British artificial intelligence company Synthesia has raised $200 million in a Series E funding round, valuing the business at $4 billion and underscoring continued investor appetite for niche AI companies with clear commercial use cases.

The valuation nearly doubles the $2.1 billion level the London-based startup achieved last year.

The latest round was led by Google Ventures and included participation from new investors Hedosophia and Evantic, the venture fund founded by former Sequoia Capital investor Matt Miller.

Existing backers NVentures, Nvidia’s venture capital arm, Accel, Kleiner Perkins, New Enterprise Associates, PSP Growth and Air Street Capital also took part.

Growing focus on corporate training software

Founded in 2017 by AI researchers and entrepreneurs from institutions including Stanford and Cambridge, Synthesia specialises in text-to-video generation software.

The company has built a business around helping enterprises create training and internal communications videos using AI-generated avatars, reducing the need for traditional video production.

Synthesia offers a freemium model with capped video usage, alongside subscription plans and bespoke enterprise packages.

Unlike many AI startups still focused on experimentation, the company has found traction in corporate learning and development, with clients including Bosch, Merck, SAP and, more recently, Microsoft.

The company said it crossed $100 million in annual recurring revenue in April 2025 and is on track to reach $200 million this year.

It also reported a sharp increase in large contracts, quadrupling agreements worth more than $100,000 over the past 12 months.

Capital to fuel AI agents and interactivity

Synthesia plans to use the new funding to develop more advanced interactive video tools, moving beyond one-way training content.

The company is working on AI agents embedded in video avatars that can answer questions, simulate role-play scenarios and provide tailored explanations to employees during training sessions.

Chief executive and co-founder Victor Riparbelli said enterprises are under growing pressure to reskill and upskill their workforce, creating a timely opportunity for more interactive and responsive training tools.

He described the convergence of enterprise demand and AI capability as a rare market moment.

The shift aligns with a broader trend toward AI agents that can interact dynamically with users, rather than simply generating static content.

Employee liquidity through structured secondary sale

Alongside the funding round, Synthesia is facilitating an employee secondary share sale in partnership with Nasdaq, which is acting as a private markets intermediary rather than a public exchange, TechCrunch reported.

The process allows employees to sell shares at the same $4 billion valuation as the Series E, while giving the company more control over the transaction.

Chief financial officer Daniel Kim said the secondary sale is designed to give employees access to liquidity while allowing Synthesia to remain focused on long-term growth as a private company.

Secondary sales are often conducted informally and at varying valuations, sometimes creating tension among shareholders.

Investor confidence amid AI valuation debate

The funding comes amid ongoing debate over whether heavy spending in artificial intelligence is inflating a market bubble.

While some investors have grown cautious, the Synthesia round suggests capital continues to flow toward companies with defined revenue streams and enterprise adoption.

The deal also follows other large AI-related raises in the UK, including a $1.1 billion round by data centre operator Nscale Global Holdings earlier this year.

Despite this activity, European AI startups still trail US peers in valuation scale.

Anthropic and OpenAI are both seeking massive funding rounds at valuations far exceeding those typically seen in Europe, highlighting the transatlantic gap in AI capital markets.

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The European Union has opened a formal investigation into Elon Musk’s social media platform X over concerns that its Grok artificial intelligence chatbot may have generated deepfake images that “may amount to child sexual abuse material.”

The European Commission said the probe will assess whether X complied with its obligations under the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA) to properly identify, assess and mitigate risks associated with deploying Grok across the EU’s 27 member states.

The investigation adds to mounting scrutiny of X’s content moderation practices and could further inflame tensions between Brussels and Washington.

Focus on risk assessment and mitigation

According to the Commission, the investigation will examine whether X adequately addressed systemic risks linked to Grok’s rollout, particularly the risk of generating non-consensual sexual deepfakes involving women and children.

The case falls under the DSA, the EU’s sweeping online content rulebook that imposes strict requirements on large platforms to prevent the spread of illegal and harmful material.

“Non-consensual sexual deepfakes of women and children are a violent, unacceptable form of degradation,” said EU tech commissioner Henna Virkkunen.

“With this investigation, we will determine whether X has met its legal obligations under the DSA, or whether it treated rights of European citizens — including those of women and children — as collateral damage of its service.”

