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The crypto market continued doing well on Thursday, with Bitcoin surging to the crucial resistance point at $99,000. This surge has pushed the market cap of all coins to over $3.07 trillion. Some of the top-performing cryptocurrencies were EOS, IOTA, Quant (QNT), and Bitcoin Cash (BCH). 

EOS price rises as DEX volume rise ahead of rebrand

EOS price chart

EOS token price continued its strong rally, reaching its highest level since April 5. It has jumped by over 90% from its lowest point last month. 

The rally is because it is in the process of transitioning from EOS to Vaulta, a blockchain network that will focus on Web3 banking. In a statement on Wednesday, the developers noted that this transition will be completed on May 14th, when the ticker symbol will move from EOS to A.

There are signs that this transition is already having an impact, as data shows that the chain, as DeFi Llama data shows, the 24-hour volume jumped to $12 million. It has handled over $75 million in transactions, a 22% weekly increase. 

The daily chart shows that the EOS price has rebounded in the past month, surging from a low of $0.4340 in April to $0.830 today. It has moved to the 61.8% Fibonacci Retracement level, and remained above the 50-day and 100-day moving averages.

Therefore, the price will likely continue rising as bulls target the next psychological point at $1, which is 20% above the current level. 

IOTA price rises after first liquid staking dApp launch

IOTA price chart | Source: TradingView

The IOTA token has rallied in the past few weeks, moving from a low of $0.1305 in April to the current $0.21. This rebound happened after it formed a falling wedge pattern, one of the most bullish reversal signs. 

IOTA has also moved above the 50-day and 100-day moving averages, pointing to more gains in the coming weeks.

The token has bounced back after the developers launched the Rebased upgrade earlier this week. This upgrade introduced full decentralization, smart contracts, staking, and faster transaction speeds. 

Another key IOTA news is that Swirl Labs launched the first liquid staking network on IOTA on Wednesday. This service hopes to be the IOTA equivalent of Lido and Jito.

Quant price surged after ECB partnership

QNT price chart | Source: TradingView

Meanwhile, Quant price soared to $94 on Thursday as investors cheered its inclusion into a group of companies working on the digital euro. This is a major announcement since it means that its network may help in the CBDC launch in the future. Quant already partners with companies like Oracle and Hitachi.

The daily chart shows that the QNT price has been in a strong rally in the past few days, moving from $58 in April to $94 today. It has moved above the key moving averages and the Average Directional Index (ADX) has moved to 35, a sign that it has the momentum. Therefore, it will likely keep soaring to $100.

Bitcoin Cash price nears $500

BCH price chart | Source: TradingView

Meanwhile, the Bitcoin Cash price has soared from $250 to $485, and is sitting at its highest point since January 17. It formed an inverse head and shoulders pattern, a popular bullish continuation sign. Also, the Average Directional Index (ADX) has jumped to 40, a sign that bulls are in control.

The rally is likely because of the rising hopes that a company will file for a spot Bitcoin Cash ETF approval. Such a fund would have an easier path of approval since it is a proof-of-work coin like Bitcoin. As such, the agency will never view it as a financial security, making it easier to approve.

The post Why are altcoins like IOTA, EOS, Quant, and Bitcoin Cash rising? appeared first on Invezz

Top cryptocurrencies soared on Thursday even after the Federal Reserve delivered a highly hawkish decision. Bitcoin price crossed the key resistance at $90,000, as analysts watch whether it will cross $100,000, a move that will catalyze a surge to $109,000. 

This article provides a forecast for Popcat (POPCAT), Mog Coin (MOG), Kaito (KAITO), and Grass (GRASS).

Kaito price predictions

Kaito chart by TradingView

Kaito is a top player in the crypto industry, where it provides a research portal that helps users track most tickers and their narratives. It competes with other popular players in the crypto industry, like Santiment and Nansen. 

Kaito launched its airdrop earlier this year, and the token initially jumped to $2.90. Like most newly launched tokens, it then plunged to $0.66 as investors sold and sentiment worsened.

