.79%) has held the title of world's most valuable company for nearly a year now, after first claiming it in June 2024 and then trading places with Apple and Microsoft. That's a testament to both the power of the AI boom and Nvidia's own success in dominating the market for data center GPUs, the chips that have been the building blocks for the AI revolution. In fiscal 2026, which ended in January, Nvidia reported 65% revenue growth to $215.9 million, and 65% profit margins, equal to a $120.1 billion net income. No company this big has ever grown revenue this fast, with such high profit margins. Nvidia is no longer the top-performing AI stock. That mantle has been passed to memory chip stocks like Micron and Sandisk, and CPU makers like Intel and AMD, who are set to benefit from the era of agentic AI. However, Nvidia is still easily beating the S&P 500 this year, and the stock recently topped $5.5 trillion in market cap, though it's since pulled back slightly from there. Nvidia will report first-quarter earnings after hours on Wednesday, and with the company's current market cap at $5.34 trillion, a strong enough reaction could drive the stock past the $6 trillion mark. What to expect from Nvidia's Q1 Remarkably, Nvidia's revenue has accelerated over the last two quarters, underscoring the strength of demand for its chips and dispelling any notion of an AI bubble. In the first quarter, Wall Street analysts see its revenue growth to 79.6% to $79.1 billion, and adjusted earnings per share more than doubling from $0.81 to $1.77. That may seem like a high bar to top, but commentary from CEO Jensen Huang and reports from its peers have made it clear that business remains brisk. There are now multiple bottlenecks across the AI supply chain, which are both driving prices higher and showing that demand is rapidly growing. Nvidia also sees gross margin improving to 74.9%-75% in the first quarter, reflecting higher prices. Nvidia has a strong track record of beati...
Richard Newstead | Flickr | Getty Images U.K. inflation eased to 2.8% in April, preliminary data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed on Wednesday. Economists polled by Reuters had expected the inflation rate to drop back to 3%, cooling from 3.3% in March, largely due to an energy price cap introduced by the U.K.'s energy regulator Ofgem on April 1. Consumer prices are expected to ...
Richard Newstead | Flickr | Getty Images U.K. inflation eased to 2.8% in April, preliminary data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed on Wednesday. Economists polled by Reuters had expected the inflation rate to drop back to 3%, cooling from 3.3% in March, largely due to an energy price cap introduced by the U.K.'s energy regulator Ofgem on April 1. Consumer prices are expected to continue to increase, however, as higher energy costs due to the Iran war continue to materialize. "There was a notable fall in annual inflation led by lower electricity and gas prices. This was due to the Government's energy bill support package reducing variable and fixed tariffs, along with lower global wholesale energy prices before the conflict in the Middle East, which fed through to the reduction in the Ofgem cар," Grant Fitzner, chief economist at the ONS, commented on X on Wednesday. Smaller rises in water and sewage bills and road tax than were seen last year also helped pull the rate down, Fitzner said. Food prices, particularly for chocolate and meat products, and the price of package holidays drove inflation down further. "These were only partially offset by a further increase in petrol and diesel prices, and an uptick in the cost of clothing and footwear," he said. watch now VIDEO 6:47 06:47 UK inflation slows, but is it only a brief respite? Squawk Box Europe The government has come under pressure for not doing more to mitigate higher energy costs in the U.K., a net energy importer, and for not fully exploiting remaining oil and gas reserves in the North Sea. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to announce sweeping reforms to give parliament authority to approve critical energy schemes, the U.K.'s Treasury said early Wednesday, Reuters reported. BOE in focus The Bank of England is keeping a close eye on price rises, as well as so-called "second round" effects, such as workers demanding higher wages and businesses raising costs for consumers, and has said it ...
SHENZHEN, CHINA - APRIL 12: A Chinese national flag is seen in the foreground with container ships, cranes, and stacked shipping containers at the Yantian International Container Terminal under cloudy skies, on April 12, 2025 in Shenzhen, China. (Photo by Cheng Xin/Getty Images) Cheng Xin | Getty Images News | Getty Images The U.S. Justice Department has indicted four Chinese shipping giants for c...
SHENZHEN, CHINA - APRIL 12: A Chinese national flag is seen in the foreground with container ships, cranes, and stacked shipping containers at the Yantian International Container Terminal under cloudy skies, on April 12, 2025 in Shenzhen, China. (Photo by Cheng Xin/Getty Images) Cheng Xin | Getty Images News | Getty Images The U.S. Justice Department has indicted four Chinese shipping giants for conspiring to restrict container output to fix prices during the pandemic era, in one of the most significant antitrust actions brought against Chinese firms in years, even as both sides seek to stabilize bilateral ties. China International Marine Containers, or CIMC, Singamas Container Holdings, Shanghai Universal Logistics Equipment, and CXIC Group Containers colluded to cut container output from November 2019 to early 2024, pushing up prices, according to the U.S. Justice Department statement Tuesday on the indictment. "The multi-year conspiracy roughly doubled the prices of standard shipping containers between 2019 and 2021, increasing the container manufacturers' profits approximately one hundredfold during the Covid-19 pandemic and global supply chain crisis," the department said. The four named companies did not immediately respond to CNBC's requests for comment. watch now VIDEO 2:20 02:20 U.S. indicts four Chinese shipping container companies for Covid-era price fixing Access Middle East The indictment, which cites corporate conversations and emails, also indicted seven company leaders, including the marketing director of Singamas Container Holdings, who was arrested in France in April and is currently awaiting extradition to the United States, according to the statement. The DOJ said several "conspirators" agreed to limit production shifts, install surveillance cameras to monitor compliance, ban the construction of new factories, and impose penalties on members that exceeded agreed output ceilings. The companies collectively make 95% of the world's standard unrefrig...
