SoftBank

SoftBank Group shares surged about 12% as Asian technology stocks rallied following a strong session on Wall Street. The rebound, helped by a sharp drop in oil prices and renewed buying in chip-related names, lifted companies across the region including SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics. Markets recouped losses from last week’s tech sell-off that had been driven by political uncertainty over U.S. midterm outcomes and concerns about the large capital spending needed for AI infrastructure. » More on cnbc.com

SoftBank intends to invest $50 billion in Malaysia to develop artificial intelligence, new technologies and data center infrastructure, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said. Masayoshi Son has identified sites in Kuching, Sarawak and on peninsular Malaysia, and SoftBank recently signed a framework agreement with Grab and Petroleum Sarawak to explore AI computing and digital infrastructure. The move aligns with Malaysia's goal to become an "AI nation" by 2030 and follows major cloud and data center commitments from Google, AWS and Microsoft. » More on cnbc.com

US indices are mixed as rising oil prices stoke interest-rate concerns and investors await earnings from major tech companies. Doubts about financing the AI boom are weighing on tech stocks and putting selling pressure on semiconductor and data-center names. Softbank Group's credit risk climbed to its highest level in nearly four years as investors watch for results from Meta and signals on the profitability of AI investments. » More on handelsblatt.com

SoftBank's stock fell sharply as differing figures for OpenAI's annualized revenue run rate and high financing costs unsettled investors. Group CEO Masayoshi Son is reportedly seeking up to $100 billion from Gulf investors for a fund to finance AI acquisitions, but no agreement has been reached. SoftBank has so far invested $64.6 billion in OpenAI and recently refinanced with expensive dollar bonds carrying coupons of up to 9.75 percent, bringing balance-sheet and credit risks more into focus. » More on finanzen.net

Masayoshi Son called superintelligence in the wrong hands “super dangerous” and urged joint government oversight of the most powerful models. SoftBank has so far invested nearly $65 billion in OpenAI, mostly with borrowed money at high interest. Son remains long-term optimistic about AI-driven growth but faces the tension between regulation that could slow development and pressure to monetize the investments already made. » More on deraktionaer.de