External headlines on July 23: Tesla’s Q 2 profits cut in half; Apple plans to comprehensively upgrade its Mac product line; Google’s Q 2 revenue reached US$119.8 billion; Amazon laid off AGI positions
Global financial media last night and this morning The headlines of common concern include: Apple reportedly plans to comprehensively upgrade its Mac product line, betting that AI will drive demand for high-performance computers Samsung launches new foldable screen phone, raises price ahead of Apple's expected debut Alphabet’s second-quarter revenue reached $119.8 billion, a year-on-year increase of 24% Tesla’s Q2 revenue increased by 26% year-on-year, profits were cut in half, and capital expenditures increased significantly Amazon cuts jobs in general artificial intelligence department Bank of America client data: Retail investors bought the most U.S. stocks last week in more than a year The company is preparing a comprehensive upgrade of its Mac product line, hoping to capitalize on demand for high-performance laptops and desktops driven by the artificial intelligence boom. According to people familiar with the matter, Apple plans to launch new versions of all its Mac products from this fall to next year, including highly anticipated updates to desktop computers, multiple laptops, and new MacBook Pros. People familiar with the matter said that Apple will be the first to launch the updated entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro, which will be one of the first Mac products equipped with the new M6 chip. Apple will also release the first new version of iMac in two years. Samsung unveiled its latest foldable smartphone on Wednesday, aiming to maintain its lead in the category it pioneered ahead of Apple's possible entry into the market. The South Korean tech giant launched its Galaxy Z8 series at an event in London. The three devices and their prices are as follows: Samsung's foldable screen products usually consist of two devices - the Fold series, which unfolds like a book, and the Flip series, which opens like a traditional flip phone. On July 22, 2026, Alphabet announced its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2026. Alphabet's consolidated revenue increased 24% year-on-year, or 23% at constant exchange rates, to $119.8 billion. The company's business segments performed strongly, achieving double-digit revenue growth for 12 consecutive quarters. Total revenue in the second quarter was US$28.236 billion, a year-on-year increase of 26%, driven by growth in vehicle deliveries, growth in services and other businesses, and positive foreign exchange effects. Quarterly operating profit was only US$398 million, a year-on-year decrease of 57%, and operating profit margin was 1.4%, which was dragged down by an increase in operating expenses (AI and R&D, equity incentives, SG&A), a decrease in regulatory points revenue, a decrease in average selling price, and an increase in energy warranty expenses. Cash and short-term investments at the end of the quarter were US$43.524 billion, a decrease of approximately US$1.2 billion from the previous quarter, as free cash flow was US$1.092 billion (capital expenditures reached US$5.789 billion, an increase of US$3.3 billion from the previous quarter). Implementing layoffs in its general artificial intelligence (AGI)-related departments. The company did not disclose the specific number of layoffs. The latest round of staff reductions took place in After recently initiating layoffs, Intel said at the time that the layoffs were part of its "overall strategic adjustment." Amazon said in a statement that the company will further focus on its core direction, which means "some difficult decisions need to be made to eliminate some positions in the general artificial intelligence department"; at the same time, the company continues to deploy business areas that are critical to the long-term development of users. According to Bank of America client data, last week, retail investors’ single-week buying intensity hit the highest level since May 2025, pushing up the overall buying scale of U.S. stocks. Strategist Jill Carey Hall wrote in a report that the bank's clients were net buyers for the third consecutive week, but the scale of capital inflows was "moderate," with inflows into ETFs only slightly offsetting outflows from individual stocks. Small-cap stocks received significant inflows last week, while 7 of the 11 S&P 500 sectors were sold by clients, led by the technology and communications services sectors. On the other hand, the consumer discretionary sector recorded the largest inflows; clients also bought financial stocks as large banks performed better than expected. Corporate stock buybacks have also picked up, but are still below average levels in the first week of the earnings season when normalized by market capitalization.