The Commission said the investigation will not involve interim measures at this stage.

Under the Digital Services Act, which took effect in 2023, the EU has the power to impose fines of up to 6% of a company’s worldwide annual turnover for failures to tackle illegal content, mitigate systemic risks or comply with transparency requirements.

Growing international backlash over Grok

The EU investigation follows escalating global condemnation of Grok in recent weeks.

Users in multiple countries have reported that the AI chatbot generated sexualised imagery and posted it to X, triggering backlash from regulators and child safety advocates.

In the United Kingdom, communications regulator Ofcom is already formally investigating whether X breached the country’s Online Safety Act in relation to Grok’s outputs.

Authorities in France and India have also raised concerns, accusing the chatbot of illegally creating sexualised images of individuals without their consent.

X, which is a subsidiary of Musk’s AI company xAI, has previously said that it removes illegal content, including child sexual abuse material, suspends offending accounts and cooperates with law enforcement when necessary.

Tensions with Washington loom

The Grok probe comes shortly after the EU imposed a separate €120 million ($142 million) penalty on X under the DSA.

In that earlier case, EU regulators concluded that X’s paid blue checkmark system misled users, that the platform failed to provide adequate data access to researchers, and that it did not properly establish an advertising transparency repository.

That fine drew sharp criticism from the Trump administration, which has framed EU digital regulation as an attack on free speech and American technology companies.

Ahead of the December penalty, US Vice President JD Vance wrote on X that “the EU should be supporting free speech, not attacking American companies over garbage.”

European officials, however, have consistently rejected those claims, arguing that the DSA is designed to protect users’ rights and safety rather than restrict lawful expression.

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Uncertainty has become the defining condition of modern business.

Market volatility, rapid technological shifts, geopolitical tension, and changing workforce expectations have made long-term predictability increasingly rare.

In this environment, traditional competitive advantages—speed, scale, or capital—are no longer sufficient on their own.

According to Alessio Vinassa, serial entrepreneur, advisor, and leadership mentor, one asset is emerging as decisive for the next decade: trust.

“When markets are unstable, trust becomes the most stable currency a leader can hold,” Vinassa says. “It’s what allows organisations to move forward when certainty is unavailable.”

Why trust matters more when certainty disappears

In stable conditions, trust is often taken for granted. Processes work, forecasts hold, and expectations are predictable.

In uncertain markets, however, every assumption is tested. Employees question leadership direction, customers become cautious, and partners reassess risk.

Vinassa argues that trust is what holds systems together during these moments.

“People don’t need leaders who have all the answers,” he explains. “They need leaders they believe will act with integrity when the answers aren’t clear.”

Trust reduces friction. It accelerates decision-making, preserves morale, and sustains collaboration even when outcomes are unclear.

Trust as a strategic asset, not a soft skill

Many organisations still treat trust as a cultural value rather than a strategic lever. Vinassa believes this is a mistake.

“Trust is not a sentiment—it’s infrastructure,” he says. “Without it, every strategy becomes harder to execute.”

When trust is present:

• Teams align faster
• Change initiatives face less resistance
• Feedback flows more openly
• Stakeholders extend patience during transitions

In uncertain markets, these advantages compound.

Transparency builds credibility before confidence exists

One of the most effective trust-building tools, according to Vinassa, is transparency—especially when leaders don’t yet have solutions.

“Silence creates anxiety,” he notes. “Honest communication creates stability.”

Leaders who openly acknowledge uncertainty signal confidence in their people rather than fear of exposure. This honesty builds credibility long before results materialise.

Vinassa emphasises that transparency does not mean oversharing—it means clarity of intent, consistency of messaging, and alignment between words and actions.

Consistency is the backbone of trust

Trust is rarely lost through a single decision. More often, it erodes through inconsistency.

“People don’t expect perfection,” Vinassa explains. “They expect predictability in values.”

In uncertain markets, leaders are often forced to adapt strategies quickly. What must remain stable are principles: how decisions are made, how people are treated, and how accountability is handled.

Consistency in values allows flexibility in execution without destabilising trust.

Trust enables speed, not caution

Contrary to popular belief, trust does not slow organisations down—it enables speed.

