Billionaire fund manager makes bold bets on Meta, Nvidia stock
The S&P 500 has fallen 10% year-to-date in 2025, mainly because tech stocks, representing over 30% of the index, have tumbled. The pain has been widespread across tech-land, with large technology leaders like Nvidia and Meta Platforms being particularly hard hit, dropping 24% and 14%, respectively.The sell-off in technology stocks has caught the attention of global investors, including Stephen Yiu, who manages money for billionaire Peter Hargreaves, founder of U.K. financial services giant Hargreaves Lansdown.
Yiu's Blue Whale hedge fund is particularly dialed into technology, given that about 40% of the fund's roughly $1.5 billion in assets are invested in the sector.
The hedge fund's size and tech-stock focus make Yiu's moves, including his latest bets on what will happen to Nvidia and Meta Platforms stock next, worth watching.
The technology industry has been a big beneficiary of a flood of investment into artificial intelligence.
After OpenAI's ChatGPT became the fastest app to reach one million users when it was launched in 2022, companies poured massive sums into developing their own large language model AI chatbots and agentic AI programs.The flurry of AI interest has correspondingly encouraged a staggering overhaul of enterprise and cloud network data centers.
Capital expenditures by hyperscalers like Amazon, Microsoft () , and Google have skyrocketed, reaching $192 billion in 2024. Meta Platforms () alone spent $39 billion last year, up from 27 billion in 2023.
The buildout has been a boon for Nvidia, given that its graphics processing units (GPUs) are far better suited to handling the massive compute power required for training and running AI programs than the central processing units (CPUs) most commonly found in network servers.
Nvidia's () revenue has surged since 2022 because of demand for its H100, H200, and Blackwell chips. It reached $130 billion in fiscal 2025, up an eye-watering 114% in 2024 alone.
Hyperscalers' spending on Nvidia chips has largely been financed by cloud customers' rising spending on AI research and strength in other business segments.
For instance, Meta Platforms' advertising revenue led to its Family of Apps (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, etc.) revenue growing 21% year-over-year in the fourth quarter to $47.3 billion, as businesses capitalized on strong consumer spending.
The tailwinds supporting spending, however, are fading.
Unemployment has risen, and sticky inflation continues to weigh on consumer spending decisions. Consumer sentiment has plummeted recently amid a mounting trade war that could cause GDP to decline even as inflation increases, putting the U.S. at risk of stagflation or recession.
The potential fallout from slowing GDP growth could mean technology companies rethink their CapEx plans, shelving previously planned projects while they wait for greater clarity.
The risk that the tech sector faces a major reset in 2025 isn't lost on Yiu, given his recent moves include selling Meta Platforms and Microsoft shares.Yiu unloaded Meta Platforms and Microsoft stock earlier this month after President Trump announced reciprocal tariff plans on April 2, reports the Financial Times.
Those tariffs are designed to encourage a return of manufacturing to the U.S.; however, proposed import taxes were higher than economists and Wall Street expected, causing investors to lower growth expectations and triggering the stock market's sell-off.
His decision to sell Meta Platforms, a holding since 2023 representing about 3% of his fund's assets, is rooted in the risk that ad revenue could fall sharply.
"When you have a global business in digital advertising and a global slowdown and economic uncertainty, then it does impact the top line,' said Yiu regarding the risk to Meta Platform's ad sales.
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Yiu also hit the sell button on Microsoft, another big holding, after determining that its AI spending could exceed cash flow.
Perhaps surprisingly, while Yiu has soured on Meta and Microsoft, he's bullish on Nvidia.
He told the Financial Times he's been buying as Nvidia's stock price has been falling, increasing his position in the semiconductor Goliath to 10% of assets from 7% previously.
Although Nvidia will take a $5.5 billion charge following new restrictions on selling its popular H20 AI chip in China, Yiu thinks Nvidia is positioned to continue to do well over time amid the ongoing race for AI dominance.
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Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump tariffs live updates: Trump says gold will not face a tariff; Nvidia, AMD agree to unusual revenue deal
President Trump on Monday said imports of gold (GC=F) to the US would not face a tariff. "Gold will not be Tariffed!" Trump wrote on social media. Gold futures were little changed after Trump's post. Prices for the metal were sliding on Monday. The White House had said last week that the administration would issue a new policy clarifying whether gold bars would be subject to duties after a US government agency said they would, prompting chaos and confusion in the market. Elsewhere on Monday, Nvidia (NVDA) and AMD (AMD) agreed to pay the US 15% of the revenue for AI-related chip sales to China, adding a monetization layer to the Trump administration's tariff policy that has reoriented global trade relationships. The New York Times reported that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang agreed to the arrangement, which is "essentially making the federal government a partner in Nvidia's business in China," at a meeting with President Trump on Wednesday and that licenses for the chip sales followed on Friday. On Monday morning, AMD confirmed that "initial" China licenses for AI chips were approved. "To call this unusual or unprecedented would be a staggering understatement," Stephen Olson, a former US trade negotiator, told Bloomberg. "What we are seeing is in effect the monetization of US trade policy in which US companies must pay the US government for permission to export. If that's the case, we've entered into a new and dangerous world." The chips include Nvidia's H20 AI accelerator and AMD's MI308 chips, which the Trump administration had previously targeted with export controls. Also on Sunday, Trump urged China to quadruple soybean purchases ahead of an Tuesday deadline for the countries to extend their truce from sky-high tariffs on each other. Asked if he'd extend that deadline, Trump said Monday, "We'll see what happens," but added that China has been "dealing quite nicely" with the US. Trump's latest sweeping "reciprocal" tariffs hit US trade partners last week. Read more: What Trump's tariffs mean for the economy and your wallet Here are the latest updates as the policy reverberates around the world. Trump says, 'Gold will not be Tariffed!' President Trump posted on social media that gold will not be subject to tariffs after a surprise US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) ruling sparked confusion over whether the precious metal faced duties. "A Statement from Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America: Gold will not be Tariffed!" Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday afternoon. On Friday, the Financial Times reported that CBP classified Swiss one-kilogram and 100-ounce bars of gold as subject to 39% tariffs recently imposed on Switzerland by the Trump administration. Gold futures (GC=F) declined 2.5% early on Monday as investors awaited clarity from the White House over its trade position on the precious metal amid reports that imports of Swiss gold bars would not be exempt from tariffs. Small US firms paying Trump tariffs face $202B annual hit Small US businesses are struggling to comply with President Trump's new tariffs. These companies, which are the source of more than half of the country's job creation are also finding it hard to cope with the growing financial strain from higher import costs. Bloomberg News: Read more here. Trump on China extension: We'll see what happens President Trump said China has been "dealing quite nicely" with the US, a possible hint that his administration is preparing to extend the countries' trade truce past a deadline that expires Tuesday. "We'll see what happens," he said during a White House press conference, adding, "They've been dealing quite nicely." The countries have held multiple rounds of trade talks during the 90-day suspension of sky-high tariffs on each other. Both sides have hailed progress in those talks. An extension into the fall could potentially set up a Trump meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, which Trump has suggested could happen before the end of the year. Swiss government to meet pharma firms to discuss US tariffs The Swiss government is due to meet this week with leaders from Swiss pharmaceutical companies Roche and Novartis, which have faced pressure from President Trump to lower their drug prices in the US. The meeting comes as Switzerland aims to negotiate for a lower tariff rate than the 39% rate the Trump administration imposed last week. And should Trump follow through on pharmaceutical tariffs as well, Roche and Novartis are considered to be more exposed, as they have comparatively fewer US manufacturing sites. From Reuters: Read more here. New gold tariffs are in effect. Will Costco gold bars be affected? Gold (GC=F) has been surging all year, and buying gold bars from Costco is just about the easiest way to get your hands on the precious metal — if you're lucky enough to find them in stock. However, the surprising announcement of additional tariffs on gold bars by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) left many wondering if the duties applied to Costco's gold bars as well. Yahoo Finance's Hal Bundrick reports: Read more here. US consumers to bear brunt of tariff hit: Goldman Goldman Sachs GS) says that President Trump's tariffs are only beginning to raise prices for shoppers, adding more uncertainty to the Treasury market where investors are unsure about how quickly interest rates will be cut. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Nvidia, AMD to pay 15% on China AI chip sales in US deal Nvidia (NVDA) and AMD (AMD) have agreed to give 15% of their revenue from AI chip sales in China to the US government. This deal helps them get export licenses but is an unusual step that might worry both companies and Beijing. Nvidia will share 15% of earnings from its H20 AI accelerator in China, while AMD will do the same for its MI308 chip. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Why Trump's soybean ask of China is 'highly unlikely' China is the world's largest soybean buyer, with nearly a quarter of those purchases coming from the US (and most of the rest coming from Brazil). President Trump's statement that he hopes "China will quickly quadruple its soybean orders" would require China to import the vast majority of its soybeans from the U.S. "It's highly unlikely that China would ever buy four times its usual volume of soybeans from the US," Johnny Xiang, founder of Beijing-based AgRadar Consulting, told Reuters. Read more here. US gold futures fall as traders await clarification on tariffs US gold futures (GC=F) in New York fell 2% as traders waited for the White House to clarify its tariff policy. Last week, the US Customs and Border agency surprised the market by ruling that 100oz and 1kg gold bars would face tariffs. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Swiss economy seen weathering Trump's tariff shock for now Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Commentary: Tariffs are denting profits, and maybe soon your portfolio With over two-thirds of companies having reported earnings, Yahoo Finance found more than four dozen large firms saying tariffs are impacting their businesses in some material way. Yahoo Finance's Rick Newman reports: Read more here. A 240-year-old Swiss watchmaker's race to beat Trump's tariff deadline It was a chaotic week for the 240-year-old Swiss watch manufacturer DuBois et fils, as the company rushed to ship watches before President Trump's surprise 39% tariff rate on Switzerland went into effect on Thursday. It was a race against time for DuBois CEO Thomas Steinemann and his company to ship five high-end watches to the US before blocking orders on its US website. Overall, the US accounts for 17% of Switzerland's watch exports. As of April, goods from the country faced a much lower 10% tariff rate. Reuters reports: Read more here. Tariffs are starting to squeeze farmers' profits President Trump has said he loves farmers, but his policies are starting to ripple across the agriculture industry. Trump's tariff policies, in particular, are beginning to raise the cost of machinery and fertilizers, weighing on profits. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. The US has slapped a 39% tariff on Switzerland, leaving the country's leaders reeling Bloomberg took a deep dive looking at how the tariff negotiations between the Trump administration and Switzerland began with promise, but eventually led to the US slapping a devastating 39% levy on the country: Read more here. Trump says US court ruling against tariff authority 'would be 1929 all over again' Yahoo Finance's Alexis Keenan reports: Read more here. Carney is patching up ties with Mexico in face of Trump threats Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is working to repair relations with Mexico as both nations prepare for the fallout from US tariffs. Canrey recently met with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and various corporate executives. Bloomberg reports: Read more from Bloomberg here. Swiss plane maker Pilatus halts business jet deliveries to US over tariffs Swiss aircraft manufacturer Pilatus said it temporarily stopped deliveries of its PC-12 and PC-24 business jets to the US after President Trump imposed a punishing 39% tariff rate on imports from Switzerland. "The new customs tariff imposed by the US authorities represents a significant competitive disadvantage for Pilatus," the privately held company said. From Reuters: Read more here. Under Armour forecasts downbeat quarterly sales, shares drop Under Armour (UA) stock slumped 12% before the bell on Friday after the sportswear maker forecast second-quarter revenue below Wall Street estimates. The company is grappling with muted demand in North America due to still-high inflation and tariff uncertainty. Reuters reports: Read more here. China defends buying Russian oil after Trump's tariff threat China defended its purchase of Russian oil on Friday, pushing back against President Trumps threat to impose higher tariffs on Beijing for buying energy from Moscow. Trump warned both China and India this week and said he would impose higher tariffs on the nations if they didn't stop buying oil from Russia. The US president followed through on his threat by slapping an additional 25% tariff on India, bringing the total to 50%. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Gold bar tariff surprise gives new blow to Switzerland The US has imposed tariffs on imports of 1kg and 100oz gold bars, unleashing fresh turmoil in the global bullion market. The move threatens trade from Switzerland and other major refining centers. US Customs and Border Protection confirmed that these gold bars are now subject to tariffs, contradicting earlier industry expectations. The Financial Times first reported this change. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Trump says, 'Gold will not be Tariffed!' President Trump posted on social media that gold will not be subject to tariffs after a surprise US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) ruling sparked confusion over whether the precious metal faced duties. "A Statement from Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America: Gold will not be Tariffed!" Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday afternoon. On Friday, the Financial Times reported that CBP classified Swiss one-kilogram and 100-ounce bars of gold as subject to 39% tariffs recently imposed on Switzerland by the Trump administration. Gold futures (GC=F) declined 2.5% early on Monday as investors awaited clarity from the White House over its trade position on the precious metal amid reports that imports of Swiss gold bars would not be exempt from tariffs. President Trump posted on social media that gold will not be subject to tariffs after a surprise US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) ruling sparked confusion over whether the precious metal faced duties. "A Statement from Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America: Gold will not be Tariffed!" Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday afternoon. On Friday, the Financial Times reported that CBP classified Swiss one-kilogram and 100-ounce bars of gold as subject to 39% tariffs recently imposed on Switzerland by the Trump administration. Gold futures (GC=F) declined 2.5% early on Monday as investors awaited clarity from the White House over its trade position on the precious metal amid reports that imports of Swiss gold bars would not be exempt from tariffs. Small US firms paying Trump tariffs face $202B annual hit Small US businesses are struggling to comply with President Trump's new tariffs. These companies, which are the source of more than half of the country's job creation are also finding it hard to cope with the growing financial strain from higher import costs. Bloomberg News: Read more here. Small US businesses are struggling to comply with President Trump's new tariffs. These companies, which are the source of more than half of the country's job creation are also finding it hard to cope with the growing financial strain from higher import costs. Bloomberg News: Read more here. Trump on China extension: We'll see what happens President Trump said China has been "dealing quite nicely" with the US, a possible hint that his administration is preparing to extend the countries' trade truce past a deadline that expires Tuesday. "We'll see what happens," he said during a White House press conference, adding, "They've been dealing quite nicely." The countries have held multiple rounds of trade talks during the 90-day suspension of sky-high tariffs on each other. Both sides have hailed progress in those talks. An extension into the fall could potentially