Amazon.com topped Wall Street estimates for quarterly cloud revenue growth on Wednesday, driven by strong enterprise spending on its cloud computing services as companies step up artificial intelligence adoption.

Revenue at Amazon Web Services (AWS) jumped 28% to $37.6 billion in the first quarter ended March, compared with analysts’ average estimate of a 25.08% increase to $36.61 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.

Shares of ‌the company, however, ⁠dipped ⁠2% in volatile extended trading after it projected current-quarter operating income between $20 billion and $24 billion, slightly lower than estimates of $22.62 billion at midpoint.

The upbeat cloud revenue comes when Amazon – the world’s largest cloud services provider – has already boosted investor confidence by deepening its partnership with the two biggest AI firms, OpenAI and Anthropic, within days of each other.

On Tuesday, Amazon made available all of OpenAI’s latest models and its coding agent, Codex, on AWS, taking ⁠advantage of loosened ‌ties between the ChatGPT maker and cloud rival Microsoft.

Last week, Amazon stuck a deal to invest up to $25 billion in Anthropic, while the Claude creator ⁠committed to spending more than $100 billion on AWS in the next 10 years.
The announcements, coupled with a disclosure earlier this month that AI services at AWS were generating more than $15 billion in annualized revenue, have helped push Amazon’s stock up some 14% so far this year, putting it among the best performers in the “Magnificent 7” group of tech mega-caps. Amazon, which has set a target of around $200 billion in capital spending this year, has been going all out to ‌reassure investors that its spending on AI infrastructure will generate returns in the near term.

CEO Andy Jassy said in his shareholder letter this month that much of the company’s 2026 spending will ⁠be monetized over 2027 and 2028.

Still, the roughly $600 billion that Big Tech is expected to pour into AI this year – a historic outlay that has dented cash flows at these companies – is testing investors’ patience, even as companies say that it is necessary to increase computing capacity as strong AI demand outstrips supply.

At its retail business, Amazon has been investing in expanding same-day delivery to more towns and small cities, and has sharpened focus on grocery delivery in a bid to better compete with supermarket chains such as Walmart and Kroger.

NEW YORK — NXP Semiconductors NV shares skyrocketed more than 24% on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, trading around $314 in morning action after the analog chipmaker reported robust first-quarter results that beat Wall Street expectations and highlighted broad-based growth driven by industrial, automotive and AI-related demand.

The company posted revenue of $3.18 billion for the quarter ended March 29, 2026, up 12% year-over-year and exceeding analyst forecasts. Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share reached $3.05, surpassing consensus estimates. GAAP net income attributable to stockholders was $1.13 billion, significantly boosted by a one-time gain from the sale of its MEMS sensors business.

CEO Rafael Sotomayor described the quarter as a strong start to 2026, noting broad-based improvement across all focus end markets. “Our growth reflects sustained investment, disciplined execution, and growing customer adoption of our differentiated portfolio, particularly in industrial and automotive processing that supports software-defined vehicles and physical AI,” he said in the earnings release.

The results triggered enthusiastic buying, with volume surging well above average. The move ranks among the strongest percentage gains on Nasdaq Wednesday morning and reflects renewed investor confidence in NXP’s positioning within high-growth segments like AI infrastructure, automotive electrification and industrial automation.

NXP’s performance was driven by strength in multiple segments. Automotive revenue rose 6% year-over-year (10% on an adjusted basis excluding the MEMS divestiture), while Industrial & IoT and Communication Infrastructure & Other segments posted gains exceeding 20%. The company’s focus on higher-margin, differentiated products helped expand non-GAAP gross margin to 57.1% and operating margin to 33.1%.

Analysts reacted positively to the beat. Several firms raised price targets following the report, citing improved visibility, margin expansion and NXP’s exposure to secular growth drivers. The results validate the company’s strategy of investing in advanced analog and mixed-signal solutions for emerging technologies.

For investors, today’s surge underscores the market’s appetite for companies benefiting from AI, automotive electrification and industrial digitization. NXP’s semiconductors are critical components in a wide range of applications, from vehicle safety systems and data centers to industrial automation and consumer electronics. As these markets expand, demand for NXP’s specialized chips is expected to remain robust.

The company also returned capital to shareholders, paying $256 million in dividends and repurchasing $102 million of common shares in the quarter. This disciplined approach to capital allocation has been well-received by investors seeking both growth and shareholder returns.

Broader semiconductor sector sentiment has been mixed in 2026, with some names facing headwinds from inventory corrections and macroeconomic uncertainty. NXP’s strong results and positive commentary stand out, highlighting the resilience of its diversified portfolio and focus on high-value applications.

Longer-term, analysts remain constructive on NXP. The combination of secular tailwinds, strong competitive positioning and operational execution supports a favorable outlook. While valuations have expanded on AI enthusiasm, many view current levels as reasonable given the company’s growth trajectory and margin profile.

As trading continued Wednesday morning, shares held near session highs with sustained volume. Technical analysts noted the breakout above recent resistance levels, with potential near-term targets in the low-to-mid $320s if momentum persists. Options activity showed aggressive call buying, suggesting traders anticipate further upside.

The day’s performance caps a strong period for NXP. The stock has delivered significant returns for investors who recognized its critical role in the semiconductor supply chain. With record results and positive momentum, many expect continued upside through the remainder of 2026 and beyond.

For long-term investors, NXP offers exposure to key technology trends including automotive electrification, industrial IoT and AI infrastructure. Its focus on analog and mixed-signal solutions provides differentiation in a market increasingly driven by advanced nodes and system-level integration.

Near-term risks include macroeconomic uncertainty, potential slowdowns in end-market demand and geopolitical factors affecting supply chains. However, NXP’s diversified customer base and technological leadership provide a solid foundation for navigating these challenges.

