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Crypto stocks will likely continue doing well this year as demand for Bitcoin rises. Bitcoin price has already jumped to a record high of over $11,000, while odds of it rising above $150,000 have risen to 47% from a low of 11% in April. This article looks at some of the best crypto shares to buy to take advantage of this rally.

Best crypto stocks to buy this year

There are many crypto stocks in the US, including publicly traded exchanges, mining, technology providers, and investors. Some of the best ones to invest in are Coinbase, Robinhood, and CleanSpark (CLSK).

Bitcoin price chart

Coinbase (COIN)

Coinbase is the best crypto stock to invest in today because of its role in the industry as the biggest player in the United States. It has millions of users and has continued to diversify the way it makes money.

In addition to the regular transaction costs, the company makes money in other ways. For example, it generates millions of dollars a quarter in staking and stablecoin revenue. Also, it has become the biggest custodian of Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs.

Coinbase is also expanding its business in other areas. It recently announced its acquisition of Deribit, a company that offers derivatives. It is also in talks to acquire Circle, the creator of USD Coin, the second-biggest stablecoin provider,

Most notably, Coinbase owns Base, the biggest layer-2 network in the crypto industry. For example, protocols on the Base network have handled over $365 billion in transactions since 2023. 

Users love Base because of its lower fees compared to Ethereum and other layer-2 networks. As such, while Base does not make a lot of money for Coinbase, it is a highly valuable platform. If Coinbase launched an airdrop, it would have a fully diluted valuation of over $5 billion. 

Coinbase will also benefit now that the SEC has dropped one of the lawsuits it launched under Gary Gensler. Therefore, the Coinbase stock price will likely do well as Bitcoin price keeps going up.

Robinhood (HOOD)

Robinhood is one of the top US crypto stocks to consider. While the company is known for offering commission-free stock trades, it has become one of the most popular players in the crypto industry. 

Robinhood’s user growth is continuing, with the number of funded customers growing to 25.8 million in the last quarter from 23.9 million the same period last year. It also has a growing subscription plan called Robinhood Gold, which has over $3.19 million users.

Robinhood is a good crypto stock because its business is growing and becoming profitable. Its annual revenue rose to $927 million last quarter, up from $618 million a year earlier. Its crypto transaction revenue rose to $258 million.

CleanSpark (CLSK)

Investing in Bitcoin mining stocks is a good way to gain exposure in the crypto market. There are many such companies available to American investors. One of the best way to look at the best one to buy is the cost it takes to mine a coin. 

CleanSpark has one of the lowest mining costs in the industry because it mostly relies on clean energy. It also runs one of the biggest fleets of Bitcoin mining machines in the industry. 

As a result, it mined 1,957 coins in the last quarter, with an average revenue per coin of over $90,000. The company also holds 12,101 coins in its balance sheet. At the current price, these coins are worth over $1.36 billion, a substantial figure for a company worth almost $3 billion. 

Other top crypto stocks to consider are MicroStrategy, Core Scientific, Hive Digital, and Bitfarms.

The post Best crypto stocks to buy as odds of Bitcoin price hitting $150,000 rise appeared first on Invezz

The GBP/USD exchange rate continued its strong surge this year, and is hovering at its highest level since February 2022. It has jumped by almost 30% from its lowest point in 2022 and 10% from the year-to-date low. This article explains why the GBP to USD exchange rate will soar by 10% in the next few months.

GBP/USD has formed a cup-and-handle pattern

The first main catalyst will be the cup-and-handle chart pattern on the daily chart. This is a common pattern made up of a rounded bottom and some consolidation. In most cases, this pattern is one of the most bullish patterns in the market.

The price target of this pattern is established by first measuring the cup’s depth, which in this case is almost 10%. One then measures the same distance from the cup’s upper side. By doing this, the target comes in at 1.4797, which in this case, would push it to the highest point since January 2016. 

The other highly bullish case for the GBP/USD pair is that it formed a golden cross pattern on the daily chart. This is a common pattern, which happens when the 50-day and 200-day moving averages cross each other. The pair always surges whenever this cross happens. 

