Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) – Activist fund Starboard Value has acquired a stake in Starbucks and wants the company to take steps to boost its stock price. The size of the stake and specific demands were not disclosed. Starboard has not yet made formal demands. Shares rose 2.9% pre-market.

Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) – At the D23 convention, Disney unveiled new films and series, including “Moana 2” featuring Dwayne Johnson and Auli’i Cravalho, debuting in November. Other highlights include “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” in December, “The Incredibles 3,” “Toy Story 5,” “Frozen III” for 2027, and “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” along with series for Disney+. Among other new projects, Disney announced a “Snow White” adaptation and a “Freaky Friday” sequel. Disney aims to reclaim box office dominance after a challenging year. Josh D’Amaro, president of Disney Experiences, also revealed expansion plans at the convention. Disney will launch four new cruise ships and six new themed areas, including expansions of the Avengers Campus in California, new attractions inspired by “Avatar” and “Encanto,” and a villain-themed area in Magic Kingdom. Additionally, Disney has invested in Epic Games and plans new park experiences. CEO Bob Iger and stars like Jude Law and Zoe Saldaña also attended the event.

Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER) – Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi questions the viability of Tesla’s robotaxi strategy, which aims to convert ordinary cars into autonomous vehicles. He believes many Tesla owners wouldn’t want to constantly share their cars with strangers and sees challenges in public acceptance of autonomous taxis, which would face safety and trust issues.

Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) – Cisco plans to lay off thousands of employees in a new round of cuts, following the wave of layoffs in 2023. The company is focusing on growth areas like cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. The announcement may come Wednesday, along with fourth-quarter results.

Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) – Former YouTube CEO and longtime Google executive Susan Wojcicki passed away at 56 after a two-year battle with lung cancer. Wojcicki was a significant figure in technology, contributing to the growth of Google and YouTube. She was also known for her philanthropic work. Her death was announced by her husband and mourned by colleagues and friends. Shares rose 0.1% pre-market.

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) – Meta Platforms won an appeal against Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccine group, regarding the removal of false vaccine posts from Facebook. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Meta, as a private company, has the right to censor misinformation without violating constitutional rights. Additionally, Turkey will lift its Instagram ban after the site agreed to comply with government censorship demands. The ban, which began on August 2 without explanation, targeted posts about Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh’s death. The Turkish government claims Instagram will cooperate with guidelines on sensitive content. Shares rose 0.1% pre-market.

Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) – Intel postponed its innovation event scheduled for next month in San Jose due to cost and job cuts. Facing financial difficulties and weak sales forecasts, the company will opt for other formats like webinars and hackathons while planning to lay off 15% of its workforce. Shares rose 1.2% pre-market.

Super Micro Computer (NASDAQ:SMCI) – Super Micro Computer continues to grow with the AI boom but struggles to convert revenue into substantial profits, with gross margins dropping from 18.8% to 11.2%. Despite high revenue forecasts and a stock split, shares fell due to concerns over margins, competition, and rising component costs. Shares rose 0.4% pre-market.

Trump Media & Technology Group (NASDAQ:DJT) – For the quarter ending June 30, Trump Media & Technology Group reported $837,000 in sales, a 30% drop from last year’s $1.2 million. The net loss was $16.4 million, improving from a $22.8 million loss the previous year. The loss per share decreased to 10 cents from 26 cents in the same period last year. The company’s cash increased to $344 million from $2.6 million the previous year. CEO Devin Nunes stated that the company is investing in its infrastructure to reduce dependence on Big Tech. Since its March peak of $66 per share, the stock has fallen over 60%. Former President Donald Trump is the largest shareholder, owning 60% of the shares. Shares rose 0.4% pre-market.

Alibaba (NYSE:BABA), Tencent (USOTC:TCEHY), JD.com (NASDAQ:JD) – Alibaba, Tencent, and JD.com are set to report financial results that are expected to reveal the impact of the Chinese economy and consumer confidence. Despite a challenging economic environment, these companies are focused on increasing shareholder returns through buybacks and dividends, leveraging their large cash reserves. Alibaba shares rose 0.7% pre-market, while JD.com shares fell 0.7%.

Pitney Bowes (NYSE:PBI) – Pitney Bowes is liquidating much of its e-commerce business in bankruptcy through agreements with Hilco Global and Oaktree Capital. Hilco will buy and sell the e-commerce unit, while Oaktree will support the bankruptcy process. Pitney lost $136 million on e-commerce last year.