set up a Trump meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, which Trump has suggested could happen before the end of the year. President Trump said China has been "dealing quite nicely" with the US, a possible hint that his administration is preparing to extend the countries' trade truce past a deadline that expires Tuesday. "We'll see what happens," he said during a White House press conference, adding, "They've been dealing quite nicely." The countries have held multiple rounds of trade talks during the 90-day suspension of sky-high tariffs on each other. Both sides have hailed progress in those talks. An extension into the fall could potentially set up a Trump meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, which Trump has suggested could happen before the end of the year. Swiss government to meet pharma firms to discuss US tariffs The Swiss government is due to meet this week with leaders from Swiss pharmaceutical companies Roche and Novartis, which have faced pressure from President Trump to lower their drug prices in the US. The meeting comes as Switzerland aims to negotiate for a lower tariff rate than the 39% rate the Trump administration imposed last week. And should Trump follow through on pharmaceutical tariffs as well, Roche and Novartis are considered to be more exposed, as they have comparatively fewer US manufacturing sites. From Reuters: Read more here. The Swiss government is due to meet this week with leaders from Swiss pharmaceutical companies Roche and Novartis, which have faced pressure from President Trump to lower their drug prices in the US. The meeting comes as Switzerland aims to negotiate for a lower tariff rate than the 39% rate the Trump administration imposed last week. And should Trump follow through on pharmaceutical tariffs as well, Roche and Novartis are considered to be more exposed, as they have comparatively fewer US manufacturing sites. From Reuters: Read more here. New gold tariffs are in effect. Will Costco gold bars be affected? Gold (GC=F) has been surging all year, and buying gold bars from Costco is just about the easiest way to get your hands on the precious metal — if you're lucky enough to find them in stock. However, the surprising announcement of additional tariffs on gold bars by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) left many wondering if the duties applied to Costco's gold bars as well. Yahoo Finance's Hal Bundrick reports: Read more here. Gold (GC=F) has been surging all year, and buying gold bars from Costco is just about the easiest way to get your hands on the precious metal — if you're lucky enough to find them in stock. However, the surprising announcement of additional tariffs on gold bars by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) left many wondering if the duties applied to Costco's gold bars as well. Yahoo Finance's Hal Bundrick reports: Read more here. US consumers to bear brunt of tariff hit: Goldman Goldman Sachs GS) says that President Trump's tariffs are only beginning to raise prices for shoppers, adding more uncertainty to the Treasury market where investors are unsure about how quickly interest rates will be cut. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Goldman Sachs GS) says that President Trump's tariffs are only beginning to raise prices for shoppers, adding more uncertainty to the Treasury market where investors are unsure about how quickly interest rates will be cut. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Nvidia, AMD to pay 15% on China AI chip sales in US deal Nvidia (NVDA) and AMD (AMD) have agreed to give 15% of their revenue from AI chip sales in China to the US government. This deal helps them get export licenses but is an unusual step that might worry both companies and Beijing. Nvidia will share 15% of earnings from its H20 AI accelerator in China, while AMD will do the same for its MI308 chip. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Nvidia (NVDA) and AMD (AMD) have agreed to give 15% of their revenue from AI chip sales in China to the US government. This deal helps them get export licenses but is an unusual step that might worry both companies and Beijing. Nvidia will share 15% of earnings from its H20 AI accelerator in China, while AMD will do the same for its MI308 chip. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Why Trump's soybean ask of China is 'highly unlikely' China is the world's largest soybean buyer, with nearly a quarter of those purchases coming from the US (and most of the rest coming from Brazil). President Trump's statement that he hopes "China will quickly quadruple its soybean orders" would require China to import the vast majority of its soybeans from the U.S. "It's highly unlikely that China would ever buy four times its usual volume of soybeans from the US," Johnny Xiang, founder of Beijing-based AgRadar Consulting, told Reuters. Read more here. China is the world's largest soybean buyer, with nearly a quarter of those purchases coming from the US (and most of the rest coming from Brazil). President Trump's statement that he hopes "China will quickly quadruple its soybean orders" would require China to import the vast majority of its soybeans from the U.S. "It's highly unlikely that China would ever buy four times its usual volume of soybeans from the US," Johnny Xiang, founder of Beijing-based AgRadar Consulting, told Reuters. Read more here. US gold futures fall as traders await clarification on tariffs US gold futures (GC=F) in New York fell 2% as traders waited for the White House to clarify its tariff policy. Last week, the US Customs and Border agency surprised the market by ruling that 100oz and 1kg gold bars would face tariffs. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. US gold futures (GC=F) in New York fell 2% as traders waited for the White House to clarify its tariff policy. Last week, the US Customs and Border agency surprised the market by ruling that 100oz and 1kg gold bars would face tariffs. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Swiss economy seen weathering Trump's tariff shock for now Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Commentary: Tariffs are denting profits, and maybe soon your portfolio With over two-thirds of companies having reported earnings, Yahoo Finance found more than four dozen large firms saying tariffs are impacting their businesses in some material way. Yahoo Finance's Rick Newman reports: Read more here. With over two-thirds of companies having reported earnings, Yahoo Finance found more than four dozen large firms saying tariffs are impacting their businesses in some material way. Yahoo Finance's Rick Newman reports: Read more here. A 240-year-old Swiss watchmaker's race to beat Trump's tariff deadline It was a chaotic week for the 240-year-old Swiss watch manufacturer DuBois et fils, as the company rushed to ship watches before President Trump's surprise 39% tariff rate on Switzerland went into effect on Thursday. It was a race against time for DuBois CEO Thomas Steinemann and his company to ship five high-end watches to the US before blocking orders on its US website. Overall, the US accounts for 17% of Switzerland's watch exports. As of April, goods from the country faced a much lower 10% tariff rate. Reuters reports: Read more here. It was a chaotic week for the 240-year-old Swiss watch manufacturer DuBois et fils, as the company rushed to ship watches before President Trump's surprise 39% tariff rate on Switzerland went into effect on Thursday. It was a race against time for DuBois CEO Thomas Steinemann and his company to ship five high-end watches to the US before blocking orders on its US website. Overall, the US accounts for 17% of Switzerland's watch exports. As of April, goods from the country faced a much lower 10% tariff rate. Reuters reports: Read more here. Tariffs are starting to squeeze farmers' profits President Trump has said he loves farmers, but his policies are starting to ripple across the agriculture industry. Trump's tariff policies, in particular, are beginning to raise the cost of machinery and fertilizers, weighing on profits. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. President Trump has said he loves farmers, but his policies are starting to ripple across the agriculture industry. Trump's tariff policies, in particular, are beginning to raise the cost of machinery and fertilizers, weighing on profits. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. The US has slapped a 39% tariff on Switzerland, leaving the country's leaders reeling Bloomberg took a deep dive looking at how the tariff negotiations between the Trump administration and Switzerland began with promise, but eventually led to the US slapping a devastating 39% levy on the country: Read more here. Bloomberg took a deep dive looking at how the tariff negotiations between the Trump administration and Switzerland began with promise, but eventually led to the US slapping a devastating 39% levy on the country: Read more here. Trump says US court ruling against tariff authority 'would be 1929 all over again' Yahoo Finance's Alexis Keenan reports: Read more here. Yahoo Finance's Alexis Keenan reports: Read more here. Carney is patching up ties with Mexico in face of Trump threats Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is working to repair relations with Mexico as both nations prepare for the fallout from US tariffs. Canrey recently met with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and various corporate executives. Bloomberg reports: Read more from Bloomberg here. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is working to repair relations with Mexico as both nations prepare for the fallout from US tariffs. Canrey recently met with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and various corporate executives. Bloomberg reports: Read more from Bloomberg here. Swiss plane maker Pilatus halts business jet deliveries to US over tariffs Swiss aircraft manufacturer Pilatus said it temporarily stopped deliveries of its PC-12 and PC-24 business jets to the US after President Trump imposed a punishing 39% tariff rate on imports from Switzerland. "The new customs tariff imposed by the US authorities represents a significant competitive disadvantage for Pilatus," the privately held company said. From Reuters: Read more here. Swiss aircraft manufacturer Pilatus said it temporarily stopped deliveries of its PC-12 and PC-24 business jets to the US after President Trump imposed a punishing 39% tariff rate on imports from Switzerland. "The new customs tariff imposed by the US authorities represents a significant competitive disadvantage for Pilatus," the privately held company said. From Reuters: Read more here. Under Armour forecasts downbeat quarterly sales, shares drop Under Armour (UA) stock slumped 12% before the bell on Friday after the sportswear maker forecast second-quarter revenue below Wall Street estimates. The company is grappling with muted demand in North America due to still-high inflation and tariff uncertainty. Reuters reports: Read more here. Under Armour (UA) stock slumped 12% before the bell on Friday after the sportswear maker forecast second-quarter revenue below Wall Street estimates. The company is grappling with muted demand in North America due to still-high inflation and tariff uncertainty. Reuters reports: Read more here. China defends buying Russian oil after Trump's tariff threat China defended its purchase of Russian oil on Friday, pushing back against President Trumps threat to impose higher tariffs on Beijing for buying energy from Moscow. Trump warned both China and India this week and said he would impose higher tariffs on the nations if they didn't stop buying oil from Russia. The US president followed through on his threat by slapping an additional 25% tariff on India, bringing the total to 50%. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. China defended its purchase of Russian oil on Friday, pushing back against President Trumps threat to impose higher tariffs on Beijing for buying energy from Moscow. Trump warned both China and India this week and said he would impose higher tariffs on the nations if they didn't stop buying oil from Russia. The US president followed through on his threat by slapping an additional 25% tariff on India, bringing the total to 50%. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Gold bar tariff surprise gives new blow to Switzerland The US has imposed tariffs on imports of 1kg and 100oz gold bars, unleashing fresh turmoil in the global bullion market. The move threatens trade from Switzerland and other major refining centers. US Customs and Border Protection confirmed that these gold bars are now subject to tariffs, contradicting earlier industry expectations. The Financial Times first reported this change. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. The US has imposed tariffs on imports of 1kg and 100oz gold bars, unleashing fresh turmoil in the global bullion market. The move threatens trade from Switzerland and other major refining centers. US Customs and Border Protection confirmed that these gold bars are now subject to tariffs, contradicting earlier industry expectations. The Financial Times first reported this change. Bloomberg reports: Read more here.
Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Why the Nvidia, AMD revenue-sharing pact with the White House is ripe for a legal challenge
The White House's reported deals with chipmakers Nvidia (NVDA) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) for a cut of their chip sales to China are unorthodox and unprecedented — and likely to end up in court. The two pacts, according to multiple reports, would divert 15% of the companies' respective sales revenues earned on China-destined chips to the US government. In exchange for the profit sharing, the US would grant export licenses allowing Nvidia to resume sales of its H20 chips to China and AMD to resume sales of its MI308 chips to China. Wall Street is happy, at least in early afternoon trading on Monday: Both Nvidia and AMD stocks are up. But legal experts say that neither the president nor Congress is empowered to tax exports. Article I, Section 9, of the US Constitution, known as the Export Clause, prohibits such levies, saying, "No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.' 'The Constitution is clear that there really cannot be any tax on exports,' said Douglas Jacobson, an international trade lawyer with Jacobson Burton Kelley. 'In my view, it's a slam-dunk unconstitutional tax on exports.' And the US Supreme Court has interpreted the Export Clause to prohibit Congress from imposing duties on exports, even when they're characterized otherwise. Its controlling view on federally mandated export charges was stated in the unanimous 1998 decision in United States v. United States Shoe Corp. In that case, the high court struck down a congressionally approved ad valorem charge of 0.125% on exports imposed by the US Customs Service. The charge, calculated based on the value of commercial cargo shipped through US ports, known as the Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT), was intended to fund upkeep on US harbors. On behalf of former President Bill Clinton's administration, the US Solicitor General argued that the HMT was a 'user fee,' and not a tax. But the court disagreed, reasoning that because the charge operated like an export tax, it violated the Export Clause. Siding with US Shoe, the court said in its opinion that the HMT 'bears the indicia of a tax.' Beyond the Constitution's export tax prohibition, the Export Controls Reform Act, passed by Congress in 2018, specifically prohibits charging exporters to obtain export licenses. Under US law, certain fees on export licenses have been held constitutional. Military exports, for example, are treated differently from non-military goods and fall under the administration of the US State Department, which requires manufacturers of military items to pay annual licensing fees. Even so, those fees are not based on the value of an applicant's exports. 'User fees are entirely permissible,' Jacobson said, but a deal for chipmakers to pay the government a 15% profit share acts like a reverse tariff and 'is clearly not a user fee.' "None of us have seen the government get a piece of the pie in this explicit way before," Tom Essaye, Sevens Report Research founder, told Yahoo Finance on Monday. A spokesperson for Nvidia neither confirmed nor acknowledged the reported profit-sharing agreement. 'We follow rules the US government sets for our participation in worldwide markets. While we haven't shipped H20 to China for months, we hope export control rules will let America compete in China and worldwide,' the spokesperson said. 'America cannot repeat 5G and lose telecommunication leadership. America's AI tech stack can be the world's standard if we race." Exactly who might legally challenge revenue sharing plans is not altogether clear. Nvidia and AMD are unlikely to dispute their own accords. And so far, challenges from rival chipmakers are unlikely, as there's no indication that other exporters would be subject to similar agreements. Potential challenges, however, could come from Nvidia and AMD shareholders and possibly from state attorneys general. Jacobson, the trade lawyer, said it's possible shareholders could argue that the profit-sharing agreements create an adverse effect on the price of the companies' shares because the businesses are subject to an unconstitutional tax that decreases their revenue. State attorneys general, on the other hand, may be able to argue that the deal impacts a company operating within their state or jeopardizes the state's revenue. For Nvidia and AMD, the agreements make sense as a short-term play, Jacobson said, even though they would likely be invalidated if challenged. By signing on to the agreements, the companies may be able to get their chips flowing to China and later deal with clawing back damages they may be entitled to. In an interview with Yahoo Finance, Pangaea Policy founder Terry Haines said the agreements may turn out to be a "one-off" for the administration due to concerns that the strategy could spread beyond Nvidia and AMD and because of China's concerns that US chips could contain "backdoors" that allow for US tracking. "The Chinese are saying they may not want the chips after all," Haines said. Alexis Keenan is a legal reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow Alexis on X @alexiskweed. Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest stock market news and events moving stock prices Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq waver as Wall Street looks for more records