On top of this, top oscillators like the Relative Strength Index (RSI) and Stochastic have all pointed upwards. This means that the pair has the momentum it needs to keep going up, a move that will be confirmed when it rises above 1.3430. A drop below the psychological point at 1.300 will invalidate the bullish outlook.

GBP/USD chart | Source: TradingView

US Dollar Index inverse C&H pattern

The other reason why the GBP/USD pair may keep soaring is that the US Dollar Index may keep falling in the coming months. 

While the GBPUSD pair has formed a C&H pattern, the DXY has done the opposite, as the chart below shows. 

This chart shows that the US Dollar Index peaked at $110.16 earlier this year and then pulled back to a low of $97.95 after the Liberation Day speech. A closer look at this chart shows that it has formed a rounded top in the past few months. 

It also attempted to bounce back, reaching a high of $101.95 last week. This rebound was part of the handle section. By measuring the depth of this cup, we can estimate that the dollar will crash to $90 later this year. A greenback plunge will likely lead to a higher GBP/USD rate. 

DXY Index chart by TradingView

US credit rating downgrade, UK inflation data

The GBP/USD exchange rate will continue soaring because of the underlying economic factors. First, the US has lost its Triple A credit rating, which may make assets in the country less appealing over time. However, the ongoing fear of the dollar losing its relevance are a bit exaggerated. 

Second, there is a likelihood that the Bank of England (BoE) will maintain higher interest rates for longer as inflation soars. The most recent data showed that UK inflation surged to 3.5% in April from 2.6% a month earlier. Core inflation, which excludes the volatile food and energy products, rose from 3.6% to 3.8%, while the retail price index soared to 4.5%.

Higher UK inflation rate will make it hard for the BoE to cut interest rates again this year. On the other hand, analysts anticipate that the Fed will start cutting in September this year, leading to a Fed and BoE divergence. 

The GBP/USD pair will also rise after the UK reached a preliminary deal with the United States. That deal removed some of the most sensitive tariffs. Also, the UK and the EU have reset their post-Brexit relations.

The post GBP/USD forecast: here’s why sterling could surge 10% in 2025 appeared first on Invezz

The Hyperliquid price continued soaring on Thursday as sentiment in the crypto market improved, with Bitcoin soaring to a record high. HYPE token jumped to a high of $30.73, its highest level since December last year. It has soared by over 230% from its lowest level in April, giving it a market cap of over $10.2 billion and a fully diluted valuation of over $30 billion.

HYPE price rises as Hyperliquid breaks records

The Hyperliquid token price has surged as the network continues to break records. Data shows that the open interest in the network jumped to a record $8.9 billion. 

Another data revealed that the total value locked of USD Coins on the network jumped to a record high of $3.2 billion. This means that Hyperliquid holds over 5% of all USDC coins in circulation, a figure that is continuing to rise. 

More data shows that Hyperliquid’s network is making a fortune as the 24-hour fees jumped to $5.4 million, a record high.

This surge happened as Hyperliquid’s layer-1 volume jumped by 2.7% in the last seven days to $1.7 billion, making it the eighth biggest player in the industry. 

More data reveals that Hyperliquid’s platform is seeing strong user and volume growth. It has handled trades worth $17.7 billion in the last 24 hours and $63.75 billion in the last seven days. This growth has brought its cumulative total to $1.52 trillion. 

This growth makes Hyperliquid much bigger than Jupiter, the second-biggest player in the perpetual exchange industry. Jupiter’s transaction volume in the last 24 hours jumped by 88% to $1.3 billion, while the seven-day figure was $4.95 billion.

Hyperliquid is also much bigger than other popular players in the DEX industry like Uniswap, PancakeSwap, and Raydium. For example, Uniswap handled volume worth $24 billion in the last seven days, while Hyperliquid processed $17 billion in the last 24 hours. 

HYPE boosted by the crypto market rally

The HYPE price is soaring because of the ongoing crypto market comeback. Bitcoin has surged to a record high of $111,000 for the first time ever, and Polymarket oddsare showing rising odds that it will jump to $150,000.

