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French luxury group Kering SA (OTC:PPRUF) (OTC:PPRUY)  on Sunday disclosed a long-term partnership with L’Oréal (OTC:LRLCF) in the luxury beauty and wellness segment.

As per the agreement, the Gucci-owner will sell its Kering Beauté business to L’Oréal for 4 billion euros ($4.66 billion) in cash.

L’Oréal will acquire the iconic high-end luxury fragrance brand, House of Creed, and gain exclusive beauty and fragrance licenses for several Kering brands.

Also Read: Gen Z Is Rewriting Luxury — Can KLXY And FINE ETFs Keep Up?

Under L’Oréal Luxe, Creed will expand its global reach in both men’s and women’s luxury fragrance markets.

The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2026, with L’Oréal paying royalties to Kering for its licensed brands.

50-Year Exclusive Brand Licenses

The partnership grants L’Oréal exclusive 50-year licenses to create, develop, and distribute fragrance and beauty products for Gucci, Bottega Veneta, and Balenciaga.

The Gucci license will begin after the current Coty agreement ends, while the Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga licenses will take effect upon the transaction’s closing.

Joint Venture in Luxury Wellness and Longevity

Beyond beauty, Kering and L’Oréal also plan to form a 50/50 joint venture to explore opportunities in luxury, wellness, and longevity.

The partnership will combine L’Oréal’s innovation expertise with Kering’s luxury market insight to create advanced experiences and services for high-end consumers.

Management Commentary

Luca de Meo, CEO of Kering, said, “Joining forces with the global leader in beauty, we will accelerate the development of fragrance and cosmetics for our major Houses, allowing them to achieve scale in this category and unlock their immense long-term potential, as did Yves Saint Laurent Beauté under L’Oréal’s stewardship.”

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Goldman Sachs urged investors to focus on Chinese companies expanding overseas, citing a weaker yuan, cost advantages, and China’s strength in global supply chains as growth catalysts.

In a report led by analysts Si Fu and Kinger Lau, Goldman identified 25 top picks, including Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (NYSE:BABA), Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL), and BYD Co Ltd (OTC:BYDDY) (OTC:BYDDF), as key beneficiaries of this “going global” trend.

Goldman said these companies — spanning e-commerce, capital goods, and healthcare — have already gained nearly 40% year-to-date, outperforming the Hang Seng Index’s 29% and the CSI 300 Index’s 16% rise, SCMP reported on Monday.

Also Read: Alibaba Stock Surges 95% As Company Doubles Down On AI, Cloud

Overseas Expansion to Boost Earnings Growth

The bank expects its overseas expansion to accelerate earnings growth by about 1.5% annually through 2028 as firms diversify beyond China’s saturated domestic market.

Goldman highlighted Alibaba’s overseas revenue doubling to 13% in 2023 from 7% in 2021 and CATL’s climbing to 30% from 21%, reflecting their rising global competitiveness.

While Goldman acknowledged that potential 100% U.S. tariffs under Trump’s trade agenda could trim short-term profits by around 10%, it said Chinese firms’ international diversification should offset the impact over time.

Alibaba Stock Soars on AI and Cloud Momentum

Alibaba is considered the tech barometer of China. The stock gained 97% year-to-date, topping NYSE Composite index’s over 12% returns as its cloud unit and AI model integration across its business segments and other enterprises fuel upside for the stock.

Goldman Sachs, Daiwa Securities, and China International Capital Corporation (CICC) expressed optimism over Alibaba’s cloud growth, AI breakthroughs, and early e-commerce recovery as key catalysts behind its rally.

Goldman Sachs raised its cloud revenue growth forecasts to 31–38% through fiscal 2028, citing advances in multimodal AI models and a diversified chip supply.

Daiwa Securities projected Alibaba Cloud revenue to climb 30% year-over-year in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 and expects operating losses to peak soon before narrowing on lower marketing and logistics costs.

CICC forecast 3.8% revenue growth for the same quarter and 30% cloud growth, saying new AI products and hardware unveiled at Alibaba’s Apsara Conference will support sustained profit gains.

Price Action: BABA stock was trading lower by 0.62% to $166.02 premarket at last check Monday.

