PETER’S ASIAN BUSINESS & FINANCE BRIEFING – Friday 22 May 2026, 06:00 Hong Kong
SpaceX filed a record‑size IPO seeking up to $75 billion and a $1.75 trillion valuation, a move that could crown Elon Musk the world’s first trillionaire. Nvidia posted an 85% revenue surge to $81.6 billion and lifted its Q2 outlook, yet its shares slipped as investors question growth sustainability. Iran’s directive to retain enriched uranium spiked oil volatility, while AI‑driven enthusiasm lifted Asian tech indices 64% year‑to‑date, propelling SoftBank’s market value up by $35 billion. The confluence of AI, energy geopolitics, and mega‑cap listings reshapes market dynamics across the Pacific and beyond.
BT Group Results for Year to End of 31st March 2026
BT Group posted FY26 revenue of £19.7 bn (≈$25 bn), down 3%, while profit after tax rose 2% to £1.08 bn (≈$1.37 bn). The company added 2.2 million full‑fibre connections, pushing Openreach’s footprint to over two‑thirds of UK premises and targeting 25 million by December 2026....
Alphabet: Fiscal 1Q26 Financial Results
Alphabet reported Q1 2026 revenue of $109.9 billion, up 22% year‑over‑year and 19% in constant currency, marking its 11th straight quarter of double‑digit growth. Google Services generated $89.6 billion, with Search, subscriptions, and YouTube ads all posting roughly 19% growth. Google Cloud revenue...
Tigress Financial Partners Reaffirms Buy Rating on QUALCOMM (QCOM) Amid AI Expansion
Tigress Financial Partners raised its price target for Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) to $280, up from $270, while maintaining a Buy rating. The firm highlighted Qualcomm’s transition from a wireless pioneer to a central player in intelligent connectivity and AI across devices,...
Citigroup Keeps Neutral Rating on Ford Motor (F) After Target Cut
Citi lowered its price target for Ford Motor Co. to $13 from $13.50 on May 4, while keeping a neutral rating on the stock. The adjustment follows a 14.4% year‑over‑year drop in U.S. sales for April, with electrified‑vehicle volumes plunging 31.1%...
Stifel Reaffirms Bullish View on Starbucks Corporation (SBUX)
Stifel analyst Chris O’Cull raised Starbucks' price target to $117 from $115 and kept a Buy rating. The coffee giant reported its first quarterly revenue and earnings growth in over two years, with Q2 2026 revenue climbing 9% to $9.5 billion...
Tesla Bear Cases Are Getting Defused
Tesla’s recent financial and operational metrics are eroding the bearish narrative surrounding the automaker. The company reported profit margins back above 20% and rising, while vehicle deliveries accelerated in China and Europe, with exports from China also climbing. Full Self‑Driving...
What They're Not Telling You About AMD
AMD closed Friday at a record $455, propelled by a Q1 revenue beat of $10.25 billion, including $5.8 billion from data‑center sales. CEO Lisa Su forecast $11.2 billion next quarter and a 35% compound revenue growth for the next three‑to‑five years, citing AI demand....
Tesla Optimus Is Already Benefiting Investors, Top Wall Street Firm Says
Piper Sandler analyst Alexander Potter says Tesla's current share price of $400‑$420 already includes the Optimus robot at no extra cost. Their valuation assigns about $400 per share to core businesses and leaves Optimus unvalued, implying investors get the humanoid...
Consumer Staples (Top 30 Weights) Earnings Estimates/Revisions
The latest earnings estimate revisions for the Consumer Staples Sector ETF (XLP) focus on its 30 largest holdings. In the past 60 days, 17 stocks saw upward revisions versus 11 downward, yielding a 17:11 up‑down ratio. Cumulative 2026 earnings power...
Maersk Q1 2026: More Cargo, Less Margin!
Maersk reported a drop in Q1 2026 revenue and earnings despite moving record cargo volumes. The carrier’s ocean freight segment saw margins shrink as weakened pricing power outweighed higher utilization and lower unit costs. Strong performance in its logistics and...
Duke Energy (DUK) Exceeds Estimates in Q1 Report
Duke Energy reported first‑quarter 2026 results that beat expectations, posting adjusted earnings of $1.93 per share, $0.13 above forecasts, and revenue of $9.18 billion, up 11% year‑over‑year and $690 million beyond estimates. The outperformance was driven by recovering rate‑based infrastructure investments and...
The AI Trade Roars — But for How Long?
The S&P 500 and Nasdaq have surged 15% and 28% respectively over the past six weeks, driven by an AI‑fuelled rally that has funneled capital into semiconductors and the so‑called Mag 7 stocks. Semiconductor exposure is extreme – the SMH ETF is...
MARKET CALL: Raising Our 2026 S&P 500 Target Range Due To Earnings-Led Meltup
Morgan Stanley has lifted its year‑end 2026 S&P 500 target to a range of 6,750‑8,250, capping the upside at 8,250. The move follows a rapid acceleration in consensus earnings forecasts, with 2026 EPS now projected at $336.49—up 22% year‑over‑year. The firm...
🚗 Uber ($UBER) Deep Dive
Uber’s latest quarter shattered the long‑standing perception that rapid growth can’t coexist with profit. Trips, active riders, and its subscription‑based Uber One program all posted double‑digit gains, while adjusted EBITDA turned positive and scaled faster than revenue. The earnings beat...