Stocks wavered on Monday as Wall Street attempted to clinch more record highs. Traders this week are eyeing a key inflation reading, the upcoming summit between President Trump and Russian President Putin, and an unusual sales arrangement between Nvidia (NVDA), AMD (AMD), and the US government. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) fell 0.3%. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) fell into negative territory to slip 0.2%, while and the tech-heavy Nasdaq (^IXIC) slipped below the flatline after rising as much as 0.4%. Wall Street is coming off a week that saw the Nasdaq Composite notch two consecutive records at its end. The S&P 500, meanwhile, just missed a record close on Friday. Tech stocks overperformed as Apple (AAPL) posted its best week since 2020 on the heels of its White House spotlight with President Trump. Nvidia also closed Friday at a fresh record amid signals from Trump that Big Tech companies could avoid looming chip tariffs. But in another tariff-related twist, President Trump confirmed on Monday he made a deal with Nvidia —allowing the AI chip giant to sell its H20 chip to China for a revenue cut in exchange. "This [H20] is an old chip that China already has," Trump said on Monday, noting the agreement does not extend to Nvidia's next generation Blackwell. The Financial Times reported on Sunday that both Nvidia and AMD agreed to give the US government 15% of the money they make from selling certain computer chips to China. Nvidia and AMD shares reversed early losses on Monday. Read more: The latest on Trump's tariffs Trump has claimed that his tariffs are having a "huge positive impact on the stock market," though Wall Street is still navigating the twists and turns of sweeping duties on dozens of trade partners which went into effect last week. Now, investors are turning their attention to his previewed sectoral duties on semiconductor and pharmaceutical imports, as well as a looming Tuesday deadline to extend a tariff pause with China. Wall Street will get another glimpse this week into how those tariffs are affecting price pressures in the US. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is set for release on Tuesday, followed by the Producer Price Index on Thursday and retail sales data on Friday. Inflation reaccelerated in June, and economists have warned that the tariffs will likely continue to seep into price data in the coming months. On Monday Trump clarified gold (GC-F) will not be tariffed the precious metal futures market whipsawed last week amid confusion on whether Swiss bars would be subject to levies. Read more: Live coverage of earnings season Gold at session lows as Trump says precious metal will be not be tariffed Gold (GC=F) futures traded near session lows on Monday afternoon after President Trump said imports of the precious metal will not be tariffed. "Gold will not be Tariffed!" said a statement posted on social media. The precious metal declined more than 2% to trade near $3,404 per ounce. Last Friday gold futures touched intraday record highs amid reports that imports of Swiss gold bars would not be exempt from tariffs. Later in the session the metal trimmed gains after the White House indicated it would clarify "misinformation about the tariffing of gold bars and other specialty products." stock falls 23% after lowering revenue guidance Inc. (AI) stock tumbled as much as 30% on Monday morning after the software company reported a steep sales miss and as its founder's health issues are spurring a search for a successor. Shares were down 23% in afternoon trading. The company released preliminary results late Friday showing revenue well below analysts' estimates as it undergoes a reorganization of its sales operation. Guidance for the fiscal first quarter also came in lighter than expected. Bloomberg reported that CEO Tom Siebel attributed what he called "completely unacceptable" results to recent health issues that prevented him from actively helping to sell the company's software. Several weeks ago, he said the company would begin to search for a successor. As Yahoo Finance's Brian Sozzi noted today, problems appear to be company-specific — not an indicator of the overall AI trade. "But I think now is probably the time to pivot away from some of the pure plays and go to more of bank shots on AI, and names like that would be in the industrials that, you know, aren't even tech stocks, but are benefiting from all of the infrastructure spending," John Campbell of Allsprings Global Investments said on Opening Bid. Read more here. Bitcoin surges above $120,000, ethereum rises as investors pile into crypto Bitcoin (BTC-USD) surged on Monday to trade near record highs as investor enthusiasm and momentum around crypto grew. The digital token reached $122,000 on Monday before easing to around $120,000. The gains come as inflows into exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have grown and public companies have been adding bitcoin to their balance sheets. Bitcoin wasn't the only cryptocurrency getting a bid; ethereum (ETH-USD) touched 2021 levels on Monday. The second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap has surged roughly 190% since the April market lows. Companies have been adding ethereum to their balance sheets as a way to gain exposure to the tech infrastructure behind decentralized finance and digital assets, such as stablecoins. The move higher in crypto also comes as stocks hover near record highs on expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut rates in September and President Trump's next Fed chair pick will likely bring looser monetary policy. Intel stock jumps with CEO Lip-Bu Tan reportedly set to meet with President Trump Intel (INTC) stock jumped more than 4% ahead of CEO Lip-Bu Tan's reported visit to the White House after President Trump called for his resignation. Citing unnamed sources, the Wall Street Journal reported over the weekend that Tan is set to meet with Trump Monday to explain his personal and professional background and to propose ways that Intel and the government can collaborate. Intel did not immediately respond to Yahoo Finance's questions regarding the reported meeting. Read the full story here. Tesla stock rises as EV maker applies for electricity supply license in UK Tesla (TSLA) stock surged 3% on Monday after the EV maker applied for a license to provide electricity to UK households and businesses. Apart from making electric vehicles and robotaxis, Tesla also provides Megapack batteries. The company's energy business grew 30% year over year last quarter, accounting for its largest margins. If the electricity supply license application submitted to the UK energy regulator Ofgem is approved, Tesla would be allowed to compete with other energy firms in the region. Micron jumps after memory chipmaker raises Q4 financial guidance Memory chipmaker Micron (MU) — which supplies its semiconductors to Nvidia (NVDA) to use in its products — saw its stock jump more than 4% Monday after raising its financial outlook for its fourth quarter, which ends Aug. 28. The company said it expects to see adjusted revenue of $11.1 billion to $11.3 billion, up from its prior projected range of $10.4 billion to $11 billion. Micron expects to report quarterly adjusted earnings per share of $2.78 to $2.92, more than its previous range of $2.35 to $2.65. "This revised guidance reflects improved pricing, particularly in DRAM, and strong execution," the company said in a statement. Micron's DRAM chips are one type of memory chip used in devices like personal computers and smartphones. Stocks steady at the open US stocks were steady at the open on Monday after the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) notched two consecutive records last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) rose nearly 0.1%. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) and the tech-heavy Nasdaq (^IXIC) hovered above the flat line. Chip stocks were in focus Monday after Nvidia (NVDA) and AMD (AMD) reportedly inked deals with the US government to sell their chips to China in exchange for sharing 15% of their revenues from the country. Nvidia shares fell less than 1% on Monday, while AMD shares lost over 1.5%. Looking ahead this week, investors are awaiting a key inflation reading and the upcoming summit between President Trump and Russian President Putin. Paramount seals $7.7 billion exclusive US rights deal with UFC Paramount has agreed to a seven-year, $7.7 billion deal to become the exclusive US broadcaster of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The agreement is Paramount's largest since David Ellison took over as chair and CEO last week, following the completion of Skydance's takeover of the company. Under the contract, Paramount will stream all 13 of UFC's marquee events and 30 Fight Nights annually on its streaming platform from 2026, with selected events also broadcast on CBS, the Financial Times reported. The FT reports: Read more here (subscription required). AMC tops revenue estimates as blockbuster titles boost theater attendance AMC (AMC) stock jumped 8% in premarket trading after the movie theater chain reported attendance in the second quarter grew nearly 26% as blockbusters drew in moviegoers. Reuters reports: Read more here. Nvidia, AMD stocks decline after chipmakers agree to pay US 15% cut of China chip sales Shares of Nvidia (NVDA) and AMD (AMD) fell on Monday after the two companies agreed to pay the US government 15% of the revenue for certain chip sales to China. Nvidia stock was off by 0.4% premarket, while AMD stock dropped 1.4% as investors digested the unusual deal in which the chipmakers will essentially pay for export licenses. While the details are still being worked out, the chips in question reportedly include Nvidia's H20 AI chip and AMD's MI308 chips, which previously faced export controls from the Trump administration. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang made the deal at the White House last Wednesday, the same day Apple (AAPL) agreed to increase its US investment to $600 billion, ostensibly to help the company avoid tariffs, as the Trump administration looks to monetize trade policy. An Nvidia spokesperson told Yahoo Finance: 'We follow rules the U.S. government sets for our participation in worldwide markets. While we haven't shipped H20 to China for months, we hope export control rules will let America compete in China and worldwide. America cannot repeat 5G and lose telecommunication leadership. America's AI tech stack can be the world's standard if we race." As for other chip stocks, Intel (INTC) and Qualcomm (QCOM) shares rose, while Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM) fell modestly. Read more here. Good morning. Here's what's happening today. Earnings: (BBAI), (MNDY), Oklo (OKLO), Plug Power (PLUG) Economic calendar: No notable releases. Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning: Nvidia, AMD revenue deal brings 'monetization of US trade policy' Yahoo Finance poll: Americans face new, complex financial challenges Earnings live: stock tanks, AMC to report Debate over Fed rate cuts heats up: What to watch this week Fed's Bowman makes case for 3 interest rate cuts in 2025 Intel CEO to visit White House on Monday Citi strategists raise S&P 500 target on resilient earnings Bitcoin Nears Record as Treasury Investors Boost Crypto Market BofA poll shows record number of investors say stocks overvalued Lithium market soars as CATL shuts one of world's biggest mines stock tanks after the company reports earnings stock plunged aorund 20% in premarket trading on Monday after the Israeli-based software company reported earnings. In the second quarter, reported earnings of $0.03 per share and revenue of $299 million. While revenue beat analyst expectations of $293 million, GAAP profits fell short, as Wall Street was looking for $0.20 per share, per S&P Global Market Intelligence. Investors have been looking for signs that economic uncertainty is pushing companies to pull back their spending on technology and software. The company's operating loss fell to $11.6 million from $1.8 million a year ago, and the operating margin fell to negative 4% from 1% last year. Read more live coverage of corporate earnings here US gold futures fall as traders await clarification on tariffs US gold futures (GC=F) in New York fell 2% as traders waited for the White House to clarify its tariff policy. Last week, the US Customs and Border agency surprised the market by ruling that 100oz and 1kg gold bars would face tariffs. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Target still in the bear camp Good WSJ story this morning on Target (TGT) and its many challenges, one of them finding its next CEO. I wrote more on this a couple months ago. I would expect an abysmal quarter (another one) from Target when it reports second quarter earnings on August 20. The company is not only dealing with operational challenges, but it has totally lost the value perception battle with Walmart. I don't see these dynamics changing this year, and maybe not until deep into 2026 provided an outside CEO is brought in to run a full assessment of the business. Bitcoin near a fresh record Bitcoin looks to be breaking out of its recent trading range, nearing a fresh record this morning. There doesn't appear to be a clear catalyst for the pop today, though this Sunday X post from bitcoin evangelist Michael Saylor may have stoked the bulls. It suggests he will continue to be a buyer of bitcoin — perhaps no surprise, but the crypto market likes to be coddled. "If you don't stop buying Bitcoin, you won't stop making Money," Saylor wrote. crashing Shares of (AI) are getting crushed pre-market to the tune of 30%. And the rout is 100% deserved. Late Friday the company said it sees preliminary first fiscal quarter revenue of $70.2 million to $70.4 million, about 33% below the mid-point of its prior guidance for $100 million to $109 million. Sales would be down 19% from the prior year. The adjusted operating loss will be $57.7 million to $59.9 million, roughly twice the $23.5 million to $33.5 million loss that it had expected. I don't think there is anything to read into the AI trade here — this seems very company-specific, and tied to a sales reorg. Gold at session lows as Trump says precious metal will be not be tariffed Gold (GC=F) futures traded near session lows on Monday afternoon after President Trump said imports of the precious metal will not be tariffed. "Gold will not be Tariffed!" said a statement posted on social media. The precious metal declined more than 2% to trade near $3,404 per ounce. Last Friday gold futures touched intraday record highs amid reports that imports of Swiss gold bars would not be exempt from tariffs. Later in the session the metal trimmed gains after the White House indicated it would clarify "misinformation about the tariffing of gold bars and other specialty products." Gold (GC=F) futures traded near session lows on Monday afternoon after President Trump said imports of the precious metal will not be tariffed. "Gold will not be Tariffed!" said a statement posted on social media. The precious metal declined more than 2% to trade near $3,404 per ounce. Last Friday gold futures touched intraday record highs amid reports that imports of Swiss gold bars would not be exempt from tariffs. Later in the session the metal trimmed gains after the White House indicated it would clarify "misinformation about the tariffing of gold bars and other specialty products." stock falls 23% after lowering revenue guidance Inc. (AI) stock tumbled as much as 30% on Monday morning after the software company reported a steep sales miss and as its founder's health issues are spurring a search for a successor. Shares were down 23% in afternoon trading. The company released preliminary results late Friday showing revenue well below analysts' estimates as it undergoes a reorganization of its sales operation. Guidance for the fiscal first quarter also came in lighter than expected. Bloomberg reported that CEO Tom Siebel attributed what he called "completely unacceptable" results to recent health issues that prevented him from actively helping to sell the company's software. Several weeks ago, he said the company would begin to search for a successor. As Yahoo Finance's Brian Sozzi noted today, problems appear to be company-specific — not an indicator of the overall AI trade. "But I think now is probably the time to pivot away from some of the pure plays and go to more of bank shots on AI, and names like that would be in the industrials that, you know, aren't even tech stocks, but are benefiting from all of the infrastructure spending," John Campbell of Allsprings Global Investments said on Opening Bid. Read more here. Inc. (AI) stock tumbled as much as 30% on Monday morning after the software company reported a steep sales miss and as its founder's health issues are spurring a search for a successor. Shares were down 23% in afternoon trading. The company released preliminary results late Friday showing revenue well below analysts' estimates as it undergoes a reorganization of its sales operation. Guidance for the fiscal first quarter also came in lighter than expected. Bloomberg reported that CEO Tom Siebel attributed what he called "completely unacceptable" results to recent health issues that prevented him from actively helping to sell the company's software. Several weeks ago, he said the company would begin to search for a successor. As Yahoo Finance's Brian Sozzi noted today, problems appear to be company-specific — not an indicator of the overall AI trade. "But I think now is probably the time to pivot away from some of the pure plays and go to more of bank shots on AI, and names like that would be in the industrials that, you know, aren't even tech stocks, but are benefiting from all of the infrastructure spending," John Campbell of Allsprings Global Investments said on Opening Bid. Read more here. Bitcoin surges above $120,000, ethereum rises as investors pile into crypto Bitcoin (BTC-USD) surged on Monday to trade near record highs as investor enthusiasm and momentum around crypto grew. The digital token reached $122,000 