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Photo by Tada Images via Shutterstock

Goldman Sachs urged investors to focus on Chinese companies expanding overseas, citing a weaker yuan, cost advantages, and China’s strength in global supply chains as growth catalysts.

In a report led by analysts Si Fu and Kinger Lau, Goldman identified 25 top picks, including Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (NYSE:BABA), Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL), and BYD Co Ltd (OTC:BYDDY) (OTC:BYDDF), as key beneficiaries of this “going global” trend.

Goldman said these companies — spanning e-commerce, capital goods, and healthcare — have already gained nearly 40% year-to-date, outperforming the Hang Seng Index’s 29% and the CSI 300 Index’s 16% rise, SCMP reported on Monday.

Also Read: Alibaba Stock Surges 95% As Company Doubles Down On AI, Cloud

Overseas Expansion to Boost Earnings Growth

The bank expects its overseas expansion to accelerate earnings growth by about 1.5% annually through 2028 as firms diversify beyond China’s saturated domestic market.

Goldman highlighted Alibaba’s overseas revenue doubling to 13% in 2023 from 7% in 2021 and CATL’s climbing to 30% from 21%, reflecting their rising global competitiveness.

While Goldman acknowledged that potential 100% U.S. tariffs under Trump’s trade agenda could trim short-term profits by around 10%, it said Chinese firms’ international diversification should offset the impact over time.

Alibaba Stock Soars on AI and Cloud Momentum

Alibaba is considered the tech barometer of China. The stock gained 97% year-to-date, topping NYSE Composite index’s over 12% returns as its cloud unit and AI model integration across its business segments and other enterprises fuel upside for the stock.

Goldman Sachs, Daiwa Securities, and China International Capital Corporation (CICC) expressed optimism over Alibaba’s cloud growth, AI breakthroughs, and early e-commerce recovery as key catalysts behind its rally.

Goldman Sachs raised its cloud revenue growth forecasts to 31–38% through fiscal 2028, citing advances in multimodal AI models and a diversified chip supply.

Daiwa Securities projected Alibaba Cloud revenue to climb 30% year-over-year in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 and expects operating losses to peak soon before narrowing on lower marketing and logistics costs.

CICC forecast 3.8% revenue growth for the same quarter and 30% cloud growth, saying new AI products and hardware unveiled at Alibaba’s Apsara Conference will support sustained profit gains.

Price Action: BABA stock was trading lower by 0.62% to $166.02 premarket at last check Monday.

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• Wall Street Divided As Oracle’s $225 Billion Growth Vision Sparks Optimism — And Concern

Photo by Tada Images via Shutterstock

Datavault AI Inc. (NASDAQ:DVLT) saw its shares surge in premarket trading on Monday after announcing a landmark partnership with Max International AG.

Bridging Blockchain and Institutional Finance

The collaboration will establish a Switzerland-based exchange for tokenized real-world assets, marking a major step in the company’s mission to bridge blockchain technology with institutional finance.

The deal highlights growing investor optimism around compliant, AI-driven digital asset platforms. The partnership aims to accelerate institutional adoption of real-world assets (RWAs) by resolving key barriers such as regulatory complexity, scalability, and fiduciary trust.

Also Read: Datavault AI Stock’s Face-Melting 720% Rally—What To Know

It also underpins Datavault AI’s International Elements Exchange, focused on tokenizing commodities like unmined gold and copper, and the International NIL Exchange, which monetizes name, image, and likeness rights.

Switzerland as Operational Hub

Zurich, known for its dominance in global gold refining and financial infrastructure, will serve as the operational center of the exchange.

Switzerland’s progressive digital asset regulations and Datavault AI’s international patent portfolio, spanning data tokenization, digital twins, and automated compliance, will enable transparent, scalable trading within a regulated ecosystem.

Datavault AI’s proprietary DataValue and DataScore systems are designed to enhance liquidity and improve valuation accuracy for illiquid assets.

Max International AG’s Swiss domicile provides regulated oversight and fiduciary governance, ensuring institutional-grade compliance for global participants.

CEO Highlights Growing Market Demand

Nathaniel Bradley, CEO of Datavault AI, added, “We have been approached by large corporations and governments to address growing demand for blockchain-driven solutions to RWA and NIL monetization—making the complex consumable and giving way to a simple tokenized, automated, fail-proof compliant scale.”

