International Business: Microsoft plans to invest $10 billion in Gulf states

Michael Burry disclosed long-term bullish bets on Microsoft (MSFT) with 2028 LEAP calls, added to JD.com (JD) and Adobe (ADBE), and covered half his Palantir (PLTR) short. He cited technical pressure driving markets, affecting Asian equities. Burry also mentioned potential investments in Meituan and Tencent. All mentioned stocks are down year-to-date, with MSFT down 27% and PLTR down 42%.

Microsoft plans over $10 billion in investments across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait by 2030, focusing on cloud, AI, and digital resilience. The company aims to expand infrastructure and operations in the region, despite challenges like the Iran war and chip access. Microsoft is also investing $400 million in Middle East connectivity and partnering with local AI firms like G42, Humain, and Qai.

Microsoft unveiled new Surface Pro and Surface laptops with Qualcomm's Snapdragon Elite X2 chips, offering improved performance, battery life, and camera quality. The devices feature increased RAM options and superior webcams, according to Microsoft's Brett Ostrum. The chips' smartphone heritage enhances battery life and image processing, with Microsoft claiming top camera rankings from DxOMark.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced in an internal memo that President Brad Smith will oversee the company's communications department, replacing Chief Marketing Officer Takeshi Numoto. Current Chief Communications Officer Frank Shaw will leave at year-end, with Brent Colburn serving as interim leader. Nadella praised Smith's ability to communicate complex ideas and his deep understanding of the business. This change is crucial as Microsoft navigates global expansion and regulatory challenges.

NVIDIA reported record Q2 2027 revenue of $96.2B, up 106% YoY, driven by AI infrastructure demand. Key customers AWS, Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI are deploying millions of NVIDIA GPUs, with AWS planning 2M additional GPUs by 2028. NVIDIA expects Q3 2027 revenue of ~$108B, highlighting ongoing AI boom.

Microsoft and PepsiCo joined a coalition to order 2,500 electric trucks from Tesla, the largest U.S. order of its kind. The trucks will be leased through ZET Financial's program, aiming to double the U.S. electric Class 8 fleet. Tesla was the primary OEM selected, with Kenworth, RIDE, and Volvo as secondary options.