The eight-hour chart shows that the Kaito price has bounced back and moved above the important resistance level at $1.0600, the highest swing on April 26. It invalidated the double-top pattern by moving above that level. 

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) and the MACD indicators have pointed upwards, a sign that it is gaining momentum. Also, the Average Directional Index (ADX) has soared to 33, and is pointing upwards. An ADX figure of 25 and above is a sign that the trend is strengthening. 

Therefore, the coin will likely keep going up as bulls attempt to retest the all-time high, which is about 97% above the current level. This surge will not be a straight line, and I expect the coin to do a break-and-retest pattern by moving back to $1.06, and then resuming the uptrend.

Read more: Why are altcoins like IOTA, EOS, Quant, and Bitcoin Cash rising?

Popcat price prediction

Popcat chart by TradingView

The Popcat token bottomed at $0.1180 in April as most Solana meme coins plunged. It has bounced back and moved above the 300% above the current level. 

The coin has flipped key resistance levels, including the key points at $0.2980, the highest swing on April 12 and March 3. It has recently moved above the key resistance point at $0.4460, the highest level in April this year. This price was the neckline of the inverse head and shoulders pattern.

Popcat price has moved above the 50-period and 25-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMA). Also, the coin has jumped above the top of the trading range of the Murrey Math Lines tool.

Therefore, the Popcat price will likely continue rising as bulls target the next key resistance point at $1, up by 117% from the current level. A move below the support at $0.3417 will invalidate the bullish Popcat forecast.

Mog Coin price technical analysis 

MOG price chart | Source: TradingView

The Mog Coin token price bottomed at $0.0000002582 in April and then surged to almost $0.000010. It has jumped above the crucial resistance level at $0.00000070, the lowest level in September last year. 

Mog Coin price has moved above the 50-day moving average. The Relative Strength Index has moved above the overbought point. Also, the Average Directional Index has moved to 27, a sign that the momentum is continuing. Mog Coin token will likely keep surging as buyers target the resistance point at $0.0000015.

Grass price forecast

GRASS chart by TradingView

The Grass token price has remained in a tight range and underperformed other top coins like Popcat, Mog Coin, and Kaito. It was trading at $1.55, a few points above the lowest level this month. 

The token has formed a giant symmetrical triangle pattern, with the two lines nearing their confluence levels. Also, the Awesome Oscillator has remained below the zero line. 

Therefore, the token will likely go through a short-squeeze and possibly reach a high of $2.50, up by 60% from the current level. 

The post Top crypto price forecast: Popcat, Mog Coin, Kaito, Grass appeared first on Invezz

The Shopify stock price has wavered this month as investors watch the upcoming earnings and the new developments on trade, especially between the US, China, and Canada. SHOP was trading at $94.50 on Wednesday, down by over 27% from its highest level this year.

The US trade war will impact Shopify’s business

Shopify is a technology company that offers a software platform that enables users to create and run their e-commerce platform solutions easily. The alternative of nit using its product is to build an e-commerce website from scratch, which is expensive and time-consuming.

Shopify hosts businesses of all sizes, including many that are in the Fortune 100. However, most of the companies in the platform are small and medium enterprises, especially in the United States of America (USA). It also hosts many dropshippers who buy products in China and sell them in the country.

The recently announced tariffs on Chinese goods will have a negative impact on these businesses, which will see their operational costs surge and sales slow. That’s because the US has implemented a 145% tariff on most goods coming from China.

Analysts believe that many small businesses that rely on Chinese suppliers will not survive these tariffs, which some US officials have termed as an embargo. In addition to the higher import costs, these firms will see weak sales as customers struggle with rising costs.

These factors will affect Shopify because of how it makes money. In addition to the monthly platform access fees, the company also collects a small commission for all goods and services sold on its platform.

Fortunately, there are signs that the US will reduce the tariffs as the two countries start negotiating a trade deal on Saturday in Switzerland.

SHOP earnings ahead 

The next important catalyst for the Shopify stock price will be the upcoming earnings, which will provide more information about its performance in the first quarter.

