Tag: Amazon

  • World’s Most Valuable Tech Companies: Microsoft, NVIDIA, Apple, and More

    World’s Most Valuable Tech Companies: Microsoft, NVIDIA, Apple, and More

    Microsoft: Leading in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, productivity software, and enterprise services, Microsoft consistently ranks among the world’s highest-valued technology companies.

    NVIDIA: Dominating AI chip development and accelerated computing, NVIDIA powers data centers, gaming, autonomous systems, and advanced artificial intelligence worldwide today.

    Apple: Known for premium devices, software, and services, Apple maintains exceptional brand loyalty while generating massive revenue across global consumer markets.

    Amazon: E-commerce leadership combined with Amazon Web Services strengthens its valuation through cloud infrastructure, digital advertising, logistics, and subscription-based business growth.

    Alphabet: Google’s parent company generates substantial revenue through search, advertising, cloud computing, YouTube, artificial intelligence, and innovative technology investments globally.

    Meta Platforms: Owner of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads, Meta expands artificial intelligence capabilities while investing heavily in virtual and augmented reality technologies.

    Saudi Aramco: Though primarily an energy company, Saudi Aramco invests significantly in digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and advanced technology infrastructure supporting global operations.

    Broadcom: Broadcom develops semiconductor solutions and enterprise software, benefiting from growing demand for networking hardware, cloud infrastructure, and AI-focused technology markets.

    Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC): The world’s leading chip manufacturer produces advanced semiconductors powering smartphones, AI processors, automotive systems, and next-generation computing technologies globally.

  • Wall Street Rises as Oil Prices Drop and Amazon Hits $3 Trillion Market Cap

    Wall Street Rises as Oil Prices Drop and Amazon Hits $3 Trillion Market Cap

    Wall Street opened August with broad gains on Monday as lower oil prices eased pressure across major sectors. Investors responded to signs that Washington may avoid fresh strikes against Iran, though Tehran denied that formal talks had started.

    The Dow led the early advance, while the S&P 500 and NASDAQ also moved higher. Amazon reached a $3 trillion market value. Investors also reviewed strong manufacturing data and prepared for a busy earnings week.

    Oil Slide Lifts Wall Street Sentiment

    The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 604.70 points, or 1.15%, to 53,089 at 9:35 a.m. ET. The S&P 500 gained 1.2% to 7,585. The NASDAQ Composite added 1.97% to 25,872.

    Seven of the 11 S&P 500 sectors traded higher, with communication services leading. Energy shares lagged as crude prices fell. Advancing stocks outnumbered decliners by 1.89-to-1 on the NYSE and 1.49-to-1 on NASDAQ, showing broad early participation.

    President Donald Trump said planned talks would address Iran and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. He also canceled a planned attack on Iran. Tehran rejected his account and said no talks or meetings were scheduled. Brent crude fell 5% to below $84 per barrel. West Texas Intermediate dropped 6.1% to below $80.

    Amazon Reaches $3 Trillion Value

    Amazon shares climbed 5% in early trading, pushing the company’s market value above $3 trillion. The move followed its latest earnings report and extended gains from the previous week. Most large technology and growth stocks also advanced during the opening session.

    Software stocks supported the technology sector, with Microsoft and Salesforce moving higher. Chipmakers moved in the opposite direction. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index fell 2.8% after a difficult July. Micron also dropped 3.4% after a report said China’s CXMT may build another memory-chip plant in Beijing.

    Earnings Calendar Draws Attention

    SpaceX will release its first quarterly results since its public listing on Tuesday. Its shares rose nearly 3% to trade near 111.57 at press time. Investors will track Starlink growth, launch revenue, and updates on the Starship program. Other technology companies reporting this week include Palantir, AMD, SanDisk, and Western Digital.

    “The on-again, off-again nature of US-Iran diplomacy could mean earnings and jobs data will have to do the heavy lifting for the bulls this week,” said Chris Larkin of E*TRADE. Company reports will also shape trading after July’s volatility around artificial intelligence spending, interest rates, and the Middle East conflict.

    Drug Merger Report Moves Shares

    Bristol Myers Squibb gained 1.5% after reports of preliminary merger discussions with AstraZeneca. A possible combination could create a pharmaceutical company worth nearly $400 billion. Reuters could not confirm whether the discussions remained active.

