Amazon convenes engineers to review AI-related service outages – FTMarch 10, 2026 7:08 AM
IH Market News
Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) has summoned a large group of engineers to a meeting on Tuesday to investigate a series of service disruptions tied to artificial intelligence, the Financial Times reported.According to a briefing document for the meeting reviewed by the FT, the company has observed a “trend of incidents” in recent months, characterized by a “high blast radius” and “Gen-AI assisted changes,” among other factors.The document also highlighted “novel GenAI usage for which best practices and safeguards are not yet fully established” as one of the elements contributing to the incidents.Earlier this month, Amazon’s website and shopping application experienced an outage lasting nearly six hours. The company attributed the disruption to an incorrect “software code deployment,” which prevented customers from completing purchases and from accessing features such as account information and product pricing.Amazon Web Services has also faced at least two incidents connected to the use of AI-powered coding assistants, tools that the company has increasingly been deploying for its engineering teams.Amazon stock price

Original: Amazon convenes engineers to review AI-related service outages – FT

Amazon Pharmacy launches Zepbound KwikPen with $299 monthly starting priceMarch 9, 2026 11:07 AM
IH Market News
Amazon Pharmacy (NASDAQ:AMZN) said it has begun offering Eli Lilly’s Zepbound KwikPen, a multi-dose injectable medication for weight management, with cash-pay pricing starting at $299 per month for the 2.5 mg introductory dose, according to a company press release. The offering further expands Amazon’s growing presence in healthcare as the $2.29 trillion company continues broadening its reach within the Broadline Retail sector.The Zepbound KwikPen provides a full month of treatment in a single injection device, designed to replace multiple single-dose pens. Customers with valid prescriptions can place orders through Amazon Pharmacy and have the medication delivered directly to their homes.Zepbound is approved for adult weight management when used alongside diet and exercise and is also authorized for treating adults with obesity and moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea. It has become one of the most widely prescribed injectable treatments for weight management in the United States.Amazon Pharmacy currently offers same-day delivery to more than half of U.S. households and gives customers 24/7 access to licensed pharmacists. The platform automatically applies manufacturer-sponsored coupons at checkout, and customers have collectively saved more than $200 million through the program. GLP-1 medications account for the largest portion of those savings.The expansion of Amazon’s pharmacy services comes as the company trades at a P/E ratio of 29.83 while generating $716.92 billion in revenue with growth of 12.38%. According to InvestingPro analysis, the stock appears undervalued based on its Fair Value assessment. Investors can access more detailed analysis through InvestingPro’s Pro Research Report, which covers Amazon along with more than 1,400 U.S. equities and translates complex Wall Street data into practical insights.“By expanding access to the Zepbound KwikPen with upfront self-pay pricing, we’re making it easier for customers to get the treatments their doctors prescribe in a simpler way—delivered directly and reliably to their homes,” said Tanvi Patel, Vice President and General Manager of Amazon Pharmacy.Amazon Pharmacy has been distributing GLP-1 medications since 2021 and collaborates with healthcare providers and digital health platforms including LillyDirect, WeightWatchers, UpScriptHealth and Noom.The service accepts most insurance plans and provides free two-day delivery for Prime members. Same-day delivery is currently available in nearly 3,000 cities and towns, with plans to expand coverage to roughly 4,500 locations by the end of 2026.



In other developments



Amazon.com Inc. recently introduced Amazon Connect Health, an AI-driven platform designed to reduce administrative burdens for healthcare providers and patients. The system automates tasks such as identity verification, appointment scheduling and medical coding while integrating with electronic health record systems.Separately, BofA Securities reaffirmed its Buy rating on Amazon shares, citing strong growth at Anthropic as a potential catalyst for improving sentiment toward Amazon Web Services. Anthropic’s annualized revenue run rate has increased rapidly, fueled by demand for its AI models and developer tools.Amazon has also reduced headcount within its robotics division as part of a broader restructuring effort that has eliminated more than 57,000 corporate roles since late 2022. Despite the layoffs, the company said robotics remains a core strategic priority.At the same time, Amazon is involved in ongoing discussions with Anthropic investors regarding a dispute with the Pentagon over the use of artificial intelligence technologies. CEO Andy Jassy is reportedly participating in those talks.In addition, Amazon and several other technology companies have pledged to manage the power consumption of AI data centers in response to public concerns about rising electricity costs associated with expanding AI infrastructure.Amazon stock price

Original: Amazon Pharmacy launches Zepbound KwikPen with $299 monthly starting price

Amazon Pharmacy Expands Access to Eli Lilly’s Zepbound KwikPen for Weight ManagementMarch 9, 2026 7:32 AM
Business Wire
Amazon Pharmacy now offers customers transparent cash-pay pricing starting at $299 per month for the 2.5 mg KwikPen starter dose and convenient, fast home delivery.


Amazon Pharmacy (NASDAQ: AMZN), a full-service digital pharmacy that delivers medications quickly and directly to customers' homes, today announced expanded access to the new Zepbound® KwikPen® through Amazon Pharmacy. Eli Lilly's multi-dose injectable treatment for weight management is designed to deliver a full month of medication in a single device, offering patients a more convenient alternative by reducing the number of single-dose devices required.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260309587894/en/Amazon Pharmacy sets itself apart in expanding access to the Zepbound KwikPen through Same-Day Delivery to more than half of U.S. households, a caregiver support feature for managing loved ones' prescriptions, 24/7 licensed pharmacist access and a full-service digital pharmacy offering a wide range of additional medications—all in one place.
With a valid prescription, customers can order Zepbound KwikPen through Amazon Pharmacy, see exactly how much the medication costs—starting at $299 per month for the 2.5 mg starter dose—through Amazon Pharmacy’s transparent pricing before checkout, and have their medication delivered directly to their door.


Eli Lilly's Zepbound is one of the most prescribed injectable weight management medications in the U.S. It has been shown to help adults lose weight and maintain weight loss when used alongside diet and exercise. It is also approved to help treat adults with obesity and moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea.


"Convenient access to medications and clear, transparent pricing are at the heart of what we do at Amazon Pharmacy," said Tanvi Patel, Vice President and General Manager of Amazon Pharmacy. "By expanding access to the Zepbound KwikPen with upfront self-pay pricing, we’re making it easier for customers to get the treatments their doctors prescribe in a simpler way—delivered directly and reliably to their homes."


Amazon Pharmacy has been delivering GLP-1 medications since 2021 and works with healthcare providers, industry collaborators, and digital health companies, including LillyDirect, WeightWatchers, UpScriptHealth and Noom, to expand access to weight management treatments. Amazon Pharmacy also offers 24/7 access to licensed and trained pharmacists and helps customers save on their medications by automatically applying manufacturer-sponsored coupons at checkout. To date, customers have saved more than $200 million through the automatic coupon program, with GLP-1 medications representing the largest category of savings.


For customers seeking comprehensive care and additional support for weight management, Amazon One Medical offers personalized clinical evaluations, evidence-based treatment recommendations, and ongoing care management, including medication prescribing tailored to individual health needs and goals.


Amazon Pharmacy customers nationwide receive free, fast delivery on their first order of each new medication — including Same-Day Delivery available to nearly 3,000 cities and towns today, expanding to nearly 4,500 by the end of 2026. Customers can visit pharmacy.amazon.com or choose Amazon Pharmacy in the Amazon app to get started or learn more.


About Amazon Pharmacy


Amazon Pharmacy is a full-service pharmacy that brings prescription medications directly to customers' doors with free two-day delivery for Prime members and same-day delivery in eligible locations. The service offers 24/7 access to pharmacists, transparent pricing, and multiple ways to save. Amazon Pharmacy accepts most insurance plans, automatically applies eligible manufacturer-sponsored coupons, and offers additional savings options for Prime members through RxPass and Prime Rx. For those managing multiple daily medications, PillPack from Amazon Pharmacy sorts medications by date and time into convenient packets, then delivers them to customers' doors at no extra cost.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260309587894/en/
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Original: Amazon Pharmacy Expands Access to Eli Lilly’s Zepbound KwikPen for Weight Management

Amazon $AMZN has $178.55 Billions of debt

$AMZN "Amazon allows people to filter and search specifically for Black-owned businesses, but there is no option to do the same for White-owned businesses.

This is anti-White racism." Amazon allows people to filter and search specifically for Black-owned businesses, but there is no option to do the same for White-owned businesses.

This is anti-White racism. pic.twitter.com/SFJ60DHG9x— Taya (@travelingflying) March 7, 2026

AMZN, still under the 200 sma

AMZN data centers are being bombed by drowns in the MEast.

Triple Top Breakout on 04 March 2026. GLTA

2. Jeff Bezos
The @JeffBezos movie script is live. Garage to empire. The Day 1 philosophy. @andrewrsorkin this one's right up your
alley. @karaswisher you've covered every chapter of this story.
https://glenbradford.com/billionaires/jeff-bezos/movie-script
#JeffBezos #Amazon #Billionaire

$AMZN Total Debt (mrq) $178.55 Billion

AMZ, stopped going down but still bearish

BCA Research Warns AI Could Erode Big Tech’s Dominance — Here’s the RationaleFebruary 27, 2026 10:32 AM
IH Market News
The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence may weaken the foundations of market dominance enjoyed by major technology companies, according to analysts at BCA Research.In a note to clients, strategists led by Peter Berezin argued that AI has the potential to challenge key advantages that have historically supported Big Tech profitability, including economies of scale, network effects, and proprietary platforms.Berezin said the technology could simultaneously increase costs and compress pricing power. Companies are expected to spend heavily on the infrastructure required to support AI, while competition enabled by the technology may reduce how much firms can charge for standardized software products.Large cloud providers — often referred to as “hyperscalers,” including companies such as Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) — are projected to invest roughly $670 billion in AI infrastructure in 2026, up from $410 billion last year and $240 billion in 2024. Berezin noted that this surge in capital spending raises concerns that these companies are shifting away from the “capital lite” business models that previously attracted investors and toward more capital-intensive operations.Software companies have also faced recent market pressure amid growing investor concerns that businesses may increasingly rely on AI-powered coding tools rather than traditional software-as-a-service platforms.Berezin suggested that AI disruption could extend beyond enterprise software and reshape social media platforms as well, potentially transforming them from centralized destinations for users into what he described as “mere repositories of content.”“AI has the potential to upend the traditional hub-and-spoke model by creating an agentic layer between the user and the content. Rather than going to Instagram to find out what is new or see something interesting, people could ask an AI agent for that information,” Berezin wrote.He added that the growing availability of open-source AI development tools could further weaken monopolistic advantages by making it harder for any single company to maintain exclusive technological control or charge premium prices for proprietary systems.Instead, Berezin expects the biggest beneficiaries of the AI era to be owners of scarce physical assets, such as land and natural resources.Given the heavy weighting of technology stocks within the S&P 500 and the strong exposure of U.S. households to equity markets, Berezin warned that an AI-driven selloff combined with weaker corporate investment could tip the economy into a “mild recession.” However, he emphasized that the firm’s base case centers more on a market rotation than an outright downturn.The analysts reiterated their preferred equity positioning for 2026, which includes expectations for Big Tech stocks to decline while long-term government bonds gain, broader market stocks to outperform major technology names in the S&P 500, emerging markets to beat global equities, and increased exposure to metals such as gold and silver.Amazon stock priceMicrosoft stock price

Original: BCA Research Warns AI Could Erode Big Tech’s Dominance — Here’s the Rationale

OpenAI and Amazon Form Multi-Year AI Alliance Backed by $50 Billion InvestmentFebruary 27, 2026 10:09 AM
IH Market News
OpenAI and Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) announced a broad strategic partnership aimed at accelerating artificial intelligence development and adoption across enterprises, startups, and consumer applications worldwide. As part of the agreement, Amazon plans to invest $50 billion in OpenAI, beginning with an initial $15 billion commitment, followed by an additional $35 billion contingent on certain milestones being met.



