Business 23 January 2026 - 28 January 2026

Walmart (WMT) earnings: New CEO Furner turns cautious — and rolls out a $30 billion buyback
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Walmart (WMT) earnings: New CEO Furner turns cautious — and rolls out a $30 billion buyback

Walmart reported Q4 revenue up 5.6% to $190.7 billion and adjusted EPS of $0.74, beating holiday-quarter estimates. The company forecast FY27 net sales growth of 3.5%-4.5% and adjusted EPS of $2.75-$2.85, both below Wall Street expectations. Global e-commerce sales jumped 24%. Walmart approved a new $30 billion share buyback and raised its annual dividend to 99 cents.
February 19, 2026
Snap creates “Specs Inc” to lure investors and take on Meta’s AI smart glasses
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Snap creates “Specs Inc” to lure investors and take on Meta’s AI smart glasses

Snap spun off Specs Inc as a wholly owned subsidiary focused on AR smart glasses, allowing for minority outside investment. Meta paused the international rollout of its Ray-Ban Display glasses, citing supply shortages and long waitlists. Google and Warby Parker plan to launch AI-powered glasses in 2026. IDC estimates Meta held 70% of the smart glasses market last year.
January 28, 2026
Texas Instruments stock jumps on AI data-center boom — and a Q1 forecast it hasn’t made since 2010
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Texas Instruments stock jumps on AI data-center boom — and a Q1 forecast it hasn’t made since 2010

Texas Instruments forecast first-quarter revenue of $4.32–$4.68 billion and EPS of $1.22–$1.48, both above analyst estimates. Shares jumped nearly 9% after the company reported a 70% surge in data-center revenue for Q4 and said it will break out that segment separately. Q4 revenue reached $4.42 billion, with net income at $1.16 billion. Analysts cautioned that high capital spending and weak electronics demand could weigh on recovery.
January 28, 2026
Texas bans Temu and Shein on state devices as Abbott expands China tech blacklist to 26 firms
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Texas bans Temu and Shein on state devices as Abbott expands China tech blacklist to 26 firms

Texas has added 26 China-linked companies, including Alibaba, Shein, and Temu’s parent PDD, to its banned technologies list for state devices and networks. The update, led by Texas Cyber Command, covers hardware, software, and AI tools. Governor Greg Abbott cited threats from hostile foreign actors. Companies named did not respond to requests for comment.
January 27, 2026
Micron’s $24 billion Singapore chip bet: 1,600 jobs and NAND output pencilled in for 2028
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Micron’s $24 billion Singapore chip bet: 1,600 jobs and NAND output pencilled in for 2028

Micron will invest $24 billion to build a new NAND flash memory wafer fab in Singapore, with production set to begin in the second half of 2028 and about 1,600 jobs to be created. The facility will add 700,000 square feet of cleanroom space to Micron’s existing complex. Analysts warn tight memory supply may persist through 2027, despite increased output from Samsung and SK Hynix.
January 27, 2026
EU tightens screws on Google: Brussels moves to open Gemini features and Search data to rivals
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EU tightens screws on Google: Brussels moves to open Gemini features and Search data to rivals

The European Commission opened two proceedings against Google on Tuesday to enforce the Digital Markets Act, focusing on Android interoperability for third-party AI and access to Google Search data on FRAND terms. Preliminary findings are expected in three months, with the process set to conclude in six. Google says it already complies, while EU officials stress equal access for rivals.
January 27, 2026
Fritz-Kola Says “No Price Hike” as Regenerative Sugar Beet Pilot Cuts CO2 — FritzBox Maker Faces Fibre Shift
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Fritz-Kola Says “No Price Hike” as Regenerative Sugar Beet Pilot Cuts CO2 — FritzBox Maker Faces Fibre Shift

fritz-kola said it will not raise prices as it shifts some sugar sourcing to regenerative farming, after a pilot project cut emissions by 1,534 tonnes of CO2 and yielded 1,449 tonnes of sugar. CEO Mirco Wolf Wiegert said climate measures are already included in pricing, despite higher costs for growers. The company partnered with start-up Klim and six German farms for the project.
January 26, 2026
US set for $1.6 billion USA Rare Earth stake deal as Washington chases homegrown magnets
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US set for $1.6 billion USA Rare Earth stake deal as Washington chases homegrown magnets

The U.S. government will acquire a 10% stake in USA Rare Earth as part of a $1.6 billion debt-and-equity deal focused on a Texas mine and Oklahoma magnet plant, sources told Reuters. A separate $1 billion private investment is also expected to be announced Monday. The deal involves 16.1 million shares and warrants for another 17.6 million, both priced at $17.17 each. USA Rare Earth declined to comment.
January 25, 2026
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang in Shanghai as China weighs H200 AI chip entry after customs block
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Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang in Shanghai as China weighs H200 AI chip entry after customs block