“When trust exists, leaders don’t need to micromanage,” Vinassa says. “Teams move faster because they’re empowered, not constrained.”

In volatile environments, the ability to act decisively is critical.

Trust reduces the need for excessive approvals, defensive documentation, and internal politics that delay action.

Trust with customers and markets

External trust is just as critical as internal trust. Customers and partners are more likely to stay engaged with organisations that demonstrate reliability during disruption.

Vinassa points out that brands that communicate clearly, honour commitments, and prioritise long-term relationships often emerge stronger from periods of uncertainty.

“Markets forgive mistakes,” he says. “They don’t forgive evasiveness.”

Leadership accountability in uncertain times

Trust is reinforced when leaders take responsibility—not just for successes, but for misjudgments.

“Accountability is trust made visible,” Vinassa notes.

Leaders who own outcomes signal maturity and stability.

This behaviour sets the tone for the entire organisation, encouraging openness and continuous improvement rather than blame avoidance.

Preparing for the next decade

Looking ahead, Vinassa believes that trust will increasingly differentiate leaders and organisations.

“The next decade will reward leaders who understand that trust compounds,” he says. “It lowers risk, attracts talent, and sustains relevance.”

In a world where change is constant, trust becomes the anchor that allows innovation, growth, and resilience to coexist.

For more information on Alessio and his work, visit his website or follow him across social media, including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, Youtube, and Medium.

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The global upstream oil and gas merger-and-acquisition (M&A) market is set to cool in 2026, with activity expected to dip below 2025 levels despite nearly $152 billion in available opportunities as of January, according to a Rystad Energy analysis.

“Rystad Energy expects North America to remain the clear anchor for upstream M&A activity in 2026, with deal flow increasingly shaped by a new phase of a ‘merger of equals’ consolidation among small- and mid-cap listed US shale producers,” Atul Raina, vice president, oil and gas M&A, said in the analysis. 

This is further supported by ample private E&P capital yet to be deployed, ongoing consolidation in Canada’s Montney shale, and rising interest in gas and LNG-linked assets—particularly from Asian buyers seeking long-term security of supply.

The international M&A landscape, in stark contrast, continues to be inconsistent. 

Although many potential deals exist, overall momentum is constrained because activity is largely focused on a small number of high-value and frequently intricate transactions.

National oil companies (NOCs) from the Middle East, Asia, and South America are expected to be more active players in the market. 

This increased participation is driven by their ongoing desire for greater scale and international exposure, especially as many International Oil Companies (IOCs) maintain a selective approach, according to Raina.

2025 market review and key deals

In 2025, global upstream Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) activity decreased by 17% year-on-year (YoY), totaling approximately $170 billion.

The number of deals also saw a decline of 12%, reaching 466.

Last year, several major trends defined the energy sector, including significant consolidation among North American shale producers, substantial investments in LNG projects across the US and Argentina, and major companies divesting assets in Asia and the UK to establish new regional joint ventures.

Key deals reflecting these themes include the SM Energy/Civitas merger, Cenovus Energy’s acquisition of MEG Energy, a Blackstone-led consortium’s purchase of a 49.9% stake in Port Arthur LNG phase 2 from Sempra Infrastructure Partners (SIP), the Eni/Petronas asset merger in Indonesia and Malaysia, and TotalEnergies merging its UK operations with NeoNext Energy to create NeoNext+.

Early in the year, significant updates in the energy sector include potential merger talks between Coterra Energy and Devon Energy, alongside Mitsubishi’s announced $7.5 billion acquisition of Aethon Energy.

The global activity outlook remains uncertain. The current pipeline of investment opportunities totals $55 billion. 

This figure incorporates a $23.5 billion potential sale of Santos, as the company is open to offers, and $17 billion for Lukoil’s international upstream assets, Rystad Energy said.

Looking ahead, key buyers expected to emerge include national oil companies (NOCs) such as ADNOC, Saudi Aramco, Petronas, Petrobras, Pertamina, and Ecopetrol.

Regional activity and oil price volatility

In 2025, North America was the primary driver of activity, generating over $112 billion in deal value, which represented 66% of the global total, data from Rystad Energy showed.

