Dollar Steadies Ahead of ECB and BoE Decisions as Markets Turn Risk-Off 
Trump Allows Commercial Fishing in Protected New England Waters 
Rio Tinto Shares Hit Record High After Ending Glencore Merger Talks 
New York Legalizes Medical Aid in Dying for Terminally Ill Patients 
Alphabet’s Massive AI Spending Surge Signals Confidence in Google’s Growth Engine 
Silver Prices Plunge in Asian Trade as Dollar Strength Triggers Fresh Precious Metals Sell-Off 
South Korea Assures U.S. on Trade Deal Commitments Amid Tariff Concerns 
UAE Plans Temporary Housing Complex for Displaced Palestinians in Southern Gaza 
Prudential Financial Reports Higher Q4 Profit on Strong Underwriting and Investment Gains 
AMD Shares Slide Despite Earnings Beat as Cautious Revenue Outlook Weighs on Stock 
U.S. Sanctions on Russia Could Expand as Ukraine Peace Talks Continue, Says Treasury Secretary Bessent 
Trump Lifts 25% Tariff on Indian Goods in Strategic U.S.–India Trade and Energy Deal 
Japanese Pharmaceutical Stocks Slide as TrumpRx.gov Launch Sparks Market Concerns 
Fed Governor Lisa Cook Warns Inflation Risks Remain as Rates Stay Steady 
Missouri Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging Starbucks’ Diversity and Inclusion Policies 
Sony Q3 Profit Jumps on Gaming and Image Sensors, Full-Year Outlook Raised 
Nintendo Shares Slide After Earnings Miss Raises Switch 2 Margin Concerns 
U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a $500 billion private sector initiative to boost artificial intelligence infrastructure in the United States, aiming to outpace global competitors. The joint venture, Stargate, involves OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle, with $100 billion allocated for immediate deployment and the remainder over four years. The project is expected to create over 100,000 jobs.
Key executives, including SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison, joined Trump at the White House to announce the plan. Ellison revealed that 20 data centers, each half a million square feet, are already under construction in Texas. These facilities will support AI advancements in areas such as healthcare, helping doctors analyze electronic health records.
Altman and Son credited Trump for enabling the initiative, highlighting its role in advancing artificial general intelligence. The announcement follows the reversal of former President Joe Biden’s executive order aimed at regulating AI risks.
AI's growing demand for power-intensive data centers poses challenges to the U.S. energy grid, with half the country at risk of power shortages in the next decade. Trump pledged to streamline electricity production for these facilities, ensuring operational efficiency.
This initiative builds on a previously reported $100 billion AI supercomputer project, also named Stargate, planned by OpenAI and Microsoft for 2028. The AI boom, driven by ChatGPT's 2022 launch, has spurred companies across industries to integrate AI into their offerings.
Oracle shares jumped 7% on the news, with Nvidia, Arm Holdings, and Dell also experiencing gains, reflecting investor confidence in AI infrastructure development.
