Infrastructure Planning

Business

Mastercard Caps Off 'Very Strong' 2025, Eyes Growth in Services and New Tech for 2026

Mastercard reported robust Q4 and full-year 2025 results, driven by double-digit revenue growth and surging value-added services. Executives expressed confidence for 2026, highlighting strategic wins, investments in digital assets like stablecoins, and a focus on 'agentic commerce,' even as they plan a restructuring affecting 4% of staff.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Meta Stock Surges Over 10% as Analysts Boost Price Target, Citing AI Leadership

Shares of Meta Platforms soared Thursday, fueled by a significant price target upgrade from BofA Securities. The rally comes despite the company reporting a slight dip in full-year profit, as investors focus on strong revenue growth and the company's positioning in the artificial intelligence race.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Blackstone Explores Sale of Interplex's ICT Unit in Potential $1 Billion-Plus Deal

Blackstone Inc. is weighing a sale of Interplex's information and communications technology business, with early-stage talks suggesting a valuation exceeding $1 billion, sources familiar with the matter said.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Tesla's Q4 Results Spark Investor Dilemma: Short-Term Pain Versus AI-Driven Future

Tesla shares face pressure following mixed quarterly results, as surging software subscriptions and ambitious Robotaxi plans clash with declining automotive revenue and soaring capital expenditures.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Musk's Empire Consolidation: SpaceX Eyes Mergers with Tesla or xAI Ahead of Anticipated IPO

Elon Musk is reportedly exploring a major consolidation of his business empire, with SpaceX considering mergers either with electric vehicle giant Tesla or his artificial intelligence startup xAI, as the space company prepares for a landmark public offering.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Expedia Announces Workforce Reduction Amid AI-Driven Restructuring

Expedia Group has filed a WARN notice confirming 162 job cuts at its Seattle headquarters and among remote staff, marking the latest in a series of layoffs as the company accelerates its AI transformation amid intensifying industry competition.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Celestica Shares Tumble 13% Post-Earnings as AI Hype Fails to Lift Stock

Despite reporting a near-doubling of annual net income and raising its 2026 outlook, electronics manufacturer Celestica saw its shares drop sharply Thursday as the market judged its stellar results to be already reflected in the price.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Applied Optoelectronics Shares Tumble 12.5% as Investors Cash In on Eight-Year High

Shares of Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) retreated sharply Thursday, shedding 12.5% as a wave of profit-taking followed the stock's surge to its highest level in nearly eight years. The pullback comes despite analyst optimism around the company's role in powering AI data centers.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Microsoft Shares Tumble 10% as Investors Balk at Heavy AI Spending, OpenAI Exposure

Microsoft's stock faced its steepest single-day drop in months, closing down 10% despite posting strong quarterly earnings. The sell-off was driven by investor concerns over surging capital expenditures and the company's significant financial ties to OpenAI.

Jan 30, 2026

World

Panama's Top Court Strikes Down CK Hutchison Port Deals, Casting Uncertainty Over Canal Terminals

Panama's Supreme Court has nullified long-held port contracts operated by a CK Hutchison subsidiary, declaring them unconstitutional. The landmark ruling throws the future of key container terminals at both ends of the Panama Canal into doubt and reverberates amid broader geopolitical tensions over global trade chokepoints.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Tech Jitters, Gold Retreat Rattle Asian Markets as Geopolitical Tensions Simmer

Asian equities faced broad declines Friday, pressured by renewed investor skepticism over the AI investment boom and a sharp pullback in precious metals. The sell-off unfolded against a backdrop of easing oil prices and persistent geopolitical uncertainties.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Microsoft's $625 Billion Backlog Signals AI Boom, But Investors Urged to Look Beyond the Headline

Microsoft's commercial contracted backlog more than doubled year-over-year to $625 billion, fueled by AI demand. However, a closer look reveals customer concentration risks, slower near-term revenue conversion, and soaring capital expenditures that temper the bullish narrative.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Three ASX Small-Caps Under $700M Drawing Investor Scrutiny Amid Market Recovery

As cautious optimism returns to Australian markets, investors are scanning the small-cap space for resilient companies with growth potential. We examine three ASX-listed firms, each with a market capitalisation below $700 million, that stand out for their financial health and strategic positioning.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

OpenAI's $100B+ Funding Round Draws Tech Titans Amazon, Microsoft, Nvidia

As OpenAI accelerates toward a potential year-end IPO, Amazon, Microsoft, and Nvidia are in advanced talks to lead a funding round that could exceed $100 billion, reshaping the AI industry's financial and competitive landscape.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

TSMC Shares Soar to Record Peak Amid AI Boom, Fueling Investor Debate

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) reaches unprecedented market valuation following robust quarterly earnings, driven by insatiable demand for advanced AI chips. Analysts weigh whether the rally still has room to run.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Petronas Charts Ambitious Path: Doubling Down on Oil, Gas and Green Tech Through 2028

Malaysia's state energy giant Petronas unveils a sweeping three-year plan to sustain domestic oil and gas output, expand its global LNG footprint, and position itself as a regional leader in carbon capture, navigating the complex transition toward a lower-carbon future.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Caterpillar Posts Record 2025 Results, Warns of Escalating Tariff Headwinds

Caterpillar Inc. capped off a historic 2025 with record sales and a soaring backlog, but executives signaled a cautious outlook for 2026 as escalating trade tariffs threaten to squeeze margins. The industrial giant's performance was buoyed by robust demand across construction, mining, and a surging data center power market.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

The $2 Million Question: Can a 50-Year-Old Renter Afford to Retire in Today's Economy?

Amid corporate restructuring fears, a professional with a substantial nest egg but no home equity grapples with the daunting math of early retirement, soaring healthcare costs, and an uncertain housing market.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Nvidia's AI Bet: A Bargain Amidst Soaring Industry Spending?

Despite a flat start to 2026, Nvidia's valuation appears compelling as new forecasts project global AI spending to surge past $3.3 trillion by 2027, suggesting the chipmaker's growth story is far from over.

Jan 30, 2026

Business

Cameco's Westinghouse Venture Secures Key U.S. Agreement, Anchoring $80 Billion Nuclear Reactor Pipeline

A landmark agreement between the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Cameco-Westinghouse joint venture aims to catalyze over $80 billion in new nuclear reactor construction by 2030, bolstering Western energy security and reducing reliance on Russian nuclear fuel.

Jan 30, 2026