The ongoing Bitcoin price surge has also triggered more upside in the altcoin market. Some of the top gainers on Thursday were coins like SPX6900, Core, Bittensor, Dogwifhat, and Monero. 

Historically, crypto exchanges do well when Bitcoin and other altcoins are in a strong bull run. 

The biggest risk for the HYPE price is the unlocks that will start in November this year. From November 29, the network will release 216,580 tokens a day through 2028. Such a move will lead to an increased supply in circulation, which may hit its price. 

HYPE price technical analysis

Hyperliquid price chart | Source: TradingView

The 12-hour chart shows that the Hyperliquid price has been in a strong bullish trend in the past few weeks. It rose from a low of $9.36 on April 7 to over $30 today. It recently moved above the key resistance level at $28.4, its highest swing in February this year.

HYPE price has remained above the 50-period moving average. Also, top oscillators show that it has continued to gain momentum. Therefore, the Hyperliquid price will likely continue rising as bulls target the all-time high of $35.15.

The extended target price is $46. This price is derived by first measuring the depth of the cup and handle pattern, and then the same distance from the cup’s upper side.

The post HYPE price prediction as Hyperliquid breaks key records appeared first on Invezz

The crypto bull run has started, with Bitcoin sitting at a record high and most altcoins soaring. There is also a possibility that the altcoin season will start, as Arthur Hayes predicted it would start if Bitcoin hits $110,000.

This article looks at the best blue-chip altcoins to buy and ride the crypto market bull run for maximum returns. 

Best altcoins to buy as the crypto bull run starts

With Bitcoin price being in a strong bull run, altcoins will likely do well as the fear of missing out resumes. The best altcoins to buy are those with strong momentum, fundamentals, and technical patterns. Some of the top ones to buy are Monero (XMR), Solana (SOL), Ripple (XRP), and Pepe (PEPE). 

Monero (XMR)

Monero is the biggest player in the privacy crypto industry with a market cap of over $7.5 billion. It has the most momentum this month as its price jumped to near $400, its highest point since May 2021. 

XMR price has jumped in the last seven consecutive weeks and is focused on hitting its all-time high of $517.35. It has jumped as investors cheer a court ruling in the United States that found the government erred when it sanctioned Tornado Cash, a crypto mixer.

This ruling led to a surge in privacy coins as it showed that they may avoid legal scrutiny. Therefore, there is a likelihood that some exchanges that delisted Monero will relist as its price surges. The price target for XMR price is $517, up by 30% above the current level.

Solana (SOL)

Solana will be one of the top beneficiaries of the next crypto bull run because of its vibrant meme coin ecosystem. All meme coins in the network are valued at over $14 billion, with the biggest ones being the likes of Official Trump (TRUMP), Bonk (BONK), Fartcoin, and Dogwifhat. 

Solana’s network thrives when there is a boom in its ecosystem as happened in January following the launch of Official Trump meme coin. SOL also has other catalysts, like the potential approval of spot SOL ETFs and the fact that some companies like Janover and Upexi have started to accumulate the coin. 

Ripple (XRP)

XRP is another top blue-chip coin to buy and hold in the next crypto bull run. It has numerous catalysts that will help to push it higher over time. 

The most obvious one is that the SEC will likely approve spot XRP ETFs soon, allowing Wall Street money to flow into the coin. Further, Ripple Labs is in talks to acquire Circle, the creator of USD Coin, the second-biggest stablecoin globally. 

Ripple also aims to become a major disruptor in the payment industry that Swift now dominates. All these factors will make it a top cryptocurrency to buy when the crypto bull run starts.

Pepe 

Pepe is another top altcoin to buy for the next bull run in the crypto market. It has become the third-biggest meme coin in the crypto market and one of the most actively traded. 

On top of this, it has some of the best technicals, as the chart above shows. It recently formed a giant double-bottom pattern at the lowest level this year. 

Pepe has also formed a bullish pennant pattern and is about to form a golden cross as the 50-day and 200-day moving averages have crossed each other. Therefore, the coin will likely continue rising and possibly retest the all-time high if the bull run gains steam. 

