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SoftBank Group (SFTBY) agreed to invest up to $87 billion to build AI data centers in France, CNBC reported. French President Emmanuel Macron personally closed the deal, courting SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son over two months, according to CNBC.Most infrastructure commitments this large move through trade ministries and years of negotiation. This one moved through direct outreach between a head of state and a single chief executive.That shortcut points to a bigger problem. The United States and China already control the AI models, chip supply chains, and data-center capacity that define the current race, and every other country is negotiating for what is left.The U.S. and China already control the inputs AI needsIndia does not produce cutting-edge chips domestically and has no frontier-scale AI model to match leading U.S. or Chinese systems, according to CNBC’s reporting.France depends on foreign chipmakers and hyperscalers for the computing power a domestic AI industry would need.Those gaps are structural, not something either country closes through policy incentives alone. That is why Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have gone around the usual channels, since trade agencies move too slowly for a race this compressed.SoftBank’s France investment shows what direct diplomacy buysSoftBank confirmed in its own announcement that it will spend an initial €45 billion, about $52 billion, to build 3.1 gigawatts of AI data center capacity in France’s Hauts-de-France region by 2031.That figure sits inside a larger €75 billion commitment targeting 5 gigawatts total, contingent on the first phase succeeding.More AI:The new Chinese AI model rattling U.S. tech investorsAnthropic restores access to Mythos 5 for select organizationsSoftBank CEO offers stinging critique of Musk’s AI betThe gigawatt figure matters more to investors than the euro total, since compute capacity determines how much AI workload a region can actually support.Son said Macron pushed for more power capacity than SoftBank first proposed, and France committed 3 gigawatts instead of 2, according to Bloomberg. Macron used France’s nuclear-heavy electricity grid as his leverage in that negotiation.“AI is entering a new era,” Son said in SoftBank’s statement, framing the investment as a bet on which countries build AI infrastructure first. SoftBank trades in Tokyo under ticker 9984.T, and its fortunes increasingly track AI infrastructure bets like this one, rather than its legacy telecom and venture holdings.

SoftBank committed $87 billion to French AI data centers after Macron personally negotiated the deal with founder Masayoshi Son.LUDOVIC MARIN / Getty Images

Modi is running the same playbook with American hyperscalersAmazon CEO Andy Jassy met Modi in New Delhi and committed Amazon to $48 billion in India through 2030, with $21 billion of that directed at AI and cloud infrastructure in Mumbai and Hyderabad, Amazon said in a statement.That $21 billion figure is the one investors should track, since it is the portion tied directly to AWS capacity rather than Amazon’s broader retail footprint in India.Related: Amazon doubles down on enterprise AI betMicrosoft and Google have made comparable commitments. Microsoft confirmed its largest investment in Asia, and Google pledged $15 billion for its largest AI hub outside the U.S., according to CNBC.Some additional context on how far that courtship has extended:A lithography supply deal was reached between Dutch chipmaker ASML and India’s Tata Electronics for a new 300mm semiconductor fab, giving India its first serious foothold in advanced chip manufacturing.A G7 summit lunch organized by Macron in June seated OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Anthropic’s Dario Amodei, and Google DeepMind’s Demis Hassabis alongside world leaders, according to CNBC.Modi convened AI executives, including Altman and Amodei, at India’s AI Impact Summit in February.The AI race rewards proximity, not just capitalNone of this changes the scoreboard. The U.S. and China are not just ahead in AI. They control the inputs everyone else needs to compete, and no relationship with a single CEO closes that gap on its own.What France and India are buying is time and capacity, not parity. That distinction is the one worth watching as SoftBank, Amazon, Microsoft, and Google decide where their next round of AI capital goes, because the countries willing to negotiate directly with a handful of executives are set to keep pulling ahead of the ones waiting for the market to sort itself out.Regardless, the entire world is trailing behind the U.S. and China when it comes to AI, and that is not changing anytime soon.Related: Tokyo puts billions behind Micron’s chip plan

Walt Disney World visitors planning a trip to Epcot later this year will soon lose access to one of the park’s most iconic dining experiences.The restaurant is unlike any other at Disney World, allowing guests to dine beside a massive living coral reef aquarium through floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing thousands of sea creatures. Its one-of-a-kind underwater setting has made it a longtime favorite for visitors seeking both seafood and an immersive dining experience.The shutdown comes as Disney continues to invest billions of dollars to expand and upgrade its parks and attractions, although the company has not explained why this particular location is closing.Disney World closing Coral Reef RestaurantDisney World will close its Coral Reef Restaurant located inside Epcot’s World Nature neighborhood beginning Sept. 8, 2026.Earlier this year, the restaurant shifted to dinner-only service, operating daily from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Disney has not said whether those limited hours are related to the upcoming closure or whether they will be permanent.Although the shutdown is temporary, Disney has not announced a reopening date. The official Disney World website only states that the Coral Reef Restaurant is expected to reopen later in 2026.The company has also not shared the reason for the closure.Coral Reef Restaurant overlooks the aquarium inside The Seas with Nemo & Friends pavilion, making it the only restaurant at Disney World where guests can dine alongside a living coral reef habitat.According to Disney, The Seas is one of the largest human-made ocean environments in the world. The aquarium contains enough water to fill 54 Olympic-sized swimming pools and is home to approximately 2,000 marine animals representing more than 60 species, all cared for by Disney’s team of marine scientists and animal care experts.