As energy cooperation tops the summit agenda, back-to-back state visits of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin could pave the way for emerging “trilateral coordination” between China, Russia and the United States. That is according to Cui Hongjian, a former diplomat and the head of European studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University. But Cui said the US would remain the biggest uncertainty. Adverti...
As energy cooperation tops the summit agenda, back-to-back state visits of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin could pave the way for emerging “trilateral coordination” between China, Russia and the United States. That is according to Cui Hongjian, a former diplomat and the head of European studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University. But Cui said the US would remain the biggest uncertainty. Advertisement During talks with visiting Russian leader Putin on Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping said both countries should step up strategic coordination to counter “jungle law” in the global order. Putin’s trip came days after American leader Trump’s visit to the Chinese capital, when Beijing and Washington agreed to pursue a “constructive relationship of strategic stability”. Russia’s Putin visits China days after historic Xi-Trump summit It has also drawn attention for what it may signal about the trajectory of relations among China, the US and Russia – seen as one of the most decisive dynamics shaping the fast-moving world order.
Earnings Call Insights: CAVA Group, Inc. (CAVA) Q1 2026 Management View "In the first quarter of 2026 we further solidified our position as the clear leader in the Mediterranean cuisine category" and "delivered exceptional results, including positive traffic of 6.8%." (Co-Founder, CEO, President & Director Brett Schulman) "This past January, we took an approximate 1.4% price increase while holding...
Earnings Call Insights: CAVA Group, Inc. (CAVA) Q1 2026 Management View "In the first quarter of 2026 we further solidified our position as the clear leader in the Mediterranean cuisine category" and "delivered exceptional results, including positive traffic of 6.8%." (Co-Founder, CEO, President & Director Brett Schulman) "This past January, we took an approximate 1.4% price increase while holding base bowl and pita pricing flat" and "we have remained unwavering on our long-term strategy" amid peer discounting. (CEO Schulman) "We've officially launched our first ever seafood offering, Pomegranate-Glazed Salmon across all restaurants nationwide" and management said it has shown "promising early results." (CEO Schulman) "Earlier this year, we reached a meaningful milestone with the launch of CavaCore" and said "CAVA Current is live today, actively processing orders across our restaurants" as the company builds toward "a real-time AI-enabled business." (CEO Schulman) "CAVA revenue in the first quarter of 2026 grew 32.2% year-over-year to $434.4 million" and "same restaurant sales increased 9.7%, driven by traffic growth of 6.8%." (Chief Financial Officer Tricia Tolivar) Outlook "Now to our outlook for full year 2026 we are raising our guidance" to "75 to 77 net new CAVA restaurant openings" and "same-restaurant sales of 4.5% to 6.5%." (CFO Tolivar) Management guided "CAVA restaurant level profit margin between 23.7% and 24.3%" and "adjusted EBITDA, including the burden of preopening costs between $181 million and $191 million." (CFO Tolivar) "Our same-restaurant sales trends in the second quarter are in line with the first quarter and tracking above our revised full year guidance," while the outlook "contemplates a more moderate mid-single-digit comp assumption for the balance of the year." (CFO Tolivar) Margin puts included "a 20 to 40 basis point headwind" tied to "a more cautious view on elevated energy cost impacts" and, beginning in Q2, salmon as "a margin rate he...
Asian equities traded in red on Wednesday as caution grew following overnight softness on Wall Street, particularly among chipmakers and AI-related shares. Also global risk sentiment weakened amid elevated crude oil prices. Gold prices traded below $4,500 an ounce after tumbling nearly 2% in the previous session. WTI crude futures held near $104 per barrel. The war has now entered its 12th week an...
