Yazılar

Apple Shares Rise as Strong Holiday iPhone Sales Forecast Eases Supply Concerns

/in /tarafından

Apple shares climbed about 2% in premarket trading on Friday after the company’s upbeat holiday quarter forecast reassured investors that strong demand for the iPhone 17 lineup is driving a sales rebound despite ongoing supply delays in China.

The company’s latest projections, announced earlier this week, helped ease concerns about production bottlenecks that had weighed on fourth-quarter performance. The optimism pushed Apple’s market capitalization back above $4 trillion, placing it alongside tech giants Nvidia and Microsoft in the exclusive multi-trillion-dollar club.

Investors also took comfort in Apple’s measured approach to integrating artificial intelligence, with analysts noting that the company’s strategy emphasizes precision over speed. “When you’re really big like Apple, you don’t have to move fast — sometimes you just have to get it right eventually,” said Eric Clark, Chief Investment Officer at Accuvest.

Despite its rally, Apple remains one of the weaker performers among the “Magnificent Seven” group of mega-cap tech stocks this year, trailing Nvidia and Microsoft but showing resilience amid global supply headwinds.

According to LSEG data, Apple’s stock trades at 33.4 times analysts’ earnings forecasts, above Microsoft’s 31.7 and Meta’s 22.3, reflecting investor confidence in the company’s long-term innovation and profitability.

Nvidia to Supply Over 260,000 Blackwell AI Chips to South Korea

/in /tarafından

Nvidia, the U.S. semiconductor leader, announced it will deliver more than 260,000 of its latest Blackwell AI chips to South Korea’s government and major conglomerates, including Samsung Electronics, SK Group, Hyundai Motor Group, and Naver. The move solidifies South Korea’s position as an emerging artificial intelligence powerhouse in Asia.

The agreement follows a meeting between Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, and leading business figures on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju. While the deal’s value and delivery schedule were not disclosed, Huang highlighted that just as Korea has led in producing ships, cars, and semiconductors, it can now “export intelligence” to the world through AI.

South Korea’s government plans to use over 50,000 of the chips to enhance its AI infrastructure, while Samsung, SK Group, and Hyundai will each deploy up to 50,000 chips in smart factories and autonomous systems. Internet giant Naver will purchase 60,000 chips to boost its computing power for projects like the National AI Computing Center.

Amid ongoing U.S.-China trade tensions that have restricted Nvidia’s access to the Chinese AI chip market, the company is expanding its footprint in alternative markets such as South Korea. The partnership reinforces Nvidia’s role in driving global AI advancement, particularly in industries such as manufacturing, robotics, and autonomous driving.

Nissan and Monolith Expand AI Collaboration to Speed Up Car Development

/in /tarafından

Nissan has expanded its partnership with UK software company Monolith to accelerate car development using artificial intelligence. The collaboration aims to reduce the need for physical testing by applying AI-driven data analysis, significantly shortening the time it takes for new models to reach the market.

The renewed partnership follows the successful use of Monolith’s AI to cut testing time for chassis bolt tightening on the new electric Nissan Leaf — a process that will now be applied to upcoming European models as well.

Emma Deutsch, Director of Customer-Oriented Engineering and Test Operations at Nissan Technical Centre Europe, noted that Chinese automakers can develop a new model in just 18 months, adding, “We’ve got to get vehicles to market quicker.” By applying Monolith’s AI to physical test data collected since the 1992 launch of the Nissan Micra, the company managed to shorten bolt-tightening tests from six months to five, with a goal to cut them further to three months.

Nissan is now working with Monolith on additional projects to reduce testing times for tyres and batteries. These AI applications could help Nissan reduce overall vehicle testing by 20%. Monolith’s recent acquisition by AI data centre operator Coreweave is expected to further enhance R&D efficiency in the automotive sector.