Joint development of next-generation AI runtime environment



A central component of the collaboration involves the joint creation of a Stateful Runtime Environment powered by OpenAI’s models, which will be delivered through Amazon Bedrock.The new environment is designed to represent the next stage in how advanced AI systems are deployed, allowing models to maintain context over time and interact more deeply with computing resources, memory, identity systems, and external tools. Developers will be able to run long-duration workflows in which AI systems retain knowledge of prior tasks, operate across multiple software platforms, and access scalable compute resources.According to the companies, these stateful developer environments will be optimized for Amazon Web Services (AWS) infrastructure and integrated with Amazon Bedrock AgentCore and other AWS services, enabling AI applications and agents to operate seamlessly alongside existing enterprise systems. The Stateful Runtime Environment is expected to launch within the next few months.



OpenAI Frontier to be distributed through AWS



Under the agreement, AWS will become the exclusive third-party cloud distribution provider for OpenAI Frontier, the company’s enterprise AI platform designed to help organizations deploy and manage teams of AI agents across business operations.Frontier enables companies to build and operate AI systems with shared context, governance controls, and enterprise-grade security without directly managing infrastructure. The platform is intended to help businesses transition from experimental AI projects to large-scale production deployments integrated into existing workflows.The companies said expanding Frontier availability through AWS reflects growing demand from organizations seeking scalable and secure AI deployment solutions.



Expanded compute agreement centered on Trainium chips



OpenAI and AWS also announced a major expansion of their existing infrastructure partnership, increasing the value of their multi-year agreement by $100 billion over eight years.As part of the expansion, OpenAI will commit to consuming roughly two gigawatts of AWS Trainium computing capacity to support workloads tied to Stateful Runtime, Frontier, and other advanced AI applications. The companies said the arrangement is designed to reduce costs and improve efficiency in large-scale AI training and deployment.The agreement provides OpenAI with long-term compute capacity while enabling AWS to deploy purpose-built AI silicon alongside its broader cloud infrastructure, allowing enterprises to access AI capabilities on demand without managing underlying systems.The commitment covers both current Trainium3 processors and future Trainium4 chips, which are expected to begin shipping in 2027. Trainium4 is projected to deliver significant performance improvements, including higher FP4 compute performance, increased memory bandwidth, and expanded high-bandwidth memory capacity to support increasingly complex AI models.



Customized AI models for Amazon applications



The partnership also includes joint development of customized OpenAI models tailored for Amazon’s customer-facing products. Amazon developers will be able to adapt these models for use in applications and AI agents that interact directly with users, complementing existing tools such as Amazon’s Nova model family.“OpenAI and Amazon share a belief that AI should show up in ways that are practical and genuinely useful for people,” said Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI. ”Combining OpenAI’s models with Amazon’s infrastructure and global reach helps us put powerful AI into the hands of businesses and users at real scale.”“We have lots of developers and companies eager to run services powered by OpenAI models on AWS, and our unique collaboration with OpenAI to provide stateful runtime environments will change what’s possible for customers building AI apps and agents,” said Andy Jassy, President and CEO of Amazon. “We continue to be impressed with what OpenAI is building, and we’re excited not only about their choosing to go big on our custom AI silicon (Trainium), but also our opportunity to invest in the company and partnership over the long-term.”Amazon stock price

Original: OpenAI and Amazon Form Multi-Year AI Alliance Backed by $50 Billion Investment

OpenAI and Amazon Announce Strategic PartnershipFebruary 27, 2026 8:30 AM
Business Wire
Amazon Web Services (AWS) and OpenAI will co-create a Stateful Runtime Environment powered by OpenAI models, available on Amazon Bedrock for AWS customers to build generative AI applications and agents at production scale


AWS will be the exclusive third-party cloud distribution provider for OpenAI Frontier, which enables organizations to build, deploy, and manage teams of AI agents


OpenAI to consume 2 gigawatts of Trainium capacity through AWS infrastructure to support demand for Stateful Runtime Environment, Frontier, and other advanced workloads


OpenAI and Amazon will develop customized models available to power Amazon’s customer-facing applications


Amazon will invest $50 billion in OpenAI


OpenAI and Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) today announced a multi-year strategic partnership to accelerate AI innovation for enterprises, startups, and end consumers around the world. Amazon will also invest $50 billion in OpenAI, starting with an initial $15 billion investment and followed by another $35 billion in the coming months when certain conditions are met.


Partnering to bring new advanced AI capabilities to enterprises worldwide


OpenAI and Amazon are jointly developing a Stateful Runtime Environment powered by OpenAI’s models, which will be available through Amazon Bedrock.


Stateful developer environments are the next generation of how frontier models will be used, seamlessly enabling models to access elements like compute, memory, and identity. A Stateful Runtime Environment allows developers to keep context, remember prior work, work across software tools and data sources, and access compute. They're designed to handle ongoing projects and workflows.


These stateful developer environments will be trained to run optimally on AWS's infrastructure and integrated with Amazon Bedrock AgentCore and infrastructure services so customers’ AI applications and agents run cohesively with the rest of their infrastructure applications running in AWS. The Stateful Runtime Environment is expected to launch in the next few months.


Bringing OpenAI’s most advanced enterprise platform to AWS customers


AWS will serve as the exclusive third-party cloud distribution provider for OpenAI Frontier, expanding access to OpenAI’s most advanced enterprise platform as demand for AI deployment accelerates across industries.


Frontier enables organizations to build, deploy, and manage teams of AI agents that operate across real business systems with shared context, built-in governance, and enterprise-grade security, without managing underlying infrastructure. As companies move from experimentation to production AI, Frontier makes it straightforward to integrate powerful AI into existing workflows quickly, securely, and at global scale.


OpenAI to use Trainium compute to power growing Amazon customer demand


OpenAI and AWS are expanding their existing $38 billion multi-year agreement by $100 billion over 8 years. The expansion includes OpenAI committing to consume approximately 2 gigawatts of Trainium capacity through AWS infrastructure, which will support demand for Stateful Runtime, Frontier, and other advanced workloads. This agreement lowers the cost and improves the efficiency of producing intelligence at scale.


Under this structure, OpenAI secures long-term capacity while working with AWS to deploy purpose-built silicon alongside its broader compute ecosystem, enabling enterprises to consume intelligence on demand without managing underlying infrastructure.


This commitment spans both Trainium3 and next-generation Trainium4 chips and will power a broad range of advanced AI workloads. Trainium4, expected to begin delivery in 2027, will provide another major performance gain, including significantly higher FP4 compute performance, expanded memory bandwidth, and increased high-bandwidth memory capacity to support increasingly capable AI systems at scale.


Custom models available to power Amazon’s customer-facing applications


OpenAI and Amazon will collaborate to develop customized models available to Amazon developers to power Amazon’s customer-facing applications. Amazon teams will be able to tailor OpenAI models for use across AI products and agents that serve customers directly. These capabilities will complement the models already available to Amazon developers, including Amazon’s Nova family, offering another tool for teams to build and deliver at scale.


“OpenAI and Amazon share a belief that AI should show up in ways that are practical and genuinely useful for people,” said Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI. ”Combining OpenAI’s models with Amazon’s infrastructure and global reach helps us put powerful AI into the hands of businesses and users at real scale.”


“We have lots of developers and companies eager to run services powered by OpenAI models on AWS, and our unique collaboration with OpenAI to provide stateful runtime environments will change what’s possible for customers building AI apps and agents,” said Andy Jassy, President and CEO of Amazon. “We continue to be impressed with what OpenAI is building, and we're excited not only about their choosing to go big on our custom AI silicon (Trainium), but also our opportunity to invest in the company and partnership over the long-term.”


About OpenAI


OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company. Our mission is to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity.


About Amazon


Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be Earth’s Most Customer-Centric Company, Earth’s Best Employer, and Earth’s Safest Place to Work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology, Amazon Studios, and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.


About AWS


Amazon Web Services (AWS) is guided by customer obsession, pace of innovation, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. By democratizing technology for nearly two decades and making cloud computing and generative AI accessible to organizations of every size and industry, AWS has built one of the fastest-growing enterprise technology businesses in history. Millions of customers trust AWS to accelerate innovation, transform their businesses, and shape the future. With the most comprehensive AI capabilities and global infrastructure footprint, AWS empowers builders to turn big ideas into reality. Learn more at aws.amazon.com and follow @AWSNewsroom.


Forward-Looking Statements


This communication contains forward-looking statements that are inherently uncertain and difficult to predict, including statements regarding planned investments, anticipated business activities, the effect of conditions, and expected benefits of the strategic partnership between Amazon and OpenAI, such as expected development of the Stateful Runtime Environment and stateful developer environments and other developments, performance, scaling, capabilities, customization, offerings, or impacts that will result from the partnership; the applications, utilization, or effectiveness of artificial intelligence technologies; accessibility of new features, models, and tools; and expected compute capacities, capabilities, performance characteristics, and delivery timing of Trainium chips. We use words such as will, to, believes, expects, intends, anticipates, plans, future, potential, continue, look forward, opportunity, keep, designed and similar expressions, as well as words referring to future outcomes such as train, accelerate, achieve, commit, deliver, power, bring, collaborate, develop, become, build, enable, deploy, provide, invest, use, meet, expand, run, support, lower, improve, offer, next generation, and variations of such words, to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results and outcomes could differ materially for a variety of reasons, including, among others, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates and energy prices, changes in global economic conditions, tariff and trade policies, resource and supply volatility, including for memory chips, and customer demand and spending, inflation, interest rates, regional labor market constraints, world events, the rate of growth of cloud services and new and emerging technologies, the amount that Amazon invests in new business opportunities and the timing of those investments, the mix of products and services sold to customers, competition, management of growth, international growth and expansion, the outcomes of claims, litigation, government investigations, and other proceedings, data center optimization, variability in demand, the degree to which we enter into, maintain, and develop commercial agreements, and proposed and completed acquisitions and strategic transactions. Other risks and uncertainties include, among others, risks related to new products, services, and technologies, security incidents, system interruptions, government regulation and taxation, and fraud. In addition, global economic and geopolitical conditions and additional or unforeseen circumstances, developments, or events may give rise to or amplify many of these risks. More information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon’s future business, product development, and financial results is included in Amazon’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260227557827/en/
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Original: OpenAI and Amazon Announce Strategic Partnership

Debt, Weakening Purchasing Power, and the Limits of the Tech Supercycle

The global economy is entering a phase defined by elevated public and corporate debt, rising interest burdens, and declining real purchasing power across broad segments of the population. In such an environment, sustaining multi-year euphoric equity appreciation becomes mathematically more demanding.

Large technology companies — including NVIDIA Corporation, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet — are currently benefiting from a powerful AI-driven investment cycle. This cycle is real, capital-intensive, and strategically important. However, it is also dependent on sustained record-level spending.

The structural tension arises at the macro level.

High debt levels increase systemic sensitivity to interest rates. Weakening consumer purchasing power constrains broader economic momentum. When real economic growth moderates, corporate profitability across many sectors tightens, ultimately placing limits on investment budgets.

Technology giants currently appear insulated due to strong balance sheets, dominant market positions, and substantial cash generation. Yet no investment cycle operates independently of macroeconomic gravity. If hyperscalers moderate infrastructure spending — even gradually — suppliers such as Nvidia would face a natural normalization of growth rates.