Pepe price chart | Source: TradingView

Some of the other altcoins to invest in during the ongoing crypto bull run are Chainlink, Hedera Hashgraph, Fartcoin, and Popcat.

The post Top 4 blue-chip altcoins to buy as the crypto bull run starts appeared first on Invezz

The USD/JPY exchange rate continued its strong downward trend this week as concerns about the US and the greenback accelerated. It has slipped in the last eight consecutive days, and is hovering at its lowest point since May 7 of this year. Also, the pair remains 10% below the highest point this year. 

US and US dollar concerns remains

The USD/JPY pair retreated this week as investors remained concerned about the US economy following Moody’s decision to slash the US credit rating last week.

In a note, the agency moved the credit rating from Triple-A to Aa1, pointing to the soaring US debt, rising interest payments, and the mismanagement of the economy by politicians in Washington. 

This decision was notable because the US lost the final Triple-A rating, which may lead to higher bond yields. Indeed, the 30-year yield has jumped to 5.10%, while the 10-year has moved to 4.60%.

The rating downgrade had an immediate impact in the stock market as investors dumped US assets. Data shows that the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 indices fell by 815 and 95 points, respectively

The credit rating downgrade has not slowed the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress down. The two have continued to negotiate on the so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill”, which aims to cut taxes and some spending.

Analysts anticipate that the bill will add between $4 trillion and $5 trillion in the deficit in the next decade. This is happening even as the US public debt continues rising, with the figure standing at $36.8 trillion. In 2020, the US had a public debt of less than $22 trillion.

In theory, rising debt load is not bad as long as the economy is growing. In reality, analysts anticipate that the economy will continue slowing this year because of Donald Trump’s tariffs. 

Therefore, analysts anticipate that the Federal Reserve will embrace a wait-and-see approach when making its next interest rate decisions. Some analysts anticipate the next rate cut will happen in the September meeting, while others don’t see a cut happening this year.

Japan inflation data ahead

The USD/JPY pair dropped as investors reacted to the latest flash manufacturing and services PMI data. According to Jibun Bank, the manufacturing PMI figure rose from 48.7 in April to 49.0 in May, while the services figure dropped from 52.4 to 50.8. 

The closely-watched composite PMI figure dropped from 51.2 to 49.8. These numbers mean that the economy is slowing as the impact of Trump’s tariffs emerged. 

The next key catalyst for the pair will come out on Friday when Japan publishes the next consumer inflation data. Economists expect the data to reveal that the headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose from 3.6% to 3.7%, while the core figure rose from 3.2% to 3.3%. 

These numbers and expectations explain why Japan bond yields have surged. Still, analysts expect that the Bank of Japan will maintain rates steady as over two-thirds of businesses ask the bank to pause.

USD/JPY technical analysis

USD/JPY chart by TradingView

The daily chart shows that the USD to JPY exchange rate has been in a strong downtrend in the past few weeks. It has crashed from a high of 158.85 in January to the current 143.30. 

The pair has remained below the 50-day and 100-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMA). There are signs that it has formed an inverse cup-and-handle pattern, a popular bearish continuation pattern.

Therefore, the pair will likely continue falling as sellers target the key support at $139.80, its lowest point this month. 

The post USD/JPY forecast: risky pattern points to more Japanese yen surge appeared first on Invezz

Crypto stocks will likely continue doing well this year as demand for Bitcoin rises. Bitcoin price has already jumped to a record high of over $11,000, while odds of it rising above $150,000 have risen to 47% from a low of 11% in April. This article looks at some of the best crypto shares to buy to take advantage of this rally.

Best crypto stocks to buy this year

There are many crypto stocks in the US, including publicly traded exchanges, mining, technology providers, and investors. Some of the best ones to invest in are Coinbase, Robinhood, and CleanSpark (CLSK).

Bitcoin price chart

Coinbase (COIN)

Coinbase is the best crypto stock to invest in today because of its role in the industry as the biggest player in the United States. It has millions of users and has continued to diversify the way it makes money.

