BUSINESS

NEW YORK — California, Texas and Washington are emerging as the top three states experiencing the heaviest job losses from major corporations in 2026, driven by widespread tech sector restructuring, artificial intelligence adoption and broader economic pressures that have prompted thousands of layoffs across Fortune 500 companies.

LONDON — The FTSE 100 climbed 1.62% on Friday morning, surging 165.71 points to 10,378.82 in early trading as renewed expectations for Bank of England rate cuts, a rebound in mining stocks and positive global sentiment drove strong gains across the London market.

SYDNEY — The S&P/ASX 200 index rose 0.83% on Thursday, closing at 8,738.1 after adding 72.3 points in a solid session that reversed recent weakness and lifted investor sentiment across the Australian sharemarket.

GRAPEVINE, Texas — GameStop Corp. shares traded modestly higher Thursday, rising 0.49% to $24.64 in midday action as investors continued weighing the retailer's massive cash reserves against ongoing challenges in the traditional video game market and growing optimism around CEO Ryan Cohen's plans for a potential transformational acquisition.

SYDNEY — Channel 9 will eliminate up to 20 positions in its television news and current affairs division in the first wave of redundancies, with staff warned that further job losses are likely as the network undergoes a significant operational overhaul.

ALISO VIEJO, Calif. — Glaukos Corp. shares jumped more than 17% Thursday, climbing to $137.49 in morning trading after the ophthalmic medical technology company posted record first-quarter sales that crushed expectations and raised its full-year 2026 revenue guidance, driven by explosive adoption of its iDose TR glaucoma implant.

SEATTLE — Impinj Inc. shares skyrocketed more than 21% Thursday, surging to around $146 in morning trading after the RAIN RFID pioneer delivered a strong revenue beat for the first quarter and issued blockbuster second-quarter guidance that far exceeded Wall Street expectations, igniting optimism about accelerating demand for its Internet of Things technology.

RICHARDSON, Texas — Vistance Networks Inc. shares surged more than 22% Thursday, climbing to $12.84 in morning trading after the networking technology company reported a strong first-quarter earnings beat and announced a transformative $1.846 billion all-cash sale of its RUCKUS Networks business to Belden Inc., accelerating its shift toward a focused, high-margin Aurora platform.

PLYMOUTH, Mich. — Garrett Motion Inc. shares exploded more than 22% Thursday, surging to $25.07 in morning trading after the automotive technology supplier delivered a strong first-quarter earnings beat and raised its full-year 2026 guidance, signaling robust demand for its turbocharging and electrification products amid the global shift toward hybrids and efficient internal combustion engines.

NEW YORK — Hertz Global Holdings Inc. shares skyrocketed more than 22% Thursday, surging to $6.85 in morning trading after the car rental giant announced major fleet partnerships with Uber Technologies Inc. through its new affiliate Oro Mobility, positioning the struggling company for a potential role in the autonomous vehicle revolution.

NEW YORK — The Dow Jones Industrial Average rocketed more than 500 points higher Thursday, climbing 1.07% to 49,383.23 as strong corporate earnings, cooling geopolitical worries and resilient economic data fueled a broad rebound on Wall Street.

NEW YORK — Silicon Motion Technology Corp. (NASDAQ: SIMO) has emerged as one of the standout performers in the semiconductor sector in 2026, surging more than 30% in a single session after delivering blockbuster first-quarter results driven by surging demand for its AI and high-speed storage controllers. The question now on every investor's mind is whether the rally represents a buying opportunity or a signal to take profits heading into the rest of the year.

SYDNEY — Fresh inflation data showing Australia's consumer prices rising faster than expected in March 2026 is likely to give the Reserve Bank of Australia pause as it weighs whether to deliver another interest rate hike at its May meeting or hold steady amid signs of economic softening.

NEW YORK — Coca-Cola Co. shares climbed sharply Tuesday after the beverage giant reported a solid first-quarter 2026 earnings beat and raised its full-year guidance, reinforcing its status as a defensive powerhouse and prompting many Wall Street analysts to maintain or upgrade their positive outlooks for the remainder of the year.