With tokenized assets projected to surpass $1 trillion by 2030, the Swiss partnership reinforces Datavault AI’s strategy to build compliant infrastructure for digital asset trading.

The venture follows Datavault AI’s acquisition of NYIAX, a deal that aimed to fuse AI and blockchain to strengthen asset monetization frameworks. Together, these initiatives position Datavault AI as a frontrunner in the regulated tokenization of real-world assets.

Price Action: DVLT shares were trading higher by 15.08% to $2.06 premarket at last check Monday.

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Image by Below the Sky via Shutterstock

Datavault AI Inc. (NASDAQ:DVLT) saw its shares surge in premarket trading on Monday after announcing a landmark partnership with Max International AG.

Bridging Blockchain and Institutional Finance

The collaboration will establish a Switzerland-based exchange for tokenized real-world assets, marking a major step in the company’s mission to bridge blockchain technology with institutional finance.

The deal highlights growing investor optimism around compliant, AI-driven digital asset platforms. The partnership aims to accelerate institutional adoption of real-world assets (RWAs) by resolving key barriers such as regulatory complexity, scalability, and fiduciary trust.

Also Read: Datavault AI Stock’s Face-Melting 720% Rally—What To Know

It also underpins Datavault AI’s International Elements Exchange, focused on tokenizing commodities like unmined gold and copper, and the International NIL Exchange, which monetizes name, image, and likeness rights.

Switzerland as Operational Hub

Zurich, known for its dominance in global gold refining and financial infrastructure, will serve as the operational center of the exchange.

Switzerland’s progressive digital asset regulations and Datavault AI’s international patent portfolio, spanning data tokenization, digital twins, and automated compliance, will enable transparent, scalable trading within a regulated ecosystem.

Datavault AI’s proprietary DataValue and DataScore systems are designed to enhance liquidity and improve valuation accuracy for illiquid assets.

Max International AG’s Swiss domicile provides regulated oversight and fiduciary governance, ensuring institutional-grade compliance for global participants.

CEO Highlights Growing Market Demand

Nathaniel Bradley, CEO of Datavault AI, added, “We have been approached by large corporations and governments to address growing demand for blockchain-driven solutions to RWA and NIL monetization—making the complex consumable and giving way to a simple tokenized, automated, fail-proof compliant scale.”

With tokenized assets projected to surpass $1 trillion by 2030, the Swiss partnership reinforces Datavault AI’s strategy to build compliant infrastructure for digital asset trading.

The venture follows Datavault AI’s acquisition of NYIAX, a deal that aimed to fuse AI and blockchain to strengthen asset monetization frameworks. Together, these initiatives position Datavault AI as a frontrunner in the regulated tokenization of real-world assets.

Price Action: DVLT shares were trading higher by 15.08% to $2.06 premarket at last check Monday.

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Image by Below the Sky via Shutterstock

When Oracle Corp‘s (NYSE:ORCL) Larry Ellison declared that artificial intelligence will only reach its “peak value” once models train on privately owned data, it sounded like a warning shot to the open-internet AI crowd. But for Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:PLTR), it was validation in prime time.

• Catch the action in PLTR stock here.

“If you look at ChatGPT, Anthropic, Llama, Grok — they’re all trained on all of the data on the internet,” Ellison said during Oracle’s recent event. “But for these models to reach their peak value, you need to make privately owned data available to those models as well.”

Palantir’s entire business has been built on that premise — that data locked inside governments and corporations is more valuable than anything scraped off the public web.

Read Also: Palantir’s Monopoly Is Breaking – It’s No Longer Pentagon’s Only Favorite

Private Data Is Palantir’s Power Source

From defense agencies to Fortune 500 clients, Palantir’s Foundry and AIP platforms operate behind the firewall, structuring sensitive operational data for AI-driven decision making. That’s a crucial distinction in an era where generic language models often hallucinate without context or access to verified datasets.

While ChatGPT and its peers chase scale, Palantir is chasing specificity — running proprietary AI models directly on clients’ secure data pools. Its government roots, spanning defense, intelligence and energy sectors, have given it years of experience managing classified data — precisely the private-data moat Ellison argues the AI industry must cross to mature.

