A Microsoft employee disrupted the company's 50th anniversary event, accusing the tech giant of complicity in war crimes and calling it a "war profiteer" for allegedly aiding in the genocide of Palestinians with its AI technology.
Total 2025 Q1 earnings for the S&P 500 index are expected to be up +5.9% from the same period last year on +3.9% higher revenues, which would follow the +14.1% earnings growth on +5.7% revenue growth in the preceding period.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said recently, “All I know is, I'm good for my $80 billion” regarding the $500 billion Stargate AI announcement. But a February note from TD Cowen analysts stated that Microsoft was backing out of data center leases.
A number of stocks fell in the afternoon session after China imposed a 34% tariff on all U.S. imports amid escalating trade war tensions. This was partly in response to the "reciprocal tariffs" announced by the Trump administration the previous day, with levies on Chinese goods estimated to be as high as 50%.
Shares of computer processor maker AMD (NASDAQ:AMD)
fell 8.4% in the morning session after China imposed a 34% tariff on all U.S. imports amid escalating trade war tensions. This was especially rough for the US chipmakers because a big chunk of their business leans on demand out of China. The new tariffs not only threaten to erode profit margins but also risk reducing market share.
Adding to the uncertainty, the Trump administration signaled the possibility of further regulatory action against the sector. Although semiconductor firms were notably excluded from the broad tariffs unveiled on April 2, 2025, their exclusion raised concerns that targeted restrictions could still be forthcoming.
Wall Street's decline blamed on tech stocks, not Trump's tariffs. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says reassessment of AI valuations triggered selloff.
Microsoft has paused data center development and negotiations in multiple locations, citing tariff announcements and concerns of AI computing overcapacity