In addition to the regular transaction costs, the company makes money in other ways. For example, it generates millions of dollars a quarter in staking and stablecoin revenue. Also, it has become the biggest custodian of Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs.

Coinbase is also expanding its business in other areas. It recently announced its acquisition of Deribit, a company that offers derivatives. It is also in talks to acquire Circle, the creator of USD Coin, the second-biggest stablecoin provider,

Most notably, Coinbase owns Base, the biggest layer-2 network in the crypto industry. For example, protocols on the Base network have handled over $365 billion in transactions since 2023. 

Users love Base because of its lower fees compared to Ethereum and other layer-2 networks. As such, while Base does not make a lot of money for Coinbase, it is a highly valuable platform. If Coinbase launched an airdrop, it would have a fully diluted valuation of over $5 billion. 

Coinbase will also benefit now that the SEC has dropped one of the lawsuits it launched under Gary Gensler. Therefore, the Coinbase stock price will likely do well as Bitcoin price keeps going up.

Robinhood (HOOD)

Robinhood is one of the top US crypto stocks to consider. While the company is known for offering commission-free stock trades, it has become one of the most popular players in the crypto industry. 

Robinhood’s user growth is continuing, with the number of funded customers growing to 25.8 million in the last quarter from 23.9 million the same period last year. It also has a growing subscription plan called Robinhood Gold, which has over $3.19 million users.

Robinhood is a good crypto stock because its business is growing and becoming profitable. Its annual revenue rose to $927 million last quarter, up from $618 million a year earlier. Its crypto transaction revenue rose to $258 million.

CleanSpark (CLSK)

Investing in Bitcoin mining stocks is a good way to gain exposure in the crypto market. There are many such companies available to American investors. One of the best way to look at the best one to buy is the cost it takes to mine a coin. 

CleanSpark has one of the lowest mining costs in the industry because it mostly relies on clean energy. It also runs one of the biggest fleets of Bitcoin mining machines in the industry. 

As a result, it mined 1,957 coins in the last quarter, with an average revenue per coin of over $90,000. The company also holds 12,101 coins in its balance sheet. At the current price, these coins are worth over $1.36 billion, a substantial figure for a company worth almost $3 billion. 

Other top crypto stocks to consider are MicroStrategy, Core Scientific, Hive Digital, and Bitfarms.

The post Best crypto stocks to buy as odds of Bitcoin price hitting $150,000 rise appeared first on Invezz

Worldcoin (WLD) has joined the ongoing crypto rally despite regulatory challenges that have hindered growth for the iris-scanning digital asset project.

While Bitcoin explores historic highs above $110K, WLD exhibits a bullish structure, catalyzed by the latest sale of $135 million worth of tokens by World Foundation’s subsidiary World Assets.

Notably, early supporters, including Bain Capital Crypto and a16z (Andreessen Horowitz), purchased the tokens.

The announcement indicated that the funding will offer Worldcoin financial support to bolster its global expansion after its latest entry into the United States.

Moreover, the latest move comes after previous investments from leading companies like Selini Capital, Artic Digital, and Miran Ventures, confirming impressive institutional appetite for Sam Altman’s project.

Notably, Worldcoin remains in pursuit of its objective of introducing internet-verified biometric identification, a narrative that has attracted limitations in multiple jurisdictions.

Recently, Kenyan regulators directed the AI project to suspend its operations in the country and delete the collected biometric data.

Worldcoin’s biometric device, Orb, which scans irises to generate unique user IDs, has attracted controversy globally.

Individuals can use the IDs to partake in the WLD ecosystem, verify their uniqueness, and access different online services.

Despite setbacks from surveillance and privacy concerns, the AI project continues to onboard users.

Worldcoin will use the latest funding to support biometric data collection and issue World IDs.

WLD price outlook

The alt jumped from the 24-hour low of $1.103 to $1.2536 (a 13.65% increase) hours after the funding news.

WLD trades at $1.24 after brief corrections from its daily high, though still 11% up on its 24-hour timeframe.

