EU Clears Microsoft's $13B OpenAI Investment from Formal Probe: A Relief for Tech Giants

Microsoft's $13 billion investment in OpenAI Inc will not undergo a formal investigation by the European Union's merger watchdogs. The European Commission concluded that the collaboration does not constitute a takeover. Microsoft does not exercise control over OpenAI's operations. The decision follows scrutiny of Microsoft's close relationship with the developer.

LinkedIn Unveils Premium Pages, New Subscription Plan Offers Exclusive Growth Tools For Small Businesses

LinkedIn has begun testing a Premium Company Page subscription for small and medium-sized businesses. The subscription offers AI-generated content, tools to increase follower counts, and other features to enhance visibility on the platform. In 2023, premium subscription revenue could reach $1.7 billion of LinkedIn's $15 billion annual revenue.

OpenAI Launches First Asian Office in Tokyo Amid Microsoft's Massive AI and Cloud Push in Japan

OpenAI has opened its first Asia office in Tokyo, Japan. The entity behind the ChatGPT generative AI chatbot has expanded its global presence. Japan has become a top destination for tech firms seeking to lessen their reliance on China. Microsoft recently announced an investment of $2.9 billion in cloud and AI in Japan.

Weekly Report: what happened at FTEC last week (0408-0412)?

Microsoft's Growth Soars with AI Innovations, Projected to Lead in Public Cloud by 2032: Analyst

Morgan Stanley analyst Keith Weiss maintained Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT) with an Overweight and raised the price target from $465 to $520. Weiss expected Microsoft’s leadership position for multiple secular growth trends to translate into a 14% revenue CAGR through fiscal 2029.

Tailwinds In Tech

William Blair: We are in a new demand cycle for tech hardware. Smartphones and PCs are still the largest end-markets, but their outlook is improving. AI presents a second avenue of growth for many of these Taiwanese companies, says Hiraman. The past year’s gains in Taiwan tech were primarily driven by increases in stock valuations.

Weekly Report: what happened at FTEC last week (0401-0405)?

After The EU, Microsoft Faces Cloud Computing Antitrust Scrutiny in South Africa

Microsoft Corp’s cloud computing licensing practices have become the subject of an antitrust investigation under the South African regulatory body. Microsoft faces an EU complaint by rivals over its licensing practices in the region. The South African investigation is similar to the European Union antitrust case on Big Tech software company.

April 2024 Perspective

Home Market Outlook Today's Market April 2024 Perspective: Manning & Napier. The market is continuing to focus on the soft landing scenario in the equity market. Energy and Materials were the strongest performing sectors in March. The Information Technology sector has started to show signs of cracks.

Equity Outlook: Earnings Step Back Into The Market Spotlight

Too many companies with solid earnings growth haven’t been rewarded in narrow equity markets. Global equities advanced briskly in the first quarter. Earnings growth is poised to take center stage as a driver of stock returns for wider equity markets, says AllianceBernstein. The market's resilience reflects a potential turning point for equity investors.

Should You Invest in the Fidelity MSCI Information Technology Index ETF (FTEC)?

Noteworthy ETF Inflows: FTEC

Weekly Report: what happened at FTEC last week (0325-0329)?

Microsoft Decouples Teams from Office Globally in Response to Antitrust Concerns: Report

Microsoft Corp reportedly decided to sell its Teams chat and video application separately from its Office suite globally. The move comes six months after a similar unbundling in Europe to address potential antitrust concerns. The separation in Europe was a response to an investigation by the European Commission into bundling of Office and Teams.

FTEC: Concentration Increases Volatility

Weekly Report: what happened at FTEC last week (0318-0322)?

As Apple Battles DOJ Antitrust Claims, Analysts Compare It With Microsoft's Past, Seeing AI Opportunities

Department of Justice brought forth its long-anticipated case against Apple for violating antitrust laws. Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives maintained an Outperform rating on Apple Inc with a price target of $250. Morgan Stanley analyst Erik W Woodring reiterated an Overweight rating with a $220 price target. Apple's stock has gained over 9% in the last 12 months.

Fidelity MSCI Information Technology Index ETF declares quarterly distribution of $0.2360

Fidelity MSCI Information Technology Index ETF declares quarterly distribution of $0.2360. Payable Mar 20; for shareholders of record Mar 18; ex-div Mar 15. Dividend is expected to be paid on Mar 22, 2024 at 12:00pm.

Tim Cook Launches New Apple Store in Shanghai as iPhone Struggles in China

Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, inaugurated a new store in Shanghai. The opening of Apple’s eighth store in China was part of a visit to the country. Cook's visit underscores Apple's commitment to China as a critical market and manufacturing hub. In the first six weeks of 2013, iPhone sales in China plummeted by 24%.

Microsoft Faces Heat from US Senators Over Bing's Censorship in China

Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, has criticized Microsoft's compliance with the Chinese government's censorship demands. A Bloomberg Businessweek investigation revealed the extent of Bing search engine's censorship in the country. Bing has filtered out content related to human rights, democracy, and more.