Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) – In April, Apple’s iPhone sales in China surged by 52% compared to the previous year, recovering from a challenging start to the year. This increase comes despite strong competition from local manufacturers like Huawei. Overall smartphone sales in the country also grew, totaling 22.7 million units. At the upcoming developer conference, Apple will introduce the Greymatter Project, integrating AI into popular apps and improving notifications. Initiatives such as a new diversity chief and external collaborations are also highlights. Apple, although lagging behind rivals in AI, plans to leverage its large customer base as an advantage.

Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) – Groups from various sectors, including aviation, hospitality, and retail, have urged EU regulators to ensure that Google takes their perspectives into account when adapting its operations to the new Digital Markets Act (DMA). They are concerned that the changes may disproportionately benefit large online intermediaries, negatively affecting their own revenues. Meanwhile, the safety of Waymo’s autonomous vehicles, another Alphabet subsidiary, is under increased scrutiny in the US following the identification of new incidents. The primary automotive safety regulator has expanded its investigation, adding nine cases of collisions and traffic violations, involving a total of 17 vehicles in accidents. Additionally, Alphabet continues to expand its influence, with a new investment of around $350 million in Flipkart, an Indian online retailer controlled by Walmart. This investment is part of a broader financing round of approximately $1 billion, led by Walmart, which has already allocated $600 million to Flipkart, one of Amazon’s main competitors in India.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) – Meta Platforms has enhanced security measures on its CrowdTangle tool, now dedicated to monitoring misinformation during the European Parliament elections. These improvements aim to reassure the EU, which is investigating the tool’s effectiveness. Candidates will be guided on account protection on Meta platforms.

Flutter Entertainment (NYSE:FLUT) – Shares of Flutter Entertainment, owner of DraftKings (NASDAQ:DKNG) and FanDuel, fell by up to 4% in pre-market trading following the approval by the Illinois Senate of a bill that increases taxes on sports betting. The new legislation positions Illinois as the second most costly state for the sports betting sector, with higher gross adjusted revenue companies paying up to 40% tax. DraftKings shares fell by 5.5%.

Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) – Amazon Web Services (AWS) is in negotiations with Italy to invest billions in expanding its data centers, aiming to strengthen its cloud presence in Europe. The amount and location of the investment are being discussed, with possibilities including expansion in Milan or the construction of a new facility.

Alibaba (NYSE:BABA) – AliExpress, owned by Alibaba, has hired David Beckham as an ambassador to strengthen its position against PDD Holdings’ Temu. This move aims to boost the platform in the global market for affordable Chinese products. Beckham’s campaign will coincide with sponsorship of UEFA Euro 2024, seeking greater engagement and sales.

PDD Holdings (NASDAQ:PDD) – PDD Holdings shares, owner of Temu, are undervalued due to geopolitical tensions and intense competition in the e-commerce sector in China, according to Bloomberg. Despite significant growth of 43% since March, the valuation is still modest, trading at 13 times expected earnings, half the Nasdaq 100 average.

Nokia (NYSE:NOK) – Nokia is close to securing a contract to provide 5G technology to MEO, a telecommunications operator in Portugal, surpassing Huawei, the current supplier of MEO’s 2G, 3G, and 4G RAN equipment. The agreement has not yet been signed, but the announcement is expected soon.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (NYSE:TSM) – TSMC shares are being widely bought by foreign investors, driven by the rise in the AI sector following Nvidia’s strong results. Foreign ownership has reached 75%, the highest in two years, but still below the 2017 record. This indicates potential for further purchases, according to Goldman Sachs.

Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) – Nvidia shares rose by 2.6% in pre-market trading after Elon Musk’s announcement about his xAI startup. In the latest round of fundraising for xAI, a significant portion of that amount is expected to be invested in Nvidia hardware.

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) – Glass Lewis advisory firm has advised Tesla shareholders to reject a proposed $56 billion pay package for CEO Elon Musk, citing its “excessive size” and potential dilutive effect. The package, linked to Tesla’s market value, is considered the largest for a CEO in American corporate history. Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, xAI, raised $6 billion in a Series B round to compete with OpenAI. Less than a year after its creation, xAI plans to use the funds to launch products, develop infrastructure, and accelerate innovations, with a post-investment valuation of $24 billion.

Toyota Motor (NYSE:TM) – Toyota has unveiled new engines to meet stricter emissions standards, in partnership with Subaru and Mazda. These engines, including a 2.0-liter turbo, promise efficiency and reduced environmental impact. Additionally, Glass Lewis advisory recommended that Toyota shareholders vote against the re-election of president Akio Toyoda at the next annual general meeting. They argue that the board lacks sufficient independence. Toyoda, who was re-elected last year with 85% of the votes, is the grandson of the company’s founder.

Stellantis (NYSE:STLA) – Stellantis announced it will produce a hybrid version of the Fiat 500e at its Mirafiori plant in Turin, Italy, in response to slowing electric vehicle sales. CEO Carlos Tavares discussed this strategy during a meeting with unions demanding a more affordable and high-volume model.

