$GOOGL

Google's 1-gigawatt data center in Van Buren Township, Michigan, received final approval. Construction is expected to start soon, with power draw beginning by late 2027. Google secured a 20-year power contract with DTE Energy, committing to significant renewable energy investments. The project faces local opposition due to construction impacts and quality-of-life concerns. Google will benefit from tax breaks and has agreed to infrastructure investments and job guarantees.

Bank of America's survey of 117 advertisers and agencies found 44% are spending above Q3 plans, with Google Search leading current ad budget gains. However, 26% of respondents expect ChatGPT to see the most rise in ad spending over the next 12 months, surpassing Google Search (19%) and YouTube (11%). Alphabet's Q2 revenue showed Google Search up 17% to $63.27B.

YouTube, owned by Alphabet Inc, is reportedly in talks with publishers to develop an audiobook feature, potentially launching next year. The feature could be included in YouTube Premium, competing with Spotify and Amazon's Audible. Details on pricing and presentation remain unclear.

The Nasdaq Composite fell 1.88% to 26,692.87 on October 14, 2026, driven by higher-than-expected inflation data and a warning from ASML about semiconductor demand. Key tech stocks like AMD, Micron, and Nvidia declined, while Apple rose 0.3%. The index is now 3.7% below its 52-week high.

Google Play is introducing new features for games, including Game Finder for personalized recommendations, Sprints for competitive play, and Sidekick Playbacks for sharing clips. The You tab has 250m monthly users, and the gaming platform connects 700m gamer profiles. Sidekick has 285m users. Google also added Game Playlists, PC titles, and Game Trials on PC. PUBG Mobile saw increased installs and spending after adopting Level Up guidelines. Play in Gemini has generated 6m app installs.

CNBC's Sara Eisen emphasized the importance of U.S. leadership in AI, citing competition with China. Key companies like Amazon (AMZN), Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL), and NVIDIA (NVDA) are investing heavily in AI infrastructure, facing political and regulatory hurdles. Amazon and Alphabet reported negative free cash flow due to high capital expenditures. Equinix (EQIX) manages permitting risks to keep projects on schedule.

Google's Fitbit Edge, priced at $179, features a larger display, GPS, and notification support. It launches on October 27, filling the gap between the Fitbit Air and Pixel Watch 5. The device offers fitness tracking, Google Health integration, and a tactile power button, but lacks Google Wallet support. Pre-orders are now open.

India's data center growth is accelerating with investments from CtrlS, Submer, BSNL, and Google, but faces criticism in Andhra Pradesh over resource strain and environmental concerns. CtrlS plans a $1.05B AI factory in Bihar, while Google's $15B data center in Visakhapatnam is questioned by locals. The Indian government aims to increase data center capacity with tax incentives.

EQX Labs plans to add 11 tokenized US stocks and ETFs to Hyperliquid's platform, including major tech companies and ETFs tracking the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100. The tokens will be backed by shares held through DTCC-connected custodians and traded against USDC, with trading available 24/7 for non-US participants. EQX aims to expand equity exposure and price discovery on Hyperliquid's decentralized platform.

Berkshire Hathaway has built a $37.4 billion stake in Alphabet, making it the conglomerate's third-largest position. Warren Buffett initiated the investment, acquiring 17.8 million A shares in Q3 2025 and additional shares in 2026. The stake represents over 10% of Berkshire's $358 billion stock portfolio. Buffett cited Alphabet's high returns on capital as a key factor.