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Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Tech stocks Microsoft, Google & AMD take a hit

When shares trade at a record highs stocks are priced for perfection and when perfection doesn’t come it is an opportunity to sell.

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Both reported revenue and earnings that beat estimates, but MSFT sold off more than 2% and GOOG shares closed down almost 7%. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) was another although there was also a poor outlook that accompanied it’s earnings.

(AI Video Summary)

Alphabet

The tech industry had an eventful night with Microsoft and Alphabet, two big companies, making waves with their stocks. Microsoft's shares took a hit during the trading session, but they made a comeback in extended trading, rising overall. Microsoft's earnings and sales were up and down, but they exceeded expectations in terms of earnings per share, reaching a impressive $2.93. One of the reasons for this success was Microsoft's Azure cloud service, which attracted a whopping 53,000 new customers in the past year with the help of AI features. The Intelligent Cloud Unit, where Azure resides, also experienced a solid 20% growth in revenue, reaching a total of $25.9 billion.

Microsoft

Despite Microsoft's recent record-breaking success, investors were still demanding more. They were disappointed by news about the development of AI features, which had an impact on the share prices. However, Microsoft's stock managed to keep its market cap above three trillion, which is an astonishing achievement. On the other hand, Alphabet, the parent company of Google, also disappointed investors with a 7% drop in their shares during extended trading. While the company's earnings per share were slightly higher than expected, and total sales were better than anticipated, they faced tough competition from Microsoft in the AI development field. This led to a significant decrease in Alphabet's stock, the biggest drop seen in several months.

AMD

Another company that faced disappointment was Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). Their shares took a massive nearly 10% hit in extended trading. AMD's earnings per share were slightly higher than forecasted, and their revenue reached a solid $6.2 billion. Their AI processors showed great promise, resulting in an optimistic 2024 forecast. However, these results were not enough to satisfy demanding investors. The stock took a heavy blow during the session, dropping by 10.36% for the current quarter. AMD's projected revenue for the future was also lower than what analysts had predicted, further contributing to the disappointment. Similar to Microsoft and Alphabet, AMD's stock had recently reached record highs but failed to live up to the high expectations set by investors. Overall, it was a night of ups and downs for these tech giants, demonstrating that even companies with impressive track records can face challenges and disappointments in the ever-changing world of trading.

This information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Markets Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.

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