*By Michael Teich*
President Trump's tough talk on trade at the start of the Group of Seven summit was not enough to dampen markets, said Daniel Ives, the chief strategy officer and head of technology research at GBH Insights.
Major stock indexes closed on a high note Friday, locking in gains for the week. Equities edged up despite trade tensions stoked by Trump's comments before arriving in Quebec for the G-7 that he would "deal with the unfair trade practices."
"Tariffs have been a black cloud, but it's becoming background noise," Ives said Friday in an interview with Cheddar.
He said he sees potential for mergers and acquisitions in the big data and consumer industries after Microsoft's $7.5 billion purchase of GitHub, which he described as a "no-brainer."
Microsoft, Netflix, and Google are all in positions of strength to make acquisitions, Ives said.
Bristol Myers Squibb agreed to buy schizophrenia drug maker Karuna Therapeutics in a $14 billion deal.
Supermarket chain Ralphs is facing a new lawsuit from the state of California.
Shake Shack is giving out free fried chicken sandwiches, bacon cheese fries and milkshakes nationwide.
The IRS is announcing a voluntary disclosure program.
Lionsgate announced its studio division is going to spin off in a merger with Screaming Eagle Acquisition Corp., which is a special purpose acquisition company.
A new report suggests that it's getting more difficult for an average American to afford a home.
The Food and Drug Administration warned consumers about a copycat version of the diabetes drug Ozempic.
Tesla is reportedly moving forward with its plan to make energy shortage storage batteries in China.
Wells Fargo employees at a branch in New Mexico have voted to unionize.
Nike cut its full-year revenue outlook for the fiscal year after reporting lower-than-expected revenue in its latest quarter.
