Wall Street kicks off a week full of potential flashpoints with a whisper
The S&P 500 was nearly flat and edged up by less than 0.1% to set an all-time high for a sixth straight day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 64 points, or 0.1%, while the Nasdaq composite added 0.3% to its own record.
Tesla rose 3% after its CEO, Elon Musk, said it signed a deal with Samsung Electronics that could be worth more than $16.5 billion to provide chips for the electric-vehicle company. Samsung's stock in South Korea jumped 6.8%.
Other companies in the chip and artificial-intelligence industries were strong, continuing their run from last week after Alphabet said it was increasing its spending on AI chips and other investments to $85 billion this year. Chip company Advanced Micro Devices rose 4.3%, and server-maker Super Micro Computer climbed 10.2%.
But an 8.3% drop for Revvity helped to keep the market in check. The company in the life sciences and diagnostics businesses reported a stronger profit for the latest quarter than Wall Street expected, but its forecast for full year profit disappointed analysts.
Companies are broadly under pressure to deliver solid growth in profits following big jumps in their stock prices the last few months. Much of the gain was due to hopes that Trump would walk back some of his stiff proposed tariffs, and critics say the U.S. stock market looks expensive unless companies produce bigger profits.
All told, the S&P 500 added 1.13 to 6,389.77 points. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 64.36 to 44,837.56, and the Nasdaq composite rose 70.27 to 21,178.58.
More fireworks may be ahead this week. 'This is about as busy as a week can get in the markets,' according to Chris Larkin, managing director, trading and investing, at E-Trade from Morgan Stanley.
Hundreds of U.S. companies are lined up to report how much profit they made during the spring, with nearly a third of the businesses in the S&P 500 index scheduled to deliver updates. That includes market heavyweights Apple, Amazon, Meta Platforms and Microsoft. Those companies have grown so huge that their stock movements can almost dictate what the overall S&P 500 index does. Microsoft alone is worth $3.8 trillion.
On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve will announce its latest decision on interest rates.
Trump has been angrily calling for the Fed to cut interest rates, a move that could give the economy a boost. But Fed Chair Jerome Powell insists that he wants more data about how Trump's tariffs are affecting the economy and inflation before the Fed makes its next move. Lower interest rates can fuel inflation, and the economy only recently came out of its scarring run where inflation briefly topped 9%.
The widespread expectation on Wall Street is that Fed officials will wait until September to resume cutting interest rates, though a couple of Trump's appointees could dissent in the vote. The Fed has been on hold with interest rates this year since cutting them several times at the end of 2024.
This week will also feature several potentially market-moving updates about the economy. On Tuesday will come reports on how confident U.S. consumers are feeling and how many jobs openings U.S. employers were advertising. Wednesday will show the first estimate of how quickly the U.S. economy grew during the spring, and economists expect to see a slowdown from the first three months of the year.
On Thursday, the latest measure of inflation that the Federal Reserve prefers to use will arrive. A modest reading could give the Fed more leeway to cut interest rates in the short term, while a hotter-than-expected figure could make it more cautious.
And Friday will bring an update on how many more workers U.S. employers hired during June than they fired.
Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market ahead of all that action. The yield on the 10-year Treasury edged up to 4.41% from 4.40% late Friday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for Fed action, rose to 3.92% from 3.91%.
In stock markets abroad, indexes dipped in Europe following the announcement of the trade deal's framework.
Chinese stocks rose as officials from the world's second-largest economy prepared to meet with a U.S. delegation in Sweden for trade talks. Stocks climbed 0.7% in Hong Kong and 0.1% in Shanghai.
Indexes were mixed across the rest of Asia, where Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 1.1% for one of the world's bigger losses.