Disney is temporarily closing the Coral Reef Restaurant at Epcot.Joseph Prezioso/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

What the closure means for Disney World visitorsGuests visiting Epcot on or after Sept. 8 should expect the Coral Reef Restaurant to be unavailable until it reopens later this year.Because the restaurant overlooks the aquarium inside The Seas with Nemo & Friends pavilion, its temporary closure removes one of Epcot’s most distinct dining experiences. However, the attraction itself is expected to remain open unless Disney announces otherwise.Visitors will still have access to more than 400 dining locations across Walt Disney World Resort, including numerous restaurants inside Epcot.Guests can also check Disney’s official interactive park hours calendar before their visit to confirm operating schedules and any temporary closures.Closures come as Disney invests billions in its parksWhile Disney has not linked the Coral Reef Restaurant’s closure to any broader construction or refurbishment plans, it comes as the company continues investing heavily in expanding and modernizing its Parks, Experiences, and Products business.Speaking at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference in March 2026, Disney CFO Hugh Johnston reaffirmed the company’s commitment to its $60 billion, 10-year investment plan, first launched in 2023, as reported by Disney Tourist Blog.The investment is intended to expand park capacity, enhance attractions, improve guest experiences, and support long-term growth as demand for Disney’s parks continues to increase.Disneyland confirms closure of iconic attraction and restaurantA beloved Disney theme park ride is changing foreverDisney World adding new land, closing classic attractionsJohnston said that many Disney parks are already operating near capacity, making investments in new attractions and guest experiences increasingly important to the company’s future.”I’ve got high, high confidence that this notion of turbocharging experiences is something that’s going to pay back for not just years to come, but probably a couple of decades to come,” said Johnston.Disney’s parks continue to grow despite attendance challengesDisney’s (DIS) long-term investment strategy is already producing financial results.During the second quarter of fiscal 2026, the company’s Experiences segment reported a 6.5% year-over-year increase in revenue, while theme park admissions rose by nearly 6%. Although domestic attendance declined 1%, guest spending per visit grew 5%, helping offset lower visitation through stronger sales of merchandise, food, and beverages.During its latest earnings call, Disney said it anticipated softer domestic attendance, but following the opening of Epic Universe, it expects comparisons to improve in the upcoming quarters.Maintaining and expanding Disney’s parks, however, requires significant investment. Capital spending on parks, resorts, cruise ships, and other Experiences assets increased 15.2% year over year to nearly $5 billion during the quarter, as the company continued funding new attractions, infrastructure improvements, and future expansion projects.Related: Disney World shares new theme park ticket prices for 2027

Tesla (TSLA) finally gave investors a delivery rebound.But BYD nevertheless claimed the crown back.That’s the painful part of the new worldwide electric-vehicle numbers. Tesla produced 480,126 vehicles in the second quarter, easily beating Wall Street estimates and indicating demand had bounced back after a slow first quarter. Tesla produced 451,758 vehicles and installed 13.5 gigawatt-hours of energy storage solutions throughout the quarter.But BYD (BYDDY) did something more crucial for the long-haul electric-vehicle competition.BYD’s pure-EV sales declined year on year, but the Chinese automaker retook the global lead for battery-electric vehicles from Tesla. That’s the bit that investors need to listen to.BYD didn’t need a perfect quarter to beat Tesla. All it had to do was keep its foreign machine running.That’s turning the tale of a simple Tesla versus BYD sales race into something broader. Defending Tesla’s overseas growth narrative can get more expensive if BYD can stave off criticism at home with more cars abroad.The danger for Tesla isn’t just that BYD sold more EVs in one quarter. The thing is, BYD might be able to turn margin into a weapon on global exports.“Tesla vehicle deliveries and storage deployments represent only two measures of the Company’s financial performance,” Tesla said, adding that quarterly results depend on factors including average selling price and cost of sales.BYD’s overseas push changes Tesla’s problemBYD’s second-quarter figures appear extremely different depending on where investors look.The headline win is obvious. BYD sold 557,090 battery-electric vehicles in the second quarter, the company’s April, May and June production and sales documents show. That topped Tesla’s 480,126 deliveries.But the subtext is even weirder.BYD’s battery-electric sales in the second quarter fell approximately 8.2% from 606,993 a year ago. That would usually be the weak aspect of the story. Instead, BYD still defeated Tesla.That means Tesla did not lose the global pure-EV crown because its quarter was bad. Tesla delivered a strong number. BYD simply had more scale.Related: Why a fatal crash threatens Tesla’s stockThe ‘anti-Tesla’ gives American buyers more good newsTesla investors face a tougher challenge.Tesla bulls can argue the delivery rebound demonstrates demand is coming back. But BYD’s victory suggests that Tesla’s rebound may not be enough if its biggest global competitor can continue to make gains internationally while taking hits at home in China.BYD’s export figures show the change.More Tesla:Tesla faces lawsuit from family of victim killed in Texas home crashWhy a fatal crash threatens Tesla’s stockTesla stock has a SpaceX problem, veteran analyst saysThe company exported 135,098 units of new energy cars in April, 160,644 in May, and 175,349 in June. That’s 471,091 new energy vehicles exported in the second quarter.BYD sold 1,108,048 new energy vehicles in the second quarter, which means exports accounted for around 42.5% of the company’s quarterly sales. This is the genuine clue of an investment. BYD is no longer only fighting Tesla in China. It’s fighting that struggle somewhere else.BYD beats Tesla without a flawless quarterBYD’s June filing explains the story isn’t that easy: “BYD is booming.”In June, the business sold 403,472 new energy vehicles, against 382,585 a year ago. BYD’s total new energy vehicle sales fell 15.72% year over year to 1,808,511 vehicles from 2,145,954 through the first half of 2026.That’s the rub.BYD faces the headwinds. It’s not like it’s racing away with the field in every category. Its sales of battery-electric vehicles declined year over year in June and its first-half sales of battery-electric vehicles declined 15.23% from the same period in 2025.But BYD nevertheless managed to snatch the global pure-EV lead from Tesla.That’s the “oh wow” moment for the investor. BYD can have a terrible pure-EV quarter and yet beat Tesla because its base is so big currently.