Valuation is the key pressure point.

Current equity prices embed assumptions of sustained high growth and durable margins. In a high-debt, lower-growth global environment, even modest deceleration can trigger multiple compression. Markets rarely collapse solely due to scandal; they reprice when growth expectations recalibrate.

History suggests that major cycles do not end abruptly without warning. More often, they transition through slowing revenue growth, margin normalization, and subtle shifts in capital allocation before valuations adjust.

The central risk for large technology companies is therefore not necessarily accounting irregularity, but mathematical sustainability. When expectations expand faster than the underlying economic base, the margin for disappointment narrows.

Every investment supercycle eventually reaches a point of normalization. The question is not whether that point will come, but how gradually or abruptly it will unfold.

Tech-sector selloff spreading globally — IBM’s 13% plunge and broader weakness in IT services dragged markets down, with similar declines in India’s Nifty IT index reflecting global contagion. $AMZN

AWS momentum improving and operating leverage returning in retail. Heavy AI and infrastructure capex looks strategic rather than excessive long term.

AMZN, bullish week, but still bearish

Amazon Seen as Overlooked GenAI Beneficiary, Says Morgan StanleyFebruary 20, 2026 10:58 AM
IH Market News
Morgan Stanley has identified Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) as its Top Pick, arguing that both AWS and the company’s Retail division are under-recognized winners in generative AI. The firm believes Amazon is well placed not only to benefit from, but also to shape, the next phase of AI-led transformation.Although investors have been debating the payoff from heavy AI-related capital expenditures, Morgan Stanley analyst Brian Nowak said he remains optimistic “through this uncertainty” and highlighted two major catalysts that could drive a re-rating of the stock.The first revolves around the sustainability of AWS growth. Nowak contends that demand for AWS services remains robust and that backlog trends point to growth above 30% “for quite some time.” However, he cautioned that the pace of acceleration is currently being constrained by limited capacity as new data centers come online.To evaluate AI returns, Nowak applies a “capex yield analysis,” which looks at incremental revenue relative to the prior year’s capital spending. Under his base-case scenario, the implied yield is about 50% below the long-term average, indicating potential upside to AWS revenue if data center openings align more closely with investment levels.He estimates that every 5% increase in yield would translate into roughly 130 basis points of additional AWS growth, and that a yield approaching $0.45 could push AWS growth into the mid-30% range year over year.“As AWS opens more data centers, this “yield” should improve and AWS should continue to accelerate,” he wrote.The second potential catalyst is what Nowak describes as agentic commerce. He believes Amazon’s expanding last-mile inventory footprint, ongoing infrastructure buildout and technology investments position it to lead in both vertical and horizontal AI-driven shopping experiences.Amazon’s proprietary AI shopping assistant, Rufus, is already contributing around 140 basis points to fourth-quarter 2025 gross merchandise value growth, according to Nowak.The company has also acknowledged the need to “collectively figure out a better customer experience” with horizontal AI agents, and noted that “we continue to have a number of conversations,” suggesting that partnership announcements may follow.“We look for AMZN horizontal agentic partnerships to emerge, which will make investors feel more confident in AMZN’s long-term positioning,” Nowak wrote.Currently, Amazon shares trade at approximately 19 times projected 2027 GAAP earnings per share, based on expected forward EPS growth of about 20%. On a PEG basis, that represents roughly a 40% discount to peers.Morgan Stanley maintained its Overweight rating on the stock and reiterated a $300 price target, implying potential upside of about 50% from recent trading levels.Amazon stock price

Original: Amazon Seen as Overlooked GenAI Beneficiary, Says Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley sees mixed signals in AI disruption narrativeFebruary 20, 2026 10:56 AM
IH Market News
Analysts at Morgan Stanley say the rapid rollout of new artificial intelligence models poses “structural risks” to equity markets, but they also point to several “contradictory elements” within the broader AI-driven disruption story.Shares across the global software sector have come under pressure in recent weeks, as investors react to the launch of advanced AI tools capable of replicating or enhancing services traditionally offered by listed companies.The weakness has extended beyond software, affecting industries ranging from data analytics to logistics and real estate, amid concerns on Wall Street about the far-reaching implications of AI adoption.Since January 28, the tech-focused Nasdaq Composite has fallen more than 5%, while the so-called Magnificent Seven group of mega-cap technology stocks has dropped over 8%. Market heavyweights Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) have declined 17% and 18%, respectively, amid questions about the returns on substantial hyperscaler investment in AI infrastructure.In a research note, analysts including Michael Wilson and Andrew Pauker highlighted what they described as “contradictory elements” in the prevailing AI narrative, particularly “in the sense that they all seem to be in focus at the same time.”“For instance, if AI is going to be highly disruptive and far-reaching in terms of its effectiveness, doesn’t that support the investment case for the infrastructure/compute enablers, especially since the market is broadly rewarding high capex/sales, cost of capital is contained, cost of compute is still elevated, and valuation has not expanded since ’23 for the mega cap enablers?” the analysts wrote.“Further, if AI adoption is likely to lead to more job loss, isn’t there a phase-in period where natural attrition isn’t replaced, efficiencies are realized and margins expand?”They added that near-term volatility may persist as the economic cycle enters what they termed a “weak seasonal window” and liquidity “remains tight.” However, they noted that a broadening of earnings growth is supporting capital rotation into cyclical stocks.Given this backdrop, the analysts expressed a preference for the S&P 600 Small Cap Index over the Russell 2000, arguing that it offers higher quality exposure and less sensitivity to speculative growth segments. They also favor large-cap healthcare stocks as a form of “defensive exposure” against potential market swings.On a stock-specific basis, the team sees “attractive entry points” in software names such as Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ:PANW) and Intuit (NASDAQ:INTU), alongside business services and real estate-related firms including S&P Global, TransUnion, and CBRE Group.Microsoft stock priceAmazon stock price

Original: Morgan Stanley sees mixed signals in AI disruption narrative

FT: Amazon cloud faced two December disruptions linked to internal AI toolsFebruary 20, 2026 6:00 AM
IH Market News
Amazon’s (NASDAQ:AMZN) cloud division experienced at least two service interruptions in December tied to issues involving its own artificial intelligence systems, the Financial Times reported on Friday, citing sources familiar with the matter.According to the report, Amazon Web Services (AWS) suffered a roughly 13-hour disruption in mid-December that affected a customer-facing system after engineers authorized its Kiro AI coding assistant to implement certain changes.The FT said the autonomous, agent-based tool — designed to perform tasks independently — opted to “delete and recreate the environment.”In a statement emailed to Reuters, an AWS spokesperson downplayed the incident, describing the outage as short-lived and attributing it to human error rather than artificial intelligence.“This brief event was the result of user error-specifically misconfigured access controls—not AI,” the spokesperson said.The spokesperson added that the interruption was an “extremely limited event” that impacted only a single service within one of AWS’s two mainland China regions. It did not affect core offerings such as compute, storage, databases, AI services, or other AWS products.Separately, in October, a significant AWS outage triggered widespread disruptions globally, affecting not only Amazon’s own platforms but also third-party services including Reddit, Roblox and Snapchat.Amazon stock price

Original: FT: Amazon cloud faced two December disruptions linked to internal AI tools

U.S. Stocks Set for Firmer Open as Nvidia Rallies: Dow Jones, S&P, Nasdaq, Wall Street FuturesFebruary 18, 2026 9:46 AM
IH Market News
U.S. equity futures were trading higher early Wednesday, signaling a stronger start on Wall Street as investors look to build on the prior session’s modest advances.Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) was a key driver in premarket action, rising 1.9% after unveiling a broad, multi-year strategic alliance with Facebook parent Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META). The agreement spans on-premises systems, cloud platforms and AI infrastructure, and is expected to support large-scale deployment of Nvidia CPUs along with millions of Blackwell and Rubin GPUs.Another “Magnificent Seven” heavyweight, Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), also appeared poised for early gains after reports that Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square boosted its stake in the e-commerce group by 65% in the fourth quarter.Despite the upbeat tone, overall trading volumes may remain restrained as investors await the release of minutes from the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting. The Fed held rates steady at its late-January gathering, and the minutes could offer fresh clues about the trajectory of monetary policy.Tuesday’s session reflected that cautious mood. After an early dip, the major averages fluctuated around the flatline for much of the day before closing slightly higher. The Dow added 32.26 points, or 0.1%, to 49,533.19. The Nasdaq rose 31.71 points, or 0.1%, to 22,578.38, while the S&P 500 gained 7.05 points, or 0.1%, to finish at 6,843.22.The lackluster tone came as traders hesitated ahead of several key economic releases due later this week. December’s personal income and spending report is expected to draw particular scrutiny because it includes the Fed’s preferred inflation gauges.Earlier Tuesday, technology shares had weighed heavily on the broader market, with the Nasdaq briefly sliding to its lowest intraday level in nearly three months. Ongoing questions about the long-term payoff from aggressive artificial intelligence investment have pressured the tech sector, which previously helped power indexes to record highs.“Investors are increasingly questioning whether the marginal dollar spent on AI will generate the expected return,” said Daniela Hathorn, Senior Market Analyst at Capital.com. “At the same time, market uncertainty is rising as new AI models frequently disrupt established players.”“With competitive dynamics evolving rapidly, it is unclear who the long-term winners will be,” she added. “This uncertainty has led to underperformance across much of big tech, even as the broader market remains relatively resilient.”In economic news, the National Association of Home Builders reported that confidence among U.S. homebuilders weakened unexpectedly in February. The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index slipped to 36 from 37 in January, missing expectations for a rise to 38 and marking its lowest level since September’s reading of 32.Sector performance was mixed. Computer hardware stocks remained under pressure, with the NYSE Arca Computer Hardware Index dropping 3.2%. Gold-related shares also declined in tandem with bullion prices, pushing the NYSE Arca Gold Bugs Index down 3.2%. Housing, software and energy names also lagged.By contrast, airline stocks outperformed, lifting the NYSE Arca Airline Index by 2.5% on the day.Nvidia stock priceMeta stock priceAmazon stock price

Original: U.S. Stocks Set for Firmer Open as Nvidia Rallies: Dow Jones, S&P, Nasdaq, Wall Street Futures

AI Has Been Around Since the 1950s — So Why Are Companies Losing Money on It Today?
Artificial intelligence feels like a brand-new revolution, but the field actually stretches back more than seventy years. The earliest AI programs were created in the 1950s, when researchers like John McCarthy, Marvin Minsky, and Allen Newell were experimenting with symbolic logic, early neural networks, and machine reasoning.

Back then, AI was more of an academic curiosity than a commercial product. It went through cycles of excitement and disappointment — the so-called AI winters — whenever the technology failed to live up to the hype.

Fast-forward to today, and AI is suddenly everywhere: chatbots, image generators, recommendation systems, autonomous driving research, and massive language models. But here’s the twist: even with all the attention, many companies are losing money on AI rather than making it.

Why? Because modern AI is incredibly powerful — and incredibly expensive.

1. The Cost of Modern AI Is Enormous
Unlike the small programs of the 1950s, today’s AI systems require:

Massive data centers

Thousands of high-end GPUs

Huge amounts of electricity

Teams of engineers, researchers, and safety experts

Training a single large model can cost tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars. Running it every day for millions of users costs even more.

Companies jumped into AI expecting quick profits, but the reality is that the operational costs often exceed the revenue.

2. AI Doesn’t Monetize as Easily as People Expected
Many businesses assumed AI would instantly:

Replace workers

Automate everything

Generate new revenue streams

Reduce costs

But in practice:

AI still needs human oversight

It makes mistakes that can be expensive

It can’t fully replace skilled labor

Customers expect AI tools to be free or cheap

So companies spend billions building AI systems, but the return on investment is slow and uncertain.

