This significant upswing demonstrates a marked shift in attitudes toward Alphabet after the 2022 introduction of ChatGPT led certain investors to worry the firm had lost its AI advantage, despite having invented much of the foundational technology for generative AI. Alphabet recovered its momentum this year by making its cloud division a key contributor to growth, which attracted an investment from Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, and its new Gemini 3 model is garnering excellent initial reviews.

The milestone, however, could intensify anxieties among some executives who caution that rising valuations have detached market trends from business reality, prompting concerns over an economic bubble reminiscent of the 1990s dot-com era. These bubble fears are also amplified by circular transactions involving OpenAI and Nvidia, two prominent firms in the AI sector. Analysts, nevertheless, maintain that Google is strongly positioned in the AI competition because of its ample cash reserves, its own in-house chip production offering an alternative to Nvidia's expensive processors, and its massive internet search operation, which is already experiencing benefits from AI incorporation.

In October, the moment of truth arrived for the AI tech titans as investors worldwide held their breath after Wall Street's close when Microsoft, Alphabet (Google), and Meta (Facebook) – collectively worth nearly 10 trillion dollars – began releasing their quarterly earnings reports in another attempt to beat forecasts.

Google (through its parent company Alphabet) beat forecasts by 26% ($2.87 per share compared to the $2.27 expected) with revenues of 100 billion dollars. Microsoft also beat forecasts by 14% ($3.72 per share compared to the $3.6 expected). Meta on the other hand had to pay 15 billions in a one-time payment, which resulted in a miss of 84% in the earnings.

Alphabet reported more than $100 Billion of revenue in a quarter for the first time ever. Google parent company Alphabet also reported strong third-quarter results, with revenue climbing 16% year-over-year. Google Search & Other grew 15%, while YouTube Ads increased 15% during the period. Google Cloud posted the strongest growth at 34%, though Google Network saw a 3% decline. The company's EBIT rose 9.5% with a margin of 31%, and earnings per share jumped 35%.

The head of Google's parent firm Alphabet, Sundar Pichai, has recently cautioned the BBC that every company would be impacted if the AI bubble were to burst. Speaking exclusively to BBC News, Pichai acknowledged that while AI investment growth is an "extraordinary moment," there is some "irrationality" in the current boom. Amid fears in Silicon Valley of soaring valuations, Pichai warned, "I think no company is going to be immune, including us."

His wide-ranging interview at Google's California headquarters, reported by the BBC, touched on energy needs, climate targets, UK investment, and AI's effect on jobs, coming as market scrutiny intensifies. Alphabet's shares have doubled in seven months to $3.5 trillion as market confidence in its ability to counter OpenAI grows. A specific focus remains on Alphabet's competition with Nvidia, run by Jensen Huang, which recently hit a $5 trillion valuation, even as analysts question the $1.4 trillion in deals surrounding OpenAI.

Pichai's remarks about "irrationality" echoed Alan Greenspan's 1996 "irrational exuberance" warning during the dotcom boom. Pichai told the BBC the industry can "overshoot" in such cycles. "We can look back at the internet right now. There was clearly a lot of excess investment, but none of us would question whether the internet was profound," he said. "I expect AI to be the same. So I think it's both rational and there are elements of irrationality through a moment like this." His comments follow a similar warning from JP Morgan's Jamie Dimon, who told the BBC some AI investments would "probably be lost." Pichai argued Google's "full stack" model provides a better position to handle turbulence.

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After a period of strong momentum, the weekly chart now points to fading strength. As The Tradable explained, institutional investors appear to be scaling back, and retail holders may find themselves exposed if the slowdown accelerates.

At its recent peak near $189.30, the stock appeared stretched. One market analysis posted on X, highlighted by The Tradable, warned that continued pressure on demand levels could drive NVDA down by roughly 18.36%, equating to about $32 per share, toward $143.63 in the short term.

The $175 mark is considered a key line in the sand. Analysts told The Tradable that while the chart technically retains a bullish structure, failure to remain above this threshold could quickly shift sentiment to bearish.

If the sell-off extends, some institutional buying interest has been spotted between $140 and $150. As reported by The Tradable, that area could represent either a major buying opportunity or a short-lived recovery depending on how traders respond.

Ultimately, Nvidia stock stands at a turning point. A slide below present levels would give weight to the $143 scenario, but holding above $175 might delay bearish expectations. According to The Tradable, the outcome of this week's trading session is likely to define the direction.