    Both companies hold large cancer-drug businesses, which could draw close regulatory review. Oncology products generated more than 40% of Bristol Myers’ sales during the first half of 2026. AstraZeneca also receives a large share of its revenue from cancer treatments.

    Factory Data and Fed Policy in Focus

    US manufacturing activity rose to its highest level since May 2022. The ISM manufacturing index reached 55.6 in July, up from 53.3 in June. Economists expected a reading of 54.0. Factory employment rose to 52.8, its first expansion reading in 33 months. Input prices eased to 71.1 but stayed elevated.

    New York Fed President John Williams said he expects inflation to cool during the second half of 2026. He said current interest-rate policy remains ‘well positioned.’ However, he said the Fed could raise rates if inflation fails to move toward 2%. The central bank kept its target range at 3.50% to 3.75% last week. Investors will next review several labor reports, including Friday’s nonfarm payrolls release.

    Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Always conduct your own research before making financial decisions.

  • Amazon Joins $3 Trillion Club as AWS Growth Drives Record Market Valuation

    Amazon Joins $3 Trillion Club as AWS Growth Drives Record Market Valuation

    Amazon has reached a historic milestone, becoming the fifth publicly traded company to surpass a $3 trillion market capitalization. The achievement follows a nearly 5% surge in its share price to a record high, triggered by stronger-than-expected second-quarter earnings and accelerating growth in its cloud computing division, Amazon Web Services (AWS).

    The rally underscores renewed investor confidence in Amazon’s long-term strategy, particularly its heavy investment in cloud infrastructure and artificial intelligence capabilities. So far in 2026, Amazon shares have risen more than 23%, making it one of the best-performing mega-cap technology stocks on Wall Street.

    AWS Delivers Strongest Growth in Over Four Years

    The primary driver of Amazon’s rally was the performance of AWS, which reported its fastest revenue growth since 2021. The cloud unit generated $42.2 billion in quarterly revenue, exceeding analyst expectations and reinforcing its role as Amazon’s primary profit engine.

    Amazon also raised its annual capital expenditure outlook, signaling continued investment in expanding cloud infrastructure and advanced computing capabilities. Investors viewed the results as evidence that Amazon’s spending is translating into stronger business performance rather than weighing on profitability.

    “Amazon is probably the most emblematic of the economy right now. It’s a consumer story and it’s an AI story,” said Mark Hackett, chief market strategist at Nationwide. “The big skepticism coming into earnings season was if they (hyperscalers) were turning the spigot down on spending on AI. We did not get that from Amazon and Microsoft and that has unleashed a much broader all-clear for the market.”

    Amazon Leads a Broader Tech Market Rally

    Amazon’s earnings helped lift sentiment across the broader technology sector, with shares of Microsoft, Meta, Alphabet, and Oracle also posting gains. The rally also reflected a shift in how investors evaluate the “Magnificent Seven” technology stocks, with companies increasingly being judged on individual financial performance instead of being viewed as a single group.

    Giovanni Mazzariello, equity specialist at UniCredit, described last week’s results from Amazon and other AI “hyperscalers” as “broadly reassuring.”

    “Taken together, rapid revenue growth, widening margins and a swelling backlog from all four hyperscalers provide the clearest evidence that utilization and monetization are rising fast enough to absorb the growing depreciation and operating costs of the infrastructure build-out,” Mazzariello said.

    What’s Next for Amazon and Investors?

    The $3 trillion milestone came just over two years after Amazon first crossed the $2 trillion valuation mark, underscoring the company’s rapid growth. However, investors are also watching fresh developments after regulatory filings revealed that founder Jeff Bezos plans to sell up to 15 million Amazon shares under a pre-arranged trading plan.

    Although the announcement caused a slight decline during after-hours trading, analysts believe that Amazon’s prospects look promising due to positive trends in AWS, more enterprise deals, and increasing demand for cloud computing services. Looking ahead, investors will pay attention to future financial performance, capital expenditures, and the company’s overall growth trajectory.

  • Amazon Flags Growing AI Scam Danger for India’s New Online Users

    Amazon Flags Growing AI Scam Danger for India’s New Online Users

    India’s rapid digital expansion is exposing millions of first-time online shoppers to increasingly sophisticated artificial intelligence scams. Amazon warns that low consumer awareness now presents a major challenge as e-commerce reaches smaller cities.