3. The Race for “Bigger and Better” Models Burns Cash
Tech companies are locked in a competitive cycle:

Bigger models

Faster models

More capable models

More features

This arms race forces companies to pour money into research and infrastructure just to keep up. Even if the technology improves, the financial pressure increases.

It’s similar to the early days of the internet: everyone knew it was the future, but very few companies made money at first.

4. AI Has Been Around for Decades — But Only Now Is It Commercialized
The irony is that AI’s long history is part of the problem. For decades, AI was mostly theoretical. When it finally became practical, companies rushed in all at once, each trying to dominate the market.

The result is a landscape where:

The technology is real

The demand is real

But the business models are still immature

It’s a classic case of a powerful invention arriving before the economics catch up.

5. The Bottom Line
AI has existed since the 1950s, but the modern version is so computationally heavy and expensive that many companies are losing money trying to build and operate it. The technology is advancing faster than the business models that support it.

It’s not that AI doesn’t work — it does.
It’s that AI is costly, and the path to profitability is still being figured out. $AMZN

AMZN, shorts in control

Amazon Pharmacy Will Expand Same-Day Medication Delivery to Nearly 4,500 U.S. Cities and Towns by Year EndFebruary 11, 2026 12:53 PM
Business Wire
The full-service digital pharmacy recorded faster delivery speeds in 2025 and will expand Same-Day Delivery service to nearly 2,000 cities and towns this year, bringing access in new states including Idaho and Massachusetts in 2026


Amazon Pharmacy today announced it will expand its Same-Day prescription delivery service to nearly 4,500 U.S. cities and towns by the end of 2026—adding nearly 2,000 new communities over the course of the year. The expansion will bring fast, reliable medication delivery to millions of customers nationwide, including new states such as Idaho and Massachusetts, where pharmacy closures, staffing shortages, and transportation barriers have historically limited access to care.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260211372126/en/Amazon Pharmacy's Same-Day prescription delivery expansion brings fast, reliable medication delivery to customers nationwide while providing 24/7 access to licensed pharmacists.
In 2025, Prime members enjoyed record-breaking delivery speeds, with Amazon Pharmacy customers receiving fast, free prescription deliveries nationwide along with a wide range of prescription discount savings.


"Patients shouldn't have to choose between speed, cost, and convenience when it comes to their medication, regardless of where they live," said John Love, Vice President, Amazon Pharmacy. "By combining our pharmacy expertise with our logistics network, we're removing critical barriers and helping patients start treatment faster—setting a new standard for accessible, digital-forward pharmacy care."


Faster Medication Delivery When It Matters Most


In 2025, customers experienced meaningful delivery speed improvements across a wide range of communities—from dense urban neighborhoods like Manhattan, reached via e-bikes, to suburban areas such as Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania using electric vehicles, and remote locations like Mackinac Island, Michigan, where prescriptions are delivered by ferries and horses.


In Los Angeles, One Medical patients were able to pick up medications within minutes using Amazon Pharmacy Kiosks located in the lobby before leaving their primary care office, allowing patients to begin treatment immediately after an appointment. Amazon Pharmacy will continue expanding in-person kiosk access across additional locations in 2026.


Amazon Pharmacy's fast, convenient prescription delivery extends beyond major metropolitan areas. The service provides a variety of fast shipping options to remote Alaska towns and across the Navajo Nation in communities such as Fort Defiance and Keams Canyon, where the nearest brick-and-mortar pharmacy can be more than a 45–60-minute drive away and other mail-order delivery services take between five and ten days. By leveraging Amazon’s logistics network, many customers receive prescriptions the next day or within two to three days.


As Amazon Pharmacy continues to expand Same-Day Delivery nationwide, customers across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. can still have prescriptions delivered to their door, with many receiving medications the next day or within two to three days.


Scaling Reliable Medication Access


Amazon Pharmacy’s Same-Day Delivery expansion builds on the company’s growing set of features, investments in savings-driven programs, and partnerships designed to make pharmacy care more accessible, affordable, and convenient.


In 2025, Amazon Pharmacy introduced a caregiver support feature to help families manage medications for loved ones, expanded its $5-per-month RxPass prescription savings program to Prime members in 48 states, and collaborated with industry partners including WeightWatchers, Experity’s Urgent Care Network, and DoseSpot to improve medication availability and price transparency for patients and providers. It also supported customers managing both acute and chronic conditions, particularly in hard-to-reach or underserved areas where delivery times were reduced from days to hours.


In communities facing pharmacy deserts, Amazon Pharmacy helped fill a critical gap through 24/7 access to licensed pharmacists, automatic refills, and PillPack from Amazon Pharmacy—a service that sorts medications by dose and time into easy-to-open packets and delivers them monthly to help customers and caregivers manage multiple prescriptions more reliably.


Savings Programs and Transparent Pricing


In 2025, Amazon Pharmacy helped customers save more than $150 million by automatically applying eligible manufacturer-sponsored coupons, with insulin and GLP-1 medications representing the largest savings categories. The company also offers the Wegovy® pill, the only FDA-approved oral GLP-1 for weight management, with transparent pricing as low as $25 for a one-month supply with insurance and cash-pay options starting at $149 per month.


Prime members without insurance continue to save up to 80% on generic medications and 40% on brand-name medications through Prime Rx at no additional cost. Members also use the $5-per-month RxPass subscription program to access more than 50 commonly prescribed medications for conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, anxiety, and heart disease, with fast, free delivery and Same-Day Delivery in eligible locations.


With continued innovation across delivery, affordability, and clinical support, Amazon Pharmacy is redefining what customers expect—and deserve—from their pharmacy. To learn more, visit https://pharmacy.amazon.com.


About Amazon Pharmacy


Amazon Pharmacy is a full-service digital-forward pharmacy that brings convenient, fast prescription medication delivery directly to customers' doors with Same-Day Delivery offered in eligible locations nationwide. The service offers 24/7 access to pharmacists, transparent pricing, and multiple ways to save. Amazon Pharmacy accepts most insurance plans, automatically applies eligible manufacturer-sponsored coupons, and offers additional savings options for Prime members through RxPass and Prime Rx. For those managing multiple daily medications, PillPack from Amazon Pharmacy sorts medications by date and time into convenient packets, then delivers them to customers' doors at no extra cost.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260211372126/en/
Amazon.com, Inc.

Media Hotline

Amazon-pr@amazon.com

www.amazon.com/pr


Original: Amazon Pharmacy Will Expand Same-Day Medication Delivery to Nearly 4,500 U.S. Cities and Towns by Year End

Amazon One Medical Introduces Health Insights to Help Patients Better Understand Their Lab ResultsFebruary 10, 2026 4:45 PM
Business Wire
New beta feature transforms routine bloodwork results into personalized and actionable health information


Amazon One Medical today announced the launch of Health Insights, a new beta feature that helps eligible members gain deeper understanding of their routine lab results through personalized analysis and evidence-based recommendations.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260210765877/en/Explanation of patient lab results from Health Insights.
Health Insights—developed in partnership with Lifeforce—addresses a growing patient need: as people increasingly want to understand and engage with their health data, they need trusted guidance to interpret what their lab results mean for their everyday health. This new feature, included at no additional cost with One Medical membership, analyzes more than 50 biomarkers from standard bloodwork results and translates them into actionable insights organized by health domains such as cardiovascular, metabolic, and immune function—empowering members to have more meaningful conversations with their One Medical care team.


"We're always looking for ways to improve our members' ability to engage and be proactive with their health journey," said Andrew Diamond, PhD, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Amazon One Medical. "Health Insights brings clarity to complex health data and gives providers another way to help our members understand what their lab results mean—so together, they can focus on what matters most: personalized care and better health outcomes."


"Americans have never been more motivated to take greater control of their health, and that’s a massive opportunity to empower them with the tools and insights they need," said Dugal Bain-Kim, CEO and Co-Founder of Lifeforce. "Meeting people in that moment of motivation can be transformative for their long-term health. Through Health Insights, and this partnership, Amazon One Medical is stepping up as a leader in making it easier for health-motivated people to make the best decisions about their bodies."


How It Works


Eligible members can access Health Insights under the Lab Results & Insights section of the My Health tab in the One Medical app. After completing a brief questionnaire, the feature then generates:



A personalized wellness score based on their biomarker profile



Detailed analysis of individual biomarkers categorized by health domain



Evidence-based lifestyle recommendations around nutrition, physical activity, stress management, and sleep



Scientific references supporting each recommendation



The feature is designed to complement, not replace, clinical care. All lab results continue to be reviewed by One Medical providers according to established protocols, and the insights serve as a starting point for more informed conversations between members and their care teams.


Integration with Health AI


Health Insights works seamlessly with Health AI, One Medical's conversational agent available to all members. While Health Insights provides structured analysis of biomarker results and personalized recommendations, Health AI enables members to have real-time conversations about what those insights mean for them specifically. Members can ask Health AI follow-up questions about their biomarker results, request clarification on medical terminology, explore connections between different health metrics, and understand trends in their results over time. Together, these features give members both the clarity of organized health information and the flexibility of conversational exploration—all designed to support more informed discussions with their One Medical providers.


Eligibility and Patient Privacy


To participate, One Medical members must be over 18, have at least one blood test result in their patient chart within the last year, and not have certain excluded conditions that require specialized clinical guidance.


One Medical protects customers' protected health information with stringent, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant privacy and security practices to keep the information safe and secure. Amazon Health Services does not sell customers' data, including protected health information.


Partnership with Lifeforce


One Medical is partnering with Lifeforce to power the bloodwork result analysis underlying Health Insights. Lifeforce specializes in analyzing biomarkers and building personalized health programs. Its methodology draws from peer-reviewed medical literature and longitudinal studies establishing correlations between biomarker levels and health outcomes. One Medical's clinical team conducted a comprehensive category review and evaluation to ensure strong alignment with current clinical guidelines and evidence-based practices.


Commitment to Human-Centered Care


The launch of Health Insights reflects One Medical's ongoing commitment to using technology to enhance—not replace—the human elements of healthcare. By empowering members with a better understanding of their health data between appointments, the feature aims to strengthen the provider-patient relationship and support more proactive, personalized care.


One Medical will measure the feature's success through member engagement, satisfaction feedback, provider input, and health outcome improvements – continuously refining Health Insights based on learnings from the beta period.


All eligible One Medical members can now access Health Insights through the One Medical mobile app.


About Amazon One Medical


Amazon One Medical is a membership-based and technology-powered primary care organization with seamless digital health and inviting in-office care, convenient to where people work, shop, live, and click. Our vision is to delight millions of members with better health and better care while reducing costs.


Headquartered in San Francisco, 1Life Healthcare, Inc. is the administrative and managerial services company for the affiliated One Medical physician-owned professional corporations that deliver medical services in-office and virtually. 1Life and the One Medical entities do business under the "One Medical" brand. 1Life is a subsidiary of Amazon and Amazon One Medical is a key part of Amazon's mission to make it easier for customers to get and stay healthy. Learn more at amazon.com/health.


About Lifeforce


Lifeforce is the world's largest longevity medicine platform, empowering adults to add quality years to their lives through at-home biomarker testing, direct access to expert physicians, precision lifestyle coaching, and science-backed therapies. Thousands of members across the United States have already completed more than one million biomarker tests, with 85 percent reporting quality-of-life and health outcomes improvements within six months. Learn more at mylifeforce.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260210765877/en/
Amazon.com, Inc.

