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Turbulence in technology stocks could ratchet higher in the coming week as investors react to the quarterly report from Nvidia Corp, the world's largest company by market value that is at the heart of Wall Street's artificial intelligence trade. On Thursday, the benchmark S&P 500 equity index gave up gains from earlier in the week, as uncertainty about the economic outlook and path for US interest rates undercut optimism over the end of the longest-ever US government shutdown. Investors remained skittish about vulnerability to technology shares, which stumbled this month on concerns AI exuberance has driven up valuations to expensive levels. With its AI chips, semiconductor giant Nvidia has been a bellwether for the theme that has lifted shares of an array of tech names as well as other companies involved in the vast infrastructure expansion to support AI use. Nvidia is the "epicentre" of the build-out of AI, so its results after the bell on Wednesday will be important to the tech sector as well as areas such as industrials and utilities, said Matt Orton, chief market strategist at Raymond James Investment Management. "If you don't see the growth that I think the market is expecting around Nvidia or the positive commentary that we are likely to get from Nvidia going forward, I think you're going to see more of a dent to those sorts of trades," Orton said. Nvidia shares have soared about 1,000% since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022. This includes a year-to-date gain of nearly 40% that made Nvidia the first company to surpass $5tn in market value last month. That market heft means the stock's moves can sway equity indexes. Nvidia carries an 8% weight in the S&P 500 and a roughly 10% weight in the widely followed Nasdaq 100. **media[381893]** Analysts on average expect the company to post a 53.8% year-over-year rise in fiscal third quarter earnings per share, on revenue of $54.8bn, according to LSEG. Analysts have also been getting more bullish about the company's future performance, with expectations for the company's fiscal 2027 revenue rising 15% since late May to about $285bn currently, according to LSEG data. "The assumptions that the market is making are positive, it's getting priced into the stock, and how the company guides will be very important," said Melissa Otto, head of research at S&P Global Visible Alpha. Investors will also focus on commentary from Nvidia related to demand or spending trends. Capital expenditures from hyperscalers such as Microsoft and Amazon earlier in the reporting season indicated no signs of slowing in the build-out of data centres and other AI infrastructure. "You're not supposed to have any weakness given all the capital spending commitments from various companies," said Jimmy Chang, chief investment officer of Rockefeller Global Family Office. "Demand should still be looking pretty solid in the current environment." Nvidia's report is one of the biggest remaining market catalysts in 2025. The S&P 500 is logging a roughly 15% year-to-date gain, but Wall Street is wary of concerns stocks are in an "AI bubble." Investors appear to be bringing more scrutiny to AI investment announcements, said James Ragan, co-CIO and director of investment management research at DA Davidson. **media[381894]** "We're moving into a stage where investors are going to demand a little bit more proof of concept in terms of what are the returns, what are the cash flows," Ragan said. Aside from Nvidia's results, quarterly earnings from retailers are due in the coming week including from Walmart and Home Depot. There could also be a batch of economic data releases that were delayed during the shutdown. While the S&P 500 tech sector has struggled so far this month, other sectors are logging solid gains in that time, including healthcare, materials and financials. "There's a realisation that for investors, maybe that AI is not the only game in town," Ragan said.

The British Embassy in Doha hosted its annual King’s Birthday Party Thursday. The celebration brought together senior representatives from Qatar and the UK to mark the enduring friendship between the two nations, while looking ahead to future collaboration across a range of sectors, a statement said.The evening reflected on the strong history of UK–Qatar relations and highlighted opportunities to expand partnerships in trade, defence, culture, education, and innovation.In his remarks, British ambassador Neerav Patel underscored the depth of the UK-Qatar relationship and the importance of people-to-people ties in sustaining it.“These people-to-people connections are the beating heart of our relationship. Through our work, friendships, creativity and commitment, we all help make this relationship thrive. We are proud of the living bridge between our countries.”The ambassador praised the quintessential role of Qatar in international diplomacy and global development under the leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, and highlighted the great depth of cooperation with the UK across every major file.He also highlighted the launch of the British Community Foundation, a new non-profit initiative supporting the British community in Qatar and strengthening cultural exchange with Qatari society.This year’s theme invited guests to enjoy a journey 'From Tube to Tower,' showcasing iconic British motifs — from London red telephone boxes to classic fish and chips — bringing a slice of Britain to Doha, the statement added.