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European Union nations are working to demonstrate solidarity this week against President Donald Trump's extensive tariff program, with preparations underway to endorse an initial package of targeted retaliatory measures affecting up to $28 billion worth of American imports ranging from dental products to precious stones, Reuters reported.

This countermeasure would position the EU alongside China and Canada in implementing retaliatory tariffs against the United States, potentially triggering what analysts fear could develop into a worldwide trade conflict that would increase costs for consumers globally and potentially push economies into recession.

According to Reuters, the 27-member bloc faces 25% import duties on steel, aluminum, and automobiles, along with "reciprocal" tariffs of 20% on nearly all other goods starting Wednesday. Trump's tariffs encompass approximately 70% of EU exports to the United States – valued at 532 billion euros ($585 billion) last year – with potential additional duties on copper, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and timber expected in the future.

The European Commission, which manages EU trade policy, will present to member states late Monday a catalog of American products to be subjected to additional duties in response to Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs rather than the broader reciprocal levies. This list is expected to include American meat, cereals, wine, wood, clothing, chewing gum, dental floss, vacuum cleaners, and toilet paper.

One item that has garnered particular attention and revealed disagreements within the bloc is bourbon. Reuters reported that the Commission has designated a 50% tariff on this product, prompting Trump to threaten a 200% counter-tariff on European alcoholic beverages if the bloc proceeds with its plan. Wine exporters France and Italy have both expressed reservations. The EU, whose economy heavily depends on free trade, is determined to ensure widespread support for any response to maintain pressure on Trump to ultimately engage in negotiations.

Luxembourg will host on Monday the first EU-wide political gathering since Trump announced the comprehensive tariffs, bringing together trade ministers from all 27 EU members to discuss the impact and determine the best course of action. EU diplomats indicated that the primary objective of the meeting was to emerge with a unified message expressing willingness to negotiate with Washington for tariff removal, while also demonstrating readiness to implement countermeasures if that approach fails.

"Our biggest fear after Brexit was bilateral deals and a break of unity, but through three or four years of negotiations that did not happen. Of course, here you have a different story, but everyone can see an interest in a common commercial policy," one EU diplomat said.

Among EU members, there exists a spectrum of opinions regarding the appropriate response. France has suggested the EU should develop a package extending beyond tariffs, and French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed that European companies should suspend investments in the United States until "things are clarified."

Ireland, which sends almost a third of its exports to the United States, has advocated for a "considered and measured" response, while Italy, the EU's third largest exporter to the US, has questioned whether the EU should retaliate at all. "It's a difficult balance. Measures cannot be too soft to bring the United States to the table, but not too tough to lead to escalation," the EU diplomat explained.

Discussions with Washington thus far have yielded little progress. EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic characterized his two-hour exchange with American counterparts on Friday as "frank" as he informed them US tariffs were "damaging, unjustified."

The initial EU counter-tariffs will be put to a vote on Wednesday and will be approved unless a qualified majority of 15 EU members representing 65% of the EU's population oppose it – a scenario considered highly unlikely, according to Reuters. They would take effect in two phases, with a smaller portion implemented on April 15 and the remainder one month later.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will also conduct separate discussions on Monday and Tuesday with chief executives from the steel, automotive, and pharmaceutical sectors to evaluate the tariffs' impact and determine subsequent actions.

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MailOnline reported that global financial markets have experienced massive losses following US President Donald Trump's decision to impose widespread import tariffs on both allies and adversaries. The FTSE 100, the United Kingdom's best-known stock market index, plummeted more than 6% after opening Monday morning, following its worst performance since the pandemic.

We have massive Financial Deficits with China, the European Union, and many others. The only way this problem can be cured is with TARIFFS, which are now bringing Tens of Billions of Dollars into the U.S.A. They are already in effect, and a beautiful thing to behold. The Surplus…

— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) April 7, 2025

 European markets fared even worse, with MailOnline noting Germany's Dax fell 10% while the pan-European STOXX 600 slumped 5.8%. Despite growing concerns from international leaders and US allies, Trump has characterized his tariff strategy as necessary medicine for the economy.

"Sometimes you have to take medicine to fix something," Trump told reporters on Air Force One Sunday night. The president later posted on his Truth Social platform that the tariffs were "a beautiful thing to behold."