Lucid (NASDAQ:LCID) – Lucid announced the dismissal of around 400 employees, representing 6% of its workforce, as part of an effort to reduce costs amid a slowing electric vehicle market. The layoffs are expected to be completed by the end of the third quarter, generating restructuring costs between $21 million and $25 million, with the majority being accounted for in this quarter.

Gol Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes SA (NYSE:GOL), Azul SA (NYSE:AZUL) – Azul and Gol have initiated a flight network connection, suggesting a possible future consolidation. Discussions about a merger between the two companies are still ongoing. Gol expects to emerge from bankruptcy proceedings with a $1.5 billion injection of new capital and the refinancing of $2 billion in debt. The Brazilian airline, which filed for bankruptcy in the US due to debts and Boeing delays, detailed this in a regulatory document.

DuPont de Nemours (NYSE:DD) – DuPont shares rose by 1.2% in pre-market trading after Citi analysts upgraded their recommendation from neutral to buy and increased the price target from $85 to $95. This upgrade was driven by the company’s plans to split into three parts, as reported by Fly. Last week, Wells Fargo also upgraded DuPont’s stock rating from hold to buy.

BP plc (NYSE:BP), Shell (NYSE:SHEL), EOG Resources (NYSE:EOG) – In the 2023 shallow-water auction in Trinidad and Tobago, BP, Shell, and EOG Resources submitted six proposals to explore four oil and gas blocks. The Modified UC block, near existing fields, was the most contested. Results will be announced in four months.

BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) – Major shareholders of Anglo American (NASDAQ:AAL), including BlackRock, have encouraged continued negotiations with BHP Group (NYSE:BHP) on a merger proposal valued at $49.18 billion. BHP, the world’s largest listed miner, has until May 29 to formalize an offer, under UK takeover rules.

Blackstone (NYSE:BX) – Blackstone acquired a $1 billion portfolio of mortgages from Deutsche Pfandbriefbank AG, reflecting the German bank’s challenge with volatile commercial real estate markets. Comprising 11 loans in the US and UK, the purchase was made in cash by Blackstone’s real estate debt strategies unit.

UBS Group AG (NYSE:UBS) – UBS has decided not to consider external candidates to replace CEO Sergio Ermotti and will focus on three internal options. The Financial Times reported that the Swiss bank may reveal the names of potential successors at the next annual meeting. Iqbal Khan, among others, is on the list of candidates.

Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) – Goldman Sachs economists, led by Jan Hatzius, adjusted the forecast for the first interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve to September, instead of July. This aligns with current employment and inflation conditions, which do not indicate an immediate need for cuts. The probability of a cut in September is 52.2%, as shown by interest rate futures. The team maintains the expectation of two cuts in 2024.

Citigroup (NYSE:C) – Citigroup has asked 600 of its eligible employees in the US to return to the office full-time. This decision stems from regulations that make remote work difficult for activities like trading. However, most will continue with a hybrid scheme, working at least three days in the office.

Capital One (NYSE:COF), Walmart (NYSE:WMT) – Capital One will no longer be the exclusive issuer of Walmart credit cards, after terminating the agreement due to the retailer’s claims of delays in transaction updates and replacement of lost cards. The partnership, started in 2018 after the end of the relationship with Synchrony Financial, was terminated after a favorable court decision for Walmart.

Waystar Holding Corp. – The healthcare payment software company is preparing for an initial public offering in the US for Tuesday. With backers like EQT AB and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, the offering could raise about $950 million in new shares, potentially valuing the company at up to $6 billion. Waystar plans to trade its shares on Nasdaq under the symbol WAY.

FedEx (NYSE:FDX) – FedEx announced on Friday that it has resumed its priority international delivery services to Ukraine while continuing to suspend services in Belarus and Russia. The decision follows the initial interruption of operations in the region after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Live Nation (NYSE:LYV) – Live Nation and Ticketmaster face a class-action antitrust lawsuit, the first after US government lawsuits. The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan, seeks $5 billion for monopolistic practices in the live events market. Plaintiffs allege that the company threatens venues and eliminates competitors.

GameStop (NYSE:GME) – GameStop shares rose by 20% in pre-market trading after announcing on Friday the completion of a 45 million share offering, raising about $933.4 million. The company stated it will use these funds for general corporate purposes, such as acquisitions and investments. The offering was initially disclosed on May 17.

Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) – In China, Starbucks faces increasing competition from low-cost rivals like Luckin Coffee, which aggressively lower prices. This pressures Starbucks to participate in a price war, despite its preference for maintaining a premium image and avoiding significant discounts.

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) – McDonald’s franchisees are concerned about the chain’s new summer promotion, offering a combo for $5. Despite some locations already selling such items separately for over $5, the offer includes a McDouble or McChicken, small fries, small soda, and four McNuggets. Franchisees argue that this promotion squeezes their already tight profit margins. The campaign, starting on June 25, is part of the company’s efforts to increase out-of-home consumption.

Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) – Eli Lilly announced an additional $5.3 billion investment in its new facility in Lebanon, Indiana, bringing the total to $9 billion. This investment aims to increase production of ingredients for its weight loss and diabetes drugs, Zepbound and Mounjaro, due to high demand.