SYDNEY — Australians seeking personal loans in 2026 have more competitive options than ever, with leading lenders offering rates as low as 5.67% p.a. as the Reserve Bank of Australia's easing cycle and strong competition drive down borrowing costs amid ongoing cost-of-living pressures.

NEW YORK — As Starbucks Corp. navigates a challenging 2026 marked by slowing sales in China, intensified competition and shifting consumer habits, Wall Street analysts remain divided on whether the iconic coffee giant represents a compelling buy, a hold, or a stock to sell at current levels.

Wavee Ai, born in London to tidy up chaotic building group chats and parcel rooms, is now preparing to bring its verified, community-first model to cities across the region, from Singapore to Australia.

SYDNEY — Australia's $12.6 trillion residential property market is showing clear signs of divergence and moderation in early 2026, with house prices falling in Sydney and Melbourne while resource-driven cities like Perth and Brisbane continue to post strong gains amid persistent supply shortages and shifting interest rate pressures.

OAK BROOK, Ill. — As investors weigh opportunities in the fast-food sector amid persistent consumer caution, McDonald's Corp. emerges as a defensive play with steady dividend growth and global expansion potential, though near-term sales pressures have tempered expectations for 2026. Wall Street's consensus leans "moderate buy," with an average 12-month price target of roughly $341 — implying about 13 percent upside from the stock's recent trading range near $300.

Experienced business leader, entrepreneur and investor Sunny Bhasin has expanded his business portfolio and acquired one of Melbourne's most respected cabinetry and joinery businesses, Andave Cabinets, marking a significant new chapter for the 30-year-old company.

NEW YORK — StockMarketGuides.com has solidified its position as a go-to platform for data-driven traders in 2026, offering backtested stock and options alerts that emphasize historical performance over hype. With a growing community of retail and active traders seeking an edge in volatile markets, the service stands out for its transparent, statistics-focused approach to trade ideas.

As artificial intelligence reshapes search algorithms and user behavior in 2026, digital marketers need smarter, faster and more integrated tools to stay competitive.

CUPERTINO, Calif. — As Tim Cook prepares to step down as Apple CEO after 15 years and transition to executive chairman, with hardware engineering chief John Ternus set to take over on Sept. 1, the question of whether Apple is better off without Cook's steady leadership has sparked intense debate among investors, analysts and tech historians.

SYDNEY — Australian motorists faced rising fuel prices on Wednesday as global oil costs climbed due to renewed uncertainty in the Middle East, with average unleaded petrol prices hovering around AUD 1.89 per litre nationally and diesel reaching AUD 2.76 per litre in many areas, despite the government's temporary excise reduction providing some relief at the pump.

TORRANCE, Calif. — Navitas Semiconductor Corp. shares have delivered explosive gains in 2026, surging hundreds of percent on enthusiasm for its gallium nitride and silicon carbide chips powering artificial intelligence data centers, yet Wall Street analysts remain divided on whether the stock is a buy, hold or sell at current elevated levels.

TORRANCE, Calif. — Navitas Semiconductor Corp. has emerged as one of the hottest names in the semiconductor sector in 2026, with its stock exploding higher amid intense interest in its gallium nitride and silicon carbide technologies for artificial intelligence data centers and energy infrastructure.

The IT industry has a people problem. There is no shortage of technicians or software; the shortage is in actual human connection. OAC Technology, a Minneapolis-based managed services provider with 25 years of operating history, has built its entire business around solving exactly that.

When you visit the different investing forums in Australia today, you will see that there are two tribes that cross-talk in a polite manner. One party is concerned with the long-term impact of compounded returns on purchasing shares in ASX, getting franking credits, and experiencing relative tranquillity of reduced daily price movements.

NEW YORK — As the S&P 500 navigates a volatile 2026 marked by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and persistent focus on artificial intelligence infrastructure, investors are hunting for resilient large-cap names with strong growth potential. Wall Street strategists project the benchmark index to finish the year between 7,100 and 7,800, implying roughly 9% to 14% upside from spring levels, driven by solid corporate earnings and continued AI adoption.