BYD turns Tesla’s EV race into a global fightBenjamin Fanjoy / Getty Images

Tesla has a narrower product strategy than BYD.Tesla solely sells battery-powered electric vehicles. BYD sells battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric automobiles. In June, BYD delivered 201,472 battery electric passenger vehicles and 195,820 plug-in hybrid electric passenger vehicles.That gives BYD more ways to compete in markets where consumers are not ready to go fully electric.It also allows the corporation greater pricing options. Tesla’s lineup remains narrower, still depending on the Model 3 and Model Y. Tesla delivered 467,762 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in the second quarter, with all other models combined representing only 12,364 deliveries.That makes the worldwide EV contest a little less cozy for Tesla.Tesla is trying to convince Wall Street its future is autonomy, artificial intelligence, robotaxis and robotics. But today’s financial engine is mainly dependent on car sales. BYD is addressing that engine with scale-and-cost advantages and a far bigger global effort.Chinese exports are becoming the real threatThe BYD tale is also part of a much wider trend.Chinese automakers will see exports grow to 9.9 million vehicles in 2026 from 7.1 million in 2025, AlixPartners predicts. The consultancy group also argues exports are likely merely the initial phase of China’s global car expansion, with localized production the long-term goal.That’s important for Tesla because exports are only the start.Chinese automakers might be tougher competitors in Europe, Southeast Asia, Latin America and the Middle East if they leverage exports to create brand awareness and then change course to local manufacturing.BYD is already talking about itself as a global enterprise. The manufacturer said it was present in more than 120 nations and regions, sold 4.6 million vehicles worldwide in 2025, and sold more than 1 million of those vehicles outside of China.That international footprint affects the investor question.The age-old concern for Tesla has been whether it can keep boosting deliveries.The new concern is whether Tesla can sustain boosting deliveries without sacrificing pricing power in countries where BYD and other Chinese rivals are getting stronger.BYD: Key second-quarter numbers557,090: BYD battery-electric vehicles sold in the second quarter.480,126: Tesla vehicles delivered in the second quarter.1,108,048: BYD total new energy vehicles sold in the second quarter.471,091: BYD new energy vehicles exported in the second quarter.42.5%: Approximate share of BYD’s second-quarter sales that came from exports.467,762: Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles delivered in the second quarter.12,364: Tesla deliveries from other models.Tesla’s own delivery release urged investors not to see vehicle deliveries and storage deployments as a perfect barometer of financial health. Tesla noted results also rely on average selling price, cost of sale, foreign exchange and other factors.That prudence is much more important when BYD is going overseas.If Tesla has to respond to BYD with lower prices, better incentives or faster model updates, then the delivery race can become a profit race very quickly. Selling more vehicles is beneficial, but selling more vehicles at weaker margins is a different story.Tesla investors now face a global margin testTesla’s second-quarter delivery rebound was still important.The corporation delivered almost 480,000 vehicles, a significant increase over the first quarter. It also gave investors indications that demand fears may have been overblown.But BYD’s reclaiming of the pure-EV championship raises the stakes for what Tesla has to prove next.Tesla can no longer rest on becoming the default worldwide electric vehicle. BYD shows Chinese automakers can expand upward and export aggressively, using hybrid and all-electric offerings to reach more people.That is not to say Tesla is in a long-term losing race.It does mean the race is getting harder.Tesla’s next earnings report will have to answer the question that deliveries can’t: if the higher volume is translating into strong profits. Investors will be looking for vehicle gross margins, operating income, free cash flow and any comments from CEO Elon Musk on price, demand and competition internationally.They’ll also be listening for any updates on robotaxis and artificial intelligence, companies that continue to be important to Tesla’s valuation.But BYD’s recent success is a reminder that the automotive business is still important.Tesla might be selling investors on a future beyond cars. BYD is pressing the business that funds that future.Related: Tesla’s $1.4 trillion valuation rests on what happens next in one city

TheStreet aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.Why we love this dealA tablet can be useful and convenient when you want to work and play on the go. They’re great for everything from checking emails and writing up documents to streaming Netflix and scrolling through Instagram. If you’re on a budget, there are a few tablets on our radar at Amazon, and one offers a ton at under $60.The Yqsavior 2-in-1 Android Laptop and Tablet is on sale for just $59 at Amazon, and you’ll get a big bang for your buck with this pick. It comes with a tech accessories bundle that not only improves its functionality as a tablet, but can also turn it into a mini laptop.Yqsavior 2-in-1 Android Laptop and Tablet, $59 at Amazon

Courtesy of Amazon

Shop at AmazonWhy do shoppers love it?If you didn’t think you could get a standard everyday tablet and laptop for under $100, think again. This two-in-one laptop and tablet features up to 2.0 gigahertz (GHz) processor, 8 gigabytes (GB) of RAM, and 32 GB of ROM that’s expandable up to 1 terabyte (TB). The combination gives you great performance and potentially tons of storage for everyday computing tasks at an affordable price. Running on the Android 15 operating system, you get some of the latest software that offers seamless performance and security. Its 10.1-inch screen is the sweet spot between a large laptop and a smartphone, making it more portable and easy to carry around, whether it’s around the house or while you’re traveling. The front and back cameras allow you to snap pics, take videos, and partake in video calls, and it has a reading mode that’s designed to reduce eye strain. With a 6000-milliampere-hour (mAh) battery, you can get up to 12 hours of use on a single charge. But the real kicker is the tech accessories it comes with. In the bundle, you get a wireless keyboard, a wireless mouse, a stylus, a case, and a charging cable that can essentially transform a basic tablet into a mini workstation. Not to mention, the price of the entire two-in-one laptop and tablet bundle can cost just as much, if not less, than the price of a single accessory from a more high-end brand. Related: Amazon is selling an Android tablet for only $53 that comes in 5 colorsPros and cons of the Yqsavior 2-in-1 Android Laptop and TabletProsProductivity bundle: This tablet comes with a wireless keyboard, a wireless mouse, a stylus, a charging cable, and a case that make it more versatile than just a tablet. All the accessories plus the tablet also cost significantly less in this bundle compared to buying them individually.Up-to-date operating system: It runs on Android 15, which is one of the latest software updates that provides enhanced security and performance.Expandable storage: While the 32 GB storage is on the small side, it’s expandable up to 1 TB with a micro SD card, which is impressive for a budget-friendly tablet.ConsLower resolution: As a budget tablet, the 1280×800-pixel resolution is sufficient, but don’t expect the clarity and sharpness of a more high-end tablet like the iPad 11 that has a resolution of 2360×1640 pixels.Multitasking limitations: If you need to do basic tasks and run apps, this tablet can handle the job. But if you have too many apps running and tabs open simultaneously, it might start to lag.According to Amazon shoppers, this laptop and tablet bundle offers a ton of value for the price. Customers highlighted the tech accessories bundle that includes everything you need to turn the tablet into a mini laptop. Reviewers say it’s great for day-to-day tasks, and it’s great for all ages, from kids to adults.There’s no denying that you get a lot for the price with this tablet combo, but don’t expect Apple-level performance at this price or expect to use the tablet to do heavy-lifting or advanced gaming. “It runs Android 15 and handles basic tasks well enough,” a reviewer said. “It can lag a bit when switching apps or doing a lot at once, but for browsing, videos, or everyday use, it works fine.”Shop more dealsTuohaitime 2-in-1 Laptop and Tablet, $68 (was $81) at AmazonHiGrace 2-in-1 Laptop and Tablet, $80 (was $90) at AmazonCupeisi 2-in-1 Laptop and Tablet, $75 at AmazonBottom line? If you need a budget-friendly tablet that’s versatile, comes with all the accessories you need to turn it into a mini workstation, and performs basic computing tasks well, the Yqsavior 2-in-1 Android Laptop and Tablet is a great choice at only $59.