There is a likelihood that the company’s sales surged in the first quarter as more customers rushed to buy products ahead of the Liberation Day tariffs in April.

Yahoo Finance data shows that the average revenue will be $2.33 billion, up by 25.3% from the $1.86 billion it made in the same period last year. 

Analysts also expect the average earnings per share will be 26 cents, up 20 cents for the same period last year. Odds are that the company’s results will be higher than estimates, as it has done in the past.

The annual revenue guidance is that its revenue will be $10.79 billion, up by 21.4 billion from 2024. These numbers will be impressive for a company that has been in business for many years.

Analysts are also optimistic about the Shopify stock price, with the average estimate being $116, up from the current $94.50.

Read more: Shopify stock price giant megaphone points to a strong surge

Shopify stock price analysis 

Shopify stock chart | Source: TradingView

The Shopify stock price often experiences high volatility after publishing its financial results. For example, it surged $54 to $67 when it released its numbers in August last year. It rose from $89 to $115 in the next report in November, while its performance in the last report was muted.

These numbers come after the SHOP stock has formed a bearish island pattern. This pattern is characterized by a cluster of candlesticks that are isolated from the previous price action. It is one of the most bearish patterns in the market.

Therefore, there is a likelihood that the stock will drop after its earnings, and possibly retest the important support level at  $85. The bearish outlook will become invalid if the stock moves above the psychological level at $100.

The post Shopify stock price analysis: buy, hold, or sell ahead of earnings? appeared first on Invezz

The ongoing earnings season has been relatively muted as investors believe the results were transitory because the business happened ahead of Trump’s tariffs. As such, most stocks have not had the significant volatility that normally accompanies earnings releases. 

This article explores some of the top stocks that will publish their earnings on Thursday, including Toast (TOST), Pinterest (PINS), Affirm (AFRM), and DraftKings (DKNG). The focus will be on technical analysis and the top levels to watch when the results come out.

Toast stock price forecast

Toast stock chart | Source: TradingView

The Toast stock price has remained in a tight range in the past few days as investors wait for its financial results. It has been stuck at $36 since late last month, meaning that it is hovering at the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA). 

Toast stock is forming a bullish flag chart pattern, a popular continuation sign characterized by a vertical line and some consolidation. It has also formed an inverse head and shoulders pattern, which leads to a bullish reversal. 

Therefore, the stock will likely have a bullish breakout after earnings. If this happens, the next level to watch will be at $42.97, its highest level in February, which is 20% above the current level. 

Read more: Toast stock has skyrocketed: could TOST surge to $70?

Pinterest stock price analysis

Pinterest stock chart by TradingView

The daily chart shows that the PINS share price peaked at $40.8 in February and has dropped to the current $ 27. It has already formed a death cross pattern as the 50-day and 200-day moving averages crossed each other. 

The Pinterest stock has formed a bearish flag pattern, which is made up of a vertical line and a triangle. It often leads to a strong bearish breakdown. Therefore, there is a risk that the stock will go down after earnings, as other social media companies did.

Affirm stock forecast

Affirm stock chart by TradingView

Affirm, a top player in the buy now, pay later industry, has rallied after bottoming at $30.83 in April, a performance that mirrors that of other companies in the United States. 

The eight-hour chart shows that the stock has formed an inverse head and shoulders pattern. The head section is at $30.83, its April lows, while the left shoulder has moved to $42.23. Its neckline is at $52, where it is now trading at. 

Therefore, the Affirm share price will likely drop and retest the support at $42.23, the right shoulder, and then stage a strong comeback. The alternative scenario is where it rebounds above that resistance and then continues its recovery. If this happens, the next target will be at $82.58, which is up by 55% above the current level. 

Read more: Affirm stock price forecast: set to enter beast mode soon

DraftKings stock price forecast

DraftKings stock chart by TradingView

The daily chart shows that the DKNG share price peaked at $53.50 earlier this year and then tumbled after releasing their earnings numbers in February. The main concern is that the sports betting industry is slowing, which will affect its overall growth. 

DraftKings stock price has remained below all moving averages, and like Pinterest, it has formed a bearish pennant pattern. The two lines of this triangle are about to converge, which will lead to more downside. 

