The Week's Top Stories is a guided tour through the biggest market stories of the week, from winning stocks to brutal dips to the facts and forecasts generating buzz on Wall Street.
DEBT CEILING UPDATE
Lawmakers reportedly made some progress on debt talks, with Republicans and Democrats working toward a potential deal to raise the federal ceiling but largely limit spending over the next two years. On the table are defense spending and contoversial investments in the IRS. The Biden administration is also working out a contingency plan to potentially delay payments to the U.S. Treasury. The Dow Jones jumped over 300 points going into Memorial Day weekend as hopes rose that the federal government would not default.
NVIDIA SPARKS RALLY
The stock market also got a boost on Thursday after chipmaker Nvidia reported a 20 percent jump in revenue from the previous quarter, mostly due to the artificial intelligence boom fueling demand for high-end semiconductors. The company's shares surged more than 25 percent following the report and helped spark a rally across the tech sector. “The computer industry is going through two simultaneous transitions — accelerated computing and generative AI,” CEO Jensen Huang in a statement.
DUMPING DOLLAR TREE
Meanwhile, Dollar Tree's stock fell more than 16 percent after the company disappointed on earnings and lowered its profit outlook for the year. The earnings miss reflects a number of headwinds facing the discount retailer, among them higher levels of shrink and a shift to lower-margin consumables. These challenges have been felt across the sector, which has struggled with changes to consumer demand post-pandemic.
BEST BUY BEATS
Bucking the trend, however, is Best Buy. The technology retailer's stock is up nearly 5 percent for the week on the back of an earnings report that beat Wall Street estimates. Tempering the rally though is the fact that Best Buy is still expecting weaker spending on consumer electronics in the coming year. “What we would say is we’ve been seeing a consumer who is — whether or not you call it a recession — exhibiting some recessionary behaviors,” CEO Corie Barry told investors.
The stunning indictment that led to the arrest of more than 30 people — including Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and other NBA figures — has drawn new scrutiny of the booming business of sports betting in the U.S. The multibillion-dollar industry has made it easy for sports fans — and even some players — to wager on everything from the outcome of games to that of a single play with just a few taps of a cellphone. But regulating the rapidly-growing industry has proven to be a challenge. Professional sports leagues’ own role in promoting gambling has also raised eyebrows.
Tesla, the car company run by Elon Musk, reported Wednesday that it sold more vehicles in the past three months after boycotts hit hard earlier this year, but profits still fell sharply. Third-quarter earnings fell to $1.4 billion, from $2.2 billion a year earlier. Excluding charges, per share profit of 50 cents came in below analysts' estimate. Tesla shares fell 3.5% in after-hours trading. Musk said the company's robotaxi service, which is available in Austin, Texas, and San Francisco, will roll out to as many as 10 other metro areas by the end of the year.
Starbucks’ AI barista aims to speed service and improve experience. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune Business Editor, explains its impact on workers and customers.
As Big Tech reports Q3 earnings, investors await proof that massive AI and cloud investments from Meta, Apple, Microsoft, and Alphabet are driving real growth.
Eric Trump joins us to discuss American Bitcoin’s mission, market strategy, and why he believes the U.S. must lead the next era of digital currency innovation.
Unreal Snacks CEO Kevin McCarthy shares how dye-free candy is leading the sweets revolution—just in time for what could be a record-breaking Halloween 2025.
