BUSINESS

Salesforce shares surged 19% following a strong earnings report, driven by significant growth in its AI platform, Agentforce. The company raised its full-year revenue guidance, signalling continued momentum.

NEW YORK — U.S. stocks climbed Thursday, with the Nasdaq Composite leading the way, after blockbuster earnings from Nvidia eased investor concerns that the artificial intelligence spending boom might be losing steam.

Kimmeridge Energy warns that political backlash and logistical hurdles could delay U.S. data center projects, affecting natural gas demand forecasts tied to AI growth.

Instinct, an AI assistant startup, has rapidly reached a $2.5 billion valuation, raising $350 million in funding. Despite its success, concerns about privacy and security persist among early users.

Apple's iPhone 17 series led global smartphone sales in Q2 2026, capturing 6% of unit sales despite an 11% market decline, with strong performance across key regions.

Apple's September event will introduce its first foldable iPhone and mark the debut of new CEO John Ternus, signalling a pivotal moment for the tech giant.

Anthropic has committed $45 billion over six years to secure AI computing power from Nscale, marking a significant infrastructure deal as it prepares for a public listing.

Nvidia's acquisition of Hugging Face for $12.9 billion could reshape the AI landscape, securing Nvidia's position in open-source AI and hedging against rivals developing custom chips.

Japan's Nikkei 225 index dipped after an initial rise, influenced by Nvidia's strong AI earnings. Broader Asian markets were mixed, with investors cautious amid fluctuating global economic signals.

South Korea's KOSPI index surged after Nvidia's earnings report boosted investor confidence in AI chip demand, lifting Samsung and SK Hynix shares and reversing recent market volatility.

Ramsay Health Care's shares rose over 14% as investors anticipate its full-year earnings and a European business spinoff, signalling renewed confidence in the company's turnaround strategy.

Nvidia plans to acquire Hugging Face for $12.9 billion, enhancing its AI ecosystem dominance. The acquisition raises questions about platform neutrality and regulatory scrutiny.

The ASX 200 fell due to CBA's forecast of a rate hike and Qantas' profit decline, amid a volatile reporting season and global market pressures.

Kanzhun Limited's shares rose nearly 17% following a strong Q2 earnings report, highlighting AI-driven efficiencies and revenue growth, despite increased marketing expenses impacting short-term profitability.

Abercrombie & Fitch shares surged 41% after a second-quarter earnings report exceeded expectations, driven by a tariff refund and strong core business performance, prompting raised full-year guidance.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy awards Elon Musk the Order of Freedom for Starlink's crucial role in Ukraine's war efforts, highlighting its strategic importance and ongoing diplomatic negotiations.

The Federal Reserve's preferred inflation measure shows core inflation steady at 3.3% in July, as markets await Chairman Warsh's policy speech at Jackson Hole amid rising Treasury yields.

Microsoft has launched pre-orders for the Xbox Series X25 Limited Edition, celebrating 25 years of Xbox with a nostalgic design and exclusive Halo game. Limited stock available from November 2026.

Ring's new TAKE encryption system enhances privacy for video doorbells and cameras, balancing security with smart features. It will become the default standard globally, offering users greater control.

TikTok users experienced access issues, highlighting ongoing reliability problems linked to its U.S. cloud infrastructure with Oracle. The disruption follows a pattern of outages since the platform's restructuring.

Markets remain volatile as investors await Nvidia's earnings and inflation data, with trade tensions and Federal Reserve policy adding to uncertainty. Meta settles a major social media trial.

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Electro Optic Systems' shares rose 23% following a 283% revenue increase and a record $846 million order book, driven by its Defence Systems segment and the MARSS Group acquisition.

Australia's ASX 200 nears record highs, driven by Woolworths' earnings and a mining rally, despite WiseTech's decline. Inflation data reassures investors on interest rates.

Apple has reduced the price of its Polishing Cloth to $9, maintaining its quality for safe cleaning of displays. The move contrasts with price hikes in other Apple products.

Dunkin' is offering 1 million free espresso drinks to Rewards members to celebrate the launch of its 2026 fall menu, featuring new and returning pumpkin-flavored items.

Apple's new Mac Studio, featuring M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips, offers unprecedented AI performance, massive memory capacity, and enhanced creative capabilities, setting a new standard for desktop computing.

Blink Security users experienced connectivity issues, with mixed reports on the outage's scope. While Downdetector noted problems, other services showed operational status, leaving users uncertain about the disruption's extent.

AbCellera Biologics' stock surged after positive Phase 2 trial results for its menopause drug, ABCL635. The company's market value increased significantly, driven by investor enthusiasm and analyst upgrades.