    The company views education as equally important as technical protection. Fraudsters can use generative AI to produce convincing identities, forged documents, synthetic reviews, and targeted phishing messages.

    AI Fraud Threat Grows Beyond Major Cities

    Rohan Oommen, Amazon’s vice president for customer and partner trust, says India differs sharply from mature e-commerce markets. The country still adds large numbers of first-time users from tier-2 and tier-3 cities.

    “India has a large number of first-time users entering the digital economy. Awareness is much lower, which makes education a significant part of the solution,” Oommen said.

    In established markets such as the United States, online shopping adoption has largely stabilised. India’s expanding user base creates commercial opportunities but also widens the pool of potential fraud targets.

    New shoppers may have limited experience identifying suspicious links, fake customer service calls, impersonation attempts, or manipulated reviews. These risks increase as fraud tools become cheaper and easier to operate.

    Behavioral Data Strengthens Detection

    Meanwhile, Amazon is using artificial intelligence to identify abuse across its marketplace. The company deploys automated systems, including agentic AI, to conduct continuous audits and detect unusual activity.

    Oommen said behavioural patterns provide stronger fraud signals than submitted documents or images. Bad actors can fabricate identification records, seller profiles, and product information using generative tools.

    “Behaviour is much harder to fake than documents or images,” he said. Amazon’s systems analyse years of seller and customer activity to distinguish legitimate behaviour from coordinated abuse. The models can flag suspicious account changes, review manipulation, unusual transactions, and other high-risk patterns.

    The same technology strengthening criminal tactics can also improve platform monitoring. However, automated detection still requires human oversight, enforcement processes, and cooperation with external authorities.

    Phone Scams Remain Harder to Trace

    Additionally, Amazon’s latest Trustworthy Shopping Experience Report highlights the scale of its fraud enforcement. The company removed nearly 300 million fake reviews globally during the reported period.

    Amazon also removed about 70,000 phishing websites and acted against roughly 14,000 phone numbers linked to scams. Oommen said phone-based fraud presents a tougher enforcement challenge than fraudulent websites.

    Investigators can often identify website infrastructure, hosting records, and digital links more easily. Phone scams create attribution problems, especially when criminals use spoofed numbers or rapidly changing communication channels.

    Amazon says it does not wait for new regulations before acting against fraud. Its response includes automated detection, account enforcement, consumer education, and cooperation with law enforcement agencies.

  • Amazon Hits $3 Trillion Market Cap as AI Fuels AWS Revenue Surge

    Amazon Hits $3 Trillion Market Cap as AI Fuels AWS Revenue Surge

    Amazon’s market capitalization crossed the $3 trillion threshold for the first time on August 3, 2026, following a strong second-quarter earnings report that highlighted the company’s accelerating cloud growth driven by artificial intelligence demand.

    The e-commerce and cloud computing giant’s stock gained approximately 5% to reach a record near $285, pushing its 2026 gains above 23%. The rally came after Amazon reported its fastest cloud growth in more than four years, with Amazon Web Services (AWS) revenue surging 37% year-over-year to $42.2 billion—well above the market estimate of $40.5 billion.

    Amazon became the fifth company to achieve a $3 trillion market capitalization, joining Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, and NVIDIA. NVIDIA still holds the highest market value, near $5 trillion. Amazon first reached a $2 trillion valuation in June 2024, adding another trillion dollars in just over two years as cloud sales, advertising revenue, and retail activity expanded.

    AWS Revenue Beats Forecasts

    AWS generated $42.2 billion in second-quarter revenue, up 37% from the same period last year. The result exceeded market expectations and marked AWS’s strongest growth rate in 18 quarters. Analysts had expected about $40.5 billion, leaving the cloud unit nearly $1.7 billion above the consensus forecast.

    Total Amazon revenue reached approximately $200.6 billion, rising 20% from the previous year and surpassing Wall Street forecasts near $197 billion. The AWS contract backlog increased to $496 billion from $364 billion in the previous quarter, signaling strong future demand.

    Artificial intelligence workloads drove more demand for computing power, storage, and chips. Amazon said its AI and chip businesses each passed annual revenue run rates of $25 billion. AWS has also expanded agreements with OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, and other corporate customers.