Media Hotline

Amazon-pr@amazon.com

www.amazon.com/pr


Original: Amazon One Medical Introduces Health Insights to Help Patients Better Understand Their Lab Results

Risk Management and Portfolio Considerations

From a risk management perspective, periods of elevated expectations warrant increased discipline rather than directional conviction. When valuation assumptions depend heavily on continued margin expansion and sustained technological leadership, even modest deviations from expected outcomes can result in disproportionate price adjustments.

Prudent portfolio construction in such environments often emphasizes diversification, position sizing, and scenario awareness rather than binary positioning. Investors may consider differentiating between business quality and valuation risk, acknowledging that high-quality companies can still experience extended phases of underperformance if growth normalization or competitive pressure leads to multiple compression.

Importantly, reassessment does not imply timing precision. Markets can remain optimistic longer than anticipated. Risk management therefore focuses less on predicting inflection points and more on limiting downside exposure while maintaining flexibility should assumptions evolve. This approach allows participation in long-term innovation trends without relying on a single dominant narrative.

Capex is still heavy, but pullbacks look more like digestion than trend damage.

Wall Street Faces Potential Volatility as Key Economic Reports Approach: Dow Jones, S&P, Nasdaq, FuturesFebruary 9, 2026 9:07 AM
IH Market News
U.S. stock index futures are signaling a largely flat start to trading on Monday, suggesting markets may struggle to find clear direction after the strong rebound seen at the end of last week.Investors appear to be pausing to digest recent market swings, which included a sharp, technology-led selloff midweek followed by a powerful recovery on Friday. With little in the way of fresh U.S. economic data due at the start of the week, some traders may remain cautious ahead of several high-impact releases in the days ahead.Attention is likely to focus on the Labor Department’s monthly employment report, a closely followed indicator that was postponed last week due to the brief federal government shutdown. Economists expect the data to show job growth of around 70,000 in January, up from 50,000 in December, while the unemployment rate is forecast to remain unchanged at 4.4%.Additional reports on retail sales and consumer price inflation are also on the radar, as they could influence expectations around the future path of interest rates.After sliding sharply over several sessions, equities staged a strong comeback on Friday. All three major benchmarks posted sizable gains, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing above the 50,000 mark for the first time.The indices reached fresh intraday highs late in the session before paring some gains into the close. The Dow jumped 1,206.95 points, or 2.5%, to finish at 50,115.67. The Nasdaq rose 490.63 points, or 2.2%, to 23,031.21, while the S&P 500 advanced 133.90 points, or 2.0%, to 6,932.30.On a weekly basis, the Dow gained 2.5%, while the S&P 500 slipped 0.1% and the Nasdaq fell 1.8%.The rally was largely attributed to bargain hunting, as investors moved in to buy stocks at lower levels following the recent pullback. Technology shares had led the earlier decline, pushing the Nasdaq to its lowest closing level in more than two months, while the S&P 500 briefly touched its weakest intraday level in over a month early on Thursday.Market sentiment also received a boost from data released by the University of Michigan, which showed U.S. consumer confidence unexpectedly improved again in February. The survey’s consumer sentiment index rose to 57.3 from 56.4 in January, defying forecasts for a decline to 55.5 and marking its highest reading since August 2025.The improvement was driven in part by stronger confidence among households with the largest stock market exposure.The broader market rebound came despite a steep drop in Amazon shares. Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) fell 5.6% after reporting slightly weaker-than-expected fourth-quarter results and projecting capital spending for 2026 that exceeded analysts’ forecasts.Elsewhere, airline stocks rallied sharply, with the NYSE Arca Airline Index surging 7.1% to its highest close in more than three years. Computer hardware and semiconductor stocks also rebounded strongly after recent weakness, lifting the NYSE Arca Computer Hardware Index by 6.8% and the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index by 5.7%.A jump in gold prices added further support to equities tied to precious metals, with the NYSE Arca Gold Bugs Index climbing 5.5%. Gains were also seen across networking, financial and oil services stocks, contributing to a broadly positive tone across most major sectors.Amazon stock price

Original: Wall Street Faces Potential Volatility as Key Economic Reports Approach: Dow Jones, S&P, Nasdaq, Futures

STM news

Markets Turn to Earnings and Key Data as Japan PM’s Election Gamble Pays Off: Dow Jones, S&P, Nasdaq, Wall Street FuturesFebruary 9, 2026 5:03 AM
IH Market News
U.S. stock futures were slightly higher at the start of the week, with investors bracing for a busy stretch of corporate earnings and long-awaited economic data releases. Semiconductor maker Onsemi is among the first major companies set to report on Monday, while Japanese equities advanced after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi secured a decisive election victory.



U.S. futures nudge higher



Futures tied to the main U.S. indices pointed modestly upward early Monday. By 03:43 ET, Dow futures were ahead by 87 points, or 0.2%, S&P 500 futures had added 0.1%, and Nasdaq 100 futures were also up around 0.1%.The gains follow a strong end to last week, when Wall Street recovered from earlier losses driven by concerns over the disruptive impact of artificial intelligence on parts of the software industry. On Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above the 50,000 level for the first time, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite climbed by nearly 2% and just over 2%, respectively.Some mega-cap stocks lagged the broader rebound. Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) fell 5.6% as investors reacted cautiously to signs the company is preparing to sharply increase spending on AI. Other tech heavyweights, including Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG), have also outlined sizeable investment plans, but uncertainty remains over how quickly those outlays will translate into durable profits.



ON Semi in the earnings spotlight



ON Semiconductor (NASDAQ:ON) is scheduled to report quarterly results after the market closes on Monday, making it an early focal point in this week’s earnings calendar. The chipmaker’s prior guidance for fourth-quarter revenue and profit broadly matched market expectations.Growth in power-management products used in AI data centres has helped offset softer demand from the automotive sector, where slowing electric vehicle sales in North America and Europe have reduced spending on silicon carbide chips. Bloomberg consensus forecasts call for adjusted earnings of $0.63 per share on revenue of $1.53 billion.Elsewhere on the earnings front, reports are also due this week from Datadog (NASDAQ:DDOG), Spotify (NYSE:SPOT), Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO) and Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT).



Japan markets lift after election result



Asian markets traded higher after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi scored a major win in a snap election held over the weekend. The vote came just 110 days after she became Japan’s first female prime minister, adding to the significance of the result.Media reports suggest Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party secured a rare supermajority in the lower house of parliament, potentially smoothing the path for increased public spending and tax cuts within a stable political framework.“Calm may be on the way for Japan’s markets now the election is out of the way,” said Thomas Mathews, Head of Asia Pacific Markets at Capital Economics. He added that a recent sell-off in Japanese government bonds is unlikely to persist and that the yen could strengthen.



Gold ticks higher



Gold prices edged up in European trading, with silver also advancing, after a volatile week for precious metals. Price swings were driven by a combination of muted safe-haven demand, profit-taking and uncertainty around the outlook for U.S. monetary policy.Attention this week is firmly on key U.S. economic indicators, particularly the nonfarm payrolls report and consumer price inflation data, both of which are closely watched by the Federal Reserve when setting interest rates.



Oil eases on diplomatic signals



Oil prices moved lower as signs of easing tensions between the U.S. and Iran weighed on sentiment. Comments over the weekend indicating that indirect nuclear talks will continue helped reduce fears of an escalation in the Middle East.A firmer U.S. dollar ahead of major economic data releases also pressured crude markets, which had already fallen around 2% last week. Brent futures were last down 1.1% at $67.32 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude slipped 1.0% to $62.92 a barrel.Amazon stock priceAlphabet stock priceON Semiconductor stock price

Original: Markets Turn to Earnings and Key Data as Japan PM’s Election Gamble Pays Off: Dow Jones, S&P, Nasdaq, Wall Street Futures

AMZN, shorts in control

Automation will do well in the future of AMZN.
AMZN is starting to SHIFT into that mode.......Takes Time....

Analyst says market is misreading Amazon’s heavy CapEx pushFebruary 7, 2026 6:01 AM
IH Market News
Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) delivered solid fourth-quarter performance across its core businesses, but investors are drawing the wrong conclusions from the company’s elevated capital spending plans, according to BMO Capital Markets analyst Brian Pitz.In a note published Friday, BMO reiterated its Outperform rating, kept Amazon as a Top Pick and lifted its price target to $310 per share, arguing that the market is “misunderstanding CapEx opportunity.”Pitz described the quarter as a “standout quarter,” highlighting a sharp pickup in cloud momentum, including a “400bps sequential acceleration in AWS growth to +24%, the fastest growth since 3Q22 and 2pts above Street.”He also pointed to strong performance in Amazon’s advertising business, which grew 22% year over year on a currency-neutral basis. That growth was supported by new partnerships with Roku and Netflix, as well as integrations with Spotify and SiriusXM.According to Pitz, strength at AWS is broad-based, driven by “strong momentum in both AI and core non-AI workloads.” He singled out Amazon’s Graviton and Trainium chip offerings, noting that they now generate more than $10 billion in annualized revenue and are expanding at triple-digit growth rates.Infrastructure investment was another focus, with Pitz noting that Amazon “added 1.2GW of capacity in 4Q25” and is targeting another doubling by 2027, which would amount to a “fourfold increase in capacity since 2022.”While Amazon’s plan to deploy around $200 billion in capital expenditures has unsettled some investors, Pitz said the long-term upside is being overlooked. He added that BMO “applaud[s] AMZN (and peers) for leaning in on AI-related CapEx,” viewing the spending as a strategic investment rather than a headwind.Amazon stock price

Original: Analyst says market is misreading Amazon’s heavy CapEx push

Dow Closes Above 50,000 For First Time As Stocks Rebound From Recent SlumpFebruary 6, 2026 4:56 PM
IH Market News
After moving sharply lower over the past few sessions, stocks showed a substantial move back to the upside during trading on Friday. The major averages all showed substantial upward moves, with the Dow closing above 50,000 for the first time.The major averages reached new highs late in the session before giving back some ground going into the end of the day. The Dow soared 1,206.95 points or 2.5 percent to 50,115.67, the Nasdaq surged 490.63 points or 2.2 percent to 23,031.21 and the S&P 500 (SPI:SP500) jumped 133.90 points or 2.0 percent to 6,932.30.For the week, the Dow shot up by 2.5 percent, while the S&P 500 edged down by 0.1 percent and the Nasdaq slumped by 1.8 percent.The rally on Wall Street largely reflected bargain hunting, as some traders looked to pick up stocks at reduced levels following the recent weakness.Tech stocks helped lead the pullback seen over the past few days, dragging the Nasdaq down to its lowest closing level in over two months.The S&P 500 also hit its lowest intraday level in over a month in early trading on Thursday before regaining some ground.Positive sentiment may also have been generated in reaction to a report from the University of Michigan showing consumer sentiment in the U.S. has unexpectedly seen a continued improvement in the month of February.The University of Michigan said its consumer sentiment index rose to 57.3 in February after jumping to 56.4 in January. Economists had expected the index to dip to 55.5.With the unexpected increase, the consumer sentiment index reached its highest level since hitting 58.2 in August 2025.The unexpected uptick by the consumer sentiment index came as sentiment surged among consumers with the largest stock portfolios.The rebound by the broader markets came despite a steep drop by shares of Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), with the online retail giant plunging by 5.6 percent.Amazon came under pressure after reporting slightly weaker than expected fourth quarter earnings and forecasting 2026 capital spending well above analyst estimates.



