Take Five: Nvidia, let’s see what you’ve got

LONDON (Reuters) – The latest earnings from AI darling Nvidia and key inflation numbers in the euro area and Australia should keep markets busy in the coming week. Gold’s relentless climb to record highs and a dollar under pressure as U.S. rate cut speculation builds are also in investors’ sights. Here’s your guide to the week ahead in financial markets from Rae Wee in Singapore, Sruthi Shankar in Bangalore, Ira Iosebashvili in New York, Yoruk … Read more…

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Meta cancels plans for high-end mixed-reality headset, the Information reports

(Reuters) -Meta Platforms has canceled plans for a premium mixed-reality headset intended to compete with Apple’s Vision Pro, the Information reported on Friday, citing two Meta employees. Meta did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The company told employees at its Reality Labs division to stop work on the device this week after a product review meeting, according to the report. The axed device was internally code-named La Jolla and was scheduled … Read more…

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J&J in talks with holdouts to $6.5 billion talc settlement

By Dietrich Knauth and Mike Spector NEW YORK (Reuters) – Johnson & Johnson said on Friday it is negotiating with plaintiffs’ lawyers who have opposed the company’s proposed settlement of lawsuits alleging its baby powder and other talc products caused cancer, seeking to eliminate holdouts to the deal.  J&J has announced plans to finalize a $6.48 billion global settlement through the bankruptcy of a subsidiary company, after earlier efforts were rebuffed twice by federal courts. … Read more…

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Oil climbs over 2% after Fed’s Powell indicates US rate cuts

By Erwin Seba HOUSTON (Reuters) -U.S. light crude oil gained more than 2% a barrel on Friday after comments by U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated the central bank was preparing to cut interest rates. Brent crude futures settled up by $1.80, or 2.33%, at $79.02 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures finished up $1.82, or 2.49%, at $74.83. “The pivot by the Federal Reserve is real,” said Phil Flynn, senior … Read more…

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‘Super Bowl’ Nvidia earnings stand to test searing AI trade

By David Randall NEW YORK (Reuters) – The rally in U.S. stocks faces an important test next week with earnings from chipmaking giant Nvidia, whose blistering run has powered markets throughout 2024. The S&P 500 has pared a sharp drop it suffered after U.S. economic worries contributed to a sell-off at the beginning of the month and again stands near a fresh all-time high. Nvidia, whose chips are widely seen as the gold standard in … Read more…

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The Unyielding Economy – by Justin Vaughn

(Justin Vaughn, Editor, Options Trading Report) After a wild market all last week, up and down and topsy-turvey, who would believe it was the best week of this year, yet it was!! Peaks and valleys turned into consecutive daily gains with the indexes all positive. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, for the week added 2.9%, while the S&P 500 was up 3.9%. The heavy technology Nasdaq Composite led all indexes with a surge of 5.3%, … Read more…

NASA says decision on Boeing Starliner crew’s path home coming Saturday

By Joey Roulette WASHINGTON (Reuters) -NASA said on Thursday it expects to announce on Saturday its decision on whether the two astronauts who rode Boeing’s glitchy Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station will need a SpaceX vehicle to return to Earth. “NASA’s decision on whether to return Starliner to Earth with astronauts aboard is expected no earlier than Saturday, Aug. 24 at the conclusion of an agency-level review,” the space agency said in a … Read more…

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US Postal Service seeks to save $30 billion over 10 years with delivery, other changes

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Postal Service said on Thursday it is aiming to implement changes that it estimates will save the agency roughly $30 billion over the next decade. Proposed changes include the adjustment of pick-up and drop-off times and faster delivery of some classes of mail – all of which will be discussed at a virtual conference, the Postal Service said. The conference will be held next month to seek feedback from stakeholders, … Read more…

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Ross Stores lifts profit view, Q2 results beat estimates on steady demand

(Reuters) – Ross Stores on Thursday raised its fiscal 2024 profit forecast and posted second-quarter results above Wall Street estimates, benefiting from demand for its discounted apparel and easing freight costs. Its shares rose nearly 6% to $162 in extended trading, after the company also beat second-quarter estimates. Its results align with trends at off-price peer TJX Cos and larger retailers Walmart and Target, which have shown that consumers across income categories are searching for … Read more…

Zoom raises annual revenue forecast on strong demand for its AI-powered products

(Reuters) -Zoom Video Communications raised its annual revenue forecast on Wednesday, driven by strong demand for its AI-powered collaboration tools deployed in hybrid work models, sending its shares up 4% in extended trading. The video-conferencing provider has been doubling down on efforts to integrate artificial intelligence into its products and expand its range of services and leverage the growing trend of hybrid work. The company has launched Zoom Workplace as a collaboration platform, which contains … Read more…