
Equinix raises annual results forecast on steady data center demand
The company has benefited from the increased demand for data center infrastructure amid a surge in artificial intelligence usage.
Major cloud firms, including Google (GOOGL.O), opens new tab, have pledged significant investments this year to expand on AI, underscoring robust demand for AI-related products and solutions.
Equinix provides organizations with secure, resilient and power-efficient environments to house their IT equipment within its data centers, while offering shared infrastructure and connectivity solutions.
The company now expects annual revenue to be between $9.23 billion and $9.33 billion, compared with prior projection of $9.18 billion to $9.28 billion.
It now expects annual per-share funds from operations, a key measure of cash flow, to be in the range of $37.67 to $38.48 per share, compared with previous forecast of $37.36 to $38.17.
In the second quarter ended June 30, the company's revenue rose 4.6% to $2.26 billion, in line with estimates, according to data compiled by LSEG.

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Reuters
12 minutes ago
- Reuters
From ingredient costs to sagging demand, tariffs further pinch company earnings
Aug 5 (Reuters) - Companies across the corporate spectrum revealed more pain from the cost of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff war, with bellwethers Caterpillar, Marriott and others on Tuesday noting weaker demand and higher prices. All told, global companies that have reported earnings this quarter are looking at a hit of around $15 billion to profits in 2025, Reuters' global tariff tracker shows. A majority of these come from industrial, manufacturing and automotive sectors, while financial and tech sectors are less affected. Trump has said the tariffs are necessary to resolve U.S. trade imbalances and declining manufacturing power; he has said the levies on imports will bring jobs and investment to the United States. "I think we're just getting started," said Steve Sosnick, chief market analyst at Interactive Brokers in Greenwich, Connecticut. "The tariffs are still in their infancy, especially with major trading partners like Canada, China and India still in flux." Tuesday's round of earnings illustrates the different ways trade policy is affecting companies, from the rising costs of imported materials like metals to the slippage in consumer confidence that has sapped demand. Caterpillar (CAT.N), opens new tab, for instance, saw a 0.7% hit to revenue, while its cost of goods rose by 6.5%, and CEO Joe Creed told investors that tariffs are "likely to be a more significant headwind to profitability in the second half of 2025." Beer maker Molson Coors (TAP.N), opens new tab said it was expecting costs of between $20 million and $35 million in the second half of the year due to a tariff-driven rise in the price of aluminum delivered to the U.S. Midwest . Tariffs on aluminum shipped into the United States were doubled to 50% in June from the previous 25% duty imposed in March. The markets, however, have remained resilient even as Trump's policies continue to change. He said on Tuesday that he would raise tariffs on goods imported from India from the current 25% as part of an ongoing spat with the country over its purchases of oil from Russia. U.S. equities rebounded sharply from their April lows following what Trump deemed "Liberation Day," when he unleashed a wave of global tariffs. The S&P 500 (.SPX), opens new tab hit all-time highs last month on the back of strong earnings, led by the so-called Magnificent Seven, a group of tech companies that have benefited from surging investment in artificial intelligence. Of the 370 companies in the S&P 500 that have reported earnings so far, 80.3% have reported quarterly earnings above analyst estimates, with their earnings growth rate at 11.9%, according to LSEG data. "We are figuring out that some industries may be affected, but they also might gain because (new) markets are open to them that may have been closed in the past. We're going to have to have a couple more quarters to see how this actually plays out," said Kim Forrest, chief investment officer at Bokeh Capital Partners. Several market strategists of late have warned that a correction could be in the offing, but are broadly optimistic about the market. Evercore ISI analysts believe the market could dip between 7% and 15% in the September-October period as growth slows and inflation increases, though the AI-driven bull rally should continue. Higher ingredient costs ate into profits of Taco Bell parent Yum Brands (YUM.N), opens new tab, which, like McDonald's (MCD.N), opens new tab and other fast-food chains, leaned on budget-friendly meal deals to boost demand as U.S. consumers pull back on eating out due to worries about rising costs. Hotel operator Marriott International (MAR.O), opens new tab cut its 2025 forecast on softening travel demand, while agribusiness giant Archer-Daniels Midland (ADM.N), opens new tab posted its lowest profit in five years. While some market participants noted that tariff-led uncertainty was likely to persist this year, with over 100 global companies withdrawing or cutting financial guidance, others said in the longer run, companies and investors would be able to see some green shoots. "It seems that companies themselves are a little more optimistic about the outlook now that the Liberation Day tariffs are in the rearview mirror," said Ross Mayfield, investment strategy analyst at Baird. "Companies are going to have to be really deft in how they navigate this (tariffs), but obviously there's no choice but to pass some of this on to the consumer. We see S&P margins hovering around record highs, and it wouldn't surprise me if that ticked down a little bit in the coming quarters."


