Amazon’s AI Cloud Boom, Netflix Eyes Warner Bros, and Disney’s YouTube TV Blackout: Big Tech’s Week of Power Plays

31st October 2025

Tech titans are making aggressive moves this week; Amazon just reignited Wall Street with a $330 billion market value surge as its cloud business hits its fastest growth pace since 2022. Meanwhile, Disney’s networks have gone dark on YouTube TV after failed negotiations with Google, escalating another streaming war. Netflix is also in the headlines, reportedly exploring a bold bid for Warner Bros Discovery that could reshape Hollywood’s balance of power. And in the corporate world, Snowflake had to clarify unauthorized “street talk” from its CRO after he casually leaked financial guidance on Instagram. All this and more in today’s Read It And Eat! 

Major Headlines

• Amazon shares soar as cloud growth beats expectations

Amazon's (AMZN.O), cloud revenue rose at the fastest clip in nearly three years, helping the company forecast quarterly sales above estimates and driving its shares up 14% in after-market trading. The company projected increased capital spending next year.

The online retailer benefited as businesses continue to spend relentlessly on artificial intelligence software development. Massive cloud demand is helping the tech company ease the pressure from softer growth at its e-commerce business, which is gearing up for the critical holiday season amid weakness in consumer confidence stemming from global trade uncertainty. Amazon's rally in extended trading lifted the company's market value by about $330 billion. A stock rally of the same size in Friday's official trading session would make it Amazon's biggest one-day percentage gain since 2015.

“AWS is growing at a pace we haven’t seen since 2022," CEO Andy Jassy said in a statement. "We continue to see strong demand in AI and core infrastructure, and we’ve been focused on accelerating capacity." Amazon Chief Financial Officer Brian Olsavsky said he expected full-year capital expenditures to be around $125 billion, and higher next year, without providing details. The company booked $89.9 billion in capital expenditures through the first three quarters, largely on AI projects.

Amazon projected total net sales of between $206 billion and $213 billion for the fourth quarter, while analysts on average were expecting revenue of $208.12 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG. Normally subdued, Jassy adopted an exuberant tone on the call with analysts. "I look at the momentum we have right now, and I believe that we can continue to grow and click like this for a while," he said. "I think there are multiple places where we can expect to continue to grow," he added, referring to advertising and retail sales. Reuters

• Disney networks go dark on YouTube TV after failed talks

Disney's (DIS.N) networks went dark on Google's pay-TV platform YouTube TV (GOOGL.O), after negotiations to reach a licensing deal failed, the companies said in separate statements late on Thursday. The affected Disney networks include ESPN, ABC, FX, Nat Geo, Nat Geo Wild, Disney Channel, ABC News Live and others. A source told Reuters that Disney's channels were removed from YouTube TV ahead of the contract lapsing. YouTube TV issued its statement on X at 11:16 pm ET on Thursday, while the deal was originally set to expire only at midnight. 

YouTube TV, one of the largest pay-TV distributors in the U.S., has been locked in a series of negotiations this year with firms threatening to pull their media networks from the platform. Earlier this month, the company, after a difficult negotiation period, struck a deal with Comcast-owned (CMCSA.O), NBCUniversal to keep NBC shows such as "Sunday Night Football" and "America's Got Talent" on YouTube TV. The platform also struck similar deals with Fox (FOXA.O) and Paramount earlier this year after difficult contract negotiations. 

YouTube TV, which has over 10 million subscribers, said Disney's proposed offer terms would raise prices for its subscribers and benefit Disney's own live TV services such as Hulu + Live TV, while Disney accused YouTube TV of being unwilling to pay fair rates. "Our contract with Disney has reached its renewal date, and we'll not agree to terms that disadvantage our members while benefiting Disney's TV products," YouTube TV said in a post on social media platform X.

A Disney spokesperson said the company was committed to working toward a resolution as quickly as possible. "With a $3 trillion market cap, Google is using its market dominance to eliminate competition and undercut the industry-standard terms we've successfully negotiated with every other distributor," the spokesperson said in a statement. YouTube TV will offer its subscribers a $20 credit if the Disney networks remain unavailable on the platform for an extended period of time. Reuters

• Netflix taps bank to explore bid for Warner Bros Discovery

Netflix (NFLX.O), is actively exploring a bid for Warner Bros Discovery's (WBD.O), studio and streaming business, retaining a financial advisor and gaining access to financial information, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

The video streaming service has hired Moelis & Co, the investment bank that advised Skydance Media on its successful bid for Paramount Global, to evaluate a prospective offer, two of the sources said. Netflix also has been granted access to the data room, which contains the financial details needed to make a bid, according to two of the sources familiar with the matter.

Owning Warner Bros' studio business would give