AI future: Big Tech faces key House vote on reforming permit process

Big Tech companies like OpenAI, Meta, and Microsoft support the SPEED Act to reform the federal permit process for AI infrastructure projects in the U.S. The bill aims to streamline permitting, counter China's AI advancements, and address energy constraints. It faces a key House vote, with bipartisan support but opposition from the Freedom Caucus over an amendment limiting presidential power on energy permits.

Why Oracle and these 3 unloved software stocks could be the next leg of the AI trade

HSBC analyst Stephen Bersey predicts a shift in AI trade focus from hardware to software by 2026, favoring stocks like Oracle, Microsoft, Salesforce, and ServiceNow. Oracle's vectorized database and Microsoft's agentic ecosystem are highlighted as key advantages. Bersey gives high price targets for these stocks, expecting significant growth. Salesforce and ServiceNow are seen as undervalued opportunities despite recent struggles. ServiceNow's potential acquisition of Armis raises concerns. All stocks have a buy rating from HSBC.

Alphabet (GOOGL) Eliminates Its Widely Used 'Dark Web Report'

Alphabet (GOOGL) is discontinuing its dark web report service, effective January 15, 2026, due to feedback that it doesn't provide helpful next steps. The service will stop monitoring new results, and all collected data will be unavailable by February 16, 2026. Alphabet aims to focus on tools offering clear, actionable steps for online protection. Despite this change, Alphabet's stock has a consensus Strong Buy rating from analysts.

Apple plans to expand its smartphone product line. (The Information)

Chip crunch to drive up costs, curb cellphone output next year: researcher

Counterpoint Research predicts a 2.1% decline in global smartphone shipments next year due to a memory chip shortage, reversing this year's 3.3% gain. The shortage, driven by AI demands, is expected to raise handset prices by 6.9% globally. Companies like Apple and Samsung are better positioned to handle the impact, while Chinese brands may struggle. Strategies to mitigate effects include promoting premium models and reusing components.