on Monday before easing to around $120,000. The gains come as inflows into exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have grown and public companies have been adding bitcoin to their balance sheets. Bitcoin wasn't the only cryptocurrency getting a bid; ethereum (ETH-USD) touched 2021 levels on Monday. The second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap has surged roughly 190% since the April market lows. Companies have been adding ethereum to their balance sheets as a way to gain exposure to the tech infrastructure behind decentralized finance and digital assets, such as stablecoins. The move higher in crypto also comes as stocks hover near record highs on expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut rates in September and President Trump's next Fed chair pick will likely bring looser monetary policy. Bitcoin (BTC-USD) surged on Monday to trade near record highs as investor enthusiasm and momentum around crypto grew. The digital token reached $122,000 on Monday before easing to around $120,000. The gains come as inflows into exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have grown and public companies have been adding bitcoin to their balance sheets. Bitcoin wasn't the only cryptocurrency getting a bid; ethereum (ETH-USD) touched 2021 levels on Monday. The second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap has surged roughly 190% since the April market lows. Companies have been adding ethereum to their balance sheets as a way to gain exposure to the tech infrastructure behind decentralized finance and digital assets, such as stablecoins. The move higher in crypto also comes as stocks hover near record highs on expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut rates in September and President Trump's next Fed chair pick will likely bring looser monetary policy. Intel stock jumps with CEO Lip-Bu Tan reportedly set to meet with President Trump Intel (INTC) stock jumped more than 4% ahead of CEO Lip-Bu Tan's reported visit to the White House after President Trump called for his resignation. Citing unnamed sources, the Wall Street Journal reported over the weekend that Tan is set to meet with Trump Monday to explain his personal and professional background and to propose ways that Intel and the government can collaborate. Intel did not immediately respond to Yahoo Finance's questions regarding the reported meeting. Read the full story here. Intel (INTC) stock jumped more than 4% ahead of CEO Lip-Bu Tan's reported visit to the White House after President Trump called for his resignation. Citing unnamed sources, the Wall Street Journal reported over the weekend that Tan is set to meet with Trump Monday to explain his personal and professional background and to propose ways that Intel and the government can collaborate. Intel did not immediately respond to Yahoo Finance's questions regarding the reported meeting. Read the full story here. Tesla stock rises as EV maker applies for electricity supply license in UK Tesla (TSLA) stock surged 3% on Monday after the EV maker applied for a license to provide electricity to UK households and businesses. Apart from making electric vehicles and robotaxis, Tesla also provides Megapack batteries. The company's energy business grew 30% year over year last quarter, accounting for its largest margins. If the electricity supply license application submitted to the UK energy regulator Ofgem is approved, Tesla would be allowed to compete with other energy firms in the region. Tesla (TSLA) stock surged 3% on Monday after the EV maker applied for a license to provide electricity to UK households and businesses. Apart from making electric vehicles and robotaxis, Tesla also provides Megapack batteries. The company's energy business grew 30% year over year last quarter, accounting for its largest margins. If the electricity supply license application submitted to the UK energy regulator Ofgem is approved, Tesla would be allowed to compete with other energy firms in the region. Micron jumps after memory chipmaker raises Q4 financial guidance Memory chipmaker Micron (MU) — which supplies its semiconductors to Nvidia (NVDA) to use in its products — saw its stock jump more than 4% Monday after raising its financial outlook for its fourth quarter, which ends Aug. 28. The company said it expects to see adjusted revenue of $11.1 billion to $11.3 billion, up from its prior projected range of $10.4 billion to $11 billion. Micron expects to report quarterly adjusted earnings per share of $2.78 to $2.92, more than its previous range of $2.35 to $2.65. "This revised guidance reflects improved pricing, particularly in DRAM, and strong execution," the company said in a statement. Micron's DRAM chips are one type of memory chip used in devices like personal computers and smartphones. Memory chipmaker Micron (MU) — which supplies its semiconductors to Nvidia (NVDA) to use in its products — saw its stock jump more than 4% Monday after raising its financial outlook for its fourth quarter, which ends Aug. 28. The company said it expects to see adjusted revenue of $11.1 billion to $11.3 billion, up from its prior projected range of $10.4 billion to $11 billion. Micron expects to report quarterly adjusted earnings per share of $2.78 to $2.92, more than its previous range of $2.35 to $2.65. "This revised guidance reflects improved pricing, particularly in DRAM, and strong execution," the company said in a statement. Micron's DRAM chips are one type of memory chip used in devices like personal computers and smartphones. Stocks steady at the open US stocks were steady at the open on Monday after the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) notched two consecutive records last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) rose nearly 0.1%. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) and the tech-heavy Nasdaq (^IXIC) hovered above the flat line. Chip stocks were in focus Monday after Nvidia (NVDA) and AMD (AMD) reportedly inked deals with the US government to sell their chips to China in exchange for sharing 15% of their revenues from the country. Nvidia shares fell less than 1% on Monday, while AMD shares lost over 1.5%. Looking ahead this week, investors are awaiting a key inflation reading and the upcoming summit between President Trump and Russian President Putin. US stocks were steady at the open on Monday after the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) notched two consecutive records last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) rose nearly 0.1%. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) and the tech-heavy Nasdaq (^IXIC) hovered above the flat line. Chip stocks were in focus Monday after Nvidia (NVDA) and AMD (AMD) reportedly inked deals with the US government to sell their chips to China in exchange for sharing 15% of their revenues from the country. Nvidia shares fell less than 1% on Monday, while AMD shares lost over 1.5%. Looking ahead this week, investors are awaiting a key inflation reading and the upcoming summit between President Trump and Russian President Putin. Paramount seals $7.7 billion exclusive US rights deal with UFC Paramount has agreed to a seven-year, $7.7 billion deal to become the exclusive US broadcaster of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The agreement is Paramount's largest since David Ellison took over as chair and CEO last week, following the completion of Skydance's takeover of the company. Under the contract, Paramount will stream all 13 of UFC's marquee events and 30 Fight Nights annually on its streaming platform from 2026, with selected events also broadcast on CBS, the Financial Times reported. The FT reports: Read more here (subscription required). Paramount has agreed to a seven-year, $7.7 billion deal to become the exclusive US broadcaster of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The agreement is Paramount's largest since David Ellison took over as chair and CEO last week, following the completion of Skydance's takeover of the company. Under the contract, Paramount will stream all 13 of UFC's marquee events and 30 Fight Nights annually on its streaming platform from 2026, with selected events also broadcast on CBS, the Financial Times reported. The FT reports: Read more here (subscription required). AMC tops revenue estimates as blockbuster titles boost theater attendance AMC (AMC) stock jumped 8% in premarket trading after the movie theater chain reported attendance in the second quarter grew nearly 26% as blockbusters drew in moviegoers. Reuters reports: Read more here. AMC (AMC) stock jumped 8% in premarket trading after the movie theater chain reported attendance in the second quarter grew nearly 26% as blockbusters drew in moviegoers. Reuters reports: Read more here. Nvidia, AMD stocks decline after chipmakers agree to pay US 15% cut of China chip sales Shares of Nvidia (NVDA) and AMD (AMD) fell on Monday after the two companies agreed to pay the US government 15% of the revenue for certain chip sales to China. Nvidia stock was off by 0.4% premarket, while AMD stock dropped 1.4% as investors digested the unusual deal in which the chipmakers will essentially pay for export licenses. While the details are still being worked out, the chips in question reportedly include Nvidia's H20 AI chip and AMD's MI308 chips, which previously faced export controls from the Trump administration. