Business 29 January 2026 - 3 February 2026

Wetour Robotics Stock Surges 91% Before Reverse Split, With AI Launch Next
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Wetour Robotics Stock Surges 91% Before Reverse Split, With AI Launch Next

Wetour Robotics shares closed at $1.07 Friday, up 15.1% for the day and 91% from the prior week, with trading volume surging to 496,048 shares. The company will launch its Orchestra AI wearable in Austin on May 28 and enact a 1-for-10 reverse split on June 2. Nasdaq will be closed May 25 for Memorial Day. Wetour has an active at-the-market share sale program through Chaince Securities.
May 23, 2026
Paris prosecutors raid X offices, summon Elon Musk as Grok deepfake probe widens
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Paris prosecutors raid X offices, summon Elon Musk as Grok deepfake probe widens

French authorities raided X’s Paris office Tuesday as part of a cybercrime investigation now expanded to include AI chatbot Grok and sexually explicit deepfakes, some allegedly involving minors. Prosecutors summoned Elon Musk and former CEO Linda Yaccarino for questioning on April 20. UK and EU regulators have also launched probes into X and its AI services over data handling and harmful content. X has not commented on the raid or summons.
February 3, 2026
Siemens Energy’s $1 billion U.S. bet: new Mississippi switchgear plant taps AI power boom
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Siemens Energy’s $1 billion U.S. bet: new Mississippi switchgear plant taps AI power boom

Siemens Energy will invest $1 billion in U.S. manufacturing, including a new grid-equipment plant in Mississippi set to open in 2028. CEO Christian Bruch cited surging demand from data centres, with about 20 gigawatts of generation capacity tied to U.S. data-centre projects. Grid expansion faces delays due to equipment shortages and slow connections. The U.S. is now Siemens Energy’s top market for orders.
February 3, 2026
India Budget 2026 gives Apple a 5-year tax shield for iPhone factory gear in India
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India Budget 2026 gives Apple a 5-year tax shield for iPhone factory gear in India

India will grant a five-year income tax exemption to foreign firms supplying manufacturing equipment to contract manufacturers in bonded zones, starting April 2026. The move addresses a key concern raised by Apple as it expands iPhone production in India. The exemption applies only to export manufacturing; phones sold domestically from these zones will still face import duties. Apple has not commented.
February 2, 2026
Snowflake’s $200 million OpenAI deal plugs GPT-5.2 into Cortex AI as enterprise agents move closer to data
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Snowflake’s $200 million OpenAI deal plugs GPT-5.2 into Cortex AI as enterprise agents move closer to data

Snowflake signed a $200 million multi-year deal with OpenAI to integrate OpenAI models into its data cloud products, including Cortex AI. Early users include Canva and WHOOP. The partnership gives Snowflake direct access to OpenAI’s models without relying on Microsoft Azure. Snowflake said the agreement will support multimodal data work and enhanced AI agents for enterprise customers.
February 2, 2026
Capgemini puts Capgemini Government Solutions up for sale after ICE row as shares rise
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Capgemini puts Capgemini Government Solutions up for sale after ICE row as shares rise

Capgemini shares rose up to 2% Monday after the company announced plans to sell its U.S. subsidiary, Capgemini Government Solutions, following criticism over a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The unit’s December 2025 deal with ICE involved data-driven “skip tracing.” French lawmakers and unions demanded more transparency and broader action. Capgemini said legal limits on oversight prompted the sale.
February 2, 2026
India Budget 2026 gives Apple a five-year tax shield for iPhone-making machines
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India Budget 2026 gives Apple a five-year tax shield for iPhone-making machines

India’s 2026/27 budget exempts foreign firms from income tax on machinery supplied to contract manufacturers in bonded export zones for five years. The rule, aimed at easing Apple’s expansion, does not cover domestic sales, which remain subject to import duties. Apple and its suppliers have pushed for clarity amid rising iPhone production. The exemption runs through the 2030-31 tax year.
February 1, 2026
Waymo’s $16B raise plan: Alphabet backs $110B valuation as safety scrutiny returns
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Waymo’s $16B raise plan: Alphabet backs $110B valuation as safety scrutiny returns