TheStreet aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.Why we love this dealListening to music or podcasts is far less enjoyable if you don’t have a high-quality set of earbuds. That’s why we’re constantly searching for the best deals on personal audio equipment. One of the best places to hunt for such finds is Walmart. The retailer always has plenty of discounts on earbuds and headphones, and we found one that just blew us away. We think you might be a fan too, once you see the sale price.The Sta Noise-Canceling Earbuds are on sale at the moment for only $20. That’s an unbelievable discount of 88% off the original price of $170. Even at the regular price, these are some of Walmart’s bestselling earbuds. We can only imagine how fast they’ll sell at this deep of a discount.Sta Noise-Canceling Earbuds, $20 at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

Shop at WalmartWhy do shoppers love it?While these headphones offer superior sound quality, they also have another little surprise that has us completely shook. More on that later, though. With two 14-millimeter dynamic drivers delivering an immersive sound experience, you’ll forget what music ever sounded like before you bought these headphones. The bass is deep and thumping while the mids and highs sound crisp without being too tinny. They offer great sound for music and movies, but are just as impressive for phone calls.Speaking of which, the buds have a built-in noise-canceling microphone that allows whoever you have on the other end of the line to hear every word in crystal-clear surround sound. The silicone bud caps also create a nearly soundproof seal around your ear canal, giving you reduced ambient noise as well. There is also an advanced noise-canceling setting for reducing sonic distractions even further.Now, back to the little surprise we mentioned above. The charging case for these earbuds includes a full-color multi-function LED touchscreen that would even make your smartwatch jealous. The screen allows you to control every aspect of your listening experience, and even includes a minigame to boot. The earbuds have a staggering runtime of 70 hours when paired with the case. The case itself offers one-hour quick charging as well, which is incredibly convenient when you’re on the go.Related: Walmart’s bestselling $168 noise-canceling headphones with improved bass are now just $21Details to knowDrivers: Two 14-millimeter dynamic drivers.Battery life: Up to 70 hours with charging case.Noise cancellation: Advanced noise-canceling setting reduces ambient sounds.Connection: Bluetooth.Walmart shoppers were very happy with these earbuds. One called them “my new favorite earbuds” before also saying, “I always have trouble getting earbuds to stay in my ear, but these fit perfectly. The LED screen on the front of the recharging case is my favorite part.” Another said the noise-canceling setting “completely blocks outside noise out.”Shop more deals JBL Tour Pro 3 Noise-Canceling Earbuds, $330 at WalmartSoundcore P25i Bluetooth True Wireless Earbuds, $15 (was $40) at WalmartIf you want to hear the best audio quality without all the external sound and fury drowning it out, then we think the Sta Noise Canceling Earbuds are a great buy. At just $20, this sounds to us like the best thing you could possibly spend your money on. 

Nvidia (NVDA) investors were more or less expecting another clean step forward in the AI upgrade cycle.Rubin was expected to continue pushing the roadmap ahead, customers would keep chasing capacity, and rivals would remain stuck trying to close an insurmountable lead.That confidence, though, has a new wrinkle.A reported delay linked to Nvidia’s next high-end rack system underscores that the tech behemoth’s biggest challenge might not be demand, but the physical complexity of scaling AI hardware. Moreover, the news comes at a point when Nvidia’s stock has been losing momentum, according to Seeking Alpha data, with shares down 0.46% over the past week and 12.56% over the past month. That compares with the S&P 500’s 1.70% gain over the past week and 1.67% decline over the past month, though Nvidia remains slightly positive over 6 months and year to date.Despite Nvidia still dominating the AI space, the next phase of that dominance might depend on parts of the system investors typically overlook.For its rivals like AMD (AMD) and Google (GOOGL) do not need Nvidia to stumble badly. They only need time.