Africa saw a 57% year-over-year drop to $6 billion. Europe’s deal value decreased by 24% year-over-year, reaching approximately $10 billion, the Norway-based energy intelligence agency said. 

The Middle East recorded a significant 65% fall to nearly $4 billion. Oceania observed a sharp 96% drop to around $435 million, while Russia experienced a 25% decrease to nearly $750 million.

“This overall global decline is primarily attributed to low and volatile oil prices during 2025 that had a lasting negative impact on the buyer-seller spread,” the agency said. 

Brent oil prices experienced significant fluctuation last year. Beginning at approximately $79 per barrel in January, prices dropped to about $65 per barrel by May. 

They then rallied, climbing past $70 per barrel in June and July, before ultimately closing the year around $63 per barrel in December.

In December of the same year, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) prices had decreased to around $58 per barrel, starting from $75 per barrel at the beginning of the year.

Increased activity in Asia, South America

M&A activity saw an increase exclusively in Asia and South America. Asia experienced a more than threefold increase in deal value, reaching $18 billion, primarily due to the formation of a joint venture between Eni and Petronas. 

Simultaneously, South America’s deal value rose by 71% year-over-year to $18.3 billion, driven by several LNG and Vaca Muerta-focused transactions in Argentina.

While global M&A activity in LNG is anticipated to fall short of last year’s figures, the market is still expected to be strong, Rystad said.

Currently, over $8.6 billion in LNG infrastructure assets are already available for acquisition.

The $8.6 billion in question does not account for the potential sale of Santos, following the withdrawal of the $23.6 billion bid by the ADNOC-led consortium, the agency said. 

Separately, $2.5 billion in upstream assets that supply LNG plants are also available for sale. 

Furthermore, among other possible deals, Energy Transfer is reportedly considering divesting an 80% stake in its pre-Final Investment Decision (FID) Lake Charles LNG project.

“In Argentina, YPF is reportedly seeking partners for its Argentina LNG project. Geographically, the US is likely to continue leading deal activity.” Rystad said.

Meanwhile, Middle Eastern NOCs such as Saudi Aramco and ADNOC are expected to remain active, having already acquired LNG assets globally and continuing to emerge as potential buyers for key opportunities. 

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The S&P 500 Index and its top ETFs, like the VOO and SPY, remained in a tight range near their all-time high last week. It was trading at $6,915, a few points below its all-time high of $6,980. This article explores some of the top catalysts for the index next week.

S&P 500 Index to react to government shutdown threat

The first key catalyst for the S&P 500 and its ETFs, like SPY and VOO, is the latest threat for a government shutdown in the United States. In a statement, Chuck Schumer, the Senate Minority Leader, vowed to block a massive spending package this week.

He wants Republicans to stop funding the Department of Homeland Security after a Border Patrol agent shot and killed an American citizen in the ongoing protests in Minnesota. The government shutdown will likely happen this week.

In most cases, the S&P 500 Index and other US indices like the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq 100 ignore government shutdowns because they always get resolved. For example, they all jumped to record highs after the longest government shutdown happened last year.

Top corporate earnings

The other major catalyst for the S&P 500 Index will be corporate earnings by some of the biggest companies in the United States.

Top members of the Magnificent 7, like Microsoft, Meta Platforms, Tesla, and Apple, will release their numbers this week, while Google and Amazon will publish theirs next week.

These are usually the most important earnings events in the United States because of these companies’size, with their market capitalization rising to over $16 trillion.

Most importantly, these firms are at the forefront of the artificial intelligence (AI) industry and are the biggest clients of NVIDIA, a company that has fueled the boom.

Therefore, a sign that their capital spending will continue will be highly bullish for the stock market. However, a sign that they plan to cut spending will be highly bearish for the market.

Additionally, hundreds of S&P constituent companies like Boeing, UnitedHealth, RTX, Mastercard, Visa, Chevron and ExxonMobil will also release their earnings.

A report by FactSet shows that 13% of the companies in the S&P 500 Index have published their earnings report, with the average earnings growth of 8.2%.

Federal Reserve interest rate decision 

The S&P 500 Index and its ETFs will also react to the upcoming Federal Reserve interest rate decision on Wednesday.

