Author: Pritam Barman

Nvidia stock rally drove another powerful advance in U.S. equity futures Thursday, as traders rushed back into artificial-intelligence winners and put some of their worries about the Federal Reserve on hold. The tech-fueled upswing came even as investors digested a mixed U.S. jobs report that did little to clarify whether the Fed will cut interest rates at its December meeting — and with no additional major labor data due before policymakers gather. Instead, a fresh wave of confidence in the AI boom, anchored by Nvidia’s latest earnings and outlook, set the tone across equity markets and overshadowed lingering questions about…

US stocks rebound on Wednesday as Nvidia advanced before its after-hours earnings report, breaking the market’s longest losing streak since August and putting AI momentum back at the center stage. By mid-morning, the tone had turned decisively risk-on. As of 10:17 a.m. in New York, the S&P 500 rose about 1% after four straight declines that left the benchmark roughly 3% below its October peak. The Nasdaq 100 gained 1.5%, while a basket tracking the “Magnificent Seven,” including Apple and Meta, climbed about 2%. Nvidia, the market’s AI bellwether, added 3.2%, though the stock remained down nearly 8% for the…

Blue Owl merger plans were scrapped on Wednesday as Blue Owl Capital Inc. halted a proposed tie-up of two private-credit funds following scrutiny over potential investor losses. The firm ended the agreement between Blue Owl Capital Corp. (OBDC) and the non-traded Blue Owl Capital Corp. II (OBDC II), while saying it will reevaluate alternatives in the future. The Blue Owl merger had drawn intense attention after investors worried that the transaction could crystallize paper losses for OBDC II holders. After the initial announcement, Blue Owl’s stock slumped 5.8% on Monday to a 2023 low. On Wednesday morning in New York,…

Nvidia chips Armenia approval has cleared the way for AI startup Firebird Inc. to export Nvidia hardware to Armenia for a new supercomputer, marking a major step in the global build‑out of artificial intelligence infrastructure. The company says the first phase of the 100‑megawatt facility—backed by an initial $500 million—will go live in the second quarter of next year, using Dell Technologies AI servers paired with Nvidia’s Blackwell processors. The project, first flagged by Nvidia in June, aims to deliver the region’s first large‑scale AI data center. Firebird Chief Executive Officer and co‑founder Razmig Hovaghimian said the approval positions the…

Nvidia earnings are front and center as investors pause a multi-day selloff and reassess risk across equities, bonds, and commodities. S&P 500 futures edged 0.2% higher, setting up the benchmark to snap its longest losing streak since August, while Treasuries held recent haven-driven gains. The dollar ticked up, Bitcoin traded below $92,000, and gold notched its biggest weekly gain in days. The session’s calm masks deep crosscurrents. Big Tech’s sharp pullback has knocked the S&P 500 more than 3% lower this month, and Nvidia earnings after the close are widely viewed as a litmus test for whether lofty valuations and…

Adobe Semrush acquisition returns the creative software company to dealmaking with a $1.9 billion agreement to buy Semrush Holdings Inc. The all‑cash transaction values the marketing platform at $12 per share and is expected to close in the first half of 2026, according to the company. The deal is Adobe’s first takeover announcement since its attempt to buy design platform Figma in 2022. Adobe later walked away from that transaction in 2023 after clashing with regulators in Europe and the UK. The Adobe Semrush acquisition arrives against that backdrop and highlights the company’s continued focus on marketing and analytics alongside…

F-35 vs Su-57E took center stage at the Dubai Airshow on Monday, as Lockheed Martin’s flagship stealth fighter and Russia’s United Aircraft Corp.’s export model performed a rare side‑by‑side flying display aimed squarely at Middle East defense budgets. The demonstrations offered Gulf governments a direct look at two different stealth propositions. One is the battle‑tested F‑35, which the United States has positioned for regional partners. The other is the Su‑57E, Russia’s export configuration, which is still seeking its first overseas buyer and is being promoted with an offer of local production and technology transfer for foreign customers. For an airshow…

McDonald’s low-income customers are leaving the chain in double-digit numbers, a sharp reversal for a brand built on value meals and everyday affordability. Company leaders say higher-income diners are now filling the gap, underscoring how price pressures are reshaping the fast-food landscape and widening the wealth divide. Executives point to higher beef costs, restaurant labor, and other essentials as key drivers of menu price increases. Those increases are colliding with household budgets already strained by rising costs for groceries, rent, clothing, and child care. The result: a pivotal shift in who is walking into McDonald’s—and who is staying away. Why…

UK asylum system overhaul takes center stage as Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood prepares to roll out sweeping changes aimed at curbing benefits and tightening the path to permanent residency. The plan, due Monday, would end refugees’ statutory right to housing and state support, introduce rolling 30‑month immigration status reviews, and extend the wait for permanent settlement to 20 years for those arriving without permits—up from five years now. The moves come as Labour seeks to regain momentum with voters who say immigration is a top concern. What the UK Asylum System Overhaul Proposes Under the plan set for Monday, Mahmood…

Adriana Kugler trading violations prompted an abrupt resignation from the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors after Chair Jerome Powell declined her request for a waiver to address impermissible financial holdings, according to a Fed official. Kugler stepped down in early August after new disclosures—later declined for certification by ethics officials—revealed financial activity that ran afoul of the central bank’s rules. The matter has been referred to the Fed’s independent Office of Inspector General (OIG), underscoring the central bank’s post-2020 push to tighten standards and preserve public trust. Powell Denied Waiver as Ethics Concerns Mounted Kugler announced on Aug. 1 that…