Nvidia’s reported AI rack delay could give AMD and Google an openingAnnabelle Chih/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Nvidia’s reported delay is bigger than a product slip It seems Nvidia’s next big AI roadmap test is no longer just about how fast its chips can run.More Nvidia:Nvidia’s workplace culture sends Big Tech a warningNvidia’s $25B bond deal sends investors a clear signalBank of America resets Nvidia stock forecast after CFO meetingAccording to a report from TheFly, citing SemiAnalysis, Nvidia’s Kyber NVL144 rack architecture has reportedly been delayed by more than 12 months, pushing the system toward 2028. The setback comes only months after CEO Jensen Huang showcased Kyber at GTC as part of Nvidia’s next wave of AI infrastructure.What complicates things is that the point I mentioned earlier comes at a time when the AI trade is being heavily questioned by some of the market’s finest, with Nvidia stock under pressure as chip stocks sell off. Kyber is not a stand-alone GPU launch.It is designed around Nvidia’s Rubin Ultraroadmap and is meant to scale AI compute at the rack level, where hundreds of chips, switches, and interconnects behave like one larger system.So the delay is a lot more significant than a typical product slip-up.Nvidia has already moved beyond selling individual accelerators. The bigger ambition for it is to sell full AI factory systems to cloud giants and hyperscalers, racing to train and run larger models. A delay in the rack architecture takes a cut at the company’s next major growth engine, which is why its rivals may finally see an opening.Wall Street price targets for Nvidia stockBaird: $500. Baird raised Nvidia’s target to a Street-high $500 from $300 due to AI infrastructure growth, inference share gains, and faster Vera Rubin adoption.Bank of America: $350. BofA reiterated a Buy rating and $350 target, arguing Nvidia is becoming broader than GPUs as CPUs, AI systems, networking, and software lift its content per AI factory.Cantor Fitzgerald: $350. Cantor raised its Nvidia target to $350 from $300, keeping an Overweight rating as it pointed to strong AI demand, data-centre spending, and Blackwell backlog visibility.Morgan Stanley: $288. Morgan Stanley reiterated an Overweight rating and $288 target, keeping Nvidia as a top pick in processors and calling it one of the best value names in the group.JPMorgan: $280. JPMorgan raised its Nvidia target to $280 from $265, with analyst Harlan Sur keeping an Overweight rating after Nvidia’s strong Q1 FY2027 earnings.
Sources: Investing.com; TheStreet; GuruFocus/TradingView.
AMD and Google get a rare opening Nvidia’s reported Kyber setback gives its rivals time to work things out in the AI hardware race.According to the SemiAnalysis note, Nvidia currently lacks a proven solution to scale the Oberon Rubin Ultra domain, creating a potential opening for AMD’s MI500X and Google’s TPUv8i broadly to challenge Rubin Ultra on scalability.For perspective, AMD has been trying to turn its Instinct roadmap into a more credible alternative for hyperscalers that do not want to depend entirely on Nvidia. A delay at Nvidia’s end gives it more room to pitch customers on performance, supply availability and total cost.On the flipside, Google’s opportunity is different.Its TPU platform is already deeply tied to its own AI infrastructure, and Google Cloud can use that in-house design in competing for customers looking beyond GPUs. Additionally, if Nvidia’s system-level roadmap slows up, Google gets more time to prove its custom silicon can scale efficiently for larger AI workloads.However, this isn’t a clean handoff at this point.Nvidia remains the default AI hardware supplier for a reason. Its CUDA software stack, developer ecosystem, cloud relationships and installed base are tough to displace. Customers will test alternatives, but moving serious AI workloads away from Nvidia isn’t simple.For perspective, according to a Silicon Analysts report, Nvidia chips held a tremendous 80% of the AI chip market, while CEO Jensen Huang framed its AI chip opportunity at at least $1 trillion through 2027. Nvidia’s rack problem starts inside the system Nvidia’s reported bottleneck isn’t in the Rubin Ultra GPU itself but in the board that helps the whole rack work.The SemiAnalysis note says the issue is linked to the midplane PCB, which Nvidia calls the orthogonal backplane. Put simply, the board allows compute trays and switch trays to connect vertically at 90-degree angles inside the rack, which reduces the need for thousands of traditional cables.That matters when Nvidia is looking to make 144 GPUs operate as one connected AI system.SemiAnalysis said using conventional copper cabling for Rubin Ultra NVL144 might need over 20,000 cables, add over 30% to rack weight, and create serious signal integrity problems.Without this part, scaling AI compute becomes heavier, messier and harder to deploy.Related: ‘Big Short’ investor Michael Burry issues blunt 4-word warning on AI stocks