Economists believe that the bank will pause its interest rate cuts by leaving them unchanged between 3.50% and 3.75%. Officials will do that so that their recent cuts can take effect in the United States.

The bank has delivered three cuts in the current cycle, with officials signaling that there will be one more cut this year. Recent macro data confirm that there is no need to cut rates this cycle as the economic growth has accelerated.

A report released last week showed that the US GDP expanded by 4.4% in the third quarter, with analysts expecting it to expand by 5% in Q4. 

US and Canada relations 

The other minor catalyst for the S&P 500 Index is the relationship between the United States and Canada, two countries that do trade worth billions of dollars a year.

In a statement during the weekend, Trump warned that he would implement a 100% tariff on Canada if it inks a trade deal with China. He said that in response to a deal that allows China to ship electric vehicles to Canada and pay a 6% tariff.

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Britain’s communications regulator Ofcom said on Friday it had opened an investigation into Meta Platforms over information the company provided relating to WhatsApp for one of its market reviews.

The regulator said the probe links to work it carried out last year on the wholesale market for business bulk SMS messages.

These services are widely used by companies to send high volumes of customer alerts, including appointment reminders and parcel delivery notifications.

Ofcom said the available evidence suggests the information it received from Meta may not have been complete and accurate.

What Ofcom is reviewing and why it matters

Ofcom said it is investigating whether Meta’s response to an information request met expected standards during the regulator’s market review process.

The watchdog said the review focused on the wholesale market for business bulk SMS messages, which typically involve automated updates sent at scale to customers.

The regulator did not specify what information it believes may have been missing or incorrect, but said the issue relates to WhatsApp.

The probe highlights how regulators rely on accurate data from major firms when assessing competitive conditions in communications markets, especially as platforms such as WhatsApp play a growing role in business messaging.

How business bulk SMS fits into UK communications markets

Business bulk SMS remains a key tool for organisations that need to deliver time-sensitive updates directly to customers.

The service is commonly used across sectors such as healthcare, logistics, retail, and financial services.

Unlike personal texts, these messages are usually sent through intermediaries that handle high-volume delivery, routing, and wholesale access.

Ofcom’s market review examined how the wholesale side of this ecosystem operates, and how services are supplied to business users.

Ofcom said the review was carried out last year. It added that its investigation concerns Meta’s information submission linked to WhatsApp as part of that work.

Meta faces multiple regulatory actions across Europe

The UK probe comes as Meta faces broader regulatory scrutiny across Europe, including investigations and decisions tied to advertising, competition, and AI-related platform changes.

In late November, a Spanish court ordered Meta to pay €479 million to a group of publishers, after finding the company breached EU rules by processing personal data without valid consent to support behavioural advertising.

The ruling covered the period from May 2018 to August 2023 and is subject to appeal.

Meta has also been under pressure in the European Union over its advertising model.

In Italy, the competition watchdog expanded a probe into Meta in late November, focusing on its AI integration in WhatsApp and whether WhatsApp Business changes could restrict rival AI chatbots.

In December, the European Commission said Meta committed to giving users a clearer choice around how their data is used for advertising on Facebook and Instagram, following a compliance push under the Digital Markets Act.

The new options are expected to roll out from January 2026.

Separately, the European Commission has been preparing a competition probe into Meta’s integration of AI features into WhatsApp, according to reports.

Regulators have been examining whether Meta’s policies could restrict access for rival AI providers, potentially strengthening Meta’s position inside the messaging platform.

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Oracle stock price continued its downtrend this year, moving to its lowest level since June last year. It has crashed by nearly 50% from its highest level in October last year, with its market capitalization falling from $935 billion to the current $511 billion. This article explores why it has more downside to go ahead of its earnings.

Oracle stock technical analysis points to more downside 

The daily timeframe chart shows that the ORCL stock peaked at $345 in September last year when it published its strong financial results.

It has been in a freefall since then and has now plunged to $176. Technicals suggest that the stock has more downside as it has formed a death cross pattern, which happens when the 50-day and 200-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMA) cross each other. 

The stock has moved slightly below the key support level at $177, invalidating the double-bottom pattern whose neckline is at $207. It has dropped below the 61.8% Fibonacci Retracement level.

The Supertrend indicator has turned red, a sign that bears remain in control. Also, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) and the MACD indicators have continued falling in the past few weeks.