Lumen Technologies (NYSE:LUMN) – A year ago, Lumen Technologies faced severe financial troubles, with shares at 99 cents. Now, with new contracts worth $5 billion and a forecast of $1 billion in free cash flow, its shares have soared 364.17% in the last month. The rise reflects growing interest in AI infrastructure and financial relief despite ongoing challenges and high debt. Shares rose 1.6% pre-market.

Pagaya Technologies (NASDAQ:PGYWW) – Castlelake LP will acquire up to $1 billion in consumer loans originated by Pagaya Technologies. The forward flow agreement allows Castlelake to purchase future loans for one year, with an option to extend. This strategy aims to increase Castlelake’s presence in the consumer debt market and replace declining regional banks.

CrowdStrike (NASDAQ:CRWD) – The New York State Teachers’ Retirement System (NYSTRS) invested in CrowdStrike in the second quarter before the company’s global IT outage. The fund also bought more shares of Exxon Mobil and reduced its stakes in Ford and PayPal. CrowdStrike shares rose 50% in the first half of the year but have fallen 37% since then. Shares rose 0.2% pre-market.

Paramount Global (NASDAQ:PARA) – CBS Sports, part of Paramount Global, will broadcast two NFL games on Netflix this Christmas. It marks the first time Netflix has licensed a major sports league and will also debut its first live football broadcast. The NFL will stream the games live on mobile devices across the US.

Stellantis (NYSE:STLA) – Stellantis is laying off up to 2,450 workers at its Warren, Detroit plant due to the end of production of the Ram 1500 Classic pickup. The plant will shift to one general assembly shift and focus on producing the Ram 1500 Tradesman. Laid-off workers will receive unemployment benefits and transition assistance. Shares rose 0.9% pre-market.

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) – Tesla has stopped taking orders for the $61,000 version of the Cybertruck but is accepting orders for the $100,000 version with delivery this month. Demand for the cheaper version was lower than expected, with Tesla prioritizing more expensive models. Additionally, Tesla is facing a lawsuit following the death of Victor Joe Gomez Sr., an electrician electrocuted while working at one of its factories in Austin. Tesla, along with Gomez’s employer, is accused of negligence for failing to warn about the energized electrical panel, and the family seeks over $1 million in damages. Former Twitter president Omid Kordestani has sued X, alleging that Elon Musk is withholding more than $20 million in owed shares. Kordestani, who was executive chairman from 2015 to 2020, claims his compensation was primarily in stock, which Musk has not paid. Shares rose 1.1% pre-market.

General Motors (NYSE:GM) – General Motors announced the departure of Marissa West, who left the position of president of GM North America after only eight months. Rory Harvey, executive vice president, will take over her responsibilities, and Duncan Aldred will be named vice president of commercial growth strategies and operations. GM thanked West for her contributions and wished her success.

Hyundai (KOSPI:005380), Mercedes-Benz (TG:MBG) – South Korean authorities are considering requiring automakers to disclose the brands of electric vehicle batteries after a fire in a Mercedes-Benz EV damaged a building and destroyed 140 cars. The meeting, led by the Vice Minister of Environment, will also include discussions with manufacturers like Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz on electric vehicle safety.

Boeing (NYSE:BA) – Boeing received a $2.56 billion contract from the U.S. Air Force to develop and deliver two prototype E-7A Wedgetail aircraft. The contract covers development, training, and support for the E-7A fleet. The deal was confirmed despite concerns about the company’s internal crisis.

Nasdaq (NASDAQ:NDAQ) – Short interest in Nasdaq fell 2% at the end of July to about 14.068 billion shares, down from 14.356 billion on July 15. This indicates a decrease in bets against stocks, where investors sell borrowed shares expecting to buy them back at a lower price.

Nutanix (NASDAQ:NTNX), Khosla Ventures (NASDAQ:ZBIREX) – DevRev Inc., an AI startup for customer support, raised $100 million in a round led by Khosla Ventures, valuing the company at $1.15 billion. Founded by Dheeraj Pandey, co-founder of Nutanix, the company aims to increase the efficiency of support and engineering teams. Investors highlight Pandey’s track record and anticipate a future initial public offering.

WeRide – Chinese startup WeRide is seeking a valuation of up to $5.02 billion in its U.S. IPO, offering up to $119.4 million in shares. Founded in 2017, WeRide develops autonomous vehicle technologies and conducts testing and commercial operations in 30 cities across seven countries. The announcement comes as the Biden administration may restrict the use of Chinese software in autonomous vehicles. WeRide faces regulatory and technical challenges but is already testing its technology in 30 cities.

JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) – JPMorgan Chase has asked a U.S. judge to dismiss its lawsuit against Russia’s VTB Bank, claiming it was coerced into withdrawing due to a Russian injunction. The Russian bank sued JPMorgan following the invasion of Ukraine, and JPMorgan faces sanctions and risks as it tries to resolve the dispute.

Citigroup (NYSE:C) – Citigroup has begun selling its fiduciary fund management and trustee services operations to focus more on wealth structuring advisory. This decision is part of a revamp led by CEO Jane Fraser to cut costs and simplify the bank’s operations.

Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) – Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan warned that if the Federal Reserve does not start lowering interest rates soon, it could discourage American consumers. Although the Fed has kept the interest rate between 5.25% and 5.50%, a cut may occur if inflation decreases.

Home Depot (NYSE:HD), Walmart (NYSE:WMT) – Last week, evidence showed a more cautious consumer, with less spending on parks and travel. This week, Home Depot and Walmart will report financial results. Walmart may highlight its resilience and new offerings, while Home Depot faces challenges with high interest rates and reduced sales of expensive items. Home Depot shares are flat pre-market, while Walmart shares rose 0.4%.

Target (NYSE:TGT) – UBS rates Target as a “Buy” with a price target of $185. Despite concerns about a recession and consumer spending, second-quarter results are expected to show an increase in sales comps and EBIT margin, setting Target apart from other retailers. Shares fell 0.3% pre-market.

Perrigo (NYSE:PRGO) – Perrigo has initiated a voluntary recall of 16,500 cans of infant formula, distributed in three batches, sold at HEB Grocery Company and CVS Health. The decision was disclosed in a regulatory filing on Friday.

PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) – Political figures like JD Vance and Tim Walz’s support for PepsiCo-owned Mountain Dew may seem like good publicity for the brand, but experts say it could hurt its youthful image. Mountain Dew, associated with youth culture, is facing declining sales, and its appeal to Gen Z is waning amid competition from healthier and energy drinks.

Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) – Global public health organization Vital Strategies is urging the International Olympic Committee to cut sponsorship ties with Coca-Cola, citing concerns about athletes’ health and environmental impact. Coca-Cola, associated with the Games since 1928, faces criticism for promoting sugary drinks, which contradicts the Olympic mission of health and sustainability. The company defends its sugar reduction practices and environmental initiatives.

Nike (NYSE:NKE) – Nike has suspended its online sales in Turkey due to new high customs taxes. The tax on international purchases has increased significantly, and the exemption limit has been reduced. The company says it cannot guarantee timely delivery of orders and continues to sell through physical stores and partners.

Airbnb (NASDAQ:ABNB) – Airbnb, which helped accommodate 400,000 spectators at the Paris Olympics, has seen its stock drop more than 10% recently due to disappointing third-quarter financial forecasts. Despite beating second-quarter earnings expectations, slowing demand and increased marketing expenses have affected performance. With a strong balance sheet, Airbnb still has potential but faces short-term challenges. Shares rose 0.2% pre-market.

Hawaiian Electric Industries (NYSE:HE) – Hawaiian Electric raised concerns about its continuity after revealing it still doesn’t have a financing plan for the $1.99 billion Maui fire settlement. The company is seeking ways to fund the settlement without raising electricity rates.

BHP Group (NYSE:BHP), Rio Tinto (NYSE:RIO) – BHP, Rio Tinto, and Qantas will invest $52.7 million (A$80 million) in an Australian carbon credit fund for reforestation projects. The fund, managed by Silva Capital, aims to raise $165 million to generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) and support emissions reduction. BHP shares are flat pre-market, while Rio Tinto shares rose 0.4%.

Petrobras (NYSE:PBR) – Petrobras may pay extraordinary dividends if favorable conditions arise, according to CFO Fernando Melgarejo. While second-quarter results showed a loss and the company lowered its investment estimates, analysts believe reduced investments could allow such payments in 2024.

Sasol Ltd. (NYSE:SSL) – Sasol Ltd. reported a significant annual loss of 55.1 billion rands ($3 billion) after taxes. The loss per share will be between 68.82 and 71.48 rands, compared to a profit of 14 rands the previous year. The company faced 45.5 billion rand losses in its ethane unit and additional losses of 3.9 billion in its polyethylene value chain and 5.7 billion rands in the Secunda liquid fuels refinery. Shares fell 0.8% pre-market.