Account
New to ADSS? Open an
account now to get started.
Already have an account?
Add funds to your ADSS account
Account
New to ADSS? Open an
account now to get started.
Add funds to your ADSS account
What’s happening: Shares of Google-parent Alphabet rose in after-hours trading on Thursday following the release of the company’s first-quarter results.
What happened: The tech giant reported stronger-than-expected sales and earnings for the latest quarter.
Alphabet announced a dividend hike as well as a buyback plan, lending further support to its stock.
How were the results: The Mountain View, California-based company reported low double-digit sales growth for the first quarter.
Why it matters: Alphabet achieved strong growth in its key advertising and cloud businesses, helping the company report better-than-expected quarterly results.
However, these results were generated before US President Donald Trump triggered the global trade war. Alphabet is yet to comment on the impact of global trade tensions on its performance ahead. Instead, the company’s chief business officer Philipp Schindler said, “We’re obviously not immune to the macro environment, but we wouldn’t want to speculate about potential impacts.”
After several weeks of market turmoil, the company’s upbeat earnings, dividend hike and share repurchase plan supported investor sentiment.
Revenue from YouTube ads jumped 10% year-over-year to $8.9 billion, while revenue from Google’s Cloud business surged 28% to $12.3 billion during the quarter.
The company closed the quarter with more than 270 million paid subscriptions and announced a 5% hike to its dividend.
CEO Sundar Pichai said the company is making progress with its AI efforts, adding that its AI Overviews offering now has 1.5 billion users per month.
Alphabet’s board also announced a share repurchase plan worth $70 billion.
How shares responded: Alphabet’s shares gained 4.8% to $166.95 in extended trading hours on Thursday, following the release of quarterly results. The stock has lost around 16% year-to-date.
What to watch: Investors will continue monitoring the company’s AI investments. Alphabet re-affirmed its plan to spend $75 billion on its cloud and AI infrastructure this year, indicating its bullishness about new-age technologies.
Context: The CAD/USD forex pair moved lower this morning amid some strength in the US dollar index.
Details: Global investors grew optimistic about a de-escalation in the US-China trade tensions after Donald Trump signalled that he was willing to significantly lower tariffs from 145% announced recently. However, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that formal negotiations between the two countries had not started yet and that China plans to hold off talks until the US rolls back its tariffs.
Data released on Thursday showed Canada’s average weekly earnings of non-agricultural workers climbed 5.4% year-over-year to C$1,298.22 in February, following a 5.6% gain in the previous month.
Strength in the US dollar exerted pressure on the CAD/USD forex pair this morning. The US dollar index, which measures the greenback’s performance versus a basket of major peers, gained around 0.2% to 99.59.
Higher prices of crude oil, one of Canada’s major exports, lent some support to the Loonie. WTI crude oil prices rose around 0.2% to $62.93 a barrel this morning.
The CAD/USD forex pair fell around 0.1% to 1.3873 this morning.
What to watch: Investors await the release of economic data on Canada’s retail sales (1630 UAE Time), manufacturing sales (1630 UAE Time) and budget balance (1900 UAE Time) today. Analysts expect retail sales in Canada to decline by 0.4% month-over-month in February, slowing from the 0.6% decline recorded in January.
Manufacturing sales in Canada, which grew 0.2% to C$72 billion in February, are expected to rise by 0.7% in March. Canada’s government recorded a deficit of C$5.13 billion in January and is expected to report a higher budget deficit of $6 billion in February.
Other Markets: US trading indices closed higher on Thursday, with the Dow Jones index, S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 up by 1.23%, 2.03% and 2.79%, respectively.
US President Donald Trump criticised Russian President Vladimir Putin for a missile attack on Ukraine’s Kyiv. The news sent the RUB/USD pair lower in forex trading this morning.
Singapore’s private home prices rose by 0.8% in the first quarter, easing from a 2.3% surge in the previous period, which exerted some pressure on the SGD/USD forex pair.
UK’s GfK consumer confidence index declined 4 points to a reading of -23 in April. Consumer confidence declining to its weakest level since November 2023 sent the GBP/USD pair lower in forex trading this morning.
Japan’s core consumer price index for the Ku-area of Tokyo increased 3.4% year-over-year in April, following a 2.4% rise in the previous month, exerting pressure on the JPY/USD forex pair.
Chile’s producer prices rose 5.9% year-over-year in March, compared to an 8.6% increase in February. Producer inflation easing to a 15-month low sent the CLP/USD pair higher in forex trading this morning.
Russia’s interest rate decision (1430 UAE Time), Turkey’s MPC meeting summary (1500 UAE Time), India’s bank loan growth (1530 UAE Time), deposit growth (1530 UAE Time) and foreign exchange reserves (1530 UAE Time), Brazil’s IPCA mid-month CPI (1600 UAE Time), Mexico’s economic activity (1600 UAE Time), as well as US Michigan consumer sentiment (1800 UAE Time), Michigan inflation expectations (1800 UAE Time), Michigan consumer expectations (1800 UAE Time), Michigan current conditions (1800 UAE Time), Baker Hughes oil rig count (2100 UAE Time) and Baker Hughes total rigs count (2100 UAE Time).
ADSS
8th floor, CI Tower
Corniche Road
PO Box 93894
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates
Trading Services
ts@adss.com
+971 2 657 2414
Investing in CFDs involves a high degree of risk that you will lose your money due to the use of leverage, particularly in fast moving markets, where a relatively small movement in the price can lead to a proportionately larger movement in the value of your investment. This can result in loses that exceed the funds in your account. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and you should seek independent advice if necessary.
ADS Securities LLC – S.P.C (“ADSS”) is authorised and regulated by the Securities and Commodities Authority (“SCA”) in the United Arab Emirates under First Category: Dealing in Securities and Fifth category: Arrangement and advice (Introduction). ADSS is a Limited Liability Company – Sole Proprietorship Company incorporated under United Arab Emirates law. The company is registered with the Department of Economic Development of Abu Dhabi (No. 1190047) and has its principal place of business at 8th Floor, CI Tower, Corniche Road, P.O. Box 93894, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The information presented is not directed at residents of any particular country outside the United Arab Emirates and is not intended for distribution to, or use by, any person in any country where the distribution or use is contrary to local law or regulation.
ADSS is an execution only service provider and does not provide advice. ADSS may publish general market commentary from time to time. Where it does, the material published does not constitute advice, or a solicitation, or a recommendation to a transaction in any financial instrument. ADSS accepts no responsibility for any use of the content presented and any consequences of that use. No representation or warranty is given as to the completeness of this information. Anyone acting on the information provided does so at their own risk.
