North America:

  • Meta Platforms pauses AI hiring due to overstaffing and restructures its AI group to focus on superintelligence, with support from Entergy for its data centers in Louisiana and a new data center in Kansas City, Missouri.
  • Walmart raises its annual forecast following higher-than-expected revenue growth and a focus on low prices.
  • Tesla announces the upcoming launch of Autopilot V14 and considers halting the six-seat Model Y in the US due to the rise of autonomous vehicles, amidst handling a factory fire in Germany.
  • Google introduces new AI-focused Pixel smartphones with stable pricing despite market and tariff challenges.
  • Johnson & Johnson invests $2 billion in North Carolina to enhance U.S. manufacturing and create 120 jobs.
  • Boeing negotiates the sale of up to 500 jets to China, potentially ending a prolonged sales drought.
  • Citigroup appoints a new head of corporate banking real estate and investigates HR complaints against wealth head Sieg.
  • Thoma Bravo is set to acquire Dayforce, a Canadian HR software firm, for $12.3 billion.

Europe:

  • Vattenfall selects Rolls-Royce SMR and GE Vernova to construct small nuclear reactors in Sweden.
  • Mediobanca withdraws its offer to acquire Banca Generali after repeated shareholder opposition.
  • Orlen reports a 74% rise in Q2 core profit driven by upstream gains and aims to maintain gas supplies to Ukraine.
  • Active Ownership Capital pushes Gerresheimer to sell more assets and cut costs, demanding a strategic review.
  • WH Smith lowers its profit forecast for its North America division due to an accounting error, leading to a revised guidance and a drop in share price.
  • Aegon doubles its share buyback program to 400 million euros and reports a net income of €606 million for the first half of 2025.
  • United Utilities Group PLC signs agreements totaling approximately GBP 3 billion to refurbish and upgrade the Haweswater Aqueduct.
  • Novozymes A/S reports a Q2 EBIT of EUR 192.5 million and narrows its FY organic sales growth outlook to 6-8%.

Rest of the world:

  • AIA Group reports a 14% increase in new business value to $2,838 million in the first half of 2025.
  • Brambles Ltd reports a significant increase in annual profit and announces a US$400 million share buyback program.
  • Whitehaven Coal reports a 57% drop in annual profit for fiscal 2025 and plans a share buyback.
  • Exxaro Resources reports a 13% increase in half-year profit and considers enhancing shareholder returns.
  • Qube Holdings Ltd announces adjusted revenue of AUD 4,461.4 million for the fiscal year and plans significant capital expenditures in FY26.
  • Wipro acquires Harman Connected Services for $375 million.