Alibaba’s reported ban on Anthropic’s Claude Code looks, on the surface, like an IT decision at a company.It’s probably bigger than that.A Chinese tech giant has warned staff not to use Anthropic’s AI coding helper at work and has directed them toward its own coding platform, Qoder, Reuters reported, citing a person familiar with the directive. Reuters said the development came when Claude Code features that could assist in identifying users with links to China came under examination.For investors, the more profound problem isn’t whether Alibaba (BABA) engineers are using this or that tool.The question is whether the AI competition is expanding from model performance to control of the entire developer stack.That’s important because coding assistants are becoming one of the first areas that enterprises are turning AI into meaningful productivity improvements. If Chinese enterprises determine that U.S. tools pose a legal, compliance or national security concern, they could speed their migration to homegrown models and developer platforms.That might aid Alibaba’s AI ambitions.It might also make a U.S.-China rift over AI tougher to undo.Alibaba is not just trying to build better AI models. It is trying to make sure the developers using those models never leave its ecosystem.“For national security reasons, Anthropic does not currently offer commercial access to Claude in China,” the company said in a February post on detecting and preventing distillation attacks.Alibaba’s Claude Code ban points to a developer-stack fightClaude Code is not your typical chatbot.Anthropic refers to Claude Code as an “agentic coding system,” which can read a codebase, make changes across files, run tests and provide committed code. This makes it more of an AI software engineer than a basic text assistant.And that’s why the Alibaba report matters.When the best AI technologies are embedded in development processes, controlling those workflows is a strategic priority. The company that owns the coding assistance, the model family, the cloud platform, and the billing relationship gets more than just usage revenue.It is distributed.Reuters stated that Alibaba staff were told to use its coding environment, Qoder, rather than Claude Code. Qoder bills itself as an agentic platform with tools like the Qoder Desktop, Qoder CLI, cloud agents and a terminal-native AI coding partner.Related: Anthropic quietly joins the race to build its own chipsTiming is key since Alibaba is already beginning with a bigger AI developer drive.Qwen Code is a terminal-based AI coding tool that connects to Alibaba Cloud Model Studio through pay-as-you-go, Coding Plan or token plan choices. This means Alibaba is not just generating models, but also packaging them into developer tools that it can sell and maintain via its cloud business.Alibaba Cloud also offers an AI Coding Plan that supports Qwen models, Qwen Code and other popular coding tools. The proposal incorporates the Qwen-series models, including qwen3.5-plus, qwen3-max, qwen3-coder-next and qwen3-coder-plus, as well as third-party models.That’s the investor tip.Alibaba’s restriction on Claude Code could minimize its reliance on a U.S. competitor, but it could also force more developers further into Alibaba’s own AI and cloud offerings.Anthropic’s Alibaba dispute raises the stakesThe Alibaba-Anthropic battle is more than a matter of access.Anthropic also called out Alibaba for its alleged “distillation” effort, in which a less powerful model is trained on the outputs of a more proficient one, Reuters reported. Anthropic made the assertion in a letter to two U.S. senators.Anthropic has been publicly warning of distillation attacks. The business noted in a February post that labs can employ proxy services to access frontier models and generate enormous quantities of prompts targeted to extract specific skills. At one time, one proxy network had almost 20,000 bogus accounts, Anthropic stated.More AI:The new Chinese AI model rattling U.S. tech investorsAnthropic restores access to Mythos 5 for select organizationsSoftBank CEO offers stinging critique of Musk’s AI betThat goes some way to explaining why Claude Code became such a flashpoint.Developers told Reuters Claude Code had algorithms that evaluated user contexts, including time zone and proxy-related information, and included subtle marks in prompts sent to Anthropic’s servers. The function was an experiment launched in March to avoid account abuse by unauthorized resellers and prevent model distillation, an Anthropic staffer wrote on X, Reuters said.But the main point is that AI tools are no longer products. They are becoming managed infrastructure.In its supported areas site, Anthropic notes it reserves the right to deny products or services to entities whose predominant ownership may be traced back to countries not covered by its approved regions policy. Anthropic said in September 2025 that it was tightening limitations to bar companies controlled from countries where its products are banned, including China, regardless of where they operate.This puts big firms in a bind.Individual users may be able to circumvent the restrictions. But companies have legal, cybersecurity, and compliance teams. They have vendor risk policies. They have boards and regulators.So the Alibaba restriction could matter more than a regular software policy change.Alibaba’s AI business could get a tailwind.And Alibaba already has a financial incentive to keep AI activities more in its own ecosystem.Revenue at its Cloud Intelligence Group soared 36% to 43.28 billion yuan, or $6.19 billion, in the March quarter, the company said, supported by AI-related product revenue that posted triple-digit growth for the 10th straight quarter.Alibaba also announced its Qwen model family has become the most widely used open source model family in the world, with more than 1 billion total downloads on Hugging Face as of Jan. 21, 2026. The company said as of February, its consumer-facing Qwen app had over 300 million monthly active users across platforms.Those data help explain why the narrative of the Claude Code has a market angle.Alibaba doesn’t need Qwen to dominate every AI benchmark to count. It requires developers, enterprises and consumers to utilize its products frequently enough that the utilization strengthens Alibaba Cloud and related AI services.This is the point where coding helpers come in.Developers are sticky users. They create procedures, tools and habits around the systems they use daily. Once a corporation has standardized on a coding assistant, the model supplier might become part of the software-development process.

Alibaba’s AI fight shows where the real money is.VCG / Getty Images

Alibaba-Anthropic dispute: Key investor takeawaysAlibaba reportedly banned employees from using Anthropic’s Claude Code at work.The company is reportedly directing employees toward Qoder, its own coding platform.Anthropic has accused Alibaba of distilling Claude capabilities, according to Reuters.Anthropic says it does not currently offer commercial Claude access in China.Alibaba Cloud’s AI-related product revenue has delivered triple-digit growth for 10 consecutive quarters.Alibaba said its Qwen family has amassed over 1 billion cumulative downloads on Hugging Face.That is a clear strategic message.U.S. AI firms want to safeguard access to models. Chinese AI companies seek to cut dependence on U.S. tools. The developers are right in the middle.For Alibaba, it represents both potential and risk.The upside is that a push towards local AI technologies could boost Alibaba’s cloud and Qwen ecosystem. The problem is that the same geopolitical division could lead to a more fragmented, more regulated, and more expensive competition for AI.Alibaba’s real AI test is control, not just capabilityAlibaba’s alleged restriction on Claude Code is not the greatest AI story in itself.But the real story is what it tells us.The race to build artificial intelligence is going deeper into the plumbing of software development. It’s not about who has the smartest chatbot or the most spectacular benchmark anymore. It’s about who owns the tools that developers use to write, test and deploy code.That’s why this fight is important to investors.Alibaba has been pouring money into AI and cloud infrastructure. And it has a method to translate those investments into daily developer usage through its Qwen models, Qwen Code and the Qoder platform. If restrictions on access by other Chinese firms mean a flight from U.S. AI technologies, Alibaba would have a more captive domestic market due to concerns about surveillance or compliance risk.But there’s a catch.A more fractured AI industry might also mean the cost of competing worldwide is higher. U.S. developers may be more wary of Chinese models. Chinese developers may be pushed to local stacks. Cloud providers will need to provide more localized, compliant versions of the same core capabilities.That is to say, the potential for Alibaba’s AI has a sharper geopolitical edge.The company is set to benefit from China’s push for autonomous AI. But the same trend could make it harder to develop the global AI sector across borders.The message for Alibaba investors is simple.Claude Code could be the spark. The true prize is control of the developer stack.Related: The secret letter triggering a U.S.-China AI showdown