The Independent
12 minutes ago
- The Independent
Jim Acosta says he was ‘honored' to interview AI Parkland victim amid intense backlash
Amid the intense backlash he is currently facing over an 'interview' he did with an AI version of a student killed in the 2018 Parkland high school shooting, former CNN anchor Jim Acosta told The Independent he was 'honored' to help the victim's family remember their son. The conversation featured Acosta speaking to an animated image of Joaquin Oliver, who would have been celebrating his 25th birthday on Monday. According to Joaquin's father Manuel, the avatar was based on a real photograph of his deceased son and was trained on general information and knowledge from his writings and social media postings. At the start of the interview, which was posted to Acosta's Substack page, the AI Oliver is asked what happened to him, prompting the model to answer in a somewhat robotic monotone. Additionally, besides the avatar sounding computerized, the motions of its face and lips appear jerky and erratic. 'I appreciate your curiosity,' the avatar said. 'I was taken from this world too soon due to gun violence while at school. It's important to talk about these issues so we can create a safer future for everyone.' The AI model went on to talk about the need for 'a mix of stronger gun control laws, mental health support, and community engagement' when asked how to curb gun violence. 'We need to create safe spaces for conversations and connections, making everyone feel seen and heard. It's about building a culture of kindness and understanding,' it added. Acosta also touched on some more casual topics in his conversation with the AI Oliver, such as asking the avatar about movies and the NBA. Following the interview, Acosta brought on Manuel to discuss his decision to use an artificially generated version of his son and whether he planned to continue to do so going forward. 'I understand that this is AI,' Manuel said. 'I don't want anyone to think that I am in, some way, trying to bring my son back. Sadly, I can't, right? I wish I could. However, the technology is out there.' Manuel, who has become an outspoken gun control advocate since his son's death, also noted that the AI version of his son could help elevate the conversation about gun safety. 'We can just raise the voices,' he said. 'Now, Joaquin is going to start having followers… he's going to start uploading videos. This is just the beginning.' Another reason Manuel and his wife Patricia created the AI version of Joaquin, he noted, was just to hear their son's voice again. 'Patricia will spend hours asking questions. Like any other mother, she loves to hear Joaquin saying, 'I love you, mommy.' And that's important,' he told Acosta. 'I really felt like I was speaking with Joaquin. It's just a beautiful thing,' Acosta asserted to Manuel. Acosta, who launched an online Substack show after leaving CNN earlier this year, quickly faced outrage when he posted the interview online. Critics described it as 'one of the most unhinged and grotesque things' while wondering why Acosta would even take part in it. 'This is so insane and evil. It should never be done. I'm speechless,' Reason's Robby Soave tweeted, prompting Acosta to respond with a video of Manuel pushing back on the criticism over the interview. 'Joaquin, known as Guac, should be 25 years old today. His father approached me to do the story… to keep the memory of his son alive,' Acosta declared. 'Today he should be turning 25 years old, and my wife Patricia and myself – we asked our friend Jim Acosta to… have an interview with our son because now, thanks to AI, we can bring him back,' Manuel said in the social media video response. 'It was our idea, it was our plan, and it's still our plan,' he continued. 'We feel that Joaquin has a lot of things to say, and as long as we have an option that allows us to bring that to you and to everyone, we will use it.' Manuel ended the clip by asking critics to 'stop blaming people about where he's coming from, or blaming Jim about what he was able to do,' insisting that if 'the problem you have is with the AI, then you have the wrong problem.' Instead, Manuel concluded, the focus should remain on mass shootings. 'The real problem is that my son was shot eight years ago,' he stated. 'So if you believe that that is not the problem, you are part of the problem.'Asked about the criticism he's faced online over the interview, Acosta told The Independent that he'd essentially reiterate much of what Manuel had to say about the backlash in his video. 'I think I would say this - the family of Joaquin reached out to me to see if I would help them remember their son,' Acosta said. 'My heart goes out to them and I was honored to help them in this moment. I think Joaquin's father makes a good point that if you're bothered more by this than the gun violence that took his son, then there is something truly wrong with our society.' Meanwhile, Acosta's conversation isn't the first time that any of the victims of the Parkland shooting had been brought back via AI. Oliver, along with the voices of several other students and staff who were killed in the massacre, was used in a robocalling campaign for gun control last year called The Shotline. 'Six years ago, I was a senior at Parkland. Many students and teachers were murdered on Valentine's Day that year by a person using an AR-15 assault rifle,' the voice of Oliver stated in the call that was sent to lawmakers. 'It's been six years, and you've done nothing. Not a thing to stop all the shootings that have continued to happen since.' The voice added: 'I'm back today because my parents used AI to re-create my voice to call you. How many calls will it take for you to care? How many dead voices will you hear before you finally listen?' Additionally, AI avatars have been used to simulate victim impact statements in criminal cases. In May, for instance, an AI version of a man who was killed in a road rage shooting addressed the alleged killer in court. 'I believe in forgiveness, and a God who forgives. I always have and I still do,' the animated model of the victim said. The judge in the case appeared moved by the video, which was produced by the victim's family. 'I loved that AI, thank you for that. As angry as you are, as justifiably angry as the family is, I heard the forgiveness,' the judge said. 'I feel that that was genuine.'


Reuters
13 minutes ago
- Reuters
Tesla, Elon Musk sued by shareholders over Robotaxi claims
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