Asian Stocks Rise as Oil Retreats on Iran Ceasefire Hopes Ahead of Key AI Earnings 
Samsung Cuts U.S. Consumer Electronics Jobs as Headquarters Moves to Texas 
Nasdaq Drops as AI Earnings, Oil Surge and Middle East Tensions Weigh on Wall Street 
US Dollar Climbs to Weekly High as Middle East Tensions Lift Treasury Yields and Safe-Haven Demand 
Gold Price Climbs Above $4,130 as Middle East Tensions Boost Safe-Haven Demand 
European Stocks Slip as Earnings, UK Inflation and ECB Decision Keep Investors on Edge 
Asian Stocks Rally on AI Spending Optimism as Middle East Tensions Push Oil to Six-Week High 
Houthi Naval Blockade on Saudi Arabia Escalates Iran Conflict, Threatens Global Oil Supply 
IBM Q2 Earnings Miss Estimates as Software Growth Offsets Infrastructure Weakness 
Oil Prices Extend Four-Day Rally as U.S.-Iran Conflict and Red Sea Threats Raise Supply Fears 
Macquarie Names Greg Ward as CEO, Signaling Stability and Strategic Continuity 
KPMG Australia Appoints John Sams as CEO Following Audit Leak Scandal 
Intel, AMD Seek Long-Term China Server CPU Deals as AI Demand Drives Supply Crunch 
Rubio Rejects AI ‘Kill Switch’ Claims as U.S. Defends American Technology Abroad 
Saudi Oil Tankers Reverse Course as Houthi Threats Disrupt Red Sea Shipping 
US Stock Futures Steady Ahead of Tesla, Alphabet Earnings as Iran Conflict Keeps Markets on Edge 
Australia Jobs Surge in June Strengthens Case for More RBA Rate Hikes 
Microsoft Corp. signed a 10-year contract with NVIDIA which will make Activision games available on the latter’s gaming platform. Then again, this will only happen if Microsoft is granted approval to go ahead with its acquisition of the game and publishing company.
Rival companies and regulators were against the completion of the Microsoft and Activision merger as they could also see many disadvantages if the $69 billion deal is completed. As per Reuters, British regulators said earlier this month that the tie-up may harm gamers by diminishing the rivalry between PlayStation and Xbox.
Moreover, the officials said it may also result in higher prices, fewer choices, and fewer innovations for players around the world since Microsoft and Activision will become one. It was said that this latest deal with NVIDIA may ease up the concerns and soothe sides who are against the deal.
This is because the agreement between Microsoft and NVIDIA also serves as an assurance that there will be more ways for consumers to obtain games under Microsoft. The Xbox maker’s president, Brad Smith, said during a press conference on Tuesday that with the NVIDIA deal, he is now more optimistic that its buyout of Activision will be completed.
In any case, this contract will allow gamers to stream Xbox PC titles on smartphones, Chromebooks, PCs, GeForce NOW, and other devices. Activision Blizzard game titles for PCs like “Call of Duty” will also be streamable once Microsoft’s purchase of Activision is allowed to be completed.
“Xbox remains committed to giving people more choice and finding ways to expand how people play,” Phil Spencer, Microsoft’s gaming chief executive officer, said in a press release. “This partnership will help grow NVIDIA’s catalog of titles to include games like 'Call of Duty' while giving developers more ways to offer streaming games. We are excited to offer gamers more ways to play the games they love.”
Photo by: Turag Photography/Unsplash