A bearish breakdown will point to more downside, potentially to the next key support level at $29.70, down by 15% below the current level. 

Read more: DraftKings stock nears key price ahead of earnings

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The USD/CHF exchange rate has remained under pressure in the past few months as investors moved to the Swiss franc, which has become a popular safe-haven asset amid Donald Trump’s tariffs. It has moved to 0.8260, down by 10% from its highest point this year. 

USD/CHF forms a giant bearish pennant pattern

While the USD/CHF pair’s downward momentum has faded in the past few days, there are signs that it will have a strong bearish breakdown. It formed a death cross in April as the 50-day and 200-day moving averages crossed each other. 

The pair remains below the important point at 0.8377, the lowest swing in September last year, a sign that bears are in control. It has also formed a bearish pennant pattern, a popular bearish continuation signal in technical analysis. 

The pennant has a long vertical line and a symmetrical triangle pattern. This pattern often leads to a strong bearish breakdown, which in this case, will push it to the year-to-date low of 0.8040. A drop below that level will have it drop to the next point at 0.800. 

The long-term target for the USD/CHF exchange rate is 0.7632. This target is derived from measuring the distance between 0.9197 and 0.8377, which is the depth of the inverse cup and handle pattern, another highly bearish pattern.

The bearish USD/CHF forecast will become invalid if it rises above the key resistance at 0.8377, the lowest swing in September last year. 

USD/CHF chart by TradingView

The bullish case for the Swiss franc against the US dollar

There are a few reasons why the Swiss franc is a better currency to hold than the US dollar for now. 

First, Switzerland is a neutral country on most geopolitical issues, meaning that it is not exposed on many issues. The US, on the other hand, is involved in most geopolitical issues, putting it at risk, which have increased because of Donald Trump’s protectionist policies. 

Second, the US public debt will be a big challenge in the future. The country has a public debt of over $36.7 trillion, a figure that will continue in the next few years since the budget deficit stands at almost $2 trillion. 

The debt load will keep going up despite Donald Trump’s actions to reduce spending in some areas of the government. While this is good, most of the spending is in the non-discretionary spending, where it is hard to cut costs.

As such, the US may crash in case of a major crash since the country will not have the best tools to respond. 

Switzerland, on the other hand, has one of the lowest public debts globally. And its debt is largely backed by liquid assets like US Treasuries. This means that the country will be able to withstand any major shocks.

Further, there are signs that the Federal Reserve will start cutting interest rates this year, reducing the fixed income return that investors are getting. 

Read more: USD/CHF forecast: why the Swiss franc is soaring, and the next target

The post USD/CHF technical analysis: why the Swiss franc surge is not over appeared first on Invezz

Britain’s unseasonably warm and sunny start to spring is casting a mixed shadow over corporate earnings, helping retailers and hospitality firms while weighing on energy suppliers.

As households switched off their central heating earlier than usual, Centrica – the country’s second-largest domestic energy supplier – warned investors on Thursday that its residential energy profits will be impacted.

Meanwhile, UK retailer Next and pub chain JD Wetherspoon both raised earnings expectations, citing better-than-expected trading conditions fuelled by the weather.

Centrica expects lower profit due to low gas consumption

Centrica, which owns British Gas, told shareholders ahead of its annual general meeting in Manchester that the unusually mild weather had led to weaker-than-anticipated gas consumption among households.

As a result, the company said it expected lower profits from its energy supply business.

However, it maintained guidance that the segment would remain within its “sustainable” profit range of £150 million to £250 million for the year.

Despite the reassurance, investors appeared unconvinced, sending Centrica shares down more than 5% in early trading on the London Stock Exchange.

At 9:32 am, London time, the shares had slumped by 7.2%.

Next benefits from jump in seasonal clothing demand

In contrast, fashion chain Next reported a sharp uptick in full-price sales for the three months to April 26, prompting it to raise its annual profit forecast.

Sales rose by 11.4% over the period, well above the retailer’s previous estimate of 6.5%.

