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Microsoft’s video-game bet suffers a huge blowBritain’s mergers regulator on Wednesday blocked Microsoft’s $69 billion takeover bid for Activision Blizzard, ruling that buying the maker of “Call of Duty” would give the tech giant too much control of the thriving market for cloud-based video games. Shares in Activision tumbled 12 percent in premarket trading, while Microsoft’s stock was up almost 8 percent after a solid earnings report. The deal risks “undermining the innovation” happening in cloud gaming, the C.M.A. said, by giving control of popular game titles to Microsoft, which owns the Xbox platform. (Cloud gaming isn’t reliant on users owning expensive consoles.)

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Microsoft, Chipotle, Boeing, First Republic Bank and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Check out the companies making the biggest moves midday:Microsoft — Shares of tech giant Microsoft gained more than 8% Wednesday after a better-than-expected earnings report a day earlier. The company earned $1.17 per share on $69.79 billion in revenue, while analysts polled by Refinitiv expected it to earn $1.07 per share on revenue of $68.9 billion. The company also announced a $70 billion share buyback. 107230585First Republic — Shares of the regional bank fell more than 20% on Wednesday, extending their steep losses for the week. However, deposits for the first quarter totaled about $28.2 billion, down from $33.9 billion from the fourth quarter of 2022.

☆ Microsoft's blockbuster Activision deal may be doomed. But the tech giant's future is still bright
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Microsoft 's (MSFT) proposed blockbuster acquisition of video-game publisher Activision Blizzard (ATVI) may be doomed thanks to British regulators. The U.K.'s top antitrust body — the Competition and Markets Authority — said Wednesday that it opposes Microsoft's $69 billion bid because of competition concerns in the budding cloud gaming market. Microsoft's multipart gaming business includes Xbox consoles, cloud-based Xbox Game Pass service and in-house titles, such as the long-running "Halo" series. The CMA's opposition centered on competition concerns in the burgeoning world of cloud gaming, which Jefferies analysts estimate is less than 2% of the overall gaming market. Cloud gaming enables players to, essentially, stream video games without having to buy a physical console.

☆ 10 Things in Tech: Charlie Bell speaks, Amazon RTO, and the lucrative side of teaching ChatGPT
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Amazon needs to watch out for Charlie Bell. A founder of Amazon Web Services and the firm's "best person in the room," Bell shook the industry last September when he joined Microsoft. Bell will be overseeing a new cybersecurity division at Microsoft — but insiders at both Amazon and Microsoft wonder if he'll go more directly up against his former employer. My colleague Ashley Stewart examines the growing threat of Microsoft now that Bell is free from his noncompete purgatory. Look into the future here for Bell — and Microsoft — without Amazon's restrictions.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Activision Blizzard, Chipotle, First Republic Bank & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Pia Singh | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The company said Tuesday its upcoming quarterly revenue will range from $700 million to $750 million, compared to the expected $765.2 million from analysts surveyed by StreetAccount. The company reported an adjusted loss of $1.27 per share and $17.92 billion in revenue. Activision Blizzard — Activision Blizzard shares dropped about 10.4% in the premarket after a UK regulator blocked Microsoft's purchase of the video game publisher. ServiceNow will be announcing its quarterly earnings Wednesday after the bell. The gain came after fellow tech-related giant Microsoft reported quarterly earnings that exceeded expectations, boosting sentiment for Amazon.

☆ 'The risk of recession is far from priced in': JPMorgan warns stocks are set up for a 'bearish outcome' as investors crowd into the top names in the market at rates last seen in the 2000 and 2008 bubb
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( William Edwards | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Investors are crowding into the biggest stocks in the S&P 500 at levels seen in prior bubbles. On a surface level, the S&P 500 looks like it's having a stellar start to 2023. The chart below shows crowding levels in low-volatility stocks, which investors seek in recessionary environments. If the US economy continues to avoid a recession, stocks could be well positioned to continue their gains this year. But many strategists believe a downturn — or at least a pullback in earnings — will drag the S&P 500 down to its October 2022 lows, or worse.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves after hours: Enphase Energy, PacWest Bancorp, Chipotle, Microsoft and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Enphase Energy — The solar inverter company saw shares slide about 16% after hours after reporting a mixed quarter that included disappointing revenue results. PacWest Bancorp — Shares of the regional bank jumped 15% after PacWest said it has seen deposit inflows over the past month. PacWest also reported a net loss of $1.21 billion for the quarter, due largely to a goodwill impairment charge. Chipotle's earnings and revenue for the first quarter beat estimates by analysts surveyed by Refinitv. Microsoft — The tech giant's shares rose nearly 5% after the company reported quarterly earnings and revenue that exceeded analysts' expectations, according to Refinitiv.

