Microsoft rises 15% and gains $490 billion in one day; Meta falls 8%

WHAT HAPPENED

Microsoft reported a quarterly profit of $90.01 billion and Azure grew 43%; its stock rose 15% and added about $490 billion to its value. Meta sold $60.8 billion, but its stock fell 8% after reporting earnings per share lower than expected.

WHY IT MATTERS

The market no longer rewards just promises of artificial intelligence: it wants to see income. Microsoft showed that its spending on data centers is driving Azure. Meta raised its AI budget to $145 billion, but did not clarify how much it will spend afterward and its earnings fell short.

AND FOR YOUR PORTFOLIO

Indexed and pension funds usually have a lot of money in Microsoft and Meta. Therefore, even if you don’t own their shares directly, their movements can push the value of your savings. The long-term lesson is that spending on AI matters less than the ability to convert it into sales and profits.