Choe writes for the Associated Press.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq rise as Wall Street awaits Fed decision, Big Tech results
US stocks held steady on Wednesday — a potentially pivotal day for markets that brings a Federal Reserve interest rate decision, a data deluge, and a flood of earnings highlighted by Microsoft (MSFT) and Meta (META). The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) nudged up 0.1%, while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) rose 0.2%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) ticked up 0.4%. The major gauges fell on Tuesday, leading the S&P 500 to snap its six-day record streak. Stocks are in a holding pattern as investors wait for the Fed's decision on interest rates, due at 2 p.m. ET at the end of its two-day meeting. With the central bank expected to hold rates steady, Wall Street will closely watch the Fed's "dot plot" given internal divisions over the path of policy. Focus is also on Chair Jerome Powell's remarks for signals on potential easing later this year, as President Trump presses for a rate cut. The Fed — and markets — received key signals on the US economy's health early Wednesday. US GDP grew at a 3% annual rate in the second quarter, rebounding from its first pullback in three years in Q1. Meanwhile, US private employers added more jobs than expected in July, with private payrolls also returning to growth after a surprise pullback in June. The rosier economic data prompted Trump to again call on the Fed to lower rates. "'Too Late' must now lower the rate," he wrote on social media hours before the central bank was set to release its policy statement. Investors also fielded a further flood of earnings from major companies, with Humana (HUM), and Kraft Heinz (KHC) getting a positive reception before the bell. Read more: Full earnings coverage in our live blog Wall Street is looking to after-hours reports from Microsoft and Meta to help rejuvenate markets. The companies are the first of the "Magnificent 7" group to report, and both are contending with growing scrutiny over whether their eye-popping AI investments are paying off. Looming ahead is Trump's Friday deadline for trade partners to strike deals with the US or face blanket tariff rates. Trump said goods from India would face a 25% tariff from Friday, as talks apparently stall between the countries. Read more: The latest on Trump's tariffs US-China trade talks wrapped up on Tuesday without an extension of the current tariff pause between the two, but Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Trump would make a "final call" on the matter soon. Trump says Powell must lower interest rates 'now' following GDP uptick President Trump used a return to GDP growth ahead of a widely expected Federal Reserve decision to keep monetary policy unchanged to say that Fed Chairman Jerome Powell must 'now' lower rates, Yahoo Finance's Ben Werschkul reports. Werschkul writes: Read the full story here. Marvell Technology soars 10% as Morgan Stanley analyst lifts price outlook Marvell Technology (MRVL) shares spiked Wednesday after Morgan Stanley (MS) analyst Joseph Moore lifted his price target on the stock to $80 from $73. In a note to clients on Tuesday, Moore cited the chipmaker's opportunity in the AI networking space. Networking products such as data center switches, ethernet controllers, and digital signal processors are required in data centers to receive and send data between AI chips and servers. Marvell makes both networking products and custom AI chips (also known as processors) called ASIC accelerators. "For both Broadcom (AVGO) and Marvell (MRVL), we expect AI upside this year to come from the networking side rather than processors [custom AI chips]," Moore wrote. Moore said Marvell "should be a direct beneficiary of NVIDIA's upcoming product cycle." That's because networking technology is needed to support upcoming purchases of Nvidia's latest Blackwell chips and servers. "Marvell is firmly in the AI winners camp," wrote Moore. Nvidia leads muted Mag 7 ahead of Microsoft, Meta earnings Nvidia (NVDA) shares moved up 1% early on Wednesday, leading the group of "Magnificent Seven" tech stocks ahead of earnings reports from Microsoft (MSFT) and Meta (META) after the bell. Amazon (AMZN), Tesla (TSLA), and Microsoft stock prices wavered around the flat line, while Meta and Google (GOOG) shares rose less than 1%. Apple (AAPL) slipped around 0.1% in lackluster trade for US stocks more broadly. Nvidia is up roughly 4% over the past five trading sessions, compared with the tech heavy Nasdaq Composite's (^IXIC) 0.6% gain over the same period. Stocks steady at the open US stocks held steady at the start of Wednesday's trading session ahead of the Federal Reserve's interest-rate decision and earnings from Big Tech names Microsoft (MSFT) and Meta (META). The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) wavered along the flat line, while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) nudged nearly 0.1% higher. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) ticked up roughly 0.2%. The indices had fallen on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 ending its six-day record streak. Jobs data, GDP both top forecasts in a strong morning for the US economy Data from ADP on private payroll growth and the first look at second quarter GDP growth out Wednesday morning both topped forecasts, a sign of continued resilience in the US economy. Private payroll growth in July tallied 104,000 according to the latest data from ADP, more than the 77,000 jobs that private employers were expected to add and a rebound from the 23,000 jobs that were cut in the sector last month. "Our hiring and pay data are broadly indicative of a healthy economy," said Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP. "Employers have grown more optimistic that consumers, the backbone of the economy, will remain resilient." Fifteen minutes after ADP's data was released, the BEA put out its first look at GDP growth in the second quarter, which showed the US economy grew at an annualized rate of 3% in the second quarter, faster than the 2.6% that had been expected by economists. In the first three months of the year, the US economy contracted at a rate of 0.5%. The BEA noted in its release the rebound in the second quarter was largely a result of decreased imports, which had weighed on growth in the first quarter as businesses increased orders ahead of expected tariffs. In response to the data, longer-term Treasury yields ticked slightly higher while futures remained little-changed ahead of the Federal Reserve's policy announcement set for 2:00 p.m. ET. In a post on Truth Social following the GDP data, President Trump again called on the Fed to cut rates. The central bank is widely expected to make no change to its interest rate policy later today. Premarket trending tickers: Novo Nordisk stock falls, Starbucks stock pops Here's a look at some of the top stocks trending in premarket trading: Novo Nordisk (NVO): The stock continued to sink on Wednesday, falling 4% premarket after a 21% wipeout on Tuesday. The drugmaker cut its full-year sales and operating profit guidance again, related to lower growth expectations for its diabetes and weight-loss drugs, Wegovy and Ozempic. Eli Lilly stock also fell Tuesday but was up 1% Wednesday morning. Starbucks (SBUX): Shares of the coffee giant popped 5% premarket after the company reported its sixth straight quarterly sales decline. But things weren't as bad as investors feared, and CEO Brian Niccol assured Wall Street that the company was "ahead of schedule" in its turnaround plan. V.F. Corp (VFC): The Vans parent's stock soared nearly 20% after the company beat first quarter revenue estimates on Wednesday, aided by an uptick in demand for its apparel and footwear products. Palo Alto Networks (PANW): The software company is in final talks to acquire Israeli cybersecurity provider CyberArk, the Wall Street Journal reported, and the deal could be finalized as early as this week. The deal could place a value north of $20 billion on CyberArk, potentially making it one of the largest tech takeovers this year. Shares of Palo Alto Networks rose 0.4% in premarket trading. Meta (META) and Microsoft (MSFT) stocks rose modestly ahead of their quarterly results, which are set to be released after the closing bell on Wednesday. Investors will be looking to the two Big Tech companies for signs of AI sales growth and monetization. Read live coverage of corporate earnings here. A divided Fed is expected to hold rates steady, defying Trump's calls for a cut The Federal Reserve is widely expected to hold interest rates steady on Wednesday, though the central bank remains internally divided over the path of monetary policy amid the Trump administration's pressure on the Fed. Yahoo Finance's Jennifer Schonberger reports: Read more here. Whirlpool is championing the tariffs that have hammered its quarter Yahoo Finance's Hamza Shaban digs into the tariffs story for Whirlpool (WHR) in today's Morning Brief: Read more here on why Whirlpool is looking past tariff setbacks. Good morning. Here's what's happening today. Economic data: Federal Reserve monetary policy decision; GDP annualized; ADP private payrolls (July); (second quarter); Pending home sales, (June); MBA Mortgage Applications (July 25); Minnesota Chicago PMI (July) Earnings: Meta (META), Microsoft (MSFT), Arm (ARM), Altria (MO), Carvana (CVNA), Ford (F), Generac (GNRC), Harley Davidson (HOG), Hershey (HSY), Humana (HUM), The Kraft Heinz Company (KHC), Qualcomm (QCOM), Robinhood (HOOD) Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning: Fed set to hold rates steady, defying Trump's call for a cut Whirlpool is championing the tariffs that have hammered its quarter Meta to report Q2 earnings amid AI investment push Microsoft to report Q4 earnings as Wall Street looks for continued AI growth Deal-hunting Americans are putting corporates on watch Trump eyes 25% India tariff, US-China truce in the balance Wall Street's riding high on relief, not results: Strategist Tesla signs $4.3B battery deal, cuts reliance on China Meta and Microsoft are set to kick off this week's Big Tech earnings Yahoo Finance's Dan Howley has previews of both Meta (META) and Microsoft (MSFT), whose reports come Wednesday. For Meta, it's all about the AI hiring and spree: And Microsoft remains chugging along, its stock up more than 20% this year. Dan says Alphabet's (GOOG, GOOGL) well-received results last week could bode well for Microsoft, as investors focus on AI-driven sales gains: Read more on Meta and Microsoft. Trending tickers: Seagate, Avis and Sarepta Here are some top stocks trending on Yahoo Finance in premarket trading: Seagate Technology (STX) shares fell more than 6% on Wednesday before the bell after the company's first-quarter revenue forecast fell below Wall Street estimates on Tuesday. Seagate earnings were hurt by weak demand for its storage devices amid ongoing uncertainty in the personal computer market. Avis (CAR) stock fell 5% premarket following the car rental company's earnings results on Tuesday. It was also announced that Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL)-owned company Waymo plans to launch a robotaxi service next year in Dallas and will partner with Avis Budget Group to manage its fleet of all-electric autonomous Jaguar I-Pace vehicles. Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT) stock rose 10% in premarket trading on Wednesday following the news that it will now start shipping its top-selling muscular dystrophy therapy, Elevidys, after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reversed its request for a voluntary pause late Monday. Starbucks stock pops after US sales fall less than feared Shares of Starbucks (SBUX) rose in premarket despite a quarterly profit miss after sales in the coffee chain's US outlets proved healthier than expected. Yahoo Finance's Brooke DiPalma reports: Read more here. Major Asian gauges see slight boost from US-China trade talks Markets across Asia saw tentative gains despite uncertainty in the aftermath of US-China trade talks. The two-day talks between the two economic powerhouses to discuss tariffs did not yield hard results, but representatives from both nations expressed positivity about the dialogue. Reuters reports: Read more here. Samsung stock pops on Tesla deal Samsung Electronics ( has seen the benefits of a wave of market optimism following the unexpected announcement of a chipmaking deal with Tesla (TSLA) worth $16.5 billion. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Oil prices hold after Trump-Russia row Oil prices held gains overnight Tuesday after jumping 3% Monday, with supply issues in focus. Trump's continued pressure on Russia over the Ukraine war has raised concerns over how economic sanctions will impact the Slavic state's ability to produce oil at the current rate. Reuters reports: Read more here. Trump says Powell must lower interest rates 'now' following GDP uptick President Trump used a return to GDP growth ahead of a widely expected Federal Reserve decision to keep monetary policy unchanged to say that Fed Chairman Jerome Powell must 'now' lower rates, Yahoo Finance's Ben Werschkul reports. Werschkul writes: Read the full story here. President Trump used a return to GDP growth ahead of a widely expected Federal Reserve decision to keep monetary policy unchanged to say that Fed Chairman Jerome Powell must 'now' lower rates, Yahoo Finance's Ben Werschkul reports. Werschkul writes: Read the full story here. Marvell Technology soars 10% as Morgan Stanley analyst lifts price outlook Marvell Technology (MRVL) shares spiked Wednesday after Morgan Stanley (MS) analyst Joseph Moore lifted his price target on the stock to $80 from $73. In a note to clients on Tuesday, Moore cited the chipmaker's opportunity in the AI networking space. Networking products such as data center switches, ethernet controllers, and digital signal processors are required in data centers to receive and send data between AI chips and servers. Marvell makes both networking products and custom AI chips (also known as processors) called ASIC accelerators. "For both Broadcom (AVGO) and Marvell (MRVL), we expect AI upside this year to come from the networking side rather than processors [custom AI chips]," Moore wrote. Moore said Marvell "should be a direct beneficiary of NVIDIA's upcoming product cycle." That's because networking technology is needed to support upcoming purchases of Nvidia's latest Blackwell chips and servers. "Marvell is firmly in the AI winners camp," wrote Moore. Marvell Technology (MRVL) shares spiked Wednesday after Morgan Stanley (MS) analyst Joseph Moore lifted his price target on the stock to $80 from $73. In a note to clients on Tuesday, Moore cited the chipmaker's opportunity in the AI networking space. Networking products such as data center switches, ethernet controllers, and digital signal processors are required in data centers to receive and send data between AI chips and servers. Marvell makes both networking products and custom AI chips (also known as processors) called ASIC accelerators. "For both Broadcom (AVGO) and Marvell (MRVL), we expect AI upside this year to come from the networking side rather than processors [custom AI chips]," Moore wrote. Moore said Marvell "should be a direct beneficiary of NVIDIA's upcoming product cycle." That's because networking technology is needed to support upcoming purchases of Nvidia's latest Blackwell chips and servers. "Marvell is firmly in the AI winners camp," wrote Moore. Nvidia leads muted Mag 7 ahead of Microsoft, Meta earnings Nvidia (NVDA) shares moved up 1% early on Wednesday, leading the group of "Magnificent Seven" tech stocks ahead of earnings reports from Microsoft (MSFT) and Meta (META) after the bell. Amazon (AMZN), Tesla (TSLA), and Microsoft stock prices wavered around the flat line, while Meta and Google (GOOG) shares rose less than 1%. Apple (AAPL) slipped around 0.1% in lackluster trade for US stocks more broadly. Nvidia is up roughly 4% over the past five trading sessions, compared with the tech heavy Nasdaq Composite's (^IXIC) 0.6% gain over the same period. Nvidia (NVDA) shares moved up 1% early on Wednesday, leading the group of "Magnificent Seven" tech stocks ahead of earnings reports from Microsoft (MSFT) and Meta (META) after the bell. Amazon (AMZN), Tesla (TSLA), and Microsoft stock prices wavered around the flat line, while Meta and Google (GOOG) shares rose less than 1%. Apple (AAPL) slipped around 0.1% in lackluster trade for US stocks more broadly. Nvidia is up roughly 4% over the past five trading sessions, compared with the tech heavy Nasdaq Composite's (^IXIC) 0.6% gain over the same period. Stocks steady at the open US stocks held steady at the start of Wednesday's trading session ahead of the Federal Reserve's interest-rate decision and earnings from Big Tech names Microsoft (MSFT) and Meta (META). The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) wavered along the flat line, while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) nudged nearly 0.1% higher. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) ticked up roughly 0.2%. The indices had fallen on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 ending its six-day record streak. US stocks held steady at the start of Wednesday's trading session ahead of the Federal Reserve's interest-rate decision and earnings from Big Tech names Microsoft (MSFT) and Meta (META). The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) wavered along the flat line, while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) nudged nearly 0.1% higher. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) ticked up roughly 0.2%. The indices had fallen on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 ending its six-day record streak. Jobs data, GDP both top forecasts in a strong morning for the US economy Data from ADP on private payroll growth and the first look at second quarter GDP growth out Wednesday morning both topped forecasts, a sign of continued resilience in the US economy. Private payroll growth in July tallied 104,000 according to the latest data from ADP, more than the 77,000 jobs that private employers were expected to add and a rebound from the 23,000 jobs that were cut in the sector last month. "Our hiring and pay data are broadly indicative of a healthy economy," said Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP. "Employers have grown more optimistic that consumers, the backbone of the economy, will remain resilient." Fifteen minutes after ADP's data was released, the BEA put out its first look at GDP growth in the second quarter, which showed the US economy grew at an annualized rate of 3% in the second quarter, faster than the 2.6% that had been expected by economists. In the first three months of the year, the US economy contracted at a rate of 0.5%. The BEA noted in its release the rebound in the second quarter was largely a result of decreased imports, which had weighed on growth in the first quarter as businesses increased orders ahead of expected tariffs. In response to the data, longer-term Treasury yields ticked slightly higher while futures remained little-changed ahead of the Federal Reserve's policy announcement set for 2:00 p.m. ET. In a post on Truth Social following the GDP data, President Trump again called on the Fed to cut rates. The central bank is widely expected to make no change to its interest rate policy later today. Data from ADP on private payroll growth and the first look at second quarter GDP growth out Wednesday morning both topped forecasts, a sign of continued resilience in the US economy. Private payroll growth in July tallied 104,000 according to the latest data from ADP, more than the 77,000 jobs that private employers were expected to add and a rebound from the 23,000 jobs that were cut in the sector last month. "Our hiring and pay data are broadly indicative of a healthy economy," said Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP. "Employers have grown more optimistic that consumers, the backbone of the economy, will remain resilient." Fifteen minutes after ADP's data was released, the BEA put out its first look at GDP growth in the second quarter, which showed the US economy grew at an annualized rate of 3% in the second quarter, faster than the 2.6% that had been expected by economists. In the first three months of the year, the US economy contracted at a rate of 0.5%. The BEA noted in its release the rebound in the second quarter was largely a result of decreased imports, which had weighed on growth in the first quarter as businesses increased orders ahead of expected tariffs. In response to the data, longer-term Treasury yields ticked slightly higher while futures remained little-changed ahead of the Federal Reserve's policy announcement set for 2:00 p.m. ET. In a post on Truth Social following the GDP data, President Trump again called on the Fed to cut rates. The central bank is widely expected to make no change to its interest rate policy later today. Premarket trending tickers: Novo Nordisk stock falls, Starbucks stock pops Here's a look at some of the top stocks trending in premarket trading: Novo Nordisk (NVO): The stock continued to sink on Wednesday, falling 4% premarket after a 21% wipeout on Tuesday. The drugmaker cut its full-year sales and operating profit guidance again, related to lower growth expectations for its diabetes and weight-loss drugs, Wegovy and Ozempic. Eli Lilly stock also fell Tuesday but was up 1% Wednesday morning. Starbucks (SBUX): Shares of the coffee giant popped 5% premarket after the company reported its sixth straight quarterly sales decline. But things weren't as bad as investors feared, and CEO Brian Niccol assured Wall