AI trade

China may permit Alibaba to purchase Nvidia's newest chips, according to a report by The Information picked up by Bloomberg. The potential decision would mark a shift in Beijing's stance on access to advanced US semiconductors, which have been constrained by export controls and trade tensions. The move would matter for Alibaba's cloud and AI ambitions, and it is drawing attention as a possible sign of easing US-China tech friction.

Citi is advising clients to treat any pullback in stocks as a buying opportunity, arguing that the AI-driven rally still has room to run as the US midterm elections approach. The bank's strategists say momentum in artificial intelligence-related shares remains strong despite stretched valuations, and that dips should be added to rather than feared. The call adds to a debate over whether the AI trade can keep powering record markets.

Big Tech is betting on smart glasses and AI-powered gadgets as its next major product category, but the devices face significant privacy challenges. Always-on cameras, microphones and AI assistants that continuously collect ambient data raise questions about consent, surveillance in public spaces and how companies will safeguard the information these wearables gather. The debate centres on whether consumers will accept the trade-off between convenience and constant data collection.

Reports suggest China may allow Alibaba and ByteDance to purchase Nvidia's newest AI chips, a shift from earlier restrictions on advanced US semiconductor exports. If confirmed, the move would ease access to critical hardware for two of China's largest technology companies and could signal a thaw in US-China tensions over chip trade. Observers are watching for official confirmation from both governments.

Chinese regulators are considering letting ByteDance and Alibaba purchase new Nvidia chips, according to a report by The Information picked up by Reuters. The potential approval would mark a shift in Beijing's stance on access to advanced US semiconductors amid ongoing trade tensions and export restrictions, and is drawing attention from tech and markets watchers.

Investors are watching two key indicators this week that could signal the health of the AI-driven stock rally and the broader economy. Analysts say the data will help determine whether enthusiasm around artificial intelligence stocks remains justified and whether economic conditions are holding up, making it a pivotal stretch for markets.

Hedge funds are profiting from dispersion trades, a strategy that bets on widening gaps between individual stocks, as volatility from artificial intelligence and oil markets shakes markets. According to Bloomberg, tremors across sectors from AI to oil have boosted returns on the increasingly popular trade, which has drawn growing interest among investors seeking to hedge broad market exposure.

Qualcomm announced two new smartphone chips as it intensifies its focus on on-device artificial intelligence. The launch comes as chipmakers race to position their processors for AI-driven mobile features. Despite the product news, Qualcomm shares edged lower in after-hours trading, suggesting investors were unimpressed or had already priced in the announcement.

A new publication, 'The Economics of Open-Weight Inference', examines the costs and financial trade-offs of running open-weight AI models. It looks at how deploying freely downloadable model weights compares economically with using closed, API-based services, a question of growing importance for companies and developers deciding how to build on AI systems. Details of the publication's specific findings were not available.

Trade unions are intensifying efforts to counter what they see as a growing risk from artificial intelligence to their members' jobs. The push reflects broader concerns across labour movements about automation replacing workers and eroding workplace protections, with unions seeking safeguards, negotiations and policy responses as AI adoption accelerates across industries.

A weekly economy roundup highlights a tariff deal worth $30 billion linked to President Trump, alongside investor Kevin O'Leary's positive comments on artificial intelligence. The recap bundles the week's major economic developments, with trade policy and AI investment talk drawing attention as markets and businesses track the implications of new tariff arrangements for costs and supply chains.

Advertising firm 33Across has rebranded as WealthStage, a platform aimed at banks, lenders, brokers, insurers and trading apps. The company is offering an AI engine that scores household wealth, positioning itself for an estimated $124 trillion in wealth changing hands by 2048. Questions are being raised about which data feeds the engine and what part of the business remains under the 33Across name.

Security researcher Rowan Howard-Jones reports that OpenAI's automated agents hit the UN Conference on Trade and Development's statistics site more than 16,000 times between April and June. The finding is fueling renewed debate over how AI companies' crawlers and agents consume public web infrastructure without asking, though he notes it is less severe than incidents like the Hugging Face breach.