    Outside cloud services, Amazon reported strong growth. Advertising revenue increased 26% to $19.8 billion. The retail business also benefited from Prime Day sales and faster delivery services across more locations.

    Amazon Raises 2026 Spending Plan

    Amazon raised its 2026 capital expenditure forecast to $220 billion from $200 billion. Chief Executive Andy Jassy linked the increase partly to higher memory prices and continued investment in data centers, chips, and AI systems.

    “We will still not have enough capacity to meet all the demand we have in 2026,” Jassy said, adding that demand already booked for 2028 was ‘striking,’ pointing to long-term customer commitments.

    However, the higher spending affected cash flow. Amazon reported negative free cash flow of $7.6 billion, compared with positive free cash flow of $18.2 billion one year earlier. The company spent $54.2 billion on property and equipment during the quarter.

    Amazon’s results arrived during a broad review of technology spending. Microsoft also reported strong Azure growth, while Google Cloud posted faster sales growth. Investors focused on whether rising cloud revenue could keep pace with spending on servers, chips, and data centers.

    Amazon’s $3 trillion valuation placed the company among a small group of technology firms that have reached the level. Its latest market value followed stronger AWS growth, higher company revenue, and a larger infrastructure budget for 2026.

  • Amazon Refocuses AI Efforts: Cuts Nova Models, Bolsters Frontier Research After AGI Lab Closure

    Amazon Refocuses AI Efforts: Cuts Nova Models, Bolsters Frontier Research After AGI Lab Closure

    Amazon is reshaping its artificial intelligence strategy following a series of layoffs in its AGI division and the shutdown of its AGI Lab in July 2026. The tech giant is scaling back development on several Nova models and reallocating staff and computing resources toward frontier AI research and new foundation models.

    The company is reducing the number of major AI projects to better compete with leading AI firms while continuing to serve enterprise customers. This strategic shift also brings AI engineering and computing resources under tighter leadership.

    The moves come after Amazon laid off employees in its AGI unit and closed its San Francisco AGI Lab, which was formed in 2024 after acquiring talent from AI startup Adept. According to Business Insider, Amazon has begun winding down several Nova models, including Premier, Omni, Reel, and Canvas.

    Amazon will continue to support some Nova products for existing customers, though development pace will slow. Models that remain active in the portfolio include Nova 2 Lite, Nova 2 Sonic, Nova Forge, and Nova Act. Nova Forge helps customers customize models, while Nova Act focuses on AI agents.

    Greater emphasis is now placed on Frontier Model Research, led by renowned AI researcher Pieter Abbeel. The team is developing a new foundation model that could debut at Amazon’s re:Invent event later this year.

    An Amazon spokesperson told Reuters, “We’re sharpening our focus on the initiatives that matter most for customers, so we can move faster on what counts.”

    The company also defended its continued AI investment while explaining the model changes. Amazon told sources, “We’re continuing to invest in and support the Nova models our customers rely on today … We’re also investing in the next generation of frontier model research.”

    This shift signals Amazon moving from a broad AI portfolio toward fewer, bigger bets. The company now faces pressure to demonstrate stronger results from its frontier AI efforts.

  • Big Tech’s $1 Trillion AI Investment: Are Returns on the Horizon?

    Big Tech’s $1 Trillion AI Investment: Are Returns on the Horizon?

    Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta have collectively poured more than $1 trillion into artificial intelligence infrastructure since 2023, with total spending reaching approximately $1.1 trillion by June 2026. The companies are racing to build data centers, acquire advanced chips, and secure massive electricity supplies. But as capital budgets swell, Wall Street is increasingly questioning when this spending will translate into meaningful revenue and cash flow.

    AI Spending Squeezes Free Cash Flow

    The four tech giants plan to spend about $745 billion during 2026 based on their latest forecasts. Alphabet expects capital expenditure of up to $205 billion, Amazon raised its estimate to $220 billion, and Meta anticipates between $130 billion and $145 billion. Microsoft has also committed significant sums to cloud and AI capacity.

    This aggressive spending is putting pressure on free cash flow — the cash left after operating costs and capital investment. Alphabet reported negative free cash flow of about $5.9 billion in the second quarter. Meta’s quarterly free cash flow plunged 91% year-over-year to $784 million, while Amazon posted negative trailing 12-month free cash flow of $7.6 billion.