Street that the company was "ahead of schedule" in its turnaround plan. V.F. Corp (VFC): The Vans parent's stock soared nearly 20% after the company beat first quarter revenue estimates on Wednesday, aided by an uptick in demand for its apparel and footwear products. Palo Alto Networks (PANW): The software company is in final talks to acquire Israeli cybersecurity provider CyberArk, the Wall Street Journal reported, and the deal could be finalized as early as this week. The deal could place a value north of $20 billion on CyberArk, potentially making it one of the largest tech takeovers this year. Shares of Palo Alto Networks rose 0.4% in premarket trading. Meta (META) and Microsoft (MSFT) stocks rose modestly ahead of their quarterly results, which are set to be released after the closing bell on Wednesday. Investors will be looking to the two Big Tech companies for signs of AI sales growth and monetization. Read live coverage of corporate earnings here. Here's a look at some of the top stocks trending in premarket trading: Novo Nordisk (NVO): The stock continued to sink on Wednesday, falling 4% premarket after a 21% wipeout on Tuesday. The drugmaker cut its full-year sales and operating profit guidance again, related to lower growth expectations for its diabetes and weight-loss drugs, Wegovy and Ozempic. Eli Lilly stock also fell Tuesday but was up 1% Wednesday morning. Starbucks (SBUX): Shares of the coffee giant popped 5% premarket after the company reported its sixth straight quarterly sales decline. But things weren't as bad as investors feared, and CEO Brian Niccol assured Wall Street that the company was "ahead of schedule" in its turnaround plan. V.F. Corp (VFC): The Vans parent's stock soared nearly 20% after the company beat first quarter revenue estimates on Wednesday, aided by an uptick in demand for its apparel and footwear products. Palo Alto Networks (PANW): The software company is in final talks to acquire Israeli cybersecurity provider CyberArk, the Wall Street Journal reported, and the deal could be finalized as early as this week. The deal could place a value north of $20 billion on CyberArk, potentially making it one of the largest tech takeovers this year. Shares of Palo Alto Networks rose 0.4% in premarket trading. Meta (META) and Microsoft (MSFT) stocks rose modestly ahead of their quarterly results, which are set to be released after the closing bell on Wednesday. Investors will be looking to the two Big Tech companies for signs of AI sales growth and monetization. Read live coverage of corporate earnings here. A divided Fed is expected to hold rates steady, defying Trump's calls for a cut The Federal Reserve is widely expected to hold interest rates steady on Wednesday, though the central bank remains internally divided over the path of monetary policy amid the Trump administration's pressure on the Fed. Yahoo Finance's Jennifer Schonberger reports: Read more here. The Federal Reserve is widely expected to hold interest rates steady on Wednesday, though the central bank remains internally divided over the path of monetary policy amid the Trump administration's pressure on the Fed. Yahoo Finance's Jennifer Schonberger reports: Read more here. Whirlpool is championing the tariffs that have hammered its quarter Yahoo Finance's Hamza Shaban digs into the tariffs story for Whirlpool (WHR) in today's Morning Brief: Read more here on why Whirlpool is looking past tariff setbacks. Yahoo Finance's Hamza Shaban digs into the tariffs story for Whirlpool (WHR) in today's Morning Brief: Read more here on why Whirlpool is looking past tariff setbacks. Good morning. Here's what's happening today. Economic data: Federal Reserve monetary policy decision; GDP annualized; ADP private payrolls (July); (second quarter); Pending home sales, (June); MBA Mortgage Applications (July 25); Minnesota Chicago PMI (July) Earnings: Meta (META), Microsoft (MSFT), Arm (ARM), Altria (MO), Carvana (CVNA), Ford (F), Generac (GNRC), Harley Davidson (HOG), Hershey (HSY), Humana (HUM), The Kraft Heinz Company (KHC), Qualcomm (QCOM), Robinhood (HOOD) Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning: Fed set to hold rates steady, defying Trump's call for a cut Whirlpool is championing the tariffs that have hammered its quarter Meta to report Q2 earnings amid AI investment push Microsoft to report Q4 earnings as Wall Street looks for continued AI growth Deal-hunting Americans are putting corporates on watch Trump eyes 25% India tariff, US-China truce in the balance Wall Street's riding high on relief, not results: Strategist Tesla signs $4.3B battery deal, cuts reliance on China Economic data: Federal Reserve monetary policy decision; GDP annualized; ADP private payrolls (July); (second quarter); Pending home sales, (June); MBA Mortgage Applications (July 25); Minnesota Chicago PMI (July) Earnings: Meta (META), Microsoft (MSFT), Arm (ARM), Altria (MO), Carvana (CVNA), Ford (F), Generac (GNRC), Harley Davidson (HOG), Hershey (HSY), Humana (HUM), The Kraft Heinz Company (KHC), Qualcomm (QCOM), Robinhood (HOOD) Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning: Fed set to hold rates steady, defying Trump's call for a cut Whirlpool is championing the tariffs that have hammered its quarter Meta to report Q2 earnings amid AI investment push Microsoft to report Q4 earnings as Wall Street looks for continued AI growth Deal-hunting Americans are putting corporates on watch Trump eyes 25% India tariff, US-China