The company credited the warmer-than-average weather for helping boost sales of lighter, summer-weight clothing as customers updated their wardrobes earlier in the year.

The group said its performance had exceeded expectations both in the UK and overseas, although it cautioned that retail shops tend to benefit disproportionately from good weather, and that it expected its retail sales to return to being more or less flat for the remaining year.

Next raised its profit guidance by £14 million to £1.08 billion for the current financial year.

Source: Met Office

Sunny spell drives more people to Wetherspoons, more pubs planned

Pub operator JD Wetherspoon also saw positive momentum during the warm April period.

The company reported like-for-like sales growth of 5.6% in the 13 weeks to April 27 compared to the same period last year.

Total sales for the quarter rose by 5%, with year-to-date figures also showing steady growth.

“Bearing in mind that recent trading has been helped by favourable weather, the company anticipates a reasonable outcome for the financial year, notwithstanding previously reported wage and tax increases of approximately £1.2 million per week,” chairman of JD Wetherspoon, Tim Martin, said.

The group now plans to add another four or five pubs before the end of the current financial year, with around 10 further openings expected in the next.

Experts however cautioned the biggest drag on Wetherspoon’s bottom line this year is expected to come from rising staffing costs and higher taxes.

However, the full extent of their impact on profits will only become clear when the group releases its next set of results.

Will the sunniest April give way to a heatwave in summer?

According to provisional figures from the Met Office, April 2025 was the sunniest in the UK since records began in 1910, with 47% more sunshine hours than the long-term average.

It was also England’s sunniest April on record, and the second sunniest for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Average temperatures were 1.7°C above normal, meaning the UK has recorded its third warmest April for mean temperature since the series began in 1884.

Long-range forecasts suggest an increased chance of warmer-than-usual weather this summer, although more average or cooler conditions remain possible, the Met Office said about its summer forecast.

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The MIKAMI meme coin, launched on 8 May 2025 by Japanese entertainment personality Yua Mikami, has witnessed a rapid collapse in value, plummeting over 80% from its peak just hours after launch.

Despite raising more than 23,000 SOL (around $3.4 million) during its pre-sale, the token’s post-launch performance has drawn scrutiny over its tokenomics, market timing, and reliance on Mikami’s celebrity branding.

More than 17,000 contributors participated in the pre-sale, which concluded on 3 May, but many now face losses exceeding 60%.

Pre-sale success overshadowed by swift crash

MIKAMI was introduced as a Solana-based meme token capitalising on the popularity of Yua Mikami, who had not previously engaged with the cryptocurrency industry.

The pre-sale attracted widespread attention and reportedly filtered out over 21,000 spam transactions of less than 0.002 SOL.

According to the MIKAMI Coin account on X, 17,560 valid wallets contributed a total of 23,320.74 SOL.

Each participant received tokens proportionate to their input, with an average pre-sale price of $0.245.

However, within five hours of the token’s official airdrop and listing on 8 May, the price dropped to $0.10, resulting in a 60% drop for early investors.

At its peak, the token traded around $0.828 before plunging to $0.1, as seen on Dexscreener.

The current market cap stands at roughly $7 million, a stark contrast to expectations set during the pre-sale period.

Low liquidity, high concentration raise concerns

The collapse of MIKAMI aligns with broader patterns seen in the meme coin market, particularly those driven by celebrity influence.

A breakdown of its tokenomics shows that 50% of the total supply is locked under Yua Mikami’s name until 2069, while 20% was allocated to pre-sale investors, 15% to liquidity, 10% to the community, and 5% to marketing.

The 15% liquidity pool has drawn criticism for being significantly lower than the typical 20–25% standard used in similar tokens.

This limited buffer left the coin vulnerable to sharp downward price swings when subjected to heavy sell pressure.

Blockchain data indicates a pattern of large token dumps immediately following launch, suggesting pre-sale whales cashed out early.

The absence of robust liquidity also limited the token’s ability to absorb sell-offs, making it harder for smaller holders to exit without incurring losses.

This dynamic has become a hallmark of meme coins that are short on utility and long on hype.