Sector News



Airline stocks showed a substantial move to the upside on the day, with the NYSE Arca Airline Index soaring by 7.1 percent to its best closing level in over three years.Computer hardware and semiconductor stocks also moved sharply higher following recent weakness, driving the NYSE Arca Computer Hardware Index and Philadelphia Semiconductor Index up by 6.8 percent and 5.7 percent, respectively.A sharp increase by the price of gold also contributed to significant strength among gold stocks, as reflected by the 5.5 percent spike by the NYSE Arca Gold Bugs Index.Networking, financial and oil service stocks also showed strong moves to the upside, moving higher along with most of the other major sectors.



Other Markets



In overseas trading, stock markets across the Asia-Pacific region turned in a mixed performance during trading on Friday. Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index advanced by 0.8 percent, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index slid by 1.2 percent.Meanwhile, the major European markets all moved to the upside on the day. While the German DAX Index jumped by 0.9 percent, the U.K.’s FTSE 100 Index climbed by 0.6 percent and the French CAC 40 Index rose by 0.4 percent.In the bond market, treasuries showed a lack of direction after ending the previous session sharply higher. The yield on the benchmark ten-year note, which moves opposite of its price, edged down by less than a basis point to 4.206 percent.



Looking Ahead



Next week’s trading may be impacted by reaction to the delayed monthly jobs report along with reports on retail sales and consumer prices.SOURCE: RTTNEWS

Original: Dow Closes Above 50,000 For First Time As Stocks Rebound From Recent Slump

being Smart. not greedy

I'm in. Take advantage of these dips. Just a strong hold 🚀

Talked about this a few months back
Automation and AI is the future of AMZN
they will have very few people working in those places
AND ENGLISH will be needed to interact with the AUTOMATION

Amazon shares slide as $200 billion outlay fans fears over AI returns
Not to worry, efficiency and productivity will increase and so will the PPS

This has happen before with tech stock.
Some will cut and run, others will buy the dips.....
Amzn IS NOT a boiler-room tech stock

Wall Street Futures Point Higher as Bargain Buyers Step In After Tech Selloff: Dow Jones, S&P, NasdaqFebruary 6, 2026 9:15 AM
IH Market News
U.S. stock index futures are signaling a firmer open on Friday, suggesting equities may recover some lost ground after several sessions of sharp declines.Investors appear poised to hunt for bargains following the recent technology-led pullback, which pushed the Nasdaq to its lowest closing level in more than two months. That said, trading volumes could remain light after the Labor Department delayed its closely watched monthly employment report until next Wednesday.Market upside may also be capped by ongoing unease over heavy artificial intelligence spending, compounded by a sharp premarket drop in Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN). The online retail giant is down 8.5% ahead of the open after posting slightly weaker-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings and unveiling 2026 capital expenditure plans that came in well above analyst forecasts.“All the hyperscalers are competing to win the AI race, for which the prize could be significant,” said Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell. “However, investors are being asked to countenance enormous amounts of cash going out the door in service of this goal.”
He added, “With the exact direction and trajectory of artificial intelligence still uncertain there is understandable concern that this money could be wasted.”Thursday’s session saw a broad selloff across U.S. equities, extending Wednesday’s mixed performance. Technology shares bore the brunt of the pressure, with the Nasdaq sliding to its weakest close in over two months.While stocks recovered somewhat from intraday lows, the major indices still ended decisively lower. The Nasdaq sank 363.99 points, or 1.6%, to 22,540.59. The S&P 500 fell 84.32 points, or 1.2%, to 6,798.40, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 592.58 points, or 1.2%, to 48,908.72.Continued weakness in technology stocks weighed heavily on sentiment, amplified by a sharp decline in Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM). The chipmaker tumbled 8.5% after reporting fiscal first-quarter earnings that topped expectations but issuing lackluster guidance for the current quarter.Meanwhile, Google parent Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG) finished well above its session lows but still closed down 0.5%. The company beat fourth-quarter estimates but rattled investors by flagging a significant increase in capital spending for 2026.Technology shares have retreated sharply in recent days as investors reassess valuations and the longer-term payoff from AI-related investments.On the economic front, fresh data from the Labor Department showed a much larger-than-expected rise in initial claims for unemployment benefits in the week ended January 31. First-time claims jumped to 231,000, up 22,000 from the prior week’s unrevised level of 209,000. Economists had been looking for a more modest increase to around 212,000. The latest reading marked the highest level since early December.A separate Labor Department report also showed U.S. job openings unexpectedly fell in December to their lowest level in more than five years.Sector-wise, gold stocks were hit hard alongside a slide in bullion prices, with the NYSE Arca Gold Bugs Index plunging 6.3%. Software and computer hardware names also saw heavy selling, dragging the Dow Jones U.S. Software Index down 5.1% and the NYSE Arca Computer Hardware Index lower by 4.2%.Oil service stocks weakened as crude prices dropped sharply, reflected in a 3.1% fall in the Philadelphia Oil Service Index. Financials, retailers and pharmaceutical stocks also posted notable declines, leaving most major sectors in negative territory by the close.Amazon stock priceQualcomm stock priceAlphabet stock price

Original: Wall Street Futures Point Higher as Bargain Buyers Step In After Tech Selloff: Dow Jones, S&P, Nasdaq

Amazon shares tumble 9% premarket as 2026 capex outlook far exceeds forecastsFebruary 6, 2026 5:56 AM
IH Market News
Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) delivered a solid quarterly revenue beat on Thursday, but investors focused on its capital spending outlook after the company flagged roughly $200 billion of capital expenditures for 2026—well above market expectations.The guidance sent shares sharply lower, with the stock sliding 9.3% in premarket trading on Friday.Amazon’s results arrive amid a broader shift on Wall Street, where investors have been rotating out of technology stocks and into other sectors. The narrative around artificial intelligence has also evolved, moving away from the idea that all tech companies will benefit equally toward a more selective view of winners and losers. Software firms have been singled out as relative laggards, and weakness in that space has spilled over into chipmakers and the wider tech complex.Concerns about stretched valuations and aggressive investment plans have added to the pressure. Amazon’s $200 billion capex projection significantly exceeded the consensus estimate of $146.11 billion.“AWS is accelerating with even faster growth ahead and Retail is delivering with improving efficiency. Yes, AMZN is investing (AWS, Retail, LEO), but it has a track record of showing ROIC, which leaves us bullish on this under-appreciated GenAI winner across,” Morgan Stanley equity analyst Brian Nowak said in a note to clients.Amazon’s guidance followed closely on the heels of a similar surprise from Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL), after Google’s parent outlined potential capital spending of up to $185 billion in 2026.Looking at the quarter itself, Amazon posted earnings of $1.95 per share on revenue of $213.39 billion for Q4 2025, representing 13.6% year-on-year growth. While revenue beat expectations of $211.27 billion, profit missed forecasts by one cent.“Amazon delivered a slightly mixed picture with strong overall revenue growth and a standout boost from the cloud unit’s much anticipated reacceleration picking up greater speed,” Emarketer principal analyst Sky Canaves said.For the current quarter, Amazon guided to Q1 2026 revenue of between $173.50 billion and $178.50 billion, compared with an average analyst estimate of $175.20 billion.“With such strong demand for our existing offerings and seminal opportunities like AI, chips, robotics, and low earth orbit satellites, we expect to invest about $200 billion in capital expenditures across Amazon in 2026, and anticipate strong long-term return on invested capital,” CEO Andy Jassy said.



Focus on AWS



For the Magnificent 7 heavyweight, Amazon Web Services sits at the heart of its AI strategy and remains the group’s fastest-growing division. AWS generated $35.58 billion in revenue in the fourth quarter, up 23.6% year on year. Beyond cloud infrastructure, the unit hosts Amazon’s AI platforms and tools for building agents and applications, including Bedrock, as well as products such as Alexa and Polly.“The cloud unit achieved the rare feat of growing faster than the ads business in Q4 with improved operating margins,” Emarketer’s Canaves said.Amazon has also made a sizable investment in Anthropic, the AI startup behind the Claude large language model.In October last year, Amazon said it had added 3.8 gigawatts of cloud computing capacity over the prior 12 months—more than any other cloud provider. On the earnings call, Jassy noted that “we’re now double the power capacity that AWS was in 2022, and we’re on track to double again by 2027.”Ahead of the results, UBS had warned that the market was underestimating the implications of Amazon’s capital spending ambitions.“Given plans to double capacity by 2027, we have raised our aggregated 4Q25-4Q27 CapEx estimates from $300 billion to $344 billion (AWS $225 billion to $260 billion),” UBS analysts Stephen Ju and Vanessa Fong had said.
“In our view AMZN?shares is still a coiled spring as neither us nor the Street are pricing in 2028 AWS revenue as having doubled after the incremental capital intensity. That scenario should result in an incremental ~$20 billion in FCF for 2028,” they said.Despite its scale, Amazon’s shares have lagged its Magnificent 7 peers. The stock gained 5.2% in 2024, the weakest performance among the group and well below the S&P 500’s 16.4% rise. Performance in 2026 has also been muted, with Amazon up 0.9% year to date, compared with a 0.5% gain for the benchmark index.While AI dominates headlines, the bulk of Amazon’s revenues still come from its core e-commerce, retail and subscription businesses, including Prime, within its North America segment. That division generated $127.08 billion of revenue in Q4, up 9.9% year on year.Consumer spending has come under pressure amid mounting economic headwinds. The National Retail Federation expects U.S. holiday sales growth of 4.1% in 2025, down from 4.3% in 2024, while a key measure of consumer confidence recently fell to its lowest level since May 2014.“The core retail business maintained solid growth through the all-important holiday quarter, with a notable improvement in North America profitability driven by operational leverage in fulfillment despite the expansion of ever-faster delivery. Amazon’s AI shopping assistant Rufus is gaining traction and driving more sales among users,” Emarketer’s Canaves said.Amazon stock price

Original: Amazon shares tumble 9% premarket as 2026 capex outlook far exceeds forecasts

Amazon’s capex surge, Stellantis reset, Bitcoin slide – what’s driving markets: Dow Jones, S&P, Nasdaq, Wall Street FuturesFebruary 6, 2026 5:30 AM
IH Market News
U.S. equity futures edged lower on Friday as weakness in technology stocks persisted. Online retail giant Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) unveiled a sharp increase in capital spending, while carmaker Stellantis (NYSE:STLA) flagged a major strategic rethink away from electric vehicles. Bitcoin (COIN:BTCUSD) continued to slide, and oil markets remained focused on the outcome of talks between the United States and Iran.



Amazon plans sharp rise in capital expenditure



Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) was among the last major tech groups to report quarterly results after Thursday’s Wall Street close and followed peers in outlining a significant ramp-up in spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure.Chief executive Andy Jassy said Amazon intends to invest $200 billion in expanding its AI capabilities in 2026, implying a more than 50% jump in capital expenditure this year. The scale of the spending increase unsettled investors, pushing the stock sharply lower in after-hours trading.The announcement reinforced expectations that Big Tech is far from easing back on AI investment. The four largest hyperscalers—Amazon, Microsoft, Google and Meta—are now forecast to spend more than $630 billion collectively this year.On the numbers, Amazon posted fourth-quarter 2025 earnings of $1.95 per share on revenue of $213.39 billion, up 13.6% year on year, narrowly missing profit forecasts. Amazon Web Services delivered revenue of $35.6 billion in the December quarter, with sales growth of 24%, its strongest pace in 13 quarters.While AWS represents only around 15–20% of group revenue, it generates more than 60% of Amazon’s operating profit.
“Amazon delivered a slightly mixed picture with strong overall revenue growth and a standout boost from the cloud unit’s much anticipated reacceleration picking up greater speed,” Emarketer principal analyst Sky Canaves said.