The Working Group of the Qatari-Saudi Committee on Economy, Trade and Industry, part of the Qatari-Saudi Co-ordination Council, held their meeting recently in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.The meeting was co-chaired by Mohammed bin Hassan al-Malki, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of Qatar, and Rakan bin Waddah Tarabzoni, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy and Planning for International Economic Affairs of Saudi Arabia. Senior officials from both countries also participated.During the meeting, the two sides reviewed the strong relations between Qatar and Saudi Arabia and discussed ways to enhance economic, trade, and industrial co-operation to serve shared interests.Discussions focused on mechanisms to facilitate import and export procedures, promote bilateral trade, and strengthen co-operation in key sectors.The parties reviewed progress on joint initiatives, addressed existing challenges, and explored potential solutions.In addition, the committee examined its strategic objectives and pathways to deepen economic integration and bilateral co-ordination, in line with the national visions of both countries.

His Excellency Minister of State for Energy Affairs Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi met on Tuesday in Tokyo with the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan Akazawa Ryosei.During the meeting, they discussed bilateral and cooperation relations between the two countries in the energy field, and ways to enhance them.HE Minister of State for Energy Affairs also met with senior Japanese energy industry leaders, including Chairman of the Board of Maruben, Masumi Kakinoki, and Managing Executive Officer of Tohoku Electric, Kaoru Hijikata.During the meetings, discussions focused on existing and future cooperation and further strengthening bilateral relations in the energy sector.

Qatar took part in the two-day Egypt-GCC Trade and Investment Forum, which concluded Monday in Cairo. The event, themed ‘A Roadmap to Strengthening Egyptian-Gulf Economic Cooperation’, brought together ministers, senior officials and business leaders from the Gulf Co-operation Council) countries and Egypt.Qatar was represented by Mohammed bin Hassan al-Malki, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, accompanied by a delegation from the public and private sectors.The forum aimed to strengthen economic relations between Egypt and the GCC states by providing a platform to review the investment landscape and identify new opportunities for co-operation across various economic, commercial, and investment sectors.Participants also discussed recent developments and legislative frameworks that facilitate strategic partnerships between public and private sector investors, as well as challenges impacting investment flows between the two sides.The Egypt-GCC Trade and Investment Forum serves as a strategic platform for deepening economic partnerships and shaping the future of investment co-operation, in line with the development visions of Egypt and the GCC states.The forum concluded with several outcomes and recommendations, including the launch of partnership initiatives, the signing of memoranda of understanding between private sector entities, and proposals for new joint projects between Egypt and the GCC countries.

Qatar Chamber acting director general Ali Bu Sherbak al-Mansouri held a meeting with Linda Sultan, director general of the Tripoli and North Lebanon Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture, to review trade and economic co-operation relations and ways to enhance them.The meeting, held in the presence of Ali Hamad al-Marri, director of the Department of Committees and Business Councils Affairs at the chamber, also reviewed means to promote joint and mutual investments that contribute to increasing trade exchange between Qatar and Lebanon.Al-Mansouri emphasised the depth of fraternal relations between Qatar and Lebanon, saying Qatari businessmen are keen to expand their investments in Lebanon. He also cited the ongoing co-operation between the business sectors of both countries.He stressed the chamber’s commitment to encouraging Qatari businessmen to explore investment opportunities in Lebanon, noting the strong and long-standing relations between the Qatar Chamber and the chambers of commerce in Lebanon.Similarly, Sultan praised the distinguished relations between both countries, expressing her aspiration to strengthen co-operation between the Tripoli and North Lebanon Chamber and the Qatar Chamber in various fields that serve the business communities in both countries.

Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi met in Kuwait with European Union (EU) Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic.The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 9th GCC-EU Economic Forum. During the meeting, several economic and commercial topics were discussed, along with ways to enhance GCC-European relations in areas and priorities of common interest. Both sides affirmed their aspiration to strengthen relations and build numerous partnerships in various fields between the Cooperation Council and the EU.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong agreed Sunday to establish a strategic partnership between their countries and expand cooperation across various sectors, including defense and trade.The two leaders announced the launch of the strategic partnership during a joint press conference at the presidential office following their summit talks, which took place as part of Prime Minister Wong’s official visit to South Korea.“Our two countries share many similarities. We have both achieved remarkable growth based on human capital and an open, free-trade order despite limited land, scarce resources, and a challenging geopolitical environment,” President Lee said.According to Yonhap News Agency, the two sides agreed to deepen cooperation in the areas of security, defense, artificial intelligence, advanced technology, people-to-people exchanges, and combating transnational crimes such as online scams.Under the new strategic partnership, South Korea and Singapore will also strengthen collaboration to address global challenges, including climate change and cross-border crimes, amid a shifting international order that has long underpinned global growth and prosperity, according to the presidential office.Prime Minister Wong highlighted significant potential for collaboration in the green economy, digital innovation, security, and defense, and expressed his full support for South Korea’s efforts to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula.