☆ The 'real leader' in the S&P 500 isn't Apple or Microsoft — it's this stock, analyst says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Weizhen Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Tech stocks also make up much of the S & P 500, with the information technology sector forming 25.6% of the index, according to FactSet. "The leaders this year are definitely Apple and Microsoft ," Louis Navellier, chairman at Navellier & Associates, told CNBC's " Street Signs Asia " on Wednesday. "They are now the highest weightings ever in the S & P 500." "It dominates graphics chips, it dominates AI chips," he said, adding that Nvidia makes the "best" self-driving systems. Other stock picks Apart from Nvidia, Navellier had three other stock picks with high expected earnings growth.

☆ The rise of AI will only make Big Tech more powerful, NYU researchers warn
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Emilia David | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

That gives Big Tech companies an advantage. Last week, AI Now released a report detailing Big Tech's impact on AI development — finding that AI development has been "foundationally reliant" on resources controlled by Big Tech, including data and computing power. AI Now said Big Tech has also been positioned as a crucial part of the US-China race, giving them geopolitical importance. The report said much of the narrative around AI development has been shaped by Big Tech, from the idea that AI needs unrestricted innovation for social good to connecting AI development to societal progress. Myers West said better enforcement of antitrust laws and connecting competition with the concept of privacy could limit just how big Big Tech can get.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Micron, Pioneer Natural Resources, Block, AMC and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Pia Singh | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Micron Technology — Micron Technology's shares gained 8% after its rival Samsung Electronics announced that it plans to cut memory chip production in the near term. Excelerate Energy , EQT and other gas stocks — Shares of Excelerate Energy, EQT and other gas stocks ticked higher as natural gas futures climbed. Apple's stock price lost 2%, Google-parent Alphabet shed 2.8% and Microsoft lost 1.4%. New Fortress Energy — The stock gained 4% after Deutsche Bank initiated New Fortress as a buy. AMC's stock price popped 6.7%, IMAX soared by 2% and Cinemark gained 5.7%.

☆ Microsoft's $13 billion bet on OpenAI carries huge potential along with plenty of uncertainty
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

Microsoft's cumulative investment in OpenAI has reportedly swelled to $13 billion and the startup's valuation has hit roughly $29 billion. What does that mean for Microsoft's investment and broader arrangement? The structure changed in 2019, when two top executives published a blog post announcing the formation of a "capped-profit" entity called OpenAI LP. Microsoft has an exclusive license on GPT-4 and all other OpenAI models, the OpenAI spokesperson said. When considering potential exits for OpenAI, Microsoft — which does not hold an OpenAI board seat — would be the natural acquirer given its close entanglement.

☆ Chart analysts see danger ahead as tech comeback starts to lose steam
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The recent comeback in technology stocks is beginning to lose its luster, and that could mean trouble for the broader market. "We think the clock is ticking on tech's absolute and relative performance, and expect it to catch-down to the rest of the market," Krinsky wrote. That's created a resistance range between 12,881 and 12,944 and a first support level within the 12,466-12,400 range. Suttmeier also sees promise in the fact that the Nasdaq has held support within range of its 11,695 mid-March low and 12,000. "If the NDX continues to hold this support, the US equity market can stabilize and build a bigger base," he wrote.

Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading. GameStop -- The famed meme stock gained 2.5% in midday trading. The bank stock had been down about 14% after the bank's credit default swaps jumped without an apparent catalyst. Wells Fargo and JPMorgan — Shares of commercial bank giants were lower in midday trading, with Wells Fargo pulling back 2.3% while JPMorgan fell 2.2%. Activision Blizzard and Microsoft — Shares jumped 5% after the U.K. Competiton and Markets Authority dropped some of its concerns with the potential purchase of the company by Microsoft.

☆ Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s No. 1 tip for career success—if you don’t do this, ‘you can’t grow’
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Morgan Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella never expected to lead one of the world's largest, most powerful tech companies — he was just excited to work there, period. One of the most important lessons he learned in his decades at Microsoft — and his "best career advice" — is simple: "Don't wait for your next job to do your best work." Throughout his tenure at Microsoft, Nadella had to constantly adapt depending on the teams he worked with and the divisions he managed, all while keeping pace with fast-changing technologies. "You cannot grow if you don't think your growth comes because of what you're doing," he added. If you're feeling stuck at work or struggling to find meaning in your job, Nadella has advice for that, too.

☆ Bank troubles roil markets and make Fed's decision next week more fraught
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Patti Domm | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Even with Friday's sell-off, the S & P 500 and Nasdaq scored gains for the week. The S & P 500 rose 1.4%, compared to a tiny loss of 0.2% in the Dow . "If the U.S. economy is going into a recession, they're going to be buying less cloud service. On Friday, durable goods for February is reported, and there are releases of flash S & P Global PMI data for services and manufacturing. Durable goods 9:30 a.m. St. Louis Fed President James Bullard 9:45 a.m. S & P Global Manufacturing PMI 9:45 a.m. S & P Global Services PMI

☆ Two Google engineers built a ChatGPT-like AI chatbot years ago, but execs reportedly shut it down due to safety concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ex-Google engineers developed a conversational AI chatbot years ago, per The Wall Street Journal. Google is now racing to catch up with Microsoft's AI and plans to release its AI chatbot this year. "It caused a bit of a stir inside of Google," Shazeer said in an interview with investors Aarthi Ramamurthy and Sriram Krishnan last month. But Google's AI plans may now finally see the light of day, even as discussions around whether its chatbot can be responsibly launched continue. Alphabet chairman John Hennessy agreed that Google's chatbot wasn't "really ready for a product yet."

☆ Club holding Meta is likely to be a winner in the nascent generative AI battle
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Meta Platforms (META) is muscling its way into a heated AI arms race just as competitors Microsoft (MSFT) and Alphabet (GOOGL) are making big strides. Generative AI encompasses a set of machine learning techniques that allow computers to generate text, images and other media in response to human queries. The Facebook parent's generative AI capabilities are competitive, according to Mark Zgutowicz, a research analyst at Benchmark. META 1Y mountain Meta Platforms (META) one-year performance. We also expect Meta to benefit from it's partnership with Club holding Nvidia (NVDA), whose semiconductors and related software are integral to the generative AI field.

☆ A.I., chips and more: These top-rated ETFs offer a way to play tech's hottest trends
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Weizhen Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

One is the return of semiconductor stocks , as demand bounces back for chips; the other is artificial intelligence, following the buzz surrounding chatbot ChatGPT. CNBC Pro screened for the highest-rated ETFs with exposure to semiconductor and/or AI-related stocks (among others) using Morningstar data. The screen included four ETFs focused only on semiconductor stocks — all with a five-star rating. Three of the funds — the VanEck Semiconductor ETF , SPDR S & P Semiconductor ETF and iShares Semiconductor ETF — have Nvidia as their highest-weighted stock. The Invesco DWA Technology Momentum ETF also has a mix of semiconductor stocks (at 32% of the ETF) as well as other stocks with exposure to AI.

☆ A generation of high-profile women tech leaders have stepped aside. What’s next?
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Catherine Thorbecke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The tech industry has now lost an entire generation of trailblazing women leaders and replaced them mostly with men. And in the wake of the pandemic, women leaders in corporate America more broadly are more likely than ever to quit, according to the most recent Women in the Workplace report from McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.Org. Now that she’s departing, Big Tech is facing a new reckoning over its failure to promote and support women leaders, and what this could mean for the next generation of women in the industry. “Without women in the C-suite who have come before them, it could make this transition period tougher for next generation women leaders,” Kray said. “I think that what she achieved and what she modeled will be something that will live on beyond the fact that now we don’t have a female Big Tech CEO.”

