Here is a rundown of Cheddar News' top trending market stories of the day.
AI RIVALRY INTENSIFIES
Google parent Alphabet said its own version of a chatbot, called Bard, will soon be available to the general public. The announcement comes as Microsoft-backed OpenAI's ChatGPT rises in popularity. Google has been developing artificial intelligence technologies for years, but has stressed the importance of proceeding "responsibly" given its size and influence. Now that the competitive stakes are rising, however, the tech giant is picking up the pace.
AMC'S TIERED SEATS
Movie theater chain AMC has announced that it is launching tiered pricing for seats based on sightline. That means those usually empty front row seats will be cheaper, while the middle of the house will be more expensive. AMC said the decision offers "another way for moviegoers to find value at the movies," while others say it's the end of an era. Just ask actor Elijiah Woods, who tweeted that the system "would essentially penalize people for lower income and reward for higher income."
EV maker Rivian might be getting into the market for two-wheeled vehicles. According to a Bloomberg report, CEO RJ Scaringe told employees that an e-bike was in the works during a staff meeting last week. The nature of said bike is still unclear, but given Rivian's line of business, some kind of motorcycle or battery-assisted ride is likely. Rivian has previously hinted that it might get into "micromobility" and currently has patents for e-bike components.
Swedish buy now, pay later company Klarna is making its highly anticipated public debut on the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday, the latest in a run of high-profile initial public offerings this year. The offering priced at $40 Tuesday, above the forecasted range of $35 to $37 a share, valuing the company at more than $15 billion. The valuation easily makes Klarna one of the biggest IPOs so far in 2025, which has been one of the busier years for companies going public. Other popular IPOs so far this year include the design software company Figma and Circle Internet Group, which issues the USDC stablecoin..
Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison wrested the title of the world’s richest man from longtime holder Elon Musk early Wednesday as stock in his software giant rocketed more than a third in a stunning few minutes of trading. That is according to wealth tracker Bloomberg. A college dropout, the 81-year-old Ellison is now worth $393 billion, Bloomberg says, several billion more than Musk, who had been the world’s richest for four years. The switch in the ranking came after a blockbuster earnings report from Oracle. Forbes still has Musk as the richest, however, valuing his private businesses much higher.
Aurimas Sabulis, CEO of Dextall, unveils how AI‑driven prefabricated façades slash design time by 80%, labor by 87%, and accelerate affordable housing delivery.
Online broker Robinhood Markets will join the S&P 500 index Online broker Robinhood Markets will join the S&P 500 index as its stock rides higher on a cryptocurrency wave.