U.S. futures slip as Wall Street eyes weekly losses



U.S. stock futures were lower early Friday, extending recent declines as Amazon’s selloff weighed on the broader technology sector. At 03:35 ET, S&P 500 futures were down 0.2%, Nasdaq 100 futures slipped 0.4%, and Dow futures eased 0.1%.Wall Street closed sharply lower on Thursday, with the Nasdaq Composite dropping 1.6%, the S&P 500 falling 1.2% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average shedding more than 500 points. The Nasdaq is on track for its worst weekly performance since early April, down around 4%, while the S&P 500 has lost roughly 2%. The Dow is broadly flat for the week.More corporate results are due later Friday, including updates from Under Armour (NYSE:UAA), Biogen (NASDAQ:BIIB), AutoNation (NYSE:AN) and Philip Morris (NYSE:PM). The U.S. jobs report, originally scheduled for Friday, has been pushed to next week following the resolution of the federal government shutdown.Separately, data from Challenger, Gray & Christmas showed announced layoffs by U.S. employers surged in January to the highest level for the month in 17 years.



Stellantis books major charge in “strategic shift”



Stellantis (NYSE:STLA) said it would take a charge of around €22 billion ($26.5 billion) linked to a reassessment of its electric vehicle strategy, resulting in a preliminary loss of between €19 billion and €21 billion in the second half of 2025.The group said the majority of the write-downs relate to changes in its product roadmap, driven by sharply reduced assumptions for EV demand.
“The charges announced today largely reflect the cost of over-estimating the pace of the energy transition that distanced us from many car buyers’ real-world needs, means and desires,” said Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa in a statement.The Franco-Italian automaker described the move as a “strategic shift” as it responds to high costs and softer-than-expected EV sales. Stellantis, along with other major European manufacturers such as Volkswagen, has also called for subsidies to support car production in the EU amid pressure from U.S. tariffs and rising competition from China.



Bitcoin heads for steep weekly decline



Bitcoin weakened further on Friday, leaving the world’s largest cryptocurrency on course for a heavy weekly loss as confidence in risk assets continued to fade. Bitcoin fell more than 9% to around $64,730, after earlier touching a 16-month low near $60,100.The digital asset was heading for a third consecutive weekly decline and was down more than 20% over the week. It has also lost over half its value from the record high reached in October and has erased all gains made since President Donald Trump’s election victory in late 2024.Bitcoin has been hit by a broader retreat from speculative assets, with selling pressure intensifying after Trump nominated Kevin Warsh as his preferred candidate for Federal Reserve chair. Warsh has previously opposed the Fed’s asset-purchase programs, and expectations of a leaner central bank balance sheet have weighed on crypto markets.Adding to the pressure, major corporate holder Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) reported a much wider fourth-quarter loss on Thursday, largely reflecting declines in the value of its Bitcoin holdings.



Oil prices up, but weekly losses loom ahead of talks



Oil prices rose on Friday but remained on track for their first weekly decline in nearly two months, as investors awaited the outcome of U.S.–Iran talks later in the day. Brent crude climbed 1.3% to $68.38 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate gained 1.4% to $64.19.Despite the rebound, Brent was set to finish the week down 3.3% and WTI lower by around 1.8%, with U.S. and Iranian officials due to meet in Oman amid elevated tensions in the Middle East. Markets have been hoping that dialogue between Washington and Tehran could help ease tensions and reduce the risk of wider conflict, prompting traders to remove some geopolitical risk premium from oil prices this week.However, uncertainty remains after reports of disagreement over the scope of the talks, with Iran rejecting U.S. calls to include discussions on its missile program and saying negotiations would be limited to nuclear issues. Iran is a major oil producer and sits next to the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical shipping routes for crude.Amazon stock priceStellantis stock priceStrategy stock price

Original: Amazon’s capex surge, Stellantis reset, Bitcoin slide – what’s driving markets: Dow Jones, S&P, Nasdaq, Wall Street Futures

Alphabet’s AI Spending Signals, Amazon Earnings and Central Bank Decisions Drive Market Focus: Dow Jones, S&P, Nasdaq, Wall Street FuturesFebruary 5, 2026 5:48 AM
IH Market News
U.S. stock futures suggested a mixed start to trading on Wall Street as investors evaluated major technology earnings and the continued volatility in software stocks. Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG) attracted particular attention after indicating it could significantly increase investment to support its artificial intelligence expansion, while market focus is also shifting toward results from e-commerce giant Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), scheduled after the market close. Meanwhile, investors are monitoring key monetary policy decisions in Europe, and precious metals prices have retreated.



U.S. futures show mixed direction



By 02:44 ET, futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average were down 39 points, or 0.1%. S&P 500 futures edged up 6 points, or 0.1%, while Nasdaq 100 futures rose 65 points, or 0.3%.Major U.S. indices finished the previous session with mixed results as investors searched for signs that software stocks had reached a bottom following recent losses. Companies linked to artificial intelligence hardware also faced selling pressure.The technology sector, widely regarded as a primary beneficiary of the AI boom, has been hit by concerns that the rapid development of artificial intelligence could disrupt parts of the industry itself. By Tuesday, an index tracking software stocks had recorded its weakest three-month performance relative to the S&P 500 since 2002.While investors are attempting to identify which companies could recover from recent declines, analysts cited by Reuters noted that the sector is increasingly divided between firms positioned to benefit from AI growth and those likely to struggle.



Alphabet signals aggressive AI investment plans



Alphabet has strengthened its position in the race to dominate artificial intelligence following strong earnings from Google’s parent company.Previously viewed as lagging behind ChatGPT developer OpenAI, analysts suggested Alphabet’s strong quarterly performance indicates the company is starting to generate measurable returns from its extensive AI investments. In contrast, OpenAI continues to operate without profitability.“Overall, we’re seeing our AI investments and infrastructure drive revenue and growth across the board,” CEO Sundar Pichai said.Alphabet’s Gemini AI platform, a direct competitor to ChatGPT, reached 750 million monthly active users during the December quarter, approaching the more than 800 million users reported by ChatGPT in October.Company executives indicated that capital spending could potentially double this year, rising to between $175 billion and $185 billion, as Alphabet accelerates construction of advanced data centres and semiconductor infrastructure supporting AI systems. Although initial investor reaction to higher spending was cautious, strong performance in Google’s cloud division and other business segments helped ease concerns.Alphabet shares were slightly lower during extended trading but recovered from earlier declines.



Amazon results expected to highlight AI strategy



Investor attention is now turning to Amazon, which has also placed artificial intelligence at the centre of its long-term growth strategy.Amazon Web Services remains a core driver of revenue, but the company’s progress in artificial intelligence development has become a critical focus for investors. Some analysts have viewed Amazon as trailing competitors in AI innovation, a perception that has weighed on market sentiment toward the stock. Despite its position among large-cap technology leaders that have powered equity market gains for years, Amazon’s share price has declined by more than 1% over the past 12 months.However, in October, Amazon reported revenue growth supported by AI-related services and announced plans to expand its global data centre capacity.For the key holiday quarter, Amazon is expected to report a 21% increase in AWS net sales, excluding currency impacts. Overall revenue is projected to reach $211.49 billion, with earnings per share estimated at $1.96, according to Bloomberg consensus forecasts.



ECB and BOE policy decisions in focus



Beyond corporate developments, attention is turning toward monetary policy decisions in Europe. The European Central Bank is widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged at 2% during Thursday’s meeting, marking the fifth consecutive decision to hold rates steady. However, the sharp decline in eurozone inflation in January may raise concerns among policymakers.Recent data showed eurozone consumer price inflation slowed to 1.7% year-on-year in January from 1.9% in December, falling below the ECB’s 2% inflation target.Economists at Deutsche Bank, including Mark Wall and Peter Sidorov, wrote in a client note that while interest rates are expected to remain unchanged in 2026, risks continue to lean toward “further easing given the expected undershoot of the inflation target.”They added that developments such as the strengthening euro against a weaker U.S. dollar highlight this risk, although the argument for additional rate cuts “has not been proven yet.”The Bank of England is also expected to keep its benchmark rate unchanged at 3.75%, with analysts pointing to ongoing inflation pressures despite emerging signs of a softer labour market.



Precious metals retreat as dollar strengthens



Gold prices declined after reversing earlier gains, while silver dropped sharply following a brief rebound earlier in the week.Weakness in metals resumed as the U.S. dollar strengthened ahead of the European central bank meetings, putting pressure on commodity markets.Silver recorded the steepest losses among precious metals, with spot prices falling as much as 16% to $73.5565 per ounce during Asian trading. Silver futures for March delivery dropped by a similar margin, reaching an intraday low of $73.383 per ounce.The sell-off began in Chinese markets, where a sharp decline in Shanghai silver futures spread to global spot trading. The downturn erased much of silver’s recent recovery and pushed prices closer to lows reached last week.“Even as prices of precious metals are now less elevated following the correction, sensitivity to the [dollar], yield repricing, and uncertainty around Fed policy under new leadership remains high. While positioning has likely reset to some extent, confidence may not have fully restored, pointing to a potential period of choppier, two-way trading,” Christopher Wong, FX strategist at OCBC said.Alphabet stock priceAmazon stock price

Original: Alphabet’s AI Spending Signals, Amazon Earnings and Central Bank Decisions Drive Market Focus: Dow Jones, S&P, Nasdaq, Wall Street Futures

Software Shares Slide as Alphabet Earnings Loom; Gold Rebounds: Dow Jones, S&P, Nasdaq, Wall Street FuturesFebruary 4, 2026 5:21 AM
IH Market News
Futures tied to major U.S. equity indices were modestly higher, even as a sharp sell-off in software stocks and looming earnings from big technology names shaped market sentiment. Investors are awaiting quarterly results from Google parent Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG), due after the opening bell, with particular focus on spending plans linked to artificial intelligence. Elsewhere, reports said Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran has stepped down from his role as a White House economic adviser, while fresh U.S. services-sector data is due and gold prices climb back toward $5,100 an ounce.



Futures point higher despite tech jitters



U.S. equity futures edged up early Wednesday as markets weighed growing unease around AI-exposed software stocks against anticipation of results from mega-cap technology groups.By 02:53 ET, Dow futures were up 134 points, or 0.3%, S&P 500 futures had added 19 points, or 0.3%, and Nasdaq 100 futures were higher by 57 points, or 0.2%.Wall Street’s main indices fell sharply in the previous session, dragged lower by heavy losses in AI leaders Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), both of which slid nearly 3%. Sentiment toward software stocks has deteriorated as investors worry about intensifying competition from new AI models.Those concerns deepened after AI firm Anthropic launched a new legal-analysis tool, triggering steep declines in shares of publishing and data companies such as Thomson Reuters (NYSE:TRI) and LegalZoom (NASDAQ:LZ). The weakness spread across the sector, hitting names including PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL) and Expedia Group (NASDAQ:EXPE), which both fell more than 10%. According to the Wall Street Journal, two S&P indices tracking software, financial data and exchange companies together shed about $300 billion in market value.“[T]he big story was the collapse in tech as the market increasingly views AI as a net negative, with companies levered to the aggressive infrastructure build no longer benefiting while fears about AI disruption and displacement decimate wide swaths of the market,” analysts at Vital Knowledge said in a note.Not all stocks were under pressure, however. Shares of Walmart (NYSE:WMT) surged after the retailer continued to gain market share from cost-conscious consumers, lifting its market capitalisation to $1 trillion for the first time.



