US stocks struggled on Monday amid doubts about interest-rate cuts, as investors looked ahead to high-stakes Nvidia (NVDA) earnings and the delayed September jobs report.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) fell roughly 0.5%, while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) dipped around 0.4%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) also traded around 0.3% lower.
Wall Street is already getting set for Nvidia’s (NVDA) earnings on Wednesday, always an intensely scrutinized event. But the stakes are even higher this time amid doubts about Big Tech valuations and hefty AI spending. The chipmaker’s results and outlook will test faith on Wall Street that earnings will continue to drive stock gains and that the tech sell-off is a blip.A boost to start the week came after Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-B) disclosed it has taken a nearly $5 billion stake in Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL). The move – likely one of the last under Warren Buffett’s leadership – is a rare tech bet by the conglomerate, one that markets will set against AI trade concerns. The Google parent’s stock popped nearly 5% in early trading. meanwhile, Nvidia shares fell as a filing showed that Thiel Macro, the hedge fund of tech billionaire Peter Thiel, sold its stake in the AI chipmaker.
Investors are hoping to get an official snapshot of the labor market with the long-awaited release of September’s jobs report on Thursday. But a full return to a complete slate of economic data remains up in the air, even after the federal shutdown ended.
This week’s delayed monthly picture of the US jobs market will come under high scrutiny,as the more cautious tone struck by Federal Reserve officials recently throws doubt on the central bank’s rate move next month. Traders are now pricing in a 45% chance of a rate cut, compared with 62% a week ago.
softbank Sells Entire Nvidia Stake for $5.83 Billion as Chipmaker Earnings Loom
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SoftBank has sold off its entire Nvidia stake – more than 32 million shares – just ahead of the chipmaker’s quarterly earnings report Wednesday. Nvidia’s results are set to shed light on whether AI-fueled tech stocks are in a bubble on the verge of bursting.
The stock is up nearly 42% for the year.
Zymeworks, Jazz Pharmaceuticals Stocks Soar on Positive Trial Results for Stomach Cancer Treatment
Shares of the biotech company Zymeworks (ZYME) and jazz Pharmaceuticals (JAZZ) soared by over 34% and 20%, respectively, on Monday morning after the partners announced positive results in a late-stage trial of their stomach cancer treatment.
In a statement, Zymeworks said its treatment, called Ziihera, “demonstrated highly statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements” in survival compared to the control for patients with stomach cancer and other gastrointestinal cancers when used in conjunction with chemotherapy.
“The topline results from HERIZON-GEA-01 represent a true turning point for patients with HER2+ gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma, marking real progress in an indication that has historically had limited treatment options and poor outcomes,” Zymeworks CEO Kenneth Galbraith said.
Jazz, which acquired the commercialization rights to the treatment, plans to submit the results at a major medical meeting in the first quarter of 2026 and for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.The company said it will also submit the data to the national Extensive Cancer Network Guidelines for adoption.
HONG KONG – Shares of Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker XPeng Inc. fell approximately 4% in premarket trading on Wednesday despite reporting record deliveries in October,alongside rival NIO. The decline follows XPeng’s announcement of a cautious revenue outlook for the fourth quarter.
The company anticipates fourth-quarter revenue between 21.5 billion yuan ($3.03 billion) and 23 billion yuan, falling short of analysts’ average estimate of 26 billion yuan, according to LSEG-compiled data.
This cautious forecast comes amid a fierce price war within china’s crowded EV sector, which has significantly impacted profitability across the industry. While XPeng and NIO experienced record deliveries in October, Tesla’s China sales saw a three-year low, highlighting the uneven effects of the price competition.
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Quantum Computing: A Beginner’s guide
Quantum computing is rapidly transitioning from a theoretical concept to a tangible technology poised to revolutionize fields like medicine, materials science, and artificial intelligence.Unlike classical computers that store facts as bits representing 0 or 1, quantum computers leverage the principles of quantum mechanics to operate on *qubits*, unlocking computational possibilities previously deemed impossible. This guide provides a foundational understanding of quantum computing, its core concepts, current status, and potential future impact.
What is Quantum Computing?
At its heart, quantum computing is a new paradigm of computation. Classical computers manipulate bits, which are definite states of either 0 or 1. Quantum computers, however, utilize qubits. Qubits exploit two key quantum mechanical phenomena: superposition and entanglement.
Superposition
Superposition allows a qubit to represent 0, 1, or a combination of both simultaneously. Imagine a coin spinning in the air – it’s neither heads nor tails until it lands. Similarly, a qubit exists in a probabilistic state until measured. This dramatically increases the potential computational power, as a quantum computer can explore multiple possibilities concurrently. IBM Quantum Computing provides a detailed clarification of quantum states.
Entanglement
Entanglement links two or more qubits together in a way that their fates are intertwined,regardless of the distance separating them. If you measure the state of one entangled qubit, you instantly know the state of the other. This interconnectedness allows for complex calculations and data processing. Quanta Magazine offers an accessible explanation of quantum entanglement.
How Dose Quantum Computing Differ from Classical Computing?
The difference isn’t simply about speed, although quantum computers *can* be significantly faster for specific tasks. It’s about the *type* of problems they can solve. classical computers excel at tasks like word processing, database management, and running operating systems. Quantum computers are designed for problems that are intractable for classical computers, such as:
- Drug Finding: Simulating molecular interactions to identify potential drug candidates.
- Materials Science: Designing new materials with specific properties.
- Optimization Problems: Finding the best solution from a vast number of possibilities (e.g.,logistics,finance).
- Cryptography: Breaking existing encryption algorithms and developing new, quantum-resistant ones.
A helpful analogy is comparing a classical computer to a car traveling a single road, while a quantum computer is like a car that can explore all possible roads simultaneously. Though, extracting the correct answer from this exploration requires refined algorithms.
Current Status of Quantum Computing
Quantum computing is still in its early stages of progress, often referred to as the “NISQ” (Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum) era. This means current quantum computers have a limited number of qubits and are prone to errors. Several companies and research institutions are actively working to overcome these challenges:
- IBM: Has made significant strides in building and making quantum computers accessible through the cloud. IBM Quantum
- Google: Achieved “quantum supremacy” in 2019, demonstrating a quantum computer solving a specific problem faster than the best classical computer, although this claim has been debated. Google AI Blog
- Microsoft: Developing a full quantum computing stack, including hardware and software. Microsoft Quantum
- Rigetti Computing: Focuses on superconducting qubit technology and cloud access. Rigetti Computing
While a fault-tolerant, worldwide quantum computer is still years away, progress is accelerating. Cloud-based quantum computing platforms are allowing researchers and developers to experiment with quantum algorithms and explore potential applications.
Challenges and Future Outlook
Despite the immense potential,quantum computing faces significant hurdles:
- Decoherence: Qubits are extremely sensitive to environmental noise,which can cause them to lose their quantum properties.
- Scalability: Building and maintaining a large number of stable qubits is a major engineering challenge.
- Error Correction: Developing effective error correction techniques is crucial for reliable quantum computation.
- Algorithm Development: New algorithms specifically designed for quantum computers are needed to unlock their full potential.
Looking ahead, the field is expected to see continued advancements in qubit technology, error correction, and algorithm development.Quantum computing is not intended to replace classical computing entirely; rather, it
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