Therefore, the most likely scenario is where the stock continues falling, with the next key target being at $166, the 78.60% Fibonacci Retracement level. 

This target is about 7.6% below the current level. A drop below this level will point to more downside, potentially to last year’s low of $117, down by 34% from the current level.

Why Oracle shares have plunged 

Oracle, one of the biggest companies in the United States, has come under pressure in the past few months as investors question its large backlog and its elevated debt and negative cash flow.

As a result, the consensus price target for the stock has dropped from $322 three months ago to the current $303, representing a 70% upside from the current level.

The most recent results showed that Oracle’s business continued growing in the last quarter as it became a major supplier in the artificial intelligence industry. Its remaining performance obligations (RPO) jumped by 438% YoY to $523 billion, the highest one in the industry.

While this RPO is a big one, investors are concerned since most of it comes from OpenAI as part of the Stargate project. It is estimated that OpenAI accounts for about $300 billion of this order, a notable thing since it is still a highly unprofitable company. It is also entangled in similar deals worth over $1 trillion.

Oracle’s results showed that its revenue rose by 14% to $16.1 billion, while its earnings per share jumped by 91% to $2.1. Most of its growth came from its cloud infrastructure revenue, which rose by 68% to $4.1 billion, while the Fusion Cloud rose by 18%.

At the same time, the company’s debt continued rising, with the total debt rising by over $100 bilion. Therefore, investors are concerned about how the company will cover the upcoming maturities.

Data compiled by Yahoo Finance shows that the revenue will come in at $16.9 billion, up by 20% YoY, while its annual revenue will grow by 16% to $66 billion. This revenue will then jump to $86 billion in the next financial year. 

On the positive side, the ongoing Oracle stock crash has made it highly undervalued, with the forward price-to-earnings ratio moving to 2, lower than the sector median of 24. Therefore, the most likely scenario is where it continues falling in the near term and then rebounds later this year as investors buy the dip.

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Nvidia stock rose early Friday after reports suggested that Chinese authorities are moving closer to allowing domestic technology companies to purchase the US chipmaker’s advanced artificial intelligence hardware, potentially easing one of the biggest uncertainties hanging over the stock.

At the time of writing, the Nvidia stock was up over

The rally followed a Bloomberg report that Beijing has given in-principle approval to several major Chinese firms, including Alibaba, Tencent Holdings and ByteDance, to begin preparations for potential purchases of Nvidia’s H200 artificial intelligence chips.

The development marked the clearest signal yet that China may be softening its stance after weeks of regulatory ambiguity.

China signals shift after weeks of uncertainty

According to Bloomberg, Chinese regulators have cleared select technology companies to move to the next stage of discussions, allowing them to assess how many H200 chips they would need and to begin conversations around potential orders.

“The companies are now cleared to discuss specifics such as the amounts they would require,” the report said.

As part of the process, Beijing is expected to encourage firms to purchase a certain quantity of domestically produced chips alongside Nvidia’s hardware, though no formal quota has been set.

The move suggests Chinese authorities may be reassessing their approach after a period marked by contradictory signals.

In recent weeks, investors have grappled with reports of paused orders, selective approvals and shifting regulatory guidance, all of which weighed heavily on Nvidia’s stock.

Potential revenue upside draws attention

Analysts say the stakes are high if approvals ultimately translate into firm orders.

KeyBanc analyst John Vinh estimated that Chinese companies could be willing to purchase around 1.5 million H200 chips, which would represent approximately $30 billion in potential revenue for Nvidia.

The H200 is Nvidia’s second-most powerful AI processor and is widely used for training large language models and other advanced artificial intelligence systems.

Access to the Chinese market for these chips has been viewed as critical to Nvidia’s long-term growth, particularly as demand for AI infrastructure continues to expand globally.

Huang visit adds to optimism

The Bloomberg report coincided with a separate CNBC report saying Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang is expected to visit China in the coming days, ahead of the Lunar New Year in mid-February.

Huang is scheduled to attend a company event in Beijing and is also expected to meet with potential customers.

According to the report, those discussions are likely to focus on supply constraints, regulatory conditions and the availability of US-approved chips, including the H200.