truce in the balance Wall Street's riding high on relief, not results: Strategist Tesla signs $4.3B battery deal, cuts reliance on China Meta and Microsoft are set to kick off this week's Big Tech earnings Yahoo Finance's Dan Howley has previews of both Meta (META) and Microsoft (MSFT), whose reports come Wednesday. For Meta, it's all about the AI hiring and spree: And Microsoft remains chugging along, its stock up more than 20% this year. Dan says Alphabet's (GOOG, GOOGL) well-received results last week could bode well for Microsoft, as investors focus on AI-driven sales gains: Read more on Meta and Microsoft. Yahoo Finance's Dan Howley has previews of both Meta (META) and Microsoft (MSFT), whose reports come Wednesday. For Meta, it's all about the AI hiring and spree: And Microsoft remains chugging along, its stock up more than 20% this year. Dan says Alphabet's (GOOG, GOOGL) well-received results last week could bode well for Microsoft, as investors focus on AI-driven sales gains: Read more on Meta and Microsoft. Trending tickers: Seagate, Avis and Sarepta Here are some top stocks trending on Yahoo Finance in premarket trading: Seagate Technology (STX) shares fell more than 6% on Wednesday before the bell after the company's first-quarter revenue forecast fell below Wall Street estimates on Tuesday. Seagate earnings were hurt by weak demand for its storage devices amid ongoing uncertainty in the personal computer market. Avis (CAR) stock fell 5% premarket following the car rental company's earnings results on Tuesday. It was also announced that Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL)-owned company Waymo plans to launch a robotaxi service next year in Dallas and will partner with Avis Budget Group to manage its fleet of all-electric autonomous Jaguar I-Pace vehicles. Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT) stock rose 10% in premarket trading on Wednesday following the news that it will now start shipping its top-selling muscular dystrophy therapy, Elevidys, after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reversed its request for a voluntary pause late Monday. Here are some top stocks trending on Yahoo Finance in premarket trading: Seagate Technology (STX) shares fell more than 6% on Wednesday before the bell after the company's first-quarter revenue forecast fell below Wall Street estimates on Tuesday. Seagate earnings were hurt by weak demand for its storage devices amid ongoing uncertainty in the personal computer market. Avis (CAR) stock fell 5% premarket following the car rental company's earnings results on Tuesday. It was also announced that Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL)-owned company Waymo plans to launch a robotaxi service next year in Dallas and will partner with Avis Budget Group to manage its fleet of all-electric autonomous Jaguar I-Pace vehicles. Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT) stock rose 10% in premarket trading on Wednesday following the news that it will now start shipping its top-selling muscular dystrophy therapy, Elevidys, after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reversed its request for a voluntary pause late Monday. Starbucks stock pops after US sales fall less than feared Shares of Starbucks (SBUX) rose in premarket despite a quarterly profit miss after sales in the coffee chain's US outlets proved healthier than expected. Yahoo Finance's Brooke DiPalma reports: Read more here. Shares of Starbucks (SBUX) rose in premarket despite a quarterly profit miss after sales in the coffee chain's US outlets proved healthier than expected. Yahoo Finance's Brooke DiPalma reports: Read more here. Major Asian gauges see slight boost from US-China trade talks Markets across Asia saw tentative gains despite uncertainty in the aftermath of US-China trade talks. The two-day talks between the two economic powerhouses to discuss tariffs did not yield hard results, but representatives from both nations expressed positivity about the dialogue. Reuters reports: Read more here. Markets across Asia saw tentative gains despite uncertainty in the aftermath of US-China trade talks. The two-day talks between the two economic powerhouses to discuss tariffs did not yield hard results, but representatives from both nations expressed positivity about the dialogue. Reuters reports: Read more here. Samsung stock pops on Tesla deal Samsung Electronics ( has seen the benefits of a wave of market optimism following the unexpected announcement of a chipmaking deal with Tesla (TSLA) worth $16.5 billion. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Samsung Electronics ( has seen the benefits of a wave of market optimism following the unexpected announcement of a chipmaking deal with Tesla (TSLA) worth $16.5 billion. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Oil prices hold after Trump-Russia row Oil prices held gains overnight Tuesday after jumping 3% Monday, with supply issues in focus. Trump's continued pressure on Russia over the Ukraine war has raised concerns over how economic sanctions will impact the Slavic state's ability to produce oil at the current rate. Reuters reports: Read more here. Oil prices held gains overnight Tuesday after jumping 3% Monday, with supply issues in focus. Trump's continued pressure on Russia over the Ukraine war has raised concerns over how economic sanctions will impact the Slavic state's ability to produce oil at the current rate. Reuters reports: Read more here.