☆ Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates says the rise of AI poses a threat to Google's search engine profit
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Bill Gates said in a podcast Google's search engine profits could fall as Microsoft moves into AI. Gates said AI is the "biggest thing in this decade" and could reshuffle the tech space. Microsoft unveiled an AI-powered Bing in a challenge to Google's search engine dominance. His comments came two weeks after Microsoft unveiled an AI-powered version of its Bing search engine, which pits itself as a challenger to Google's dominance in the search space. Just as Microsoft launched Bing, Alphabet — Google's parent company — also unveiled an AI service called Bard.

☆ The artificial intelligence war has Wall Street in a frenzy over Google, Microsoft, and anything related to bots
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

In case you missed it, last week Microsoft held an event that had the buzz of a Steve Jobs iPhone launch. Google Bard VS OpenAI ChatGPT displayed on Mobile with Openai and Google logo on screen seen in this photo illustration. In this two-horse race, Google certainly didn't do itself any favors in bumbling its own AI demo last week. But the battle will ultimately come down to Microsoft and Google, according to venture capitalist Vinod Khosla. Record highs for the stock market are within reach this year, according to Fundstrat.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Zillow, Microsoft, Meta, Fidelity National and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Microsoft — The technology corporation's shares rose more than 3% on Monday, pushing its market cap over $2 trillion once again, after Morgan Stanley reiterated its overweight rating for the stock. Ralph Lauren — Shares of the apparel giant rose almost 4% after Bank of America upgraded the stock to buy from neutral. Meta — The Facebook parent's stock rose nearly 3% after the Financial Times reported it is planning another round of layoffs. Five Below — The discount retailer's stock rose 2.9% after Roth MKM upgraded it to buy from hold, noting it sees attractive growth ahead. Late last week, Reuters reported that Tesla must open its supercharging network to competitors in order to qualify for U.S. subsidies.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Uber, Chipotle, Microsoft, Lumen and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Uber — The ride-hailing app's shares rose more than 7% after it posted fourth-quarter earnings that topped analyst estimates. Uber earned 29 cents a share, beating analysts' estimate of an 18 cent loss, Refinitiv data showed. This year's adjusted earnings guidance missed StreetAccount estimates. Fortinet — The cybersecurity company's shares rose 11% after it beat analysts' estimates in the most recent quarter by five cents a share, according to StreetAccount. Under Armour earned adjusted EPS of 16 cents vs a StreetAccount estimate of 9 cents.

☆ Want to play the ChatGPT buzz? Analysts love these A.I. stocks — giving one upside of 150%
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Weizhen Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Much buzz has been generated around ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot that's gone viral and reportedly reached 100 million monthly active users in January. Its popularity has sparked much interest in artificial intelligence tech . "You really have to consider the role that artificial intelligence is going to play … it's made this quantum leap almost, you know, overnight. For investors considering investing in AI, CNBC Pro has screened two ETFs for stocks: the $1.59 billion Global X Robotics & Artificial Intelligence ETF and the First Trust Nasdaq Artificial Intelligence & Robotics ETF, which tracks the Nasdaq CTA Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Index. Voice AI platform SoundHound also got a 100% buy rating, and analysts put its potential average upside at 31%.

☆ The current job market is a ‘juggernaut,’ economist says. Here are 6 things to know as a jobseeker
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Unemployment is at historic lowsThe unemployment rate fell to 3.4% in January — the lowest since May 1969. In fact, you'd have to go back to October 1953 to find a lower unemployment rate (3.1%). "The job market is still strong, and workers have opportunities to go out and find a job that's a better fit for them," Zhao said. "The thing that strikes me the most about the labor market is there aren't layoffs," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics. That's not necessarily a bad sign — the job market was also strong in the run-up to the pandemic.

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