Its trading volume has increased by 92% within the past day, signaling renewed trader and investor interest in the altcoin.

Chart by Coinmarketcap

The bullish outlook suggests a positive reaction due to institutional backing and capital inflow.

These elements could support Worldcoin’s long-term growth.

Nevertheless, WLD should reclaim $1.30 to change its short-term outlook to bullish.

A candlestick closing above this mark could support rallies to $3.30 before extending to $3.60.

That would mean a 190% surge from current prices.

Meanwhile, the $3.30 – $3.60 resistance will likely catalyze near-term pullbacks.

That could print a “classic” head and shoulders formation, setting the grounds for bullish continuation.

Nonetheless, intensified regulations could halt the projected uptrend.

In the near term, the altcoin should stabilize above $1.30 for extended rallies.

Broad market sentiments would be vital for shaping WLD’s trajectory in the upcoming sessions.

Bitcoin trades at record highs, and analyst Ali Martinez anticipates continued upswings as the top crypto enters a price discovery phase.

BTC bulls target the $116K mark to open the gates towards the $126K zone.

Source: Ali on X

That could propel the bellwether digital token to $136K and $148K, a 33% upswing from the current price of $111,475.

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OpenAI will acquire io, the secretive artificial intelligence hardware startup co-founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, in a landmark all-stock transaction valued at nearly $6.5 billion.

The move is OpenAI’s most significant acquisition to date and signals a determined push into developing physical consumer devices powered by AI.

The purchase gives OpenAI access not only to io’s team of around 55 engineers and designers but also to the creative vision of Ive, the British-born designer behind Apple’s most iconic products including the iPhone, iPod, and MacBook Air.

The acquisition also formalises a relationship that has been in the making for nearly two years, as Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman have quietly explored new device ideas together.

“I have a growing sense that everything I’ve learned over the last 30 years has led me to this place and to this moment,” Ive said in a joint interview with Altman.

It’s a relationship and a way of working together that I think is going to yield products and products and products.

OpenAI-io combine to release first hardware product in 2026

OpenAI’s acquisition includes a prior $1.5 billion investment stake in io made through its startup fund, along with a fresh $5 billion equity deal to absorb the company.

The team, now under OpenAI’s umbrella, will focus on building what Altman and Ive describe as “a family of devices” for the age of artificial general intelligence.

The duo did not share specifics about the hardware under development but indicated that the first product would not simply be an iteration of the smartphone or laptop, but an entirely new computing form factor designed to complement AI’s growing capabilities.

“People have an appetite for something new,” Ive said, hinting at user fatigue with current devices.

Altman added, “AI is such a big leap forward in terms of what people can do that it needs a new kind of computing form factor to get the maximum potential out of it.”

The first device from the collaboration is slated for release in 2026.

Who is Jony Ive?

Once described by Steve Jobs as his “spiritual partner”, Jony Ive’s return to the heart of consumer technology marks a significant comeback for one of the most influential designers of the modern era.

The British-born designer spent decades at Apple, where he worked closely with Steve Jobs to shape products that would define a generation, including the iPhone, iPod, iPad and Apple Watch.

Ive left Apple in 2019 after a storied tenure, having played a central role in establishing the visual and tactile language of today’s smartphones and personal devices.

At the time of his departure, Apple CEO Tim Cook suggested that Ive and the company would continue to collaborate, but no joint products ever materialized.

After leaving Apple, Ive founded the design firm LoveFrom, a creative collective composed of former Apple colleagues and longtime collaborators.

In 2023, he co-founded the startup io with Apple veterans Scott Cannon, Evans Hankey, and Tang Tan — each with deep experience in the company’s hardware ecosystem.

Acquisition brings ex-Apple hardware veterans to OpenAI

The acquisition also brings into OpenAI’s fold a collection of ex-Apple hardware veterans who followed Ive after his departure from the tech giant in 2019.

Among them are Scott Cannon, co-creator of the Mailbox app; Evans Hankey, Ive’s successor at Apple; and Tang Tan, who led iPhone and Apple Watch product design until 2024.