Apple’s Tim Cook sounded the price increase alarm in June.”Unfortunately, price increases are unavoidable,” he told The Wall Street Journal. “We’re doing everything we can to mitigate the huge increases being passed on to us.”The problem is a global shortage of memory chips. These components, known as DRAM (memory) and NAND (storage), are inside nearly every computing device sold today.Cook was not casual in his warning.”This is a hundred-year flood,” he said.It’s a situation that means higher prices, not just for Apple, but for consumers across the board. Normally, that would push consumers to stock up before prices increase, but that’s not what’s happening, according to Best Buy’s outgoing CEO Corie Barry.Best Buy’s CEO shares purchasing trendTraditionally, when people know that price increases are coming, that leads to at least some consumers buying ahead to meet future needs. That’s not happening, according to Barry.”In our research around the consumer. We are not seeing any indicators that would say the customer is pulling forward purchases,” she said during Best Buy’s first-quarter earnings call. More Retail:60-year-old retailer closes over 240 locations across 35 statesRetail giant exits U.S. fashion after multi-million-dollar scandal79-year-old fast-fashion retailer closes 128 storesBarry noted that the upcoming price increases, something that will hit pretty much any product that uses memory, unless the manufacturer opts to eat higher costs, have not impacted customer purchases.”And in fact, very few really are worried about memory, as I say, in air quotes. And we’ve been keeping a really tight eye on this. So I think, again, I said it, we continue to see very consistent customer behavior, which is a customer that’s under a little more pressure, but still resilient, attracted to deals and sales moments, shopping within their budget,” she added.

Best Buy has not seen a significant “pull forward” of electronics spending. Shutterstock

Americans are being cautiousA few months ago, I ordered a hot tub because it was being offered at a lower price than I had seen before. We hadn’t moved into the house where the spa is located, but spending the money now meant saving close to $1,000 rather than pushing the purchase down the road.When consumers choose not to buy ahead, despite expected price increases, it can be an early sign they’re feeling less confident about future spending. That’s backed by data from a report by McKinsey & Company’s ConsumerWise team.”In the second quarter of 2026, U.S. consumers faced uneven hiring, rising inflation, and ongoing geopolitical tensions. Against that backdrop, a smaller share of consumers reported feeling optimistic about the economy, while a greater share said they felt pessimistic. Consumers also reported intentions to pull back spending across most discretionary categories,” according to McKinsey.That does not match what Barry sees.”And while they’re thoughtful about the big ticket buys, they’re absolutely willing to spend on those high price points when they need to or when the technology is compelling enough,” Best Buy’s CEO, who steps down in October, said.Americans say they’re being cautiousIntent to spend within discretionary categories declined broadly, according to McKinsey. “Big-ticket retail segments could face the greatest pressure. Consumers reported the greatest net negative intent to spend on accessories, jewelry, and home décor, while intent to spend on sports and outdoor equipment, furniture, and short-term apartment rentals dropped the most from the previous quarter,” the report showed.In some cases, the drops are very large. “In many of these categories, 40 to 50% of consumers said they expect to spend less over the next three months. Across nearly every discretionary category, the share of consumers planning to spend more remains relatively small — generally in the low- to mid-teens,” McKinsey added.Bank of America’s April Consumer Checkpoint did show some positive signs.”Spending growth was strong in April, according to Bank of America internal data. Total credit and debit card spending per household rose 4.8% year-over-year (YoY), up from 4.3% YoY in March. Excluding gasoline, card spending was still a strong 4.0% YoY. However, spending growth did slow in April from March across multiple discretionary ‘nice-to-have’ categories,” the report showed.Americans did pull back at the end of the month.”Looking at the 7-day moving average of total card spending per household through the end of April suggests that spending growth may have eased more significantly towards the end of the month, particularly for discretionary spending,” the BofA data showed.Related: Southwest Airlines drops the one thing customers actually liked

The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index just had its best quarter on record. The S&P 500 just wrapped its strongest quarter in six years. Two months ago, traders were tracking a war in the Middle East and an unpredictable Federal Reserve. Markets shrugged most of it off.Wall Street’s four-word summary of all that came from Baird investment strategist Ross Mayfield in a Yahoo Finance interview on July 5: “It’s a bull market.” He didn’t bury the lead. But the reasoning behind those four words is worth understanding before acting on them.Why Wall Street is calling this a bull market right nowMayfield did not hedge when asked for his read on the market. He said the bull market is “driven by earnings and liquidity, and those are the kind of things that can keep this going into the 2nd half of the year, and probably, in my opinion, into 2027 as well,” Yahoo Finance noted.More Wall Street:Wall Street has a new problem, and it’s not the technologyWall Street’s biggest banks just landed the AI IPO of the yearWall Street’s top analysts just doubled down on 3 stocksThe reasons behind that call are specific. Falling oil and gasoline prices after the U.S. and Iran suspended fighting removed one of the bigger macro headwinds from the first half. The June jobs report, which came in at 57,000 payrolls against expectations of 115,000, signaled a labor market cooling without collapsing, and more importantly, one unlikely to push the Fed toward rate hikes this year. Small- and mid-cap stocks outperformed alongside semiconductors last quarter, giving the rally a broader base than most expected.”I think there’s just more to be excited about than there is to be nervous about,” Mayfield added.The earnings and liquidity pillars he cited have external support. FactSet data showed analysts predicting a 21% gain in the S&P 500 over the next 12 months. JPMorgan recently lifted its year-end target to 7,800. Goldman Sachs has gone further, setting its own target at 8,000 on the back of AI-driven earnings growth, as TheStreet reported. The convergence of multiple major Wall Street banks around the same bullish thesis is itself a signal worth noting.What the AI trade actually looks like going into Q3 earningsTechnology remains the center of gravity. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index posted its best quarter ever, but the Magnificent 7, traditionally the driver of index gains, actually underperformed semiconductor stocks last quarter. Investors are asking harder questions about whether the enormous AI infrastructure spending by major hyperscalers will show up in earnings in a way that justifies the capital committed.Veteran market strategist Ed Yardeni put it plainly, noting that investors are “questioning whether the hyperscalers’ massive spending on AI infrastructure will ever pay off,” according to Yahoo Finance. The free cash flow profile of some of the biggest AI spenders has become a genuine concern alongside the more bullish semiconductor narrative.Dan Ives, a veteran technology analyst who departed Wedbush Securities on July 1 to launch his own AI-focused merchant bank, said the next test arrives in July.”You have to see, as we go into earnings season in July, the validation and monetization of AI,” Ives said, as Yahoo Finance reported.Schwab Asset Management CEO Omar Aguilar told Yahoo Finance the AI trade has not peaked, but has simply reached a different phase, closer to “the middle section of the innings.” He pushed back on concentrated megacap positioning, emphasizing diversification instead.