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang made the deal at the White House last Wednesday, the same day Apple (AAPL) agreed to increase its US investment to $600 billion, ostensibly to help the company avoid tariffs, as the Trump administration looks to monetize trade policy. An Nvidia spokesperson told Yahoo Finance: 'We follow rules the U.S. government sets for our participation in worldwide markets. While we haven't shipped H20 to China for months, we hope export control rules will let America compete in China and worldwide. America cannot repeat 5G and lose telecommunication leadership. America's AI tech stack can be the world's standard if we race." As for other chip stocks, Intel (INTC) and Qualcomm (QCOM) shares rose, while Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM) fell modestly. Read more here. Shares of Nvidia (NVDA) and AMD (AMD) fell on Monday after the two companies agreed to pay the US government 15% of the revenue for certain chip sales to China. Nvidia stock was off by 0.4% premarket, while AMD stock dropped 1.4% as investors digested the unusual deal in which the chipmakers will essentially pay for export licenses. While the details are still being worked out, the chips in question reportedly include Nvidia's H20 AI chip and AMD's MI308 chips, which previously faced export controls from the Trump administration. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang made the deal at the White House last Wednesday, the same day Apple (AAPL) agreed to increase its US investment to $600 billion, ostensibly to help the company avoid tariffs, as the Trump administration looks to monetize trade policy. An Nvidia spokesperson told Yahoo Finance: 'We follow rules the U.S. government sets for our participation in worldwide markets. While we haven't shipped H20 to China for months, we hope export control rules will let America compete in China and worldwide. America cannot repeat 5G and lose telecommunication leadership. America's AI tech stack can be the world's standard if we race." As for other chip stocks, Intel (INTC) and Qualcomm (QCOM) shares rose, while Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM) fell modestly. Read more here. Good morning. Here's what's happening today. Earnings: (BBAI), (MNDY), Oklo (OKLO), Plug Power (PLUG) Economic calendar: No notable releases. Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning: Nvidia, AMD revenue deal brings 'monetization of US trade policy' Yahoo Finance poll: Americans face new, complex financial challenges Earnings live: stock tanks, AMC to report Debate over Fed rate cuts heats up: What to watch this week Fed's Bowman makes case for 3 interest rate cuts in 2025 Intel CEO to visit White House on Monday Citi strategists raise S&P 500 target on resilient earnings Bitcoin Nears Record as Treasury Investors Boost Crypto Market BofA poll shows record number of investors say stocks overvalued Lithium market soars as CATL shuts one of world's biggest mines Earnings: (BBAI), (MNDY), Oklo (OKLO), Plug Power (PLUG) Economic calendar: No notable releases. Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning: Nvidia, AMD revenue deal brings 'monetization of US trade policy' Yahoo Finance poll: Americans face new, complex financial challenges Earnings live: stock tanks, AMC to report Debate over Fed rate cuts heats up: What to watch this week Fed's Bowman makes case for 3 interest rate cuts in 2025 Intel CEO to visit White House on Monday Citi strategists raise S&P 500 target on resilient earnings Bitcoin Nears Record as Treasury Investors Boost Crypto Market BofA poll shows record number of investors say stocks overvalued Lithium market soars as CATL shuts one of world's biggest mines stock tanks after the company reports earnings stock plunged aorund 20% in premarket trading on Monday after the Israeli-based software company reported earnings. In the second quarter, reported earnings of $0.03 per share and revenue of $299 million. While revenue beat analyst expectations of $293 million, GAAP profits fell short, as Wall Street was looking for $0.20 per share, per S&P Global Market Intelligence. Investors have been looking for signs that economic uncertainty is pushing companies to pull back their spending on technology and software. The company's operating loss fell to $11.6 million from $1.8 million a year ago, and the operating margin fell to negative 4% from 1% last year. Read more live coverage of corporate earnings here stock plunged aorund 20% in premarket trading on Monday after the Israeli-based software company reported earnings. In the second quarter, reported earnings of $0.03 per share and revenue of $299 million. While revenue beat analyst expectations of $293 million, GAAP profits fell short, as Wall Street was looking for $0.20 per share, per S&P Global Market Intelligence. Investors have been looking for signs that economic uncertainty is pushing companies to pull back their spending on technology and software. The company's operating loss fell to $11.6 million from $1.8 million a year ago, and the operating margin fell to negative 4% from 1% last year. Read more live coverage of corporate earnings here US gold futures fall as traders await clarification on tariffs US gold futures (GC=F) in New York fell 2% as traders waited for the White House to clarify its tariff policy. Last week, the US Customs and Border agency surprised the market by ruling that 100oz and 1kg gold bars would face tariffs. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. US gold futures (GC=F) in New York fell 2% as traders waited for the White House to clarify its tariff policy. Last week, the US Customs and Border agency surprised the market by ruling that 100oz and 1kg gold bars would face tariffs. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Target still in the bear camp Good WSJ story this morning on Target (TGT) and its many challenges, one of them finding its next CEO. I wrote more on this a couple months ago. I would expect an abysmal quarter (another one) from Target when it reports second quarter earnings on August 20. The company is not only dealing with operational challenges, but it has totally lost the value perception battle with Walmart. I don't see these dynamics changing this year, and maybe not until deep into 2026 provided an outside CEO is brought in to run a full assessment of the business. Good WSJ story this morning on Target (TGT) and its many challenges, one of them finding its next CEO. I wrote more on this a couple months ago. I would expect an abysmal quarter (another one) from Target when it reports second quarter earnings on August 20. The company is not only dealing with operational challenges, but it has totally lost the value perception battle with Walmart. I don't see these dynamics changing this year, and maybe not until deep into 2026 provided an outside CEO is brought in to run a full assessment of the business. Bitcoin near a fresh record Bitcoin looks to be breaking out of its recent trading range, nearing a fresh record this morning. There doesn't appear to be a clear catalyst for the pop today, though this Sunday X post from bitcoin evangelist Michael Saylor may have stoked the bulls. It suggests he will continue to be a buyer of bitcoin — perhaps no surprise, but the crypto market likes to be coddled. "If you don't stop buying Bitcoin, you won't stop making Money," Saylor wrote. Bitcoin looks to be breaking out of its recent trading range, nearing a fresh record this morning. There doesn't appear to be a clear catalyst for the pop today, though this Sunday X post from bitcoin evangelist Michael Saylor may have stoked the bulls. It suggests he will continue to be a buyer of bitcoin — perhaps no surprise, but the crypto market likes to be coddled. "If you don't stop buying Bitcoin, you won't stop making Money," Saylor wrote. crashing Shares of (AI) are getting crushed pre-market to the tune of 30%. And the rout is 100% deserved. Late Friday the company said it sees preliminary first fiscal quarter revenue of $70.2 million to $70.4 million, about 33% below the mid-point of its prior guidance for $100 million to $109 million. Sales would be down 19% from the prior year. The adjusted operating loss will be $57.7 million to $59.9 million, roughly twice the $23.5 million to $33.5 million loss that it had expected. I don't think there is anything to read into the AI trade here — this seems very company-specific, and tied to a sales reorg. Shares of (AI) are getting crushed pre-market to the tune of 30%. And the rout is 100% deserved. Late Friday the company said it sees preliminary first fiscal quarter revenue of $70.2 million to $70.4 million, about 33% below the mid-point of its prior guidance for $100 million to $109 million. Sales would be down 19% from the prior year. The adjusted operating loss will be $57.7 million to $59.9 million, roughly twice the $23.5 million to $33.5 million loss that it had expected. I don't think there is anything to read into the AI trade here — this seems very company-specific, and tied to a sales reorg.