At io, the team had been developing devices suited for a future defined by artificial general intelligence—where machines achieve human-like cognitive abilities.

That mission now becomes part of OpenAI’s strategy as it seeks to embed intelligence not just in software but across the physical world.

The hardware ambitions are supported by other investors including Laurene Powell Jobs’ Emerson Collective, Thrive Capital, Maverick Capital, and SV Angel.

OpenAI confirmed that Altman holds no personal equity in io.

Apple shares fall amid concerns over AI leadership

News of the acquisition sent Apple shares down as much as 2.3% on Wednesday, as the market absorbed the implications of its former star designer now leading the charge at one of its AI rivals.

Apple has been seen as lagging behind in artificial intelligence, with its recently introduced AI platform partly dependent on OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Analysts say the move could accelerate Apple’s perceived decline in AI leadership and product innovation.

“Jobs would be damn proud,” Altman said of the new venture, praising Ive’s creative legacy and calling their collaboration a “rare opportunity.”

Though the move poses potential competition for Apple, Altman and Ive were careful to note that their project does not aim to replace the smartphone.

“In the same way that the smartphone didn’t make the laptop go away, I don’t think our first thing is going to make the smartphone go away,” Altman said.

Building AI’s physical future

OpenAI’s push into consumer hardware arrives as competition in AI intensifies.

The company, currently valued at $300 billion, is racing to keep pace with rivals including Google, Anthropic, and Elon Musk’s xAI.

All are investing aggressively and rapidly launching new AI models and features.

To support its expansion, OpenAI has bolstered its hardware and robotics expertise.

In November, it hired Caitlin “CK” Kalinowski, the former head of Meta’s Orion augmented reality glasses project, to lead its consumer hardware and robotics efforts.

Kalinowski said the goal was to “unlock AI’s benefits for humanity” through physical products.

In a separate effort, OpenAI also invested in San Francisco-based robotics startup Physical Intelligence, which raised $400 million at a $2.4 billion valuation.

That company is working to integrate general-purpose AI into the physical world through robots powered by large-scale algorithms.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is also an investor in the startup.

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European stock markets commenced Thursday’s trading session on a decidedly negative note, with major indices across the continent slipping into the red shortly after the opening bell.

This broad-based downturn was accompanied by company-specific news, including a wider first-half loss for budget airline EasyJet and a notable stock downgrade for British telecom giant BT Group.

Approximately ten minutes into the trading day, the pan-European Stoxx 600 index was trading 0.5% lower, with nearly every sector experiencing losses.

This negative sentiment was reflected in the performance of key regional stock exchanges.

Germany’s DAX and France’s CAC 40 were both down by around 0.5%, while London’s FTSE 100 had shed 0.4%.

Pre-market indications from IG had already signaled a lower open, with London’s FTSE seen opening down 43 points at 8,739, Germany’s DAX 135 points lower at 23,984, the French CAC 40 down 48 points at 7,865, and Italy’s FTSE MIB anticipated to open 251 points lower at 40,331.

EasyJet navigates headwinds

Budget airline EasyJet found its shares under pressure after reporting a widened loss for the first six months of its financial year.

The company announced a pre-tax loss of £394 million ($529 million) for the first half, compared with a £350 million loss recorded for the same period in 2024.

In response to the earnings release, EasyJet’s shares were down 3% at 08:10 a.m. London time, shortly after the market opened.

Despite the larger loss, EasyJet’s CEO, Kenton Jarvis, expressed confidence in the airline’s full-year performance, citing strong current booking trends.

Jarvis described the first half of the year—typically a quieter period for airlines—as an “interesting time.”

Speaking to CNBC’s ‘Squawk Box Europe’ on Thursday, he elaborated: “In the first half, we have two quarters. The first quarter is the October through to December, and in that quarter, we actually performed very well.”

Jarvis also acknowledged industry-wide capacity strains, noting that both Airbus and Boeing are failing to meet their original aircraft delivery schedules, but he stressed that underlying “demand is there.”

Looking ahead, EasyJet stated that current bookings provide confidence that it will meet profit forecasts for the financial year.

