Money

U.S. stocks rally as AMD, Home Depot, and AI software lead gains

U.S. equities rose as AI disruption fears eased, with Home Depot, AMD, and DocuSign driving tech stock gains.

Published

2 hours ago

February 25, 2026

Harvey Vargas

U.S. equities rose as AI disruption fears eased, with Home Depot, AMD, and DocuSign driving tech stock gains.

U.S. tech stocks surged as investors’ fears over AI disruption eased. Advanced Micro Devices jumped 9% after Meta announced a multiyear deal to deploy AMD’s graphics processing units for AI data centres. The move highlights growing corporate confidence in AI infrastructure investments.

DocuSign also rose 3% following Anthropic’s confirmation that Claude Cowork can integrate with DocuSign, Google Drive, and Gmail, signalling stronger adoption of AI tools across industries.

The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF climbed 2% despite remaining over 30% below its 52-week high, showing tech stocks are recovering but still have room to run.

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Money

Stocks tumble amid AI concerns and Trump tariff update

Dow drops 800+ points as AI and trade worries hit tech and retail stocks; bonds rise amid market volatility.

Published

1 day ago

February 24, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Dow drops 800+ points as AI and trade worries hit tech and retail stocks; bonds rise amid market volatility.

Stocks plunged sharply as concerns over artificial intelligence and trade tensions rattled investors, sending the Dow down more than 800 points. Heavyweights like American Express, Goldman Sachs, and JPMorgan were key contributors to the drop.

Software companies were hit particularly hard after a report suggested AI could impact economic growth, triggering further losses across tech shares.

Trade-sensitive retailers including American Eagle Outfitters, Ralph Lauren, and Yeti Holdings also faced setbacks as market uncertainty spiked. Bonds, meanwhile, rallied as investors sought safety in a volatile market.

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Money

U.S. investors flee stock market for global opportunities

U.S. investors withdrew $75 billion from stocks in six months, fastest in 16 years, with $52 billion in 2026 alone.

Published

2 days ago

February 23, 2026

Harvey Vargas

U.S. investors withdrew $75 billion from stocks in six months, fastest in 16 years, with $52 billion in 2026 alone.

U.S. investors are withdrawing money from domestic stocks at the fastest rate in 16 years, with $75 billion leaving equity products over the past six months. The trend accelerated in 2026, with $52 billion pulled from Wall Street so far.

Concerns over AI risks and weaker performance at home are prompting investors to look abroad, even though a softer dollar makes foreign investments more expensive. Emerging markets are seeing inflows at the fastest pace in five years, according to Bank of America.

As global opportunities become more attractive, many U.S. investors are now evaluating overseas markets for growth potential.

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Money

US dollar strength hits NZ dollar amid FX market shifts

US dollar rises amid strong US growth; New Zealand faces pressure as traders navigate volatile FX and geopolitical impacts.

Published

5 days ago

February 20, 2026

Harvey Vargas

US dollar rises amid strong US growth; New Zealand faces pressure as traders navigate volatile FX and geopolitical impacts.

The US dollar is surging as strong economic growth in the United States contrasts with softer conditions in New Zealand. Policy divergence and complex global FX factors are putting pressure on the New Zealand dollar, leaving traders navigating choppy waters.

Steve Gopalan from SkandaFX breaks down how US interest rates are influencing key currency pairs like USD/JPY, and explains why hedging flows are crucial in today’s volatile environment.

We also explore the ripple effects of geopolitical tensions on oil and broader markets, while examining the Australian labour market’s role in shaping the Reserve Bank of Australia’s monetary policy.

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