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☆ Departing Intel exec to focus on loosening Nvidia's grip on AI for movies, games
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Stephen Nellis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

New software tools can generate fresh imagery from just a text prompt and hold great promise for fields like visual effects and video games, Koduri said. Koduri, a veteran of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD.O) and Apple Inc (AAPL.O), joined Intel five years ago. But Koduri, who has worked on nearly two dozen generations of computer graphics chips, has also had a long interest in movies. "Because to truly democratize AI computing for everybody, we have got to get the cost down dramatically." Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by Leslie Adler and Alison WilliamsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ These 74 stocks across 5 categories of AI are the top picks from the sector's leading fund managers.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( Laila Maidan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

These 74 stocks are picked by AI ETF managers. What she believes is unique about her fund is its heavy focus on quantum computing technology, making up 41.22% of the fund. While big data is used for different technologies, it enables AI to work with massive data sets in its machine-learning process. TipRanks, a financial technology website that uses AI to analyze financial data, created a stock list for what they deem are the best AI stocks based on popularity. TipRanks' list of nine of the best AI stocks have large market caps and are likely to remain relevant for a long time.

☆ Microsoft Signs Third ‘Call of Duty’ Deal as It Seeks Approval to Buy Activision Blizzard
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Kim Mackrael | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

An image released by Activision Blizzard shows a scene from ‘Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare.’BRUSSELS— Microsoft Corp. President Brad Smith said the company reached a deal with cloud gaming company Boosteroid on distributing “Call of Duty” videogames and expects more agreements to follow as the software giant pushes to convince regulators to approve its planned $75 billion acquisition of the videogame franchise’s owner, Activision Blizzard Inc.Microsoft said Boosteroid is the largest independent cloud-streaming company, with about four million users globally, including in the European Union, the U.K. and the U.S. The 10-year agreement would allow its customers to stream Activision games including ‘‘Call of Duty” if the acquisition goes through, Microsoft said. It is the third such pact Microsoft has signed. It previously reached similar deals with console maker Nintendo Co. and chip maker Nvidia Corp.

☆ Qualcomm spars with EU antitrust regulators over Huawei, ZTE rebates
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LUXEMBOURG, March 14 (Reuters) - Qualcomm (QCOM.O) on Tuesday criticised European Union antitrust regulators over their definition of rebates given to Chinese phone makers Huawei and ZTE in the second day of a court hearing aimed at overturning a 242-million-euro ($259 million) fine. The EU competition enforcer said an analysis of Qualcomm's prices showed it sold some of its chips below cost to Huawei (HWT.UL) and ZTE (000063.SZ), with rebates and discounts driving the final prices down. Had the Commission made those two simple corrections, you would have found no predation," Athina Kontasakou told the court. Martin Farley, a lawyer for the Commission, defended its analysis of Qualcomm's prices as "fundamentally correct and robust". The case is T-671/19 Qualcomm v Commission.

☆ Qualcomm looks to Europe court again to overturn antitrust fine
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LUXEMBOURG, March 13 (Reuters) - U.S. chipmaker Qualcomm (QCOM.O) returned to Europe's second-top court on Monday seeking to overturn a 242-million-euro ($258.4 million) EU antitrust fine, a year after it convinced the same court to throw out a much bigger penalty in another antitrust case. Qualcomm lawyer Miguel Rato criticised the Commission's investigations against the company on the first day of the three-day hearing. The first was the exclusivity decision squashed by the Court," he told the General Court. "What price should Qualcomm have charged for each chipset and each quarter to allow it to pass the price cost test?" Qualcomm feared that if it did not take action, Icera would grow to expand and become a formidable rival," he said.

☆ Microsoft tells UK it will license 'Call of Duty' to Sony for 10 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Paul Sandle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Microsoft last month struck a similar deal with Nvidia Corp's (NVDA.O) gaming platform, dependent on it getting the go-ahead for the much-contested acquisition. Microsoft President Brad Smith had said he hoped that rival Sony - which has strongly opposed the takeover - would consider doing the same type of deal. Britain's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in February said the deal could weaken the rivalry between Microsoft's Xbox and Sony's PlayStation, and stifle competition in cloud gaming. It suggested that structural remedies could be needed to allay its concerns, including divesting the business associated with 'Call of Duty.' The biggest-ever deal in gaming, announced in January last year, is facing scrutiny in the United States and in Europe.