President Xi Jinping said China has reached a consensus with the United States on economic and trade issues, state media reported, after meeting Thursday with US leader Donald Trump. Trump and Xi met for the first time since 2019 in Busan, South Korea, engaging in closely-watched talks, as their two countries remain locked in a blistering trade war.The tussle between the world's top two economies, which encompasses everything from rare earths to soybeans and port fees, has rocked markets and gummed up supply chains for months. On Thursday, Xi told Trump that the two countries "should have positive interactions on the regional and international stage", Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported.Xi said that teams from both sides had "exchanged in-depth views on important economic and trade issues and reached a consensus on resolving them", according to the Xinhua readout which offered no details on specific agreements reached."Both teams should refine and finalise follow-up work as soon as possible, maintain and implement the consensus and provide tangible results to set minds at ease about the economies of China, the United States and the world," he added.

US President Donald Trump affirmed the strength of relations between his country and South Korea, noting that Seoul is a valued friend and ally of Washington. Trump made this statement during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit, held in Gyeongju, South Korea.The US president indicated that a trade agreement with South Korea would be finalized very soon, amid reports that negotiations over the details of the agreement had reached an impasse.For his part, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung asked his US counterpart to allow South Korea access to fuel for its nuclear-powered submarines and pledged to increase defense spending to bolster the country's military capabilities.The South Korean president made these remarks at the start of their summit talks in Gyeongju, southeast of Seoul, where Seoul is seeking to amend the bilateral nuclear energy agreement with Washington to gain greater flexibility in reprocessing spent nuclear fuel and uranium enrichment.The visit marks the US President's first trip to South Korea during his second term in office. The two-day state visit began today as the President arrived in the South Korean city of Busan.

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan agreed to launch an Economic Cooperation Framework and affirmed mutual desire to strengthen trade and investment relations to serve their common interests.In a joint statement released today, the Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif agreed during their meeting held in Riyadh yesterday (Monday) to launch an Economic Cooperation Framework between the two countries.As part of the framework, the statement said, several strategic and high-impact projects will be discussed in the economic, trade, investment, and development fields that will contribute to strengthening cooperation between the two governments, enhancing the pivotal role of the private sector, and increasing trade exchange between the two countries.Priority sectors include energy, industry, mining, information technology, tourism, agriculture, and food security.Both sides are currently studying several joint economic projects, including signing a memorandum of understanding for the electricity interconnection project between the Kingdom and Pakistan, in addition to signing a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of energy between the two nations.This framework reaffirms the two countries' shared vision toward building a sustainable partnership across various economic, trade, and investment fields.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang expressed support for the development and integration of East Asia, calling for greater openness and global governance during a Leaders' Meeting on East Asian cooperation in the Malaysian capital.Li urged all parties to adhere to openness and cooperation, and safeguard free trade and multilateralism.In his speech at the fifth Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Leaders' Meeting, Li noted that the current international economic and trade landscape is undergoing complex changes, with rising unilateralism and protectionism, posing significant risks to the region.He also called on all parties to cooperate more closely to jointly address challenges and work collectively to advance development.The Chinese Premier added that China will continue to support the centrality of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and work with all parties to maintain the stability of the regional multilateral trading system.In turn, Malaysian Member of Parliament and member of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly Yuneswaran Ramaraj said, "the RCEP has proven strong results in boosting intra-regional trade and foreign direct investment, even in a climate of global trade fragmentation."He noted the successful completion of negotiations to upgrade the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area, which is set to integrate the digital economy, green transition, supply chain connectivity and production networks.He also urged continued commitment to resolving differences through dialogue and consultation, preserving free trade and the multilateral trading system, opposing all forms of protectionism, and steadily advancing regional economic integration.