Alphabet results in focus



Against this volatile backdrop, traders are bracing for Alphabet’s earnings release later in the day. Attention is expected to centre on the group’s costly push into artificial intelligence, which includes billions of dollars earmarked for data centres and specialised chips.Alphabet shares jumped roughly 29% in the final three months of 2025, buoyed by strong reception for its latest Gemini AI model and a partnership with Apple to support the iPhone maker’s Siri voice assistant. Analysts cited by Reuters have suggested Alphabet has pulled ahead in the race to develop and monetise AI, overtaking rivals such as Microsoft, which had previously benefited from early investments in AI developers.“Google sentiment is (justifiably) very bullish as the company’s core advertising businesses continue to perform very well while it emerges as the best positioned firm in the entire AI ecosystem,” the Vital Knowledge analysts said. They cautioned, however, that it remains unclear whether strong results will stabilise sentiment around AI or instead intensify concerns about the wider ecosystem surrounding competitors like OpenAI.Further insight into the health of the tech sector may come on Thursday, when Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) is scheduled to report. Outside technology, pharmaceutical group Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY), which has made major investments in weight-loss drugs, is also among the earnings highlights before U.S. markets open later Wednesday.



Reports: Miran exits White House adviser role



Media reports said Stephen Miran has resigned from his position as an economic adviser to the White House, honouring a commitment he made to the U.S. Senate. The move allows Miran—appointed last year by President Donald Trump to temporarily fill a vacancy on the Federal Reserve Board until January 31—to remain at the central bank until a successor is confirmed.“I promised the Senate that if I should stay on the Board past January, I would formally depart the Council,” Miran said in a resignation letter cited by multiple outlets, adding that it was “important to stay true to my word.”Since joining the Fed, Miran has been a vocal advocate for aggressive interest-rate cuts, often diverging sharply from other policymakers. His stance has aligned with Trump’s calls for rapid rate reductions to support economic growth, drawing criticism from some Democratic senators who have urged him to resign from the Fed board “immediately.”



U.S. services data awaited



The Federal Reserve last month held rates steady in the 3.5%–3.75% range, despite dissent from Miran and Fed Governor Christopher Waller. While labour market indicators have softened, inflation has remained above the Fed’s 2% target, reducing urgency among policymakers to resume the aggressive easing seen in 2025.With the monthly U.S. jobs report delayed earlier this week, attention will turn to other indicators, including January data on services-sector activity. The Institute for Supply Management’s non-manufacturing PMI is expected at 53.5, down from 54.4 previously. Readings above 50 signal expansion.



Gold climbs back toward $5,100



Gold prices pushed higher on Wednesday, moving back toward $5,100 per ounce as renewed tensions between the U.S. and Iran boosted demand for safe-haven assets. The metal extended gains after rebounding sharply from losses earlier in the week.Safe-haven buying intensified following reports that the U.S. shot down an Iranian drone approaching a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea. Separately, Iranian gunboats were seen near a U.S.-linked tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.These developments undermined earlier comments from Tehran and Washington suggesting talks would take place on Friday. News of the planned discussions had briefly eased market anxiety and reduced demand for gold.Alphabet stock priceNvidia stock priceMicrosoft stock priceThomson Reuters stock priceLegalZoom.com stock pricePayPal stock priceExpedia stock priceWalmart stock price

Original: Software Shares Slide as Alphabet Earnings Loom; Gold Rebounds: Dow Jones, S&P, Nasdaq, Wall Street Futures

I think direction looks right, optics still noisy.

Five market themes to track in the coming weekFebruary 2, 2026 9:56 AM
IH Market News
A packed calendar of U.S. economic data and high-profile corporate earnings could shape market direction in the days ahead. Investors will be watching the U.S. labour market closely, while results from major technology names such as Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG) and Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) are set to dominate headlines. Outside tech, Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) may offer fresh signals from the fast-growing obesity drug space.



1. U.S. employment data in focus



Attention turns to the U.S. jobs report due on Friday, one of the most influential releases for markets. Economists expect nonfarm payrolls to rise by around 67,000 in January, compared with 50,000 in December, while the unemployment rate is forecast to hold steady at 4.4%.Labour market conditions remain central to expectations for Federal Reserve policy. The Fed left rates unchanged at 3.5%–3.75% in January, pointing to stabilising employment trends and inflation that remains above target but no longer accelerating.If upcoming data reinforce the view that the labour market is holding firm, investors may further push out expectations for the next rate cut, currently seen around June. Adding uncertainty, President Donald Trump’s nomination of Kevin Warsh as his preferred next Fed chair has revived debate about the future direction of U.S. monetary policy.



2. Alphabet earnings under the spotlight



Among corporate releases, Alphabet’s results on Wednesday are likely to be a major focus, particularly its progress in artificial intelligence. Like other mega-cap peers, the Google owner has committed billions of dollars to AI-related infrastructure, including data centres and advanced chips.Alphabet shares rallied roughly 29% in the final quarter of 2025, buoyed by positive reception to its Gemini AI model and a partnership with Apple to support Siri. Some analysts believe Alphabet has now moved into a leading position in the race to develop and monetise AI, overtaking rivals that had earlier advantages.



3. Amazon set to report



Amazon will follow with earnings after the market close on Thursday. While its shares rose a more modest 5.1% in the fourth quarter, sentiment around its AI positioning remains constructive.A key driver has been a November agreement with OpenAI under which the AI company committed to a seven-year, $38 billion cloud services deal. The partnership has lifted confidence in Amazon Web Services, with expectations that the bulk of the planned computing capacity will be operational by the end of this year and could expand further in 2027.



4. Eli Lilly’s update on obesity drugs



Outside the technology sector, Eli Lilly’s quarterly results on Wednesday could provide further insight into the booming weight-loss drug market. The company briefly surpassed a $1 trillion market capitalisation last year, underlining investor enthusiasm for its metabolic drug franchise.Its tirzepatide treatment, sold as Mounjaro for diabetes and Zepbound for obesity, overtook Merck’s Keytruda as the world’s top-selling drug in the third quarter. Lilly’s success has also put pressure on competitors, including Novo Nordisk, which has faced supply constraints and questions around relative efficacy.



5. Precious metals retreat



Gold and silver started the week on the back foot after a dramatic sell-off late last week. Spot gold fell nearly 10% on Friday and slipped a further 4.9% to about $4,626 per ounce early Monday, well below the $5,000 level reached only days earlier. Silver also remained under pressure, hovering near $79 an ounce.Market watchers attribute the sharp pullback to a stronger U.S. dollar and widespread profit-taking following months of rapid gains, factors that could continue to influence sentiment in the near term.Alphabet stock priceAmazon stock priceEli Lilly stock price

Original: Five market themes to track in the coming week

Ring, Habitat for Humanity, and Paris Johnson Jr. Foundation Team Up to Bring Housing Support to Glendale FamiliesJanuary 31, 2026 8:00 AM
Business Wire
Ring, whose mission is to make neighborhoods safer, announced a joint initiative with Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona and Paris Johnson Jr. Foundation to donate and install Ring home security products for Habitat for Humanity families in Glendale, Arizona.


Today, a volunteer team led by Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman Paris Johnson Jr. and Ring founder and chief inventor Jamie Siminoff will be on the ground to meet and greet Habitat families, support installations and help ensure residents are comfortable using their new devices. Ring customer support staff will complete installations and walk homeowners through setup and functionality to ensure a smooth, hands-on experience.


“We are thrilled to see this kind of partnership in action - a generous supporter like Ring, a local fan favorite like Paris Johnson Jr., and something truly special for our Habitat homeowners,” said Todd Rogers, President & CEO, Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona. “We are deeply grateful to everyone involved for making a positive impact in our community.”


As part of the initiative, Ring will donate and install four Ring devices in each home—44 devices total—at no cost to the families. Products will include Ring Wired Doorbell Pro 4K, Ring Spotlight Cam Solar, Ring Outdoor Cam Plug-In and Ring Chime Pro. Ring will also provide a $20,000 donation to Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona and a $20,000 donation to the Paris Johnson Jr. Foundation, totaling $40,000 in additional support.


“This event is about more than technology—it’s about community, safety, and showing up for families in a meaningful way,” said Jamie Siminoff, founder of Ring. “Partnering with Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona and Paris Johnson Jr. Foundation allows us to make a real impact where it matters most—at home.”


Paris Johnson Jr. added, “Giving back to families and helping them feel safe in their homes is incredibly important to me. I’m proud to partner with Ring and Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona to support these homeowners and spend time with them in their community.”


This collaborative effort reflects a shared commitment among Ring, Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona, and Paris Johnson Jr. Foundation to support local families and strengthen neighborhoods through access to community safety and engagement.


About Ring


Since its founding in 2013, Ring has been on a mission to make neighborhoods safer, together for everyone. From the first-ever Video Doorbell, to the award-winning DIY Ring Alarm system, Ring’s smart home security product line, as well as the Neighbors app, offers users affordable whole-home and neighborhood security. At Ring, we are committed to making security accessible and convenient for everyone—while working hard to bring communities together. Ring is an Amazon company. For more information, visit www.ring.com. With Ring, you’re always home.


About Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona


Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building safe, decent, and affordable homes, as well as making critical repairs and improvements for families in Central Arizona. Through the support of generous donors and volunteers, Habitat has been transforming communities and changing lives since 1985. Our mission is to bring people together to build homes, communities, and hope. To learn more about our work and how you can get involved, please visit habitatcaz.org or connect with us on Twitter @habitatcaz.


About The Paris Johnson Jr. Foundation


The Paris Johnson Jr. Foundation was founded in 2018 by Paris Johnson Jr. and his family. Paris, the #6 pick in the NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals, and former All American Offensive Lineman for the Ohio State Buckeyes, was also a 3X Scholar Athlete, Academic All-Big 10 and graduated in three years with a degree in Journalism from The Ohio State University. The Foundation is dedicated to empowering and serving disabled veterans and disadvantaged student athletes with dignity and respect. These goals are accomplished by ensuring that veterans, student athletes and their families can obtain helpful resources that benefit them. Through the family’s faith, and desire to elevate those who need it most, they created the foundation to help lift these communities. To learn more, visit the website or follow on Twitter.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260130071048/en/
Media Contact

Ring PR

media@ring.com


Original: Ring, Habitat for Humanity, and Paris Johnson Jr. Foundation Team Up to Bring Housing Support to Glendale Families

Amazon Plans 16,000 Job Cuts in Second Large-Scale Layoff This YearJanuary 28, 2026 1:33 PM
IH Market News
Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) said on Wednesday it will eliminate 16,000 roles globally, marking its second major round of job cuts in the past three months as the company continues to reshape its workforce following pandemic-era hiring and accelerates the use of artificial intelligence across its operations.The move follows the reduction of 14,000 corporate positions announced in late October, part of a broader effort outlined by chief executive Andy Jassy to streamline decision-making, reduce layers of management and cut back what he described as excess bureaucracy.In an internal memo to staff, Beth Galetti, senior vice president of People Experience and Technology, said that while many teams completed their restructuring plans in October, others have only now finished reviewing their organizational setups.Most employees in the United States who are impacted will be given 90 days to explore alternative roles within the company, while timelines for workers in other countries will depend on local labor regulations. Those who do not secure a new position, or opt not to pursue one, will be offered transition support, including severance packages, outplacement assistance and continued health benefits where applicable.Galetti stressed that the latest announcement does not signal a cycle of repeated, company-wide layoffs every few months, but noted that teams will continue to assess “ownership, speed, and capacity to invent for customers” and make changes when necessary.Amazon is due to release its next set of quarterly earnings results next week. The company’s shares are up about 8% so far this year.Amazon stock price

Original: Amazon Plans 16,000 Job Cuts in Second Large-Scale Layoff This Year

AMZN, zig zagging higher

Good buy under $230 in it 🚀