As the market digests today’s move, NXP Semiconductors stands out as a standout performer, illustrating how strong execution and exposure to high-growth technologies can drive significant shareholder value in the semiconductor space. The coming quarters will reveal whether the company can sustain this momentum and continue capitalizing on favorable industry trends.

So I guess the Fed chairman, Jay Powell, is not going off quietly into the night. Today is his last meeting as chairman, but he announced his ungentlemanly decision to stay on as a Fed board member for who knows how long. “I’ve said that I will not leave the board until this investigation is well and truly over with transparency and finality, and I stand by that,” he said. “In terms of when I would leave, I will leave when I think it’s appropriate to do so,” he added. “The things that have happened in the last three months, I think, left me no choice but to stay.” Mr. Powell concluded that “after my term as chair ends on May 15th, I will continue to serve as a governor for a period of time to be determined. I plan to keep a low profile as a governor.”

Mr. Powell’s not the martyr he thinks he is. You can’t have two chief executives.

President Trump’s choice to lead the Fed, Kevin Warsh, was confirmed today by the Senate Banking Committee, by a 13-11 vote. And he undoubtedly will be confirmed by the whole Senate probably some time next week.

Nobody’s going to listen to Mr. Powell. The cost overrun investigation is being run by the Fed’s inspector general, who is independent, and Mr. Powell has nothing to do with it. And by the way, only once before in the 113-year history of the central bank, has another former chairman stayed on as a board member.

This speaks poorly of Mr. Powell. His record as Fed chairman was undistinguished. The Consumer Price Index averaged 3.5 percent per year under Mr. Powell. That was the highest level since the tenure of Paul Volcker, giving Mr. Powell the worst record in more than 40 years. Cumulatively the CPI rose a whopping 32 percent. And as far as the economy, real gross domestic product averaged 2.4 percent at an annual rate. Another unimpressive performance. On top of that, Mr. Powell was also a highly political Fed chairman who embraced President Biden’s radical climate agenda and even more radical DEI.

In an interview today, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressed to me his strong displeasure with Powell by saying “I think it is an insult to Kevin Warsh, Miki Bowman, and Chris Waller to think that these other Republican nominees do not care about the institution of the Fed and that he alone can maintain the integrity of the Fed.”

The good news is that Mr. Warsh will take the helm as chairman and make a number of important changes. Hopefully the Fed’s economic models that are based on the false premise that strong growth leads to higher inflation will be thrown out the window.

Mr. Warsh understands the positives of low tax rates and deregulation in producing a disinflationary impact of faster productivity and lower unit labor costs. Mr. Warsh wants to shrink the Fed’s balance sheet by refocusing the central bank on monetary policy, and leaving fiscal and debt management policies to Mr. Bessent at the Treasury.

The Fed should not be some vast central planning agency. And the cacophony of yapping by various Fed officials will come to an end hopefully, along with something called forward guidance. Mr. Warsh wants the Fed to earn its independence by staying out of politics, and sticking to better control of the money supply, and maintaining a strong and stable dollar. The chairman’s job at the central bank is a very powerful job. So whether Mr. Warsh sees fit to give Mr. Powell a parking spot remains to be seen.

Meta Platforms raised its annual capital expenditure forecast on Wednesday, doubling down on its decision to plow billions into artificial intelligence infrastructure even as it seeks cost savings via planned layoffs.

The Facebook-parent now expects 2026 capital expenditure between $125 billion and $145 billion, compared with its prior forecast of $115 billion to $135 billion.

Shares of the company fell around 5% in extended trading.

Family daily active people (DAP), a metric Meta uses to track unique users who ‌open any one ⁠of ⁠its apps in a day, rose 4% from a year earlier to 3.56 billion.

The results come weeks after Reuters reported first about Meta’s plans for sweeping layoffs, as CEO Mark Zuckerberg attempts to aggressively integrate AI into the company’s workflows and reshape its workforce around the technology.

Meta, which owns Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads, has been spending heavily on AI infrastructure and high compensation for employees such as those working in its Meta Superintelligence Labs, which released its first AI model ⁠called Muse ‌Spark earlier this month.
The company’s robust ad platform, which allows advertisers to automate and personalize their campaigns, has remained its growth engine and has helped support its ⁠investments in AI infrastructure. Its Advantage+ ad automation tools are powered by ad-retrieval engine Andromeda, ranking architecture Lattice and generative recommendation model GEM, helping it attract more marketers on the platform even as companies face geopolitical uncertainty due to the Middle East conflict.

Meta launched ads on messaging service WhatsApp and microblogging platform Threads last year, intensifying competition with platforms like Elon Musk’s X. Simultaneously, Instagram’s Reels continue to jostle with TikTok and YouTube Shorts in the lucrative short-video market.

For the first time, Meta is projected to ‌overtake Alphabet as the world’s biggest online advertiser, with an expected $243.46 billion in global net ad revenue this year, excluding traffic acquisition costs. The forecast, by research firm Emarketer, puts the Google- and YouTube-parent’s ⁠annual ad revenue at $239.54 billion.

Last week, the company expanded the availability of Meta AI business assistant, designed to help advertisers optimize campaign performance and resolve technical issues through real-time guidance.

Meta is installing new tracking software on U.S.-based employees’ computers to capture mouse movements, clicks and keystrokes to train its AI models, part of a broad initiative to build AI agents that can perform work tasks autonomously, Reuters reported last week.

Meanwhile, China ordered Meta to unwind its $2 billion-plus acquisition of AI startup Manus on Monday, as Beijing tightens scrutiny of U.S. investment in domestic startups developing frontier technologies.