Broader meme coin market struggles weigh on MIKAMI

MIKAMI’s fall also reflects broader headwinds in the meme coin segment.

Since December 2024, overall market capitalisation for meme tokens has dropped 56.8%, creating an environment of risk aversion and uncertainty.

This makes it more difficult for new meme coins to retain investor confidence post-launch, especially when price action trends downward.

Social media users have commented on the psychological element of such investments, noting that many hope a new meme coin will help them recover from previous losses — a cycle often leading to impulsive decisions based on hype rather than fundamentals.

This cycle was evident with MIKAMI, as the initial excitement surrounding Mikami’s name failed to translate into lasting demand or support.

The rapid decline in value post-launch and the absence of Yua Mikami’s continued engagement or roadmap have left many wondering whether this was simply a speculative play by those seeking short-term gains.

With limited liquidity and poor timing amid a broader market slump, the MIKAMI token now serves as another cautionary tale in an increasingly crowded and volatile meme coin space.

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Binance has published its latest proof-of-reserves data, confirming that the exchange continues to hold more digital assets than its customers across a majority of supported tokens.

The report, released on 8 May, covers 37 crypto assets and highlights that Binance currently controls 616,886.378 Bitcoin (BTC), compared to customer net assets of 604,886.378 BTC.

This represents a 102.06% backing ratio, or a surplus of around 12,000 BTC.

The findings are part of Binance’s ongoing transparency efforts following the collapse of FTX in 2022.

Proof-of-reserves data is intended to provide reassurance to users that their deposits are fully backed on-chain and can be withdrawn at any time.

USDT and USDC reserves show strong surpluses

The exchange’s Tether (USDT) reserves also exceed user balances.

Binance holds more than 29.6 billion USDT, compared to a customer balance that is roughly 600 million USDT lower, giving a coverage ratio of 102.07%.

USD Coin (USDC) reserves are similarly well-backed.

Binance holds over 8.6 billion USDC, while customer assets amount to 5.6 billion. This equates to a coverage ratio of 152.19%, or a reserve surplus of around 3 billion USDC.

The higher ratio signals an ample liquidity buffer for redemptions in stablecoins.

In addition, Binance’s First Digital USD (FDUSD) holdings amount to 107.84% of customer balances.

That translates to more than 82 million FDUSD held in excess of the platform’s client obligations.

Ethereum, Solana, and XRP reserves remain above parity

Other major tokens also show reserves exceeding customer assets.

Binance currently controls 5,289,954 Ethereum (ETH), surpassing customer net balances by over 8,000 ETH, resulting in a 100.15% coverage ratio.

Solana (SOL) reserves slightly exceed holdings by users, with a surplus of around 2,000 SOL.

Ripple’s XRP also reflects healthy coverage, with Binance holding approximately 2.6 billion XRP versus user balances that are 76 million XRP lower.

This gives a reserve-to-asset ratio of 102.99%.

Among all assets reported, Binance USD (BUSD) shows the highest backing ratio.

With the exchange holding more than double the BUSD customer balances—amounting to 206.04%—the stablecoin stands out despite its limited usage following the shutdown of Binance’s US market in 2023.

Binance US resumes USD transfers after long pause

The report also coincides with the resumption of USD transactions on Binance’s US platform.

Services were reopened in February 2025, marking the first time since June 2023 that USD transfers were permitted.

The pause in services was linked to regulatory action by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, which had forced the platform to suspend support for USD in its American operations.

Binance’s decision to reintroduce USD functionality indicates a shift in its regulatory engagement and comes at a time when centralised exchanges are under pressure to demonstrate financial transparency.

The exchange’s ability to show on-chain asset surpluses across key tokens may help reinforce user trust as global regulators scrutinise reserve practices more closely.

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OpenAI has appointed Instacart CEO Fidji Simo to head its Applications division, a key leadership shift as the company ramps up its focus on artificial general intelligence (AGI).

CEO Sam Altman, who will remain in his current role, announced that he is stepping away from day-to-day product responsibilities to concentrate on research, infrastructure, and safety.

