Meta + Google vs. Nvidia

Meta + Google vs. Nvidia?

According to a report from The Information, Meta [META] is in talks to spend billions on artificial intelligence (AI) chips made by Alphabet’s [GOOGL] Google. Meta may deploy the tensor processing units, or TPUs, in 2027 and even rent from Google’s cloud division next year. A deal would elevate TPUs as a credible alternative to Nvidia’s [NVDA] chips, potentially eroding their pricing power and future sales. NVDA stock slid 3% premarket on the news, Seeking Alpha reported.

Volkswagen to Shift EV Production to China

The German automaker [VWAGY] says it can build some electric vehicles (EVs) in China at half the cost of German production, thanks to cheaper labor, faster development cycles and battery supply-chain efficiencies. The carmaker plans to debut 30 China-made EV models over the next five years and has poured billions into its Hefei innovation hub. VW says local R&D now lets it develop and test new technologies entirely outside Germany, the Financial Times detailed.

Fluence Misses, but Soars on Guidance

The Arlington, Virginia-based energy storage company [FLNC] reported Q4 EPS of $0.13 and revenue of $1.04bn on Monday, missing analyst estimates by $0.07 and $350m, respectively. Positive guidance for FY 2026 — with revenue of $3.2bn–3.6bn compared to consensus of $3.24bn — pleased the bulls, sending FLNC stock up around 6% before market close. Fluence also forecast adjusted EBITDA of $40m–60m and ARR of $180m by year-end 2026. 

AI Bubble: Are These Hyperscaler Stocks Safe?

Hyperscalers like Amazon, Microsoft, Meta and Oracle [ORCL] are massively increasing AI infrastructure spending, with global data center capacity expected to grow sixfold by 2035. Major deals highlight intense competition for AI compute, even as hyperscaler stocks show heightened volatility amid bubble concerns. OPTO unpacks how uncertainty remains over whether elevated capex will translate into meaningful revenue returns for all players.

Lutnick Ties Tariffs to EU Tech Deregulation

During a visit to Brussels on Monday, US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said the EU must loosen regulations on US tech companies if it wants an exemption to the 50% tariffs levied on EU metals. He called for a “balanced approach” to tech controls, highlighting the ongoing cases against Google, Microsoft [MSFT] and Amazon [AMZN]. Arguing that tech regulation had an outsized impact on US companies because of their size, he urged to bloc to “create a framework that we are comfortable with”. 

A European SpaceX Challenger 

The Exploration Company is preparing a funding round that is “significantly larger” than last year’s $160m as it races to become Europe’s answer to SpaceX, according to the Financial Times. CEO Hélène Huby says the startup aims to secure Europe’s full space-transport chain, starting with a reusable cargo capsule for the International Space Station, then crewed missions and a lunar lander with the UAE targeting a pre-2035 Moon landing.

Is This the End of Robinhood’s Year-Long Surge?

In recent days the Sheriff of Nottingham has caught up with Robinhood’s [HOOD] share price. Although it is still in a great place year-to-date, it looks like it might be trending downwards from the highs touched in October and early November. OPTO examines why, after a year of eye-popping growth, a correction was probably in order, as well as how investors will be watching to see if the current selloff continues into 2026.