We’re also seeing very positive bookings in our holidays division, where we’re expecting something like 25% passenger growth year-on-year. So demand is looking good for the summer at the moment, and supply is relatively constrained.

BT Group faces analyst downgrade amid rally concerns

In other company news, British telecommunications stalwart BT Group saw its shares come under scrutiny.

Deutsche Bank analysts downgraded BT’s stock to a “Sell” rating, just weeks ahead of its fourth-quarter results.

The downgrade was primarily attributed to the significant 17% rally in its share price this year.

In a note to clients, Deutsche Bank’s Robert Grindle observed that BT shares “have proven even more defensive than peers at a time of trade war confusion, a weak economy and GBP strength, despite Openreach line losses.”

However, the analyst cautioned investors that BT still faces fundamental challenges, including new competitors encroaching on its market share.

Grindle did acknowledge that the recent acquisition of a stake in the company by Bharti, one of India’s largest telecom operators, had contributed to positive sentiment surrounding the stock.

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Emerging market stocks are once again at the center of investor interest, driven by growing disillusionment with US assets and a renewed search for growth abroad.

The shift comes as Moody’s recent downgrade of the US credit outlook and a spike in Treasury yields have shaken confidence in the strength of American financial markets.

Adding to the momentum, Bank of America declared emerging markets as “the next bull market” in a recent note to clients.

“Weaker US dollar, US bond yield top, China economic recovery… nothing will work better than emerging market stocks,” said Michael Hartnett, chief investment strategist at BofA Global Research.

On Monday, JPMorgan followed suit, upgrading its rating on emerging market equities from neutral to overweight, citing improving US-China relations and favourable valuations.

Performance gap between US and EM widens

The MSCI Emerging Markets Index, which tracks equities across 24 countries, has risen 8.55% year-to-date, sharply outpacing the US benchmark S&P 500’s modest 1% gain in the same period.

The divergence has become more pronounced since April 2, when former President Donald Trump unveiled a new wave of “reciprocal” tariffs.

While both US and global markets initially fell in the wake of the announcement, emerging market stocks staged a robust recovery.

Between April 9 and April 21, the MSCI Emerging Markets Index climbed 7%, while the S&P 500 declined by more than 5%.

Despite a mild rebound in US assets since, sentiment remains fragile.

The US 30-year Treasury yield surged past 5% on Monday, touching levels last seen in November 2023.

Meanwhile, US equities broke a six-day winning streak on Tuesday, as Moody’s downgrade reignited market concerns.

Why are EM equities poised to outperform?

The unfolding trend may signal the start of a broader rotation in global asset allocation.

Malcolm Dorson, head of the active investment team at Global X ETFs, believes emerging market equities are now in a unique position to outperform.

“After underperforming the S&P over the past decade, EM equities are uniquely positioned to outperform over the next cycle,” Dorson told CNBC.

He pointed to a confluence of factors including a softer US dollar, underweighted investor positioning, and strong growth prospects at discounted prices.

According to his data, US investors typically allocate only 3% to 5% of their portfolios to emerging markets, compared to the 10.5% weight of EM in the MSCI Global Index.

JPMorgan notes that EM stocks are trading at around 12 times forward earnings—significantly lower than their developed market counterparts.

India, Brazil, and Argentina attract spotlight

Among the emerging economies, India stands out as the strongest long-term growth story, underpinned by rising domestic demand.

Dorson also highlighted Argentina for its cheap valuations, and Brazil and Greece for recent sovereign credit upgrades that have improved their investment case.

“We could be at the start of a new rotation,” said Mohit Mirpuri, equity fund manager at SGMC Capital.

“After years of US outperformance, global investors are beginning to look elsewhere for diversification and long-term returns.”

Ola El-Shawarby, a portfolio manager at VanEck, added that previous EM rallies were often cut short by fleeting catalysts.

This time, she argues, the combination of undervaluation, improved fundamentals, and structural reforms could provide longer-lasting momentum.

“Emerging markets are firmly back in the conversation,” she said.

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