☆ U.S. reviewing China's Inspur Group entity listing
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Karen Freifeld | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 7 (Reuters) - The United States is reviewing China's Inspur Group Co Ltd's entity listing and will update it as appropriate, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Commerce said. The United States last week added Inspur to its trade blacklist for allegedly acquiring U.S.-origin items in support of the China's military modernization efforts. The listing means that companies cannot sell Inspur items like semiconductors, which are made with U.S. tools, unless they apply for and get licenses, which are likely to be denied. Nvidia Corp (NVDA.O), Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD.O) and other U.S. firms are racing to assess whether they must halt sales to units of China's Inspur Group Ltd after its addition to the list. Reporting by Karen Freifeld; Editing by Mark PorterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

March 7 (Reuters) - Nvidia Corp (NVDA.O), Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD.O) and other tech firms are scrambling to assess whether they must halt sales to units of China's Inspur Group Ltd after its addition to a U.S. export blacklist last week. The United States last week added Inspur to its trade blacklist for allegedly acquiring U.S.-origin items in support of the China's military modernization efforts. Executives from AMD and Nvidia were questioned about dealings with Inspur Group Co Ltd. at an investor conference on Monday. An Nvidia spokesperson declined to comment beyond her remarks. An AMD spokesperson did not return a request for additional comment on AMD Chief Technology Officer Mark Papermaster's remarks made at the same conference.

☆ Factbox: JetBlue-Spirit deal flies into Biden administration's tough scrutiny
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

March 7 (Reuters) - The $3.8 billion merger between JetBlue Airways Corp (JBLU.O) and Spirit Airlines Inc (SAVE.N) is in the crosshairs of the U.S. Justice Department, making it the latest major deal to attract tough regulatory scrutiny. Large deals, including Nvidia Corp's (NVDA.O) bid to buy UK-based chip firm Arm Ltd, have been abandoned following regulatory hurdles. Here is a list of some mergers that faced strong antitrust scrutiny under the Biden regime:DEALS UNDER SCRUTINYDEALS BLOCKED & ABANDONEDDEALS THAT WENT THROUGHReporting by Chavi Mehta in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila and Anil D'SilvaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Arm is expected to confidentially submit paperwork for its initial public offering in late April, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the discussions are confidential. The listing is expected to happen later this year and the exact timing will be determined by market conditions, the sources added. SoftBank has picked four investment banks to lead what is expected to be the most high-profile stock market flotation in recent years. The preparations for the IPO are expected to be kick-started in the U.S. in the coming days, the sources said. The valuation range has not yet been finalized but Cambridge, England-based Arm is hoping to be valued at more than $50 billion during its share sale, the sources said.

☆ Exclusive: Nvidia's plans for sales to Huawei imperiled if U.S. tightens Huawei curbs-draft
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( Alexandra Alper | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/3] The logo of Nvidia Corporation is seen during the annual Computex computer exhibition in Taipei, Taiwan May 30, 2017. Nvidia's plans to sell to Huawei have not been previously reported. Reuters could not learn the details of the specific policy change whose impact was being assessed in the report. The report suggested Qualcomm would likely suffer a "moderate economic impact" from the change in policy, in contrast to Huawei. Indeed, the loss of access to Qualcomm's modem chips would have a bigger impact on Huawei, the report forecast, since Huawei "relies heavily on Qualcomm's modem chips to support its smart phone offering."

☆ Chip Designer Arm Intends to List in New York
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Ben Dummett | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son has been talking up Arm in an IPO road-show-like fashion. LONDON—Arm Ltd., the British chip designer that SoftBank Group Corp. tried unsuccessfully to sell to Nvidia Corp., said it intends to list its shares in New York, a move that comes amid a race between the U.S., Europe and China to build out their semiconductor ecosystems. SoftBank last year abandoned plans to sell Arm outright amid growing global regulatory centered on Arm’s dominance in designing the chip technology that powers much of the world’s mobile devices. SoftBank initially agreed to a $40 billion price tag, but SoftBank Chief Executive Masayoshi Son had at one point valued the cash-and-stock deal closer to $80 billion after a sharp rise in Nvidia shares.