Waymo is seeking about $16 billion in new funding, which could lift its valuation to nearly $110 billion, with Alphabet expected to provide $13 billion. The fundraising comes as U.S. regulators investigate a Waymo vehicle’s collision with a child in California. Waymo recently expanded airport service in San Francisco and launched fully autonomous rides in Miami.
February 1, 2026
Meta’s Reality Labs lost $19 billion in 2025 — what it means for Mark Zuckerberg’s metaverse reset
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Meta’s Reality Labs lost $19 billion in 2025 — what it means for Mark Zuckerberg’s metaverse reset

Meta’s Reality Labs posted a $19.2 billion operating loss for 2025, with fourth-quarter losses at $6.0 billion on $955 million in revenue. Meta expects Reality Labs’ losses in 2026 to remain at similar levels. The division cut about 10% of staff, with up to 1,000 jobs affected. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said most investment is now going toward glasses and wearables.
February 1, 2026
Verizon’s best subscriber surge in six years comes with upbeat 2026 forecast and a $25 billion buyback
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Verizon’s best subscriber surge in six years comes with upbeat 2026 forecast and a $25 billion buyback

Verizon raised its 2026 adjusted profit and free cash flow forecasts after adding 616,000 postpaid phone subscribers in the fourth quarter, its best result since 2019. The company approved a share buyback plan of up to $25 billion over three years, with at least $3 billion set for 2026. Fourth-quarter revenue reached $36.4 billion, with adjusted earnings of $1.09 per share.
January 30, 2026
Perplexity’s $750 million Microsoft Azure deal raises a question: why keep AWS too?
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Perplexity’s $750 million Microsoft Azure deal raises a question: why keep AWS too?

Perplexity signed a $750 million, three-year Azure cloud deal with Microsoft, Bloomberg reported, citing sources. Microsoft confirmed the partnership but did not disclose terms. The agreement comes as Microsoft faces investor concerns over heavy AI spending and slowing cloud growth, with shares falling sharply after earnings. Perplexity, backed by Nvidia, is also facing a lawsuit from Amazon over automated shopping tools.
January 30, 2026
Apple earnings: iPhone 17 surge lifts outlook to 16% growth as chip crunch looms
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Apple earnings: iPhone 17 surge lifts outlook to 16% growth as chip crunch looms

Apple reported $143.8 billion in revenue and $2.84 earnings per share for the holiday quarter, driven by strong iPhone 17 demand and a rebound in China. The company expects March-quarter revenue growth of 13% to 16%, above analyst forecasts, but warned of supply constraints due to chip shortages. Services revenue hit $30.01 billion, while Mac and wearables sales declined. Shares rose up to 3.5% after hours.
January 30, 2026
Apple’s second-biggest acquisition ever: Inside the near-$2 billion Q.ai deal for “silent speech” tech
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Apple’s second-biggest acquisition ever: Inside the near-$2 billion Q.ai deal for “silent speech” tech

Apple has acquired Israeli audio AI startup Q.ai in a deal valued at nearly $2 billion, according to the Financial Times. About 100 Q.ai employees, including CEO Aviad Maizels, will join Apple. Q.ai developed technology to capture whispered speech and enhance audio in difficult environments. Apple has not disclosed how it will use Q.ai’s technology.
January 29, 2026
Comcast’s broadband losses deepen again — and the company is freezing prices in 2026
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Comcast’s broadband losses deepen again — and the company is freezing prices in 2026

Comcast lost 181,000 broadband subscribers in Q4, a steeper decline than analysts expected. The company will freeze broadband prices through 2026 and offer new bundles with free mobile lines. Theme parks and Peacock drove profits above forecasts, despite widening streaming losses. Revenue reached $32.31 billion; adjusted earnings were 84 cents per share.
January 29, 2026
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Stock Market Today

  • ASX Board Independence Model Under Scrutiny for Value Destruction
    May 24, 2026, 1:16 AM EDT. Recent reports highlight failures in the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) governance model, particularly its approach to board independence. Experts Dimitri Burshtein and Peter Swan argue that the current system prioritizes box-ticking over genuine value creation, evidenced by costly acquisitions by major firms like CSL, Orora, and James Hardie. The Australian Council of Superannuation Investors faces calls to reevaluate governance practices amid growing concerns that poor oversight is leading to billions in shareholder value loss. The debate centers on whether Australian companies can curb this trend by adopting more effective board responsibilities and decision-making frameworks.