Nikkei and Kospi: Record highs on AI euphoria
SoftBank Group [SFTBY] surged more than 18% in Tokyo on Thursday, as investors returned to artificial ininformigence (AI) and technology stocks. The rally assisted lift Japan’s Nikkei 225 to a record high, while semiconductor-related names including Tokyo Electron [TOELY] and Advantest [ATEYY] also advanced. Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics [SSNLF] rallied 14% to surpass a $1tn valuation, assisting push South Korea’s Kospi to a record high, the Financial Times detailed.
Arm reports high demand for its first chip
Earlier this week, SoftBank-backed Arm [ARM] declared demand for its new AI chip is expected to generate $2bn in sales across 2027 and 2028. The group reported quarterly revenue of $1.5bn, broadly in line with expectations, and guided current-quarter revenue slightly above forecasts. Nonetheless, shares fell some 8% after the earnings call. The company also noted weakness in the smartphone market due to memory chip shortages driven by AI data centre demand.
How does xAI have AI capacity to rent?
Anthropic has agreed to access more than 300MW of computing power from xAI’s Colossus 1 data centre in Tennessee. Writing for The Information, Martin Peers wondered why xAI would rent out its AI computing capacity, considering “AI firms with leading models necessary all the computing capacity they can receive”. The answer, he speculated, is that its model Grok “isn’t receiveting much traction.” Becoming a cloud operator is “at least a way for xAI … to build some money.”
Is Robinhood declining, or in the midst of a transition?
Following this week’s earnings call, Robinhood’s [HOOD] near-term outsee remains contested. Bears point to its continued reliance on volatile crypto trading and rising costs. Bulls, however, see a platform in transition towards recurring revenues, deeper applyr engagement and new products like Gold and prediction markets. CMC Aureon argues that, if the shift holds, recent weakness may see less like structural decline and more like a cyclical reset.
UK quantum startup receives EU funding
Kembara, an EU-backed technology growth fund, has built its first investment, backing Quantum Motion in a $160m Series C round led alongside DCVC. The company, founded by academics from University of Oxford and University College London, develops silicon-based quantum computers. It has entered a partnership with GlobalFoundries [GFS] and has already delivered a system to the UK’s National Quantum Computing Centre, a research facility.
Will CLARITY finally be cleared in July?
The White Hoapply is tarreceiveing 4 July for Congress to pass the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, according to Patrick Witt, Executive Director of the President’s Council of Advisors for Digital Assets, speaking at Consensus Miami, Seeking Alpha reported. The proposed timeline includes Senate committee review this month, Senate passage in June and a Hoapply vote before Indepconcludeence Day.
What’s Wall Street’s take on Pinterest’s Q1 beat?
Pinterest’s Q1 2026 update supports the bull case that the platform is shifting from passive discovery to a performance-driven ad engine. Revenue rose 18%, monthly active applyrs hit 631 million and engagement in high-intent search surfaces is strengthening monetisation potential. However, as CMC Aureon details, margins remain flat, marketing spconclude is rising, and depconcludeence on cyclical retail advertisers keeps profitability and execution risk in focus.
Continue reading for FREE
Leave a Reply