☆ U.K. Chip Designer Arm Plans New York Share Listing, in Blow to London’s Stock Market
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Ben Dummett | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON—British chip designer Arm Ltd. said it intends to list its shares in New York, a blow to London’s stock exchange and a move that comes amid a race between the U.S., Europe and China to build out their semiconductor ecosystems. SoftBank Group Corp. last year abandoned plans to sell Arm to Nvidia Corp. amid growing regulatory scrutiny centered on Arm’s dominance of the chip technology that powers many of the world’s mobile devices. SoftBank initially agreed to a $40 billion price tag, but its chief executive, Masayoshi Son , at one point valued the cash-and-stock deal closer to $80 billion after a sharp rise in Nvidia shares.

☆ AI boost lifts Broadcom forecast amid lingering enterprise weakness
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Chavi Mehta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] The Broadcom Limited company logo is shown outside one of their office complexes in Irvine, California, U.S., March 4, 2021. REUTERS/Mike BlakeMarch 2 (Reuters) - Broadcom Inc (AVGO.O) forecast second-quarter revenue above estimates on Thursday, as increased investments in artificial intelligence spur demand for its chips used in data centers. Broadcom, which supplies chips used in data centers for networking and specialized chips that speed up AI work, expects networking revenue to grow 20% in the current quarter. While analysts spotted green shoots in the AI space, they also saw weaknesses emerge in areas such as broadband and cloud spending. The chip designer expects current-quarter revenue to be about $8.7 billion, while analysts on average expect $8.59 billion, according to Refinitiv data.

☆ Here are Thursday's biggest analyst calls: Apple, Tesla, Snowflake, Salesforce, Nio, Nvidia & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

JPMorgan downgrades Nio to neutral from overweight JPMorgan said it sees too many challenges after the Nio's earnings report on Wednesday. JPMorgan downgrades Dollar Tree to neutral from overweight JPMorgan said it sees too many macro headwinds for the discount retailer. Morgan Stanley upgrades Pinduoduo to overweight from equal weight Morgan Stanley said the ag-tech company is a "long-term growth story." Morgan Stanley reiterates Liberty Formula One as overweight Morgan Stanley said it's bullish on shares of the auto racing company. Morgan Stanley reiterates Tesla as overweight Morgan Stanley said competitors can't keep up after Tesla's investor day on Wednesday.

☆ Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices are strong buys to play A.I. trends, Raymond James says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices are strong buys given their artificial intelligence leadership, according to Raymond James. Analyst Srini Pajjuri resumed coverage of the semiconductor stocks, saying the two companies will emerge as winners as enthusiasm ramps up for artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies. "Nvidia Corporation is the undisputed leader in AI/ML and arguably has the best autonomous driving solutions," Pajjuri wrote in a Wednesday note. Meanwhile, Advanced Micro Devices is an "underappreciated play on AI/ML," according to the analyst. "While valuations look a bit stretched, we expect upward estimate revisions to start in 2H23 as inventories normalize, setting the stage for continued outperformance," the analyst wrote.

☆ Futures rise in positive start to March
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummarySummary Companies Futures up: Dow 0.22%, S&P 0.31%, Nasdaq 0.50%March 1 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures rose on Wednesday, putting Wall Street on course for a positive start to March, as strong Chinese manufacturing data outweighed concerns that the Federal Reserve's policies will remain restrictive for longer. Traders are pricing in expectations that the Fed will raise rates in coming months to a 5.25%-5.50% range, from the current 4.50%-4.75% range. That's slightly higher than where Fed policymakers in December signaled they would need to take the policy rate. ET, Dow e-minis were up 71 points, or 0.22%, S&P 500 e-minis were up 12.25 points, or 0.31%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 60 points, or 0.5%. The electric carmaker is readying a production revamp of its top-selling Model Y, Reuters reported, citing people familiar with the plan.

☆ Nvidia files mixed shelf offering of up to $10 bln
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Feb 28 (Reuters) - U.S. chipmaker Nvidia Corp (NVDA.O) filed a mixed shelf offering of as much as $10 billion with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday. The mixed shelf will include shares of its common stock, preferred stock, warrants, debt securities and purchase contracts, the company said. Reporting by Eva Mathews in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra EluriOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ In the Whirl of ChatGPT, Startups See an Opening for Their AI Chips
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Isabelle Bousquette | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

Generative AI and large language models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT require massive amounts of computing power to run, and typically rely on chips like Nvidia’s graphics-processing units, or GPUs, that are specialized for these types of calculations. Graphcore sells primarily to AI startups looking to build and train models at lower cost, he said, and the company is benefiting from the proliferation of those startups. Shane Rau, who leads International Data Corp.’s semiconductor research, said chip startups are increasingly pivoting to focus their products on supporting large language models. Still, he added, “you’re going to see a combination of real adaptation and marketing.”“There will be the pressure to say: ‘Hey, we’re already relevant, our AI chip technology’s already relevant to generative AI’,” said Mr. Rau. Some chip makers say they expect yet another surge in demand once businesses more widely adopt generative AI.

