Money

Microsoft hits record gain as Sam Altman signs up

Published

2 years ago

November 21, 2023

ticker NEWS

The Nasdaq led gains among the main U.S. stock indexes on Monday as Microsoft climbed on news that ousted OpenAI head Sam Altman will join the software giant.

It comes as investors awaited more clues on when the Federal Reserve might begin cutting interest rates.

Microsoft’s shares touched an all-time high and were last up 1.6% after CEO Satya Nadella said Altman is set to join the company to lead a new advanced AI research team.

The S&P 500 information technology sub-index housing the stock was the top sectoral gainer, up 0.9%.

Most other megacap stocks, including Nvidia and Apple, also edged higher.

Wall Street’s main indexes have staged a stellar rebound in November, posting gains for the third week in a row on Friday as evidence of easing U.S. inflation supported bets that the Fed was done raising interest rates.

High level

The benchmark S&P 500 is now less than 2% away from its highest level this year reached in July.

“This is traditionally a very light week. There’s really not much in the way of economic news and I don’t think we could see much of a change between now and the end of the year,” said Joe Saluzzi, partner and co-founder at Themis Trading in Chatham, New Jersey.

“The Fed seems to be done. Everyone’s predicting all the economic numbers that we saw last week will certainly support the thesis (that) they don’t need to raise (rates) any more.”

Traders have nearly fully priced in the likelihood that the Fed will keep interest rates unchanged in December, and have started pricing in rate cuts as soon as March, according to the CME Group’s FedWatch tool.

Money

Australia’s GST debate heats up amid tax reform push

Australia debates GST expansion amid aging population pressures and personal income tax concerns; expert insights from Dr. Steven Enticott.

Published

40 minutes ago

February 17, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Australia debates GST expansion amid aging population pressures and personal income tax concerns; expert insights from Dr. Steven Enticott.

Australia is facing a fierce debate over tax reform, with fresh calls to broaden the Goods and Services Tax as the government searches for more stable revenue streams. With an ageing population putting pressure on health, pensions and long-term spending, economists argue the current reliance on personal income tax may not be sustainable.

Dr Steven Enticott from CIA Tax joins Ticker to break down the real impact of expanding the GST, including how it could affect lower-income households, whether taxing unrealised gains would change investor behaviour, and what compensation mechanisms could soften the blow on essential goods. The political risks are high, but so are the fiscal stakes.

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Money

Big tech stocks slide amid AI spending concerns

Tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon lose billions as investors prioritize earnings over AI, while TSMC and Samsung thrive.

Published

6 hours ago

February 17, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon lose billions as investors prioritize earnings over AI, while TSMC and Samsung thrive.

Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Nvidia, and Alphabet have all suffered steep losses this year, with Microsoft dropping 17% and Amazon falling nearly 14%. Investors are growing cautious as AI spending concerns weigh heavily on valuations.

This shift signals a market focus on immediate earnings rather than the long-term promise of AI, marking a notable change in investor sentiment across the tech sector.

Despite the setbacks for these giants, the tech landscape is not uniform, with other companies managing to grow despite market turbulence.

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Money

AI fears rattle global markets and investors

AI developments cause market volatility, with European software and US tech firms facing significant declines amid rising uncertainty.

Published

1 day ago

February 16, 2026

Harvey Vargas

AI developments cause market volatility, with European software and US tech firms facing significant declines amid rising uncertainty.

Global stock markets are experiencing heightened volatility as concerns about AI disruption sweep across industries. Investors are closely monitoring which sectors could be most affected as the technology continues to evolve.

Recent announcements from major US AI companies sent waves through international markets, highlighting the interconnected nature of global finance and technology. European software giants such as Dassault Systèmes and RELX saw significant declines, underscoring the global reach of AI developments.

UBS analysts warn that the impact of AI disruption could intensify in 2026 and 2027, with potential ramifications for a wide range of sectors.

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