The visit has been interpreted by investors as another sign that Nvidia sees momentum building toward a reopening of the Chinese market.

China overhang has capped Nvidia’s stock

Access to China has been the single most persistent factor behind Nvidia’s range-bound trading over recent months.

While the company has continued to report strong global demand for its AI chips, uncertainty over Chinese sales has limited investors’ willingness to push the stock decisively higher.

Chief executive Jensen Huang has repeatedly expressed optimism that US export approvals would allow Nvidia to resume shipments of the H200 chip to China.

That confidence, however, has been undercut by Beijing’s inconsistent messaging and the risk of sudden policy reversals.

Those fears remain fresh after Nvidia took a $5.5 billion inventory write-down last year, when abrupt changes in export rules cut off its ability to sell China-specific chips.

Since then, investors have been wary of assuming that potential approvals will translate smoothly into sustained revenue.

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The precious metals market is witnessing records tumbling every trading week.

Gold on COMEX rose to a record high of $4,969.69 per ounce earlier on Friday, nearing the coveted $5,000-per-ounce mark.

Meanwhile, silver continued to outperform gold in dramatic fashion and came within a whisker of hitting $100 an ounce.

Meanwhile, oil prices rebounded sharply on Friday after concerns about a potential disruption to supplies were heightened by US President Donald Trump’s renewed threats against Iran, which come at a time when Kazakhstan is also experiencing production outages.

Base metals prices also rose sharply on Friday as the dollar weakened against a basket of major currencies.

Silver hits $100

Silver prices on COMEX hit a historic landmark on Friday as the white metal breached the $100-per-ounce mark for the first time ever.

Silver soared over 6.5% on Thursday after the briefest period of consolidation. And it went on to break above $100 per ounce later on Friday.

The price of silver has thus more than tripled within a year, while the price of platinum has risen to two and a half times the level compared to a year ago. The gold/silver ratio is now 50, compared to 90 a year ago.

“This really looks like a market in the midst of a blow-off top, with talk of supply shortages and a massive short squeeze bringing in fresh buying momentum,” said David Morrison, senior market analyst at Trade Nation.

There’s an awful lot of FOMO out there, and that has the potential to push prices up even further.

The extended nature of this rally naturally increases the likelihood of a significant and sudden reversal, Morrison added.

Silver looks toppy up here. But I’ve been saying that for ages now and have been repeatedly wrong.

At the time of writing, the most-active silver March contract was at $99.442 per ounce, up 3.1%. The metal had hit a record high of $100.160 per ounce earlier in the day.

Gold approached $5,000

Even as silver’s rise dwarfed that of gold’s, the yellow metal is well on its way to creating history.

On Friday, gold prices on COMEX hit a record high of $4,969.69 per ounce, just shy of the historic landmark of $5,000.

The 14% price increase since the year’s start is partially attributed to worries regarding US President Donald Trump’s stated intention to implement tariffs on European partners concerning Greenland.

Gold prices dipped briefly below $4,800 per ounce on Thursday. This drop followed President Trump’s announcement on Wednesday evening of an agreement resolving the Greenland dispute.

The agreement appears to have prevented a new round of tariff escalations by removing the planned tariff increases against several EU countries.

“However, gold did not fall back to the levels seen before the escalation of the conflict, but had essentially stabilized at higher levels,” Thu Lan Nguyen, head of FX and commodity research at Commerzbank AG.

This already indicated that the market is still cautious about fully pricing out the risks associated with US ambitions in Greenland.

The speed of the finalisation is key, according to Nguyen. The unratified EU-US trade “deal,” stalled by recent tensions, shows that informal agreements are unreliable.

However, if it becomes increasingly clear that an amicable agreement will be reached between the US and Denmark and the EU, the gold price is likely to give up some of its gains of the last few days.

Oil jumps

Oil prices rebound on renewed threats from President Trump against Iran, which heightened concerns that military action could disrupt crude supplies.

This concern was compounded by ongoing production outages in Kazakhstan.

Earlier in the day, prices had risen due to Trump’s actions concerning Greenland.

However, they subsequently fell by approximately 2% on Thursday after he withdrew tariff threats against Europe and dismissed the possibility of military intervention.

