Masayoshi Son, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SoftBank Group Corp., speaks at the SoftBank World event in Tokyo, Japan, on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. Speaking via teleconference, Son and OpenAI chief Sam Altman argued that advancing artificial intelligence would create new jobs not yet imagined, and that advancements in robotics would help trigger a “self-improving” loop. Photographer: Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | getty images
Hello, I am Leonie Kidd writing to you from London. Welcome to today’s edition of the Daily Open newsletter.
Chatting to colleagues in the London newsroom this Monday morning, we commented on how two parallel markets are running.
An AI-fueled bull market is sending stocks to record highs from Wall Street to JapanBecause every inch of the AI ​​stack is scrutinized for investment opportunities.
In contrast, there is a world of geopolitically driven risk, which remains volatile as assets like oil fluctuate from session to session, driven by developments far from Silicon Valley.
Every day, these market forces vie for the top spot in investors’ minds – which one do you think it is today?
What you need to know today
investment juggernaut softbank Has become Japan’s most valuable firm. Shares rose during the Asian trading session on Monday, leading to a rise Nikkei 225 Above 67,000 for the first time.
The group, led by CEO Masayoshi Son, has committed €75 billion of AI infrastructure to France, its largest investment in Europe. He described the country as “a leading AI infrastructure hub in Europe”.
CNBC speaks exclusively with Masayoshi Son from Paris this morning. Watch here on CNBC Pro.
Staying within the AI ​​stack, Nvidia is foraying into PCs with a new ARM-based chip for Microsoft, Dell and HP laptops. During a keynote speech at Taiwan’s Computex conference on Monday, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang unveiled a new N1X processor. Microsoft.
“Microsoft and Nvidia are going to reinvent the PC,” Huang said. “This is the first completely redesigned, reimagined series of PCs in 40 years.”
In broader markets, oil prices are rising due to increased hostilities in Iran. US Central Command announced it had launched “self-defense” strikes on Iranian targets throughout the weekend, while Israel ordered troops deeper into Lebanon.
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday he was in “no rush” to reach a deal with Iran as the war entered its fourth month.
Over the weekend, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore and issued a stern warning to his international allies: “Allies who refuse to step up and pull their weight for our collective defense will face stark changes in the way we do business.” Read key quotes from that meeting here.
The stock has started the month of June with a broadly positive trend. In the Asia-Pacific session, South Korea’s Kospi hit a new record high, European indices look set to open higher, while US futures indicate Wall Street will open near record highs.
-Leonie Kidd
And finally…
Berkshire Hathaway makes $6.8 billion housing bet with Taylor Morrison deal
Berkshire Hathaway agreed on Sunday to acquire homebuilder Taylor Morrison Homes in a $6.8 billion deal, deepening the group’s bet on the US housing market after a prolonged recession.
The Omaha, Nebraska-based company will pay $72.50 in cash per share for Taylor Morrison. a statement. The offer represents a 24% premium to the homebuilder’s closing price on May 29 and values ​​the company at about $8.5 billion, including debt.
The acquisition is one of the first major strategic deals under Warren Buffett’s successor Greg Abell, who takes over as CEO in early 2026. The deal, expected to close in the second half of 2026, is relatively modest by Berkshire standards as it sits on cash reserves of close to $400 billion.
– Yun Lee