    Microsoft has maintained positive free cash flow, buoyed by strong cloud demand, but its spending still reduces the cash available for share buybacks, dividends, acquisitions, and debt payments. Investors are closely watching whether each new data center generates enough sales to cover its cost.

    Returns May Take Years to Materialize

    AI infrastructure carries long repayment periods. Data centers require land, construction, cooling systems, networking equipment, and power contracts. Companies must also replace costly processors as newer chips become available. RBC Capital analyst Rishi Jaluria summed up the concern: “There is basically no end in sight for the growth in capex.” He added that companies must fund AI without weakening the businesses that built their profits.

    Cloud revenue offers one route to repayment. Amazon Web Services reported 37% revenue growth in the second quarter, easing concerns over Amazon’s $220 billion spending plan. Microsoft points to demand for Azure and AI products, while Alphabet has reported strong Google Cloud growth. Meta primarily links AI spending to advertising tools and future services.

    Long-Term Commitments Raise Scrutiny

    The companies are also signing leases and purchase agreements that extend beyond current capital spending. Google, Meta, and Microsoft added nearly $900 billion in new AI-related commitments during one quarter, including data center leases, cloud capacity contracts, and energy deals. These obligations may not appear as current balance-sheet debt, yet they can restrict future cash use. Rising hardware prices and shortages of memory chips can also increase project costs before facilities start earning revenue.

    Market reactions now depend on evidence of direct returns. Amazon shares rose after strong AWS growth showed that customers were using its added capacity. Alphabet and Meta faced weaker reactions after higher spending forecasts and lower free cash flow. The divide shows investors are rewarding AI investment when revenue growth and cash generation move with it — a pattern that shaped market reactions during the latest earnings season.

  • The Massive Conglomerates That Own the World’s Most Iconic Brands

    The Massive Conglomerates That Own the World’s Most Iconic Brands

    Many of the world’s most beloved brands are actually owned by a small group of massive parent companies. These conglomerates control thousands of products that consumers purchase every day, from food and beverages to household goods and digital services.

    Nestlé, the Swiss food and beverage giant, owns household names such as Nescafé, KitKat, Purina, and Gerber, making it one of the largest food companies globally.

    Procter & Gamble (P&G) dominates household and personal care with brands like Tide, Pampers, Gillette, Ariel, and Head & Shoulders.

    Unilever, a British-Dutch multinational, oversees Dove, Vaseline, Knorr, Hellmann’s, and Ben & Jerry’s, operating in over 190 countries.

    PepsiCo is a global leader in snacks and beverages, owning Pepsi, Lay’s, Doritos, Quaker, and Gatorade.

    In the tech world, Alphabet controls Google, YouTube, Fitbit, and Waymo, while Meta owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Amazon has expanded into diverse sectors with Whole Foods, Twitch, Ring, and Audible, and Disney manages Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, and ESPN.

    Automotive giant Volkswagen Group includes Audi, Porsche, Bentley, and Lamborghini, while luxury conglomerate LVMH holds Louis Vuitton, Dior, Bulgari, and Moët & Chandon.

    Altogether, these parent companies collectively control nearly 1,500 brands, shaping prices, competition, and the products consumers buy every day. Understanding these corporate structures reveals just how concentrated the global marketplace has become.

  • Wall Street Rises as Amazon’s Cloud Surge Offsets Apple’s Weak Outlook After Earnings

    Wall Street Rises as Amazon’s Cloud Surge Offsets Apple’s Weak Outlook After Earnings

    US stocks moved higher on Friday as Amazon and semiconductor shares supported a second day of gains on Wall Street. The Nasdaq led the advance, while Apple’s sharp decline limited the broader technology rebound.

    The session followed several days of sharp market swings. Investors tracked technology earnings, Federal Reserve policy, higher oil prices, and tensions involving Iran. Markets also assessed whether cloud revenue could support heavy artificial intelligence spending.

    Wall Street Opens Higher on Tech Strength

    The Nasdaq Composite gained 0.87% at the opening bell and reached 25,340.71. The S&P 500 added 0.33% to 7,462.13. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.05% to 52,235.03. Amazon’s earnings rally provided the main support for the technology-heavy Nasdaq.

