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MORNING QUOTE AMERICAS-AI 'tipping point' sends Nvidia, Nasdaq, Nikkei north

A look at the day ahead in U.S. and global markets from Mike Dolan

Chip huge Nvidia's remarkable ability to beat even a sky-high bar of earnings expectations and its claim of a tipping point in generative artificial intelligence has actually catapulted stocks in Japan, Europe to tape highs and Wall St looks set to follow.

Shares in the AI darling soared 12% premarket after it anticipated a threefold surge in quarterly profits that conveniently beat estimates and sent chip stocks surging around the planet.

Nvidia stated it expects an eye-popping first-quarter revenue growth of 233%, way ahead of even Wall Street's lofty expectations of 208% development, and after it raked in some $22. billion of income in the quarter just passed. After more than. trebling over the previous year, the latest stock surge is set to. load back another $130 billion in market value onto the $1.7. trillion behemoth and most likely recover its ranking as America's. 3rd most important company in the future Thursday.

Accelerated computing and generative AI have hit the. tipping point, Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang was reported. as saying after results were released after the bell on. Wednesday and he added the firm can hardly keep up with demand.

Unsurprisingly, the boom has raised Nasdaq futures. 2% before today's open and after an ugly session on Wednesday. S&P 500 are up over 1% too.

However records went off like a Christmas tree worldwide. through the night as the AI chip frenzy was enough to send out. Japan's Nikkei leaping to brand-new all-time highs at last -. Surpassing previous peaks set at the height of Japan's. home bubble in 1990.

Even Europe's STOXX 600 soared nearly 1% to hit a. new record - beating previous highs set in January 2022 - with. its regional chipmakers leading the charge too. Germany's DAX. , France's and Amsterdam's all scaled new. peaks. And China's tentative stock market healing. continued for a 4th successive session post-holidays despite. continuous angst about the state of the economy there.

The AI buzz around the world and rocketing stock values. stand in contrast to the darker state of mind in interest rate markets -. where the Federal Reserve and other central banks appear to be. stalling on rate of interest cuts in the very first half of this year.

The bulk of Fed policymakers were worried about the threats. of cutting interest rates too soon, with broad uncertainty about. how long loaning costs need to stay at their existing level,. according to the minutes of the Fed's Jan. 30-31 meeting. released late on Wednesday.

Although the Fed minutes did suggest that discussions. about a slowing down of its balance sheet rundown would start as soon. as next month, bond markets were under the cosh.

Struck likewise by bad need at Wednesday's 20-year bond auction. and year-on-year crude oil cost gains at their greatest because. October, Treasury yields nudged greater on Thursday.

Full-year Fed rate cut expectations have now been scaled. back to less than 90 basis points, with futures markets not. totally pricing the very first quarter-point cut until July.

Despite that, the dollar index fell back to the. least expensive level in almost three weeks - with the euro. blazing a trail greater after surprisingly positive early February. business activity readings for the euro zone.

The recession in euro zone service activity alleviated this month. as the dominant services sector broke a six-month streak of. contraction, offsetting a deterioration in production,. HCOB's composite S&P International PMI study revealed.

The index rose to 48.9 this month from January's 47.9, ahead. of expectations in a poll for 48.5. Although that. significant its ninth month below the 50 level separating development from. contraction, the services PMI jumped to 50.0, far going beyond. projections.

U.S. equivalent survey readings and weekly out of work claims. numbers are due out later together with a packed diary of senior Fed. speakers and another heavy corporate profits schedule.

Key journal items that may provide instructions to U.S. markets later. on Thursday:. * U.S. flash Feb organization studies from S&P Global, weekly. unemployed claims, Jan existing home sales. Canada Dec retail sales. * Federal Reserve Vice Chair Philip Jefferson, Fed Board. Governor Lisa Cook, Fed Board Guv Christopher Waller,. Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker, Minneapolis Fed chief. Neel Kashkari all speak. * U.S. corp earnings: Intuit, Reservation, Coterra Energy, PG&E,. Moderna, Edison, Insulet, Ameren, EOG, Live Nation. Entertainment, VICI Characteristics, Copart, Leader Natural. Resources, Newmont, Dominion Energy, LKQ, Quanta Providers,. Builders FirstSource, Iron Mountain, Teleflex, Swimming Pool, Keurig Dr. Pepper, Entergy. * Informal European Union financing ministers satisfying in Brussels. * U.S. Treasury auctions 30-year inflation-protected bonds,. 4-week expenses

(source: Reuters)