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang arrived in Shanghai Saturday as the company awaits Beijing’s approval to sell its H200 AI chip in China, sources said. Chinese customs have instructed agents not to allow the H200 into the country. Some domestic tech firms have been warned to limit Nvidia chip purchases and prioritize local alternatives. Nvidia has not commented on Huang’s visit.
January 24, 2026
Pegatron’s Texas factory deadline: Apple supplier targets end-March finish as AI server push heats up
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Pegatron’s Texas factory deadline: Apple supplier targets end-March finish as AI server push heats up

Pegatron will complete its first U.S. factory in Texas by the end of March, with trial production of AI servers using Nvidia chips set for late March or April. CEO Kuang-Chih Cheng said the plant marks Pegatron’s first U.S.-operated facility. The company expects triple-digit growth in AI server revenue this year and has secured orders for custom ASIC-powered servers.
January 23, 2026
EquipmentShare IPO pops about 16% in Nasdaq debut, valuing construction tech firm above $7 billion
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EquipmentShare IPO pops about 16% in Nasdaq debut, valuing construction tech firm above $7 billion

EquipmentShare.com began trading on Nasdaq Friday, opening at $28.50 and valuing the company near $7.16 billion, above its $24.50 IPO price. The firm raised about $747 million by selling 30.5 million shares. EquipmentShare operates 373 U.S. locations and reported a $25.2 million net loss for the first nine months of 2025 on $2.8 billion in sales.
January 23, 2026
Taiwan’s president to Arizona senator: Expect more TSMC chip investment after tariff cut
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Taiwan’s president to Arizona senator: Expect more TSMC chip investment after tariff cut

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te told Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego he wants more chipmaking and R&D in Phoenix, following a new U.S.-Taiwan deal cutting tariffs to 15% and pledging $500 billion in investment and credit. Lai cited TSMC’s $165 billion Arizona project and pressed for double-tax relief, while warning against China’s “red lines,” according to Taiwanese media.
January 23, 2026
Musk’s Starlink is spreading on planes — but Ryanair says the math won’t work
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Musk’s Starlink is spreading on planes — but Ryanair says the math won’t work

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary rejected Starlink’s in-flight Wi-Fi, citing higher fuel use and low demand from budget passengers. Elon Musk and O’Leary clashed publicly as major long-haul airlines sign deals for faster satellite internet to attract premium travelers. The cost per aircraft can reach $170,000. Full-service carriers push Wi-Fi as essential, while low-cost rivals focus on keeping expenses down.
January 23, 2026
Lenovo wants more AI model partners than Apple as it rolls out Qira, CFO says
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Lenovo wants more AI model partners than Apple as it rolls out Qira, CFO says

Lenovo CFO Winston Cheng said at Davos the company is seeking partnerships with multiple large language model providers to power its devices and will pass higher memory chip costs to customers. Lenovo’s January deal with Nvidia targets faster rollout of liquid-cooled AI data center systems. Cheng named potential AI partners in Saudi Arabia, Europe, and China. He warned of an AI bubble in market valuations.
January 23, 2026
Ofcom probes Meta over WhatsApp Business data — why the UK is digging in now
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Ofcom probes Meta over WhatsApp Business data — why the UK is digging in now

Britain’s Ofcom has opened an investigation into Meta over possibly incomplete or inaccurate data provided about WhatsApp Business in response to statutory information requests. The regulator said the requests, issued in 2024 and 2025, are critical for its review of the business messaging market. Meta said it will cooperate fully. Ofcom has not specified what information may be missing or when the probe will conclude.
January 23, 2026
Trump administration pushes out Liz Cannon, Commerce official behind Chinese car curb, sources say
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Trump administration pushes out Liz Cannon, Commerce official behind Chinese car curb, sources say

Elizabeth “Liz” Cannon, head of the Commerce Department’s ICTS unit, will leave her post on Feb. 20 after being ousted by the Trump administration, according to sources. Cannon’s team helped finalize rules barring nearly all Chinese passenger cars from the U.S. Her departure follows Commerce’s decision to drop plans restricting Chinese-made drones. The administration plans to replace her with a political appointee.
January 23, 2026
Sberbank jumps into Russia’s chip race with Element stake — and Rostec won’t sell
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Sberbank jumps into Russia’s chip race with Element stake — and Rostec won’t sell

Sberbank bought a 41.9% stake in microelectronics maker Element for 27 billion roubles ($355.7 million), surpassing Rostec’s 41.6% holding. The deal sets up a control struggle between the state-owned bank and the defense conglomerate. Sberbank acquired the shares from Sistema and other minority holders and plans a buyout offer. All three firms face Western sanctions over the Ukraine war.
January 23, 2026
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