Ellison’s Thesis, Palantir’s Timing

Ellison’s call couldn’t come at a better time for Palantir, which has pivoted from pure analytics to becoming the operating system for enterprise AI. Its partnerships with major corporations and U.S. agencies position it to capitalize on the growing recognition that private data, not internet noise, will drive the next leg of AI value creation.

As investors sift through the next wave of AI winners, Ellison’s words echo a core Palantir advantage: it already sits where the most sensitive — and therefore most valuable — data lives.

For AI’s second act, Palantir isn’t rewriting the script. It’s just been waiting for the rest of Silicon Valley to catch up.

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Photo: drserg from Shutterstock

When Oracle Corp‘s (NYSE:ORCL) Larry Ellison declared that artificial intelligence will only reach its “peak value” once models train on privately owned data, it sounded like a warning shot to the open-internet AI crowd. But for Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:PLTR), it was validation in prime time.

• Catch the action in PLTR stock here.

“If you look at ChatGPT, Anthropic, Llama, Grok — they’re all trained on all of the data on the internet,” Ellison said during Oracle’s recent event. “But for these models to reach their peak value, you need to make privately owned data available to those models as well.”

Palantir’s entire business has been built on that premise — that data locked inside governments and corporations is more valuable than anything scraped off the public web.

Read Also: Palantir’s Monopoly Is Breaking – It’s No Longer Pentagon’s Only Favorite

Private Data Is Palantir’s Power Source

From defense agencies to Fortune 500 clients, Palantir’s Foundry and AIP platforms operate behind the firewall, structuring sensitive operational data for AI-driven decision making. That’s a crucial distinction in an era where generic language models often hallucinate without context or access to verified datasets.

While ChatGPT and its peers chase scale, Palantir is chasing specificity — running proprietary AI models directly on clients’ secure data pools. Its government roots, spanning defense, intelligence and energy sectors, have given it years of experience managing classified data — precisely the private-data moat Ellison argues the AI industry must cross to mature.

Ellison’s Thesis, Palantir’s Timing

Ellison’s call couldn’t come at a better time for Palantir, which has pivoted from pure analytics to becoming the operating system for enterprise AI. Its partnerships with major corporations and U.S. agencies position it to capitalize on the growing recognition that private data, not internet noise, will drive the next leg of AI value creation.

As investors sift through the next wave of AI winners, Ellison’s words echo a core Palantir advantage: it already sits where the most sensitive — and therefore most valuable — data lives.

For AI’s second act, Palantir isn’t rewriting the script. It’s just been waiting for the rest of Silicon Valley to catch up.

Read Next:

• Rigetti Could Be Palantir 2.0 — Quantum’s Defense-First Disruptor

Photo: drserg from Shutterstock

International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM) and Groq have announced a partnership to speed up enterprise use of agentic artificial intelligence.

The deal integrates IBM’s watsonx Orchestrate with Groq’s high-performance inference platform, GroqCloud, to deliver faster, more cost-efficient AI capabilities across regulated and commercial industries.

As part of the collaboration, IBM and Groq will combine Groq’s Language Processing Unit (LPU) architecture with watsonx Orchestrate, while enhancing Red Hat’s open-source vLLM technology to support IBM Granite models.

Also Read: India’s Bharti Airtel Partners With IBM To Strengthen Cloud Offering

The integration aims to provide clients with scalable infrastructure for deploying AI agents in real-world applications.

Many companies struggle to transition from AI pilot projects to production due to cost and latency issues. GroqCloud, powered by its custom LPU, delivers more than five times faster inference than traditional GPU systems, maintaining low latency even as workloads scale globally.

The system supports complex workflows in fields such as healthcare, where IBM’s AI agents can process large volumes of data and provide accurate, real-time responses.

IBM clients are also using the Groq-powered system in human resources, retail, and financial services to automate processes and improve productivity. By combining Groq’s inference performance with IBM’s orchestration tools, the companies aim to make AI deployment faster and more reliable for enterprise customers.

“Many large enterprise organizations have a range of options with AI inferencing when they’re experimenting, but when they want to go into production, they must ensure complex workflows can be deployed successfully to ensure high-quality experiences,” said Rob Thomas, IBM’s Senior Vice President of Software and Chief Commercial Officer.