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Marvell Stock Is Soaring—Here's Why
Shares of Marvell Technology (MRVL) soared on Wednesday after Morgan Stanley raised its price target on the chipmaker's stock, citing the 'exceptional' strength of AI demand. Morgan Stanley analyst Joseph Moore on Wednesday raised his Marvell price target by about 10% to $80 while maintaining an 'equal weight' rating. 'Marvell is firmly in the AI winners camp, and sentiment has swung aggressively negative compared to a few months ago,' Moore wrote. 'We are more excited for their opportunity in optical, which brings higher margin and durability vs. their ASIC opportunity, which has disappointed.' (ASIC refers to application-specific integrated circuit, a class of customizable chip that combines several circuits to perform tasks that would otherwise require multiple interconnected chips.) Marvell shares were up more than 9% in recent trading, making it the best-performing stock in the Nasdaq 100. Despite Wednesday's gain, Marvell shares are down about 23% since the start of the year. Marvell is just one of several semiconductor stocks Moore expects to benefit from strong AI demand over the next year. He also raised his 12-month price targets on Nvidia (NVDA) by 17%, Broadcom (AVGO) by 25%, Astera Labs (ALAB) by 26%, and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) by more than 50%. All of those stocks were also trading in the green on Wednesday. (Read Investopedia's full coverage of today's trading here.) 'While stock prices have moved higher, our conviction on AI spend durability in 2026 continues to grow,' Moore wrote. Google parent Alphabet (GOOG) last week raised its full-year capital expenditures forecast, citing the need to accelerate data center buildouts to meet seemingly insatiable demand for AI and cloud computing. Investors will get more updates on the strength of AI investment after markets close on Wednesday when tech giants Microsoft (MSFT) and Meta (META) report earnings. Read the original article on Investopedia Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data


Tom's Guide
24 minutes ago
- Tom's Guide
Microsoft study reveals the 40 jobs AI is most likely to replace — and 40 that are safe (for now)
A newly released Microsoft Research study has ranked 40 occupations it believes are most at risk from advanced AI tools, including writing and journalism roles, customer support and data analysis. At the same time, the study identifies 40 jobs with minimal AI exposure, particularly those that require a physical presence or hands-on interaction. Here's what it means for workers and industries in 2025. Microsoft's analysis introduces an 'AI applicability score,' which is a metric designed to assess how aligned job tasks are with current AI capabilities like Copilot and ChatGPT. Specifically, it measures how frequently AI tools are already used in those roles. Topping the list are customer service representatives, who account for nearly 2.86 million workers. Other highly vulnerable roles include writers, authors, journalists, editors, translators, interpreters and proofreaders. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. The list also features sales and PR professionals, web developers, data scientists, and business analysts; all roles where AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot are already being used to streamline tasks and boost efficiency, raising questions about long-term job security. Microsoft emphasizes that the study illustrates how AI can assist or enhance these roles, but critics note that automation may translate into outright job cuts, especially as companies look to streamline headcount. Skills rooted in physical labor or requiring human touch are currently less automatable. The least affected roles include manual labor and infrastructure operation (e.g., dredge operators, paving crews, roofers). Healthcare support like nursing assistants, surgical aides, phlebotomists and massage therapists. Additionally, certain skilled trades and facility management roles are considered far less vulnerable to AI disruption. These jobs typically require hands-on work or physical presence, tasks that current AI tools are not well-equipped to replicate. The overall message is essentially: if your job involves manual labor, in-person interaction or physical precision, it's likely to remain safer from automation, at least for now. Tech industry leaders like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman have warned that entire job categories, especially in customer service, may disappear as AI becomes more capable. Anthropic's CEO, Dario Amodei, warned that AI could eliminate up to 50% of entry-level white‑collar jobs within the next five years, potentially pushing unemployment rates as high as 10–20%, unless government and industry take proactive steps to prepare. Office-based roles such as journalists, customer service representatives and data analysts are under increasing pressure as AI tools become more deeply integrated into daily workflows. AI reduces demand for easily automated tasks like routine text review has also increased the need for complementary human skills such as digital literacy, teamwork and ethical decision-making. In contrast, hands-on professions remain more resilient for now, though experts warn that robotics and automation could eventually reshape those fields as well. Suppose your job appears on the AI-vulnerable list. In that case, it's a good time to evaluate your skill risk and consider upskilling, particularly in areas where human judgment and creativity still matter. Developing complementary skills like critical thinking, communication, ethical reasoning, and AI oversight can help you stay competitive as automation accelerates. While AI won't fully replace many roles, they're likely to evolve into hybrid workflows that combine human expertise with machine efficiency, making adaptability a key asset for the future. Microsoft's study reveals where the pressure is mounting. As AI tools like Copilot become more capable, organizations may push to replace or reallocate roles traditionally handled by humans. Yet, remember, not all change is bad. With proactive upskilling and a strategic shift toward hybrid human-AI workflows, many careers may pivot rather than vanish completely, as generative AI itself evolves. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.