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In a recent podcast, experts at Motley Fool discuss how IBM and Comcast could be looking at good times ahead. Microsoft recently crossed the $3 trillion mark, surpassing Apple as the largest publicly traded company. Alibaba’s co-founders bought $200 million of shares, sparking discussion about the state of investing in China. Tesla’s tough but predictable quarter and Netflix’s big subscriber growth also made headlines. IBM’s emergence as a sneaky AI play was discussed, with Spotify and MercadoLibre noted as stocks worth watching. The importance of investing in necessity-based goods and consumer wants in retail was highlighted in an interview with Jeff Edison, co-founder and CEO of Phillips Edison & Company. For full episodes of The Motley Fool’s free podcasts and quick-start guides to investing in stocks, head to their podcast center.

Microsoft recently became the largest publicly traded company, surpassing Apple with a valuation of over $3 trillion. Despite historic underestimations, Microsoft’s exponential growth validates its success and market dominance. Significant news of layoffs was announced, with 1,900 employees at the newly acquired Activision Blizzard being affected. These layoffs are a rationalization of costs following a significant acquisition and reflect the company’s efforts to streamline operations and focus on areas of growth. Efforts to integrate the two companies and improve overall operational efficiency may be contributing factors. As large tech companies rationalize costs and streamline operations, the gaming industry faces a significant slowdown overall, echoing broader layoff trends in the tech sphere. The trend reflects the reassessment of companies’ human capital investments amidst shifting operational needs and the emergence of AI and other technologies that reduce the need for large workforces. The cancellation of a game that was in development for six years also fueled discussions about the impact on employees and future investments.



Read more: Microsoft, Tesla, Netflix, and More: Big Names in the Market Worth Talking About