The US has reached a deal with Denmark and NATO allowing “total access” to Greenland, according to a statement by President Trump on Thursday.

Simultaneously, Trump renewed warnings to Tehran, stating the US has an “armada” headed toward Iran, which he hopes will not be deployed.

He cautioned Iran against killing protesters or restarting its nuclear program. A US official confirmed that warships, including an aircraft carrier and guided-missile destroyers, are scheduled to arrive in the Middle East soon.

The US had previously conducted strikes on Iran last June.

Iran is a significant global oil producer, ranking as OPEC’s fourth-largest crude oil producer, with approximately 3.2 million barrels per day according to OPEC data.

It is positioned behind Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates. Furthermore, Iran is a key exporter of crude oil to China, the world’s second-largest oil consumer.

Oil output has not yet restarted at Kazakhstan’s immense Tengiz oilfield, one of the globe’s largest, according to Chevron. This follows a shutdown announced by the Chevron-operated Tengizchevroil (TCO) on Monday due to a fire.

This incident has worsened the difficulties facing Kazakhstan’s oil sector, which is already struggling with congestion at its main Black Sea export route after it sustained damage from Ukrainian drone attacks.

“The next few weeks will reveal if the bears are ready to launch a renewed attack to drive prices to new cycle lows,” said Trade Nation’s Morrison.

Alternatively, there could be a change in trend if sellers switch to the buy-side.

At the time of writing, the price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil was at $61.04 per barrel, up 2.9%, while Brent was  2.8% higher at $65.83 per barrel.

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Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD stock) rose roughly 4% on Friday as investors repositioned into the chipmaker following Intel’s disappointing fourth-quarter guidance.

The move underscores a critical market dynamic: when Intel can’t supply the chips customers demand, AMD stands ready to capture the business.

Intel beat quarterly estimates Thursday evening, reporting $13.7 billion in revenue and adjusted earnings per share of $0.15, both above analyst expectations, but the real story lay in the forward guidance.

The company warned of a weak first quarter with revenue as low as $11.7 billion and adjusted earnings near zero, a miss that sent Intel stock plunging over 15% on Friday. ​

What Intel reported and why traders care

The supply-chain confession came straight from management.

CFO David Zinsner told investors that Intel’s available semiconductor supply would reach “its lowest level in Q1” before improving in subsequent quarters.

The remarks signal that the company cannot meet customer demand for server chips used in artificial intelligence data centers, even as such demand remains robust.

This wasn’t a demand problem; it was a supply problem.

Hyperscalers and enterprises want to buy Intel server processors, but Intel doesn’t have enough inventory to fulfill orders at the scale customers expect.​

CEO Lip-Bu Tan acknowledged that manufacturing yields remain “still below what I want them to be.”

That admission sent a stark message: Intel’s operational challenges persist despite five consecutive quarters of beating revenue guidance.

The company is squeezing efficiency from its existing capacity but cannot expand supply fast enough to capitalize on the AI infrastructure boom gripping the industry.​

AMD stock: Opening a new door

AMD shares rose approximately 3.8 to 4% intraday on Friday, reflecting investor recognition that Intel’s supply shortfall opens doors for rivals.

The chipmaker’s market capitalization climbed to approximately $413 billion, now towering over Intel’s $259 billion valuation despite Intel’s 87% year-to-date stock gain in 2025.

AMD’s over 100 percent% gain showcases sustained investor confidence in a company facing no near-term supply constraints.​

The link is straightforward: when Intel can’t ship server CPUs to data center operators, those customers seek alternatives.

AMD’s MI300 AI accelerators and EPYC server processors directly address that need.

When industry supply is constrained, vendors who can deliver enjoy higher revenue per unit and margin expansion, a crucial dynamic as capital spending on AI infrastructure accelerates across the globe.​

A cautious qualification is warranted, though.

AMD still trades at a relatively premium valuation by historical measures.

The move doesn’t signal a permanent structural shift in competitive dynamics, though it does reflect immediate market logic as Intel’s Q1 weakness creates a window of opportunity for better-positioned competitors.

The real story unfolds over the next six months.

If Intel’s supply constraints persist beyond Q1, AMD’s gains could prove more durable. If Intel executes its promised recovery, the AMD stock could reverse sharply.

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