FirstFT: Nvidia shares fall regardless of income doubling and Berkshire joins $1tn membership

Good morning. OpenAI is attempting to boost billions of {dollars}, whereas French authorities have issued preliminary prices towards Telegram’s CEO. Extra particulars beneath.

However first, we have now the most recent market updates, beginning with Nvidia. The Silicon Valley-based firm’s income greater than doubled previously quarter to $30bn, persevering with its run of blockbuster progress on the again of demand for its synthetic intelligence chips.

But the sturdy efficiency did not impress traders and analysts with probably the most bold forecasts. Shares fell in after-hours buying and selling yesterday by as a lot as 8 per cent after an earnings name led by chief govt Jensen Huang, doubtlessly wiping greater than $200bn off its market capitalisation.

On the identical day, Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway joined Nvidia within the unique membership of firms to be valued at $1tn or extra, after a small advance in market capitalisation made it the primary publicly traded US firm outdoors the expertise sector to take action.

Buffett, who turns 94 tomorrow, has spent the yr promoting off shares — together with half of Berkshire’s stake in Apple — and pumping the proceeds into money and short-term Treasuries. Shareholders have rewarded him by pushing the sprawling conglomerate’s valuation up by greater than $200bn this yr.

• AI bellwether: Nvidia’s earnings have turn into a gauge for the well being of the AI growth and are actually as essential for US markets as key financial information, in response to analysts.

Maybe no different firm is now as carefully scrutinised on Wall Avenue. If in case you have any questions on Nvidia, reply to this e mail and embody your title and the place you’re writing from. We’ll reply them in a particular weekend version of FirstFT. (P.S. I’d additionally love to listen to your questions on this article. – Tee)

And right here’s what I’m holding tabs on in the present day:

• Financial information: The US and Sweden have second-quarter GDP figures.

• Starmer in Paris: The UK prime minister is predicted to debate Ukraine and the Center East with French President Emmanuel Macron, after promising a “closer relationship” with the EU yesterday.

The annual FT Weekend Competition is right here, that includes audio system together with Wes Streeting, Lesley Sharp and FT consultants. Be part of us on September 7 in London and on-line for a Saturday stuffed with debates, tastings, masterclasses and extra. FirstFT readers get a particular low cost — register right here now.

5 extra high tales

1. OpenAI is in talks to boost billions of {dollars} at a valuation of greater than $100bn because the ChatGPT maker appears to capitalise on its early lead within the booming synthetic intelligence sector. The San Francisco-based firm is speaking to enterprise capital companies together with Thrive Capital, which is ready to take a position $1bn and lead the spherical. Learn the complete story.

2. Republicans worry Donald Trump’s marketing campaign technique towards Kamala Harris is failing after the previous president misplaced momentum to his rival in current weeks. Supporters and strategists are anxious about his failure to mount efficient assaults on the vice-president, with one donor saying: “If he continues down this path, he’ll lose.”

• Trump shuns China: Beijing’s officers are failing to safe conferences together with his marketing campaign, underscoring hawkish sentiment in Washington.

3. Telegram chief govt Pavel Durov has been positioned below formal investigation by a French decide over alleged prison exercise on the messaging app. He should present €5mn as a bail deposit, report back to police twice per week and has been barred from leaving French territory. Right here’s extra on the costs.

• EU probe: Brussels is investigating whether or not Telegram breached the bloc’s digital guidelines by failing to supply correct person numbers.

• Messenger of warfare: From fight orders to air-raid alerts, Telegram has turn into a very important software on either side of the warfare in Ukraine.

4. Fears that the UK will elevate capital good points tax are driving a promoting “frenzy” amongst enterprise house owners, property traders and shareholders, in response to wealth managers and tax consultants. Prime Minister Keir Starmer mentioned this week that the October Price range can be “painful”, including: “Those with the broadest shoulders should bear the heavier burden.”

5. A Swiss court docket has sentenced two former PetroSaudi executives to prolonged jail phrases for his or her roles within the collapse of Malaysia’s sovereign fund 1MDB. Former chief govt Tarek Obaid and his right-hand man Patrick Mahony have been discovered answerable for embezzling greater than $1.8bn, in what the lead prosecutor has referred to as the “scam of the century”.

The Large Learn

A plain cotton T-shirt is a fairly unusual merchandise of clothes. However for one west African nation, it’s meant to be the beginning of an industrial revolution. Benin has lengthy been trapped in a buying and selling sample wherein it sells low-cost uncooked commodities and imports costly completed items. Now, the nation of 13mn folks is attempting to attain what few international locations within the continent have managed: systematically remodel uncooked supplies into completed items.

We’re additionally studying . . . 

• German politics: Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s celebration appears set for a drubbing at Sunday’s elections in east Germany, together with his far-right populist opponents polling properly forward.

• DEI: Making range, fairness and inclusion a enterprise precedence is just not a fad or a “woke” conspiracy, however a easy matter of maths and advertising, writes Anne Marie-Slaughter.

• Most cancers vaccines: BioNTech and Moderna are betting that mRNA, the expertise behind their Covid-19 merchandise, may be utilized to personalised remedies for tumours.

Chart of the day

China’s use of the renminbi in cross-border transactions has reached document highs this yr, as nearer ties with Russia bolster Beijing’s efforts to internationalise its forex and minimize dependence on the US greenback.

Take a break from the information

How do the 1 per cent spend their holidays? There’s a tendency for the super-rich to stay with their tribe and trip solely the place different rich individuals are, writes Rhymer Rigby. However some, like Jeff Bezos, would possibly search an unique high-end expertise — corresponding to visiting outer area.

Further contributions from Melody Abike Adebisi and Benjamin Wilhelm