Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. has unveiled an artificial intelligence model designed to empower robots and other physical devices with the ability to navigate and perform real-world tasks, engaging with environments and understanding spatial-temporal relationships. The development signals a continued push by technology giants into the burgeoning field of robotics and embodied AI.
The broader AI boom shows no signs of abating, with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, reporting a robust 37% increase in January revenue. This performance underscores sustained demand for advanced semiconductors critical to AI infrastructure.
Across the Atlantic, European corporate earnings provided a positive uplift. Barclays Plc reported better-than-expected financial figures and announced an increased payout to shareholders. In the luxury sector, French conglomerate Kering SA surged 14%—its largest single-day gain since 2010—after its flagship brand Gucci posted sales numbers that surpassed market expectations, alleviating concerns over the high-end retail market.
Meanwhile, gold prices held relatively flat at $5,071 an ounce, even as BNP Paribas SA reiterated its forecast for the precious metal to reach $6,000 before year-end. Global equity markets are trading with a firm bias, awaiting a deluge of key U.S. economic data later this week, including retail sales figures due today, followed by inflation and payroll reports. European stocks are largely flat, while Asian markets continued their strong run, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 up 2% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index gaining 0.6%. U.S. equity futures indicate a flat open
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