Asian equities traded in red on Wednesday as caution grew following overnight softness on Wall Street, particularly among chipmakers and AI-related shares. Also global risk sentiment weakened amid elevated crude oil prices. Gold prices traded below $4,500 an ounce after tumbling nearly 2% in the previous session. WTI crude futures held near $104 per barrel. The war has now entered its 12th week and has effectively kept the strategic Strait of Hormuz closed to shipping traffic, supporting oil prices and fueling inflation concerns. The benchmark KOSPI fell nearly 2% to around 7,130, extending losses from the previous session. Japan's ( NKY:IND ) fell 1.44% to around 59,600, while the broader TOPIX declined 1.3% to 3,800. A steep sell-off in technology and AI-related heavyweights—including Kioxia, SoftBank Group, Fujikura, Tokyo Electron, and Lasertec—led the market lower. The downturn comes as the Japanese yen hovers near 159 per dollar and cautious investors brace for critical trade and inflation data later this week to gauge the underlying strength of the economy. The Reuters Tankan index for Japanese manufacturers edged up to 8.0 in May 2026 from 7.0 in April. China's ( SHCOMP ) fell 0.31% to 4,150 on Wednesday, while the Shenzhen Component slipped 0.2% to 15,534 , and the offshore yuan edged higher around 6.81 per dollar on Wednesday, trimming losses in the previous session. The People's Bank of China kept its benchmark lending rates at record lows for the 12th month in May 2026. The one-year loan prime rate remains at 3.0%, and the five-year LPR is at 3.5%. Hong Kong ( HSI ) fell 0.74% to open at 25,631 on Wednesday, retreating from the previous session’s gains. India ( SENSEX ) fell 0.37% to 74,879, extending losses from the previous session. Australia ( AS51 ) fell 1.28% to 8,563 in early deals on Wednesday, reversing strength in the prior session. In the U.S. on Tuesday, all three major indexes ended lower as a continued selloff in US Treasuries, driven by inf...
J Studios/DigitalVision via Getty Images Back in November, I covered the Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X ETF ( SOXL ) for the second time on Seeking Alpha, arguing that a case could be made for leveraged exposure to semiconductors and recommending a BUY. My belief was rooted in the evolution of the AI race and Buffett’s (then) announcement of an investment in Alphabet Inc. ( GOOGL ). SOXL has...
J Studios/DigitalVision via Getty Images Back in November, I covered the Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X ETF ( SOXL ) for the second time on Seeking Alpha, arguing that a case could be made for leveraged exposure to semiconductors and recommending a BUY. My belief was rooted in the evolution of the AI race and Buffett’s (then) announcement of an investment in Alphabet Inc. ( GOOGL ). SOXL has roughly quadrupled in value since that coverage and now sits on valuations that look admittedly stretched. Seeking Alpha Today, I revise this triple-leveraged ETF, asking myself a question: does it make sense to remain invested or even add exposure to SOXL? I think a case to HOLD can be made, but not to enter SOXL at these price levels. Know this ETF to Understand a Possible Bull Case SOXL is a 3x leveraged ETF that seeks to deliver 300% of the daily performance of the NYSE Semiconductor Index, which is in turn the same index that the popular iShares Semiconductor ETF ( SOXX ) tracks. The highly leveraged nature of this ETF makes it inherently a high-risk, high-reward proposition that only makes sense in the case of a prolonged AI-driven bull run. I think leveraged ETFs are actually a good choice for AI bulls today (more of my thoughts on this later). However, selecting what index to be exposed to and when to enter is very important. In the case of SOXL, it is important to note that this is an ETF directly exposed only to semiconductor stocks. The main holdings of its underlying index are very concentrated (a result of the recent semiconductor bull run) and include Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. ( AMD ), Broadcom Inc. ( AVGO ), and Micron Technology, Inc. ( MU ). Seeking Alpha This is effectively an “AI infrastructure” ETF that is not exposed to Tech companies and Hyperscalers like Microsoft Corporation ( MSFT ), Alphabet, or Amazon.com, Inc. ( AMZN ). This, as I will now outline, is key to understanding whether or not a bull case for SOXL can be made today, close to all-tim...
(RTTNews) - Retail major Marks and Spencer Group Plc or M&S (MAKSY.PK, MAKSF.PK, MKS.L) reported Wednesday lower profit in fiscal 2026, despite significantly higher revenues mainly driven by the consolidation of Ocado Retail Limited. The firm also lifted dividend. Looking ahead, the company said it enters 2026/27 with a clear plan, and expects profit growth to resume versus 2024/25. In the full ye...
(RTTNews) - Retail major Marks and Spencer Group Plc or M&S (MAKSY.PK, MAKSF.PK, MKS.L) reported Wednesday lower profit in fiscal 2026, despite significantly higher revenues mainly driven by the consolidation of Ocado Retail Limited. The firm also lifted dividend. Looking ahead, the company said it enters 2026/27 with a clear plan, and expects profit growth to resume versus 2024/25. In the full year, profit before tax fell 28.8 percent to 364.6 million pounds from 511.8 million pounds last year. Basic earnings per share were 12.7 pence, down 13 percent from last year's 14.6 pence. Adjusted profit before tax was 671.4 million pounds, compared to 881.1 million pounds a year ago. Adjusted basic earnings per share were 23.8 pence, compared to 31.9 pence a year ago. Revenue, however, climbed 25 percent to 17.27 billion pounds from last year's 13.82 billion pounds,. Sales grew 24.8 percent from last year to 17.37 billion pounds. Sales excluding Ocado Retail grew 1.9 percent to 14.18 billion pounds. Further, the firm said its Board is proposing a final dividend of 3.0p per share, payable on July 10. The total full-year dividend would be 4.2p per share, an increase of 16.7 percent on last year. For more earnings news, earnings calendar, and earnings for stocks, visit rttnews.com. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.