The announcement follows IBM’s move to roll out three new AI agents on Oracle’s platform, reflecting its broader push to enhance automation and interoperability across ecosystems. Access to GroqCloud through watsonx Orchestrate is available immediately, supporting secure and compliant AI deployment for global enterprises.

Price Action: IBM shares were trading higher by 0.86% to $283.70 premarket at last check Monday.

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Photo by JuliusKielaitis via Shutterstock

International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM) and Groq have announced a partnership to speed up enterprise use of agentic artificial intelligence.

The deal integrates IBM’s watsonx Orchestrate with Groq’s high-performance inference platform, GroqCloud, to deliver faster, more cost-efficient AI capabilities across regulated and commercial industries.

As part of the collaboration, IBM and Groq will combine Groq’s Language Processing Unit (LPU) architecture with watsonx Orchestrate, while enhancing Red Hat’s open-source vLLM technology to support IBM Granite models.

Also Read: India’s Bharti Airtel Partners With IBM To Strengthen Cloud Offering

The integration aims to provide clients with scalable infrastructure for deploying AI agents in real-world applications.

Many companies struggle to transition from AI pilot projects to production due to cost and latency issues. GroqCloud, powered by its custom LPU, delivers more than five times faster inference than traditional GPU systems, maintaining low latency even as workloads scale globally.

The system supports complex workflows in fields such as healthcare, where IBM’s AI agents can process large volumes of data and provide accurate, real-time responses.

IBM clients are also using the Groq-powered system in human resources, retail, and financial services to automate processes and improve productivity. By combining Groq’s inference performance with IBM’s orchestration tools, the companies aim to make AI deployment faster and more reliable for enterprise customers.

“Many large enterprise organizations have a range of options with AI inferencing when they’re experimenting, but when they want to go into production, they must ensure complex workflows can be deployed successfully to ensure high-quality experiences,” said Rob Thomas, IBM’s Senior Vice President of Software and Chief Commercial Officer.

The announcement follows IBM’s move to roll out three new AI agents on Oracle’s platform, reflecting its broader push to enhance automation and interoperability across ecosystems. Access to GroqCloud through watsonx Orchestrate is available immediately, supporting secure and compliant AI deployment for global enterprises.

Price Action: IBM shares were trading higher by 0.86% to $283.70 premarket at last check Monday.

Read Next:

• Nvidia And Taiwan Semiconductor Make First US-Built AI Chip In Historic Milestone

Photo by JuliusKielaitis via Shutterstock

On Sunday, Citigroup, Inc. (NYSE:C), along with American Airlines Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:AAL) and Mastercard (NYSE:MA), unveiled a new mid-tier travel rewards credit card, Citi/AAdvantage Globe Mastercard.

The new card expands the Citi/AAdvantage lineup, completing the range of co-branded travel credit cards offered under the partnership.

The card is designed for travelers who fall between casual vacationers and frequent flyers categories.

The card provides access to premium travel benefits, including four 24-hour Admirals Club Globe passes, expanded opportunities to earn AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points, and an exclusive Flight Streak bonus.

Also Read: JPMorgan Analyst Favors Visa Over Mastercard: Here’s Why

Cardmembers can unlock more than $750 worth of travel and lifestyle rewards each year for an annual fee of $350.

Management Commentary

Scott Long, American’s Senior Vice President of AAdvantage said, “It’s built for the travelers who want more from every mile—with elevated benefits, faster path to status and powerful earning potential.”

Pam Habner, Citi’s Head of U.S. Branded Cards and Lending added, “The launch of the Citi / AAdvantage Globe Mastercard is our first new co-branded credit card following the expansion of our partnership, marking a new chapter of innovation in our 38-year legacy,”

Recent Earnings

Last week, Citigroup had posted a third-quarter revenue of $22.09 billion, up 9% year over year and comfortably ahead of expectations, as strong performances across Markets, U.S. Personal Banking, and Investment Banking lifted results.

Investors can gain exposure to the Citigroup stock via First Trust Nasdaq Bank ETF (NASDAQ:FTXO) and T. Rowe Price Financials ETF (NASDAQ:TFNS)

Price Action: C shares are up 0.58% at $97.44 premarket at the last check on Monday.

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