    Semiconductor shares also extended Thursday’s rebound. Micron and AMD ranked among the stronger chip stocks during early trading. Microsoft had already lifted the technology sector on Thursday after reporting stronger Azure cloud growth. Its results eased some concerns about large AI infrastructure budgets.

    Amazon Rallies After Faster AWS Growth

    Amazon shares climbed about 13% during Friday’s early session. The company reported second-quarter revenue of $200.6 billion. Amazon Web Services sales rose 37% from one year earlier to $42.2 billion. That marked the cloud division’s fastest growth in 18 quarters.

    The cloud result supported Amazon’s spending plans. Amazon raised its projected 2026 capital expenditure to $220 billion from $200 billion. The company plans to direct much of that money toward data centres, chips, robotics, and other technology. Amazon also reported demand that exceeded its available computing capacity.

    Apple Drops After Weak Sales Forecast

    Apple shares fell almost 9% despite beating quarterly profit and revenue forecasts. Fiscal third-quarter revenue increased 16% to $109.42 billion. Net income reached $29.79 billion, while earnings rose to $2.02 per share. Strong iPhone and Mac sales supported the quarter.

    However, Apple forecast revenue growth of 9% to 11% for the current quarter. Analysts had expected growth of about 12%. Apple cited supply limits tied to advanced chips and memory components. Services revenue rose 12% to $30.7 billion but missed the $31.4 billion analyst estimate.

    Labor Costs Add to Rate Questions

    Meanwhile, the Employment Cost Index rose 0.9% during the second quarter. Wages and salaries increased 0.9%, while benefit costs rose 1%. Compensation costs increased 3.4% during the 12 months ending in June.

    The quarterly increase came in slightly above the 0.8% market estimate. Treasury yields moved higher after the report as traders reviewed the outlook for interest rates. The data followed another week of debate over inflation, labor costs, oil prices, and future Federal Reserve decisions.

    Equity Funds Return to US Stocks

    Investors added a net $11.83 billion to US equity funds during the week ending July 29. The inflow ended two straight weeks of withdrawals. Large-cap funds attracted $11.57 billion, their strongest weekly net purchase since June 24.

    Technology funds received $4.9 billion, while financial funds added $1.96 billion. Mid-cap funds recorded $2.29 billion in outflows. Small-cap funds lost $196 million. UBS investment chief Mark Haefele said, “We remain constructive on the AI growth story.”

    Texas Stock Exchange Completes Rollout

    The Texas Stock Exchange expanded trading to all National Market System securities on Friday. The Dallas-based exchange started live trading in a small group of securities on July 10. It then added thousands of symbols through a staged rollout during July.

    TXSE now competes for trading activity with established Wall Street venues, including Nasdaq and the New York Stock Exchange. The exchange operates premarket, regular, and post-market sessions. It plans to start exchange-traded product listings in September and corporate listings in October.

    Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Readers are responsible for conducting their own research before making any investment decisions.

  • Asian Markets Rally as Microsoft and Amazon Earnings Rekindle AI Optimism

    Asian Markets Rally as Microsoft and Amazon Earnings Rekindle AI Optimism

    Asian stock markets rebounded strongly on Friday after Microsoft and Amazon reported better-than-expected earnings, reigniting confidence in artificial intelligence investments. South Korea’s Kospi posted its biggest single-day gain, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 also climbed sharply, led by a surge in technology shares across the region.

    The rally was fueled by Microsoft and Amazon’s latest quarterly results, which demonstrated that heavy spending on AI infrastructure and cloud services continues to generate robust business growth. Microsoft reported strong Azure cloud revenue, and Amazon’s AWS business posted its fastest expansion in several quarters, easing concerns that AI investment momentum might be slowing.

    “The previous sell-off had become exaggerated because the underlying AI demand story had not materially weakened,” said Fabien Yip, market analyst at IG.

    In South Korea, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix led the recovery after suffering heavy losses earlier in the week. Their sharp gains propelled the Kospi higher, though the index remained well below its June peak and remained on track for its weakest July since 1997.

    Japan’s Nikkei 225 also advanced after the Bank of Japan kept interest rates unchanged. However, a weaker yen, elevated US bond yields, and ongoing geopolitical tensions continue to inject caution among investors.

    Analysts believe the strong earnings have restored faith in AI stocks, but sustained profits and healthy demand will be needed to maintain the recovery trajectory.