AI Stocks Slide on Oracle Setback

AI Stocks Slide on Oracle Setback

Private capital group Blue Owl reportedly pulled out of a $10bn deal to back Oracle’s [ORCL] next facility on Wednesday, the latest sign of investor caution around ballooning artificial intelligence-related (AI) spending. The beleaguered software firm has yet to line up another backer for the 1GW data center, part of a $300bn infrastructure agreement with OpenAI. The news sent ORCL shares down 5.4% and prompted another tech-stock selloff in US markets. “Investors are increasingly seeing their AI holdings as a funding source for next year’s trades,” said Pictet Asset Management strategist Arun Sai.

Is China’s Chip Independence in Sight?

Chinese scientists have developed a prototype capable of producing the cutting-edge semiconductors that power AI, smartphones and key defense technology, according to a Reuters report. Reverse-engineered by former ASML [ASML] engineers, the extreme ultraviolet lithography machine, or EUV, uses beams of UV light to etch circuits into silicon wafers. While the machine is operational, it has not yet produced working chips. China’s government has set a goal of producing functional chips by 2028, though those close to the project say 2030 is a more realistic forecast. 

Medline’s IPO Blitz

2025 continues to be a blockbuster year for IPOs, with Wednesday’s debut of medical supply company Medline Industries [MDLN] raising $6.3bn to become the year’s biggest offering. Shares closed at $41, up 41% from their initial price of $29 and bringing the deal value well above battery maker CATL’s [3750:HK] $5.3bn debut in May. In terms of money raised, Medline’s debut is the largest private equity-backed IPO on record, and was seen as a key indicator for the ability of the $4trn private equity industry to return cash to investors. 

How China Tech Stocks Withstood Geopolitical Headwinds

Tech and geopolitics became effectively indistinguishable in 2025, with the relationship between the US and China center stage. Tariffs, access to advanced semiconductors and competing AI models have all dominated the headlines, but several firms in the world’s second-largest economy have emerged from the year stronger, buoyed by diversification efforts and the country’s increasing tech self-sufficiency. Here, OPTO takes a look at three Chinese tech stocks that have been able to leverage geopolitical tailwinds — and withstand geopolitical headwinds — over the course of 2025.

That’s Not All Folks: WBD’s Merger Drama Continues

In a sharply worded letter on Wednesday, the Warner Bros Discovery [WBD] board urged shareholders to reject a $108bn bid from Paramount [PSKY], calling it “inferior” to its $83bn deal with Netflix [NFLX], signed December 5. The hostile bid is Paramount’s seventh offer since October. US hedge fund Standard General’s founder Soo Kim has also made an offer to buy Warner’s television networks, including the much-contested CNN, the Financial Times reported Thursday.

Coinbase Looks Beyond Crypto

The stablecoin issuer [COIN] has rolled out stock trading on its US app, as part of its wider push to become a financial services platform with a reach well beyond crypto. Users are now able to trade stocks directly using its dollar-backed USDC stablecoin. It is also expected to announce the debut of prediction markets and tokenized assets. The move brings it into direct competition with brokerages such as Robinhood [HOOD] and Interactive Brokers [IBKR]. 

Can GRAIL Keep Outperforming?

GRAIL [GRAL] is a biotechnology company creating early cancer detection solutions. It has rallied in 2025, outperforming its peers with returns above 380% as it announced positive trial results and key partnership deals. This run could extend into 2026 if its groundbreaking Galleri cancer detection blood test secures all-important FDA approval. Here, OPTO explores the overall health of its balance sheet, plus the bull and bear case for this AI-forward healthcare stock.