The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index, the Fed's preferred gauge of inflation, shot up 0.6% last month after gaining 0.2% in December. In the 12 months through January, the PCE index accelerated 5.4% after rising 5.3% in December. "This PCE number, which to me is a vital number, clearly suggests that the Fed has more to do. ET, Dow e-minis were down 352 points, or 1.06%, S&P 500 e-minis were down 48.25 points, or 1.2%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 202.5 points, or 1.66%. A string of Fed policymakers including Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester and Boston Fed President Susan Collins are also slated to speak.

☆ Morning Bid: A new R*
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Joshua RobertsA look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Wayne Cole. While it held rates at 3.5% as expected, the commentary warned that restrictive policy would be needed for a "considerable time". Indeed, it's looking like global supply chains will never be the same, what with the pandemic, the Russian-Ukraine war and Sino-U.S. tensions. Most developed nations also face a decline in working-age populations and sharply rising dependency ratios. All of which suggests higher inflation is here to stay and the neutral level of real interest rates has shifted upward.

☆ Wall St set for higher open as Nvidia outweighs Fed jitters
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Johann M Cherian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Futures cut some gains after data showed the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week. "Markets are tracking the earnings reports overnight from Nvidia," said Robert Pavlik, senior portfolio manager at Dakota Wealth. ET, Dow e-minis were up 39 points, or 0.12%, S&P 500 e-minis were up 15 points, or 0.38%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 106.25 points, or 0.88%. Analysts polled by Reuters predict a correction within the next three months even though they expect the S&P 500 (.SPX) to climb 5% by year-end. Moderna Inc (MRNA.O) fell 4.4% after the vaccine maker reaffirmed its annual sales forecast of $5 billion for its COVID-19 vaccines despite its fourth-quarter sales exceeding estimates.

☆ Nvidia results show its growing lead in AI chip race
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Chavi Mehta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, shows the Drive Pegasus robotaxi AI computer at his keynote address at CES in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. January 7, 2018. AI has emerged as a bright spot for investments in the tech industry, whose slowing growth has led to widespread layoffs and a cutback on experimental bets. SPECIALIZED CHIPSGraphics processing units are designed to handle the specific kind of math involved in AI computing very efficiently, while generic central processing units (CPUs) from Intel can handle a broader range of computing tasks with less efficiency. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD.O), whose shares also rose after Nvidia earnings on Wednesday, is the second-biggest player in the GPU industry, with a market share of roughly 20%. Nvidia's strength in the AI industry has also attracted the attention of venture capitalists and startups, which are investing billions of dollars and promising improvements such as lower electricity consumption.

☆ Israeli blockchain chip startup Chain Reaction raises $70 mln
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Jane Lanhee Lee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

OAKLAND, Calif., Feb 23 (Reuters) - Tel Aviv-based blockchain chip startup Chain Reaction on Thursday said it raised $70 million which will be used to expand its engineering team as it develops its next chip and rolls out its first one to the market this year. Alon Webman, co-founder and CEO of Chain Reaction, told Reuters that the company will start mass producing its blockchain chip Electrum in the first quarter this year. He said the chip is designed to carry out blockchain operations called "hashing" very fast and power efficiently and also can be used for mining digital currencies like bitcoin. He is the co-founder of Mellanox Technologies Ltd., a datacenter networking chip company that U.S. chip supplier Nvidia Corp (NVDA.O) bought for nearly $7 billion in 2020. The latest funding round was led by Morgan Creek Digital, a venture capital firm specializing in blockchain technology, AI, and digital assets, and brings the total raised to $115 million.

☆ Nvidia stock jumps on Wall Street praise, bolstering the Club case in the chipmaker
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Fourteen of those 18 analysts rate the stock a buy, or buy equivalent, compared with four who maintain hold ratings. But Goldman Sachs was the only bank to raise its stock rating on Nvidia, to buy from neutral, making its research note on the chipmaker Thursday's most notable. In addition to now recommending clients buy Nvidia stock, Goldman boosted its 12-month price target to $275 a share from $162. Big picture NVDA 1Y mountain Nvidia's stock performance over the past 12 months. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

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