Mayfield’s bull case comes with a specific warning.Santiago/Getty Images

Where strategists are finding opportunities beyond megacap techAguilar’s sector rotation call was specific. He is not pointing to the usual AI infrastructure names. He is pointing to the industries that come after them in the adoption chain.”We really like areas like industrials, like healthcare, like materials that are just at the beginning of really taking advantage of the AI structure,” Aguilar added.Small- and mid-cap companies are another area strategists are watching. They outperformed last quarter, and some analysts argue they still have room to close the gap with large-cap leaders if earnings hold and the macro backdrop stays cooperative. Wells Fargo made a similar rotation argument in its own second-half outlook, as TheStreet reported, favoring cyclicals and AI infrastructure names over concentrated megacap exposure. International stocks have also drawn attention from strategists who see rotation opportunities as U.S. markets digest a strong first half.What could slow the second-half rally downMayfield’s bull case comes with a specific warning. The semiconductor index’s record quarter produced exactly the kind of chart pattern that tends to make experienced investors cautious. Mayfield flagged it directly, noting that stocks in parabolic runs rarely cool off by moving sideways. They tend to correct sharply when sentiment turns.Valuation is the broader version of that concern. The market is not starting the second half from a cheap base. A Bloomberg survey of strategists put the average year-end S&P 500 target at 7,716, which implies only modest additional upside from late-June levels. The case for more gains is not that stocks are underpriced. It is that the earnings and liquidity picture is strong enough to justify where prices already are.Rate risk remains a factor. The June jobs report eased immediate concerns about Fed tightening, but any shift in inflation data or Fed signaling could change the math quickly. Geopolitics also remains open-ended. The first half survived a war, oil spikes, and rate volatility with strong returns. Expecting the same resilience in the second half is a reasonable bet, but it is still a bet.Related: Goldman Sachs doubles down on stock market outlook for 2026

TheStreet aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.Why we love this dealThe sun is a welcome sight come spring, particularly after such an overcast, frigid winter, but there’s only so much your body can handle sometimes. Not only is it not smart to expose your skin to constant rays, especially if you’re not wearing sunscreen, but when the heat really gets brutal, scoring time in the shade is the much-needed respite from those summer heatwaves. The right umbrella not only offers you shade to keep you cool and dry, but it keeps you from constant sun exposure when you’re enjoying some time outdoors on the patio or deck. These days, though, patio umbrellas don’t just provide covering. Many newer models have 360-degree adjustable angles to pivot as the sun moves and provide more shade, as well as have additional features like lights, cupholders, and wind-vents. With those extra perks, many models often have an expensive price tag, but if you know where to look and start shopping early, you can get quality patio furniture for a fraction of the cost. Walmart’s bestselling Ainfox LED Patio Umbrella is on sale for $60. And if you’re looking for something a bit smaller or in a different style, you’ll be thrilled to know that this umbrella comes in multiple colors, tier designs, and heights ranging from 7.5 feet to 13 feet — most are on sale right now — so you can find the one that best suits your needs if this LED 10-footer isn’t quite right for you. Ainfox LED Patio Umbrella, $60 (was $131) at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

Shop at WalmartWhy do shoppers love it?Patio umbrellas, for the most part, look pretty similar, but it’s the details and extra accessories that differentiate between the many models available on the market right now. The Ainfox one, which measures in at 10-feet tall, has a sturdy aluminum pole with reinforced zinc at its center to properly support the umbrella. It uses a special rib construction where the pole is reinforced with ribs, either internally or externally, to increase rigidity, structural strength, and durability so your umbrella doesn’t go sailing at the slightest hint of a breeze. The umbrella portion, which is perfect for providing shade in your yard, over parts of your pool, garden, deck, backyard, or porch, has a single wind vented canopy that’s made with UV-resistant, fade-resistant, water-resistant polyester fabric that allows heat and wind to escape preventing excessive movement or warmth underneath it. To put it up, the umbrella pole has a built-in crank that’s pulley-assisted to easily open and close the umbrella. That’s also where you’ll find a push button that allows you to freely adjust the angle of the umbrella and then lock it in place.And since it’s not quite enough for an umbrella to offer shade these days, this one has the extra bonus of including LED strips that provide light when the sun sets and it gets dark out. The eight light strips, which turn off and on with a single button built into the pole, are solar powered by the detachable solar panel. Five to six hours “charging” in the sun gives you up to five hours of light before the solar panel needs another charge. It’s the perfect way to add some subtle light to your outdoor area without it being overly harsh or bright. Related: Walmart is selling a 3-piece rocking chair patio set for just $68The umbrella offers about 9.55 feet of coverage underneath in total when fully opened up. An umbrella stand is not included, although the brand is selling one for 43% off and only $29 right now. What to expect from a $60 umbrella: Pros and consProsWeather-resistant construction: The umbrella is made with zinc reinforced aluminum and UV-resistant, fade-resistant, water-resistant polyester fabric.Versatile: The umbrella offers shade and protects you from the sun during the day, and the LED light strips provide subtle lighting when it gets dark out. Easy-to-maneuver: The pulley-assisted built-in crank and angle adjustment button make it easy to maneuver and set the umbrella to your liking. ConsAdditional pieces required: An umbrella stand is highly recommended, but not included in your purchase. Shoppers are impressed with the quality of the umbrella’s fabric, the effective shade coverage it gives off, and how easy it is to adjust its positioning. They find it to be very well made and sturdy, and appreciate how well it holds up even in windy conditions. “Sturdy enough to handle the sun and rain without throwing a tantrum,” one shopper said. “Keeps you cool without breaking the bank. An umbrella offers you both protection and a place to escape the heat when it gets really bad come July and August, and the Ainfox LED Patio Umbrella goes the extra mile by also offering you light once the sun goes down. Take advantage of the great deals and score this 10-footer for only $60.