The transition reflects OpenAI’s broader organisational restructuring and growing ambition to steer the global development of superintelligence responsibly.

The move also comes at a critical time as OpenAI navigates mounting regulatory and legal scrutiny, particularly around Altman’s separate project, World—a biometric identity system that uses iris scans in exchange for cryptocurrency tokens.

While OpenAI sharpens its product roadmap and executive structure, its involvement in high-risk, high-reward technologies is drawing intensified global attention.

Simo’s appointment adds a veteran consumer tech voice to the leadership table just as OpenAI enters a new stage of growth and oversight.

Simo takes over the core apps

Simo will lead OpenAI’s Applications group, which includes ChatGPT and other front-facing products, and will also manage scaling traditional corporate functions.

While she will continue serving as Instacart’s CEO during the transition, she plans to move to the Chair position of its board.

The move consolidates OpenAI’s product vision under a tech executive with extensive consumer platform experience.

At Meta (then Facebook), Simo led the development of high-traffic features like News Feed, Stories, Marketplace, and Facebook Live.

Her decade-long experience in scaling digital products for billions of users is expected to support OpenAI’s strategy of making AI tools more accessible and commercially viable while maintaining responsible deployment.

World faces data rulings

The leadership overhaul coincides with mounting legal pressure on World, a separate project co-founded by Altman and Alex Blania.

The biometric crypto platform scans users’ irises in exchange for WLD tokens, raising concerns over data privacy and consent.

On 29 April, Kenya’s High Court ordered the deletion of all biometric data collected by World, citing a lack of valid user consent and questioning the use of tokens as incentives.

Indonesia also suspended World’s operations for violating electronic system rules and using another entity’s credentials.

Despite regulatory resistance, World has recently launched in six major US cities, including San Francisco, Austin, and Miami.

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US stocks rose on Thursday following President Donald Trump’s announcement of a trade agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 228 points, or 0.6%, while the S&P 500 rose 0.7% and the Nasdaq Composite climbed 1%.

The gains followed a choppy session on Wall Street, where investors weighed the Federal Reserve’s latest policy decision and watched for updates on trade developments amid concerns that escalating trade tensions could fuel inflation.

Technology stocks moved higher after reports emerged that the Trump administration plans to roll back Biden-era restrictions on artificial intelligence chips that were set to take effect later this month.

Nvidia edged up around 0.5%, while Intel gained 3.3%. AMD also rose over 3%. Among the megacaps, Meta Platforms and Amazon advanced more than 1% each, and Tesla jumped more than 3%.

UK-US trade deal

Britain is poised to become the first country to finalize a trade agreement with the United States following Washington’s imposition of broad “reciprocal” tariffs in April.

A news conference is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. ET (3 p.m. London time), Thursday at the Oval Office.

In a statement on Truth Social, US President Donald Trump said:

“The agreement with the United Kingdom is a full and comprehensive one that will cement the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom for many years to come.”

He added, “Because of our long time history and allegiance together, it is a great honor to have the United Kingdom as our FIRST announcement. Many other deals, which are in serious stages of negotiation, to follow!”

Britain, running a trade deficit with the US, was exempt from the steeper tariff rates under the “Liberation Day” framework, though it remains subject to a baseline 10% levy as well as existing US duties of 25% on steel, aluminum, and vehicles — areas expected to be central to the deal.

EU to take on Trump tariffs

The European Commission on Thursday announced it will initiate a dispute at the World Trade Organization over the United States’ “reciprocal” tariffs, particularly those targeting cars and car parts.

Alongside this move, the Commission opened a public consultation on possible countermeasures against a wide range of U.S. imports, valued at €95 billion ($107.4 billion), should negotiations with Washington fail. The proposed list includes industrial and agricultural goods, such as poultry, grains, and metals.

“It is the unequivocal view of the EU that these [U.S.] tariffs blatantly violate fundamental WTO rules,” the Commission said, adding that the bloc aims to uphold the integrity of international trade rules and challenge any unilateral actions by WTO members.

The WTO process will begin with a formal request for consultations.

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