The financial turmoil extends beyond Europe, as Asian markets suffered significant losses overnight as well. Japan's Nikkei plunged as much as 8%, while markets in Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and China experienced declines ranging from 5 to 10%.

In response to the crisis, UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander warned that global tariffs are "bad news" when asked about recession risks. "It's bad for global demand, it's bad for prices and it's bad for consumers," Alexander told Sky News.

Market analyst Jim Cramer of CNBC warned that the US could be heading toward another "Black Monday" scenario, referencing the historic 1987 market crash that saw a 22.6% drop in a single day.

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The growing alliance between Elon Musk and President-elect Donald Trump is proving increasingly valuable for Tesla's stock, with new developments suggesting the best may be yet to come. Tesla's stock surged 3% in pre-market trading after reports emerged that President-elect Donald Trump plans to establish federal regulation for autonomous vehicles, potentially paving the way for wider adoption of self-driving technology. The rally extends Tesla's impressive 36% gain since the beginning of the year.

Before the election, Tesla's stock had languished amid controversy surrounding autonomous vehicles. The post-election period has witnessed a dramatic reversal, with shares soaring 32% from $242 on November 4 to an expected opening price of $320 today.

No human drivers were harmed in the making of this video!

The Tesla did the drive entirely by itself with 0 human input. No accelerator presses, no speed limit changes, nothing. @elonmusk $TSLA pic.twitter.com/gZYL5SKmnJ

— Whole Mars Catalog (@WholeMarsBlog) May 7, 2022

Musk's public endorsement of Trump has been reciprocated by the president-elect's interest in bringing the tech entrepreneur into key administration roles. Sources close to Trump report plans to establish a comprehensive federal framework for autonomous vehicles. This would facilitate the technology's entry into the American market by superseding state-level regulations, a crucial development for industry leaders like Tesla.

Would you take the Tesla Hovercraft for a spin? pic.twitter.com/71ows3dXnJ

— Not Elon Musk (@iamnot_elon) November 14, 2024

The debate over autonomous vehicles centers primarily on safety considerations. Expert consensus remains elusive regarding the technology's readiness for unrestricted operation on public roads, particularly concerning the ability of algorithms to anticipate unpredictable human behavior. Nonetheless, Tesla, widely recognized as the industry pioneer, stands to benefit most from any federal regulatory framework.

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French stocks started dropping in early trading following Sunday's election results, leaving France's National Assembly without a clear majority for any political group. The outcome has raised concerns about political stability and economic reforms in one of Europe's largest economies.

According to reporting by The Associated Press, the CAC-40 index of large French companies opened 0.4% lower at 7643.03 on Monday morning. The euro also weakened against the dollar, falling to $1.0819 from $1.0836.

While the markets' worst fears of a majority for the left-wing New Front National or the anti-immigrant National Rally were not realized, France now faces weeks of uncertainty. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal announced his resignation, signaling potential difficulties for any new government to pass legislation and make crucial spending decisions.

Holger Schmieding, chief economist at Berenberg Bank, expressed concern about the election results. "That the left has become the strongest group in parliament raises serious concerns," he told AP. "France is heading for a period of political uncertainty and – most likely – for fiscal problems and some reversal of President Emmanuel Macron's pro-growth reforms."

In contrast, US stocks reached new records on Friday, buoyed by a highly anticipated jobs report. The S&P 500 climbed 0.5% to 5,567.19, setting an all-time high for the third consecutive day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.2% to 39,375.87, while the Nasdaq composite added 0.9% to 18,352.76.

The US jobs report revealed that employers hired more workers than economists expected in June but at a slower pace than in May. The unemployment rate unexpectedly increased, and wage growth slowed. These factors reinforced the belief on Wall Street that the US economy's growth is decelerating under the weight of high interest rates.

This slowdown is seen as potentially positive for financial markets, as it could help control inflation and encourage the Federal Reserve to consider cutting its main interest rate later this year. The two-year Treasury yield, which closely tracks expectations for Fed action, fell to 4.60% from 4.71%.

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The company operates a library of web novels and comics available in over 150 countries, allowing users to publish their own work on its platform. It connects 24 million creators with about 170 million monthly active users worldwide, and the medium has gained a reputation for producing content appealing to a broad audience.

Webtoons, the digital comic format used by Webtoon, have become one of South Korea's popular cultural exports, with examples such as Nevertheless (2021), My ID is Gangnam Beauty (2018), Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo (2016), and Cheese in the Trap (2016).

The company aims to raise up to $500 million through the IPO, with a potential valuation of $3 billion to $4 billion.

In 2023, Webtoon Entertainment had $1.282 billion in revenue, a net loss of $144.8 million, and an EBITDA of $11.7 million.

The underwriters for the IPO include Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan, and Evercore.

CEO Kim Jun-koo aims to develop successful intellectual property franchises, and the contributions of fans, creators, and employees have been crucial to the company's achievements, marking a new beginning for Naver Webtoon.

Sources: Reuters, Bloomberg, Chosun, Korea Herald, Neowin, Lifestyle Asia, Yahoo Finance

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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The commodity trading industry has recently been in the spotlight, due to exceptional volatility in the field. Usually, the focus in this area is on trading in gold and oil futures contracts, but lately, there has been a lot of discussion about cocoa futures as well, with their prices rising by 1.5 times during the first quarter of the year.

Commodity trading typically does not involve the physical commodities themselves, but rather futures contracts or other financial assets that track the prices of these commodities. Some investors are active in this field for portfolio diversification purposes, while others are driven by speculative motives.

A commodity futures contract is an agreement where the seller and buyer commit to delivering a specific product at a predetermined date and price. The contract price reflects the parties' expectations regarding the asset's price at the time of the sale. The reality at the time of the sale determines which party was correct. The contract terms are set at the time of signing, and payment for execution occurs at the contract's expiration date. Investments in commodities can stem from various motives among different investors, such as the following:

• Diversification:  The commodity market may not be in lockstep with the stock market, and thus can serve as a safety net in case of bear markets.
• Inflation protection: As the overall price level in the economy rises, commodity prices also tend to increase. Some investors view it as a component that has the potential to preserve the real value of their portfolio.
• Potential for improved returns: Some investors believe that while the commodity market can be highly volatile; in other words, it holds the potential for profit even though it also carries high risks.

Ways to invest in the commodity market:

• Physical investment – purchasing the commodity itself
• Investing in futures contracts
• Investing in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track commodity indices
• Investing in commodity-related indices
• Investing in commodity-related stocks

The information provided above should not be considered a substitute for personalized investment advice tailored to the individual client.

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Shares of Mobileye Global Inc fell by more than 30% on Thursday after the maker of autonomous driving technology lowered its forecast for annual revenue owing to a slowdown in demand for electric vehicles from China.

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Mobileye, which counts auto parts suppliers Aptiv Plc and Magna International among its customers, reduced its forecast for the annual shipment of its driver-assist system SuperVision. The move was in response to the decision by the Chinese government last year to end its subsidies for EV purchases in the country, which has weighed on demand.

Mobileye's shares were trading at $33.17 per share, down about 23%. The company went public in October after Intel Corp spun it off in an initial public offering priced at $21 per share.

Mobileye faces intensifying competition in the assisted driving market from chipmakers Nvidia Corp and Qualcomm Inc which are trying to make inroads into the space. Intel, which reports its first-quarter results after markets close on Thursday, still owns more than 90% of Mobileye.

Jerusalem, Israel-based Mobileye projected annual revenue to come in between $2.07 billion and $2.11 billion, down from an earlier forecast of $2.19 billion and $2.28 billion.

For the first quarter, Mobileye posted revenue of $458 million, slightly above analysts' average estimate of $454.7 million, according to Refinitiv IBES data. Excluding certain items, the company earned 14 cents during the quarter, compared with estimates of 12 cents per share.

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TipRanks, an Israeli firm specializing in algorithmic-drivel investment analytics and information, has announced a partnership with Stockal, the first online investment platform in India to offer retail investors access to US stocks.

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Stockal is the first India-based financial institution based in India to feature TipRanks' technology, whcih uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) algorithms to aggregate and analyze financial data online.

"Our priority is to bring Stockal users the best financial resources available globally, to ease their decision making process" said Stockal co-founder and co-CEO Sitashwa Srivastava.

TipRanks CEO Uri Gruenbaum called the new partnership a "significant milestone."

"Our goal is to level the playing field for investors by offering them simplified access to institutional-level tools. This is game changing, and I'm delighted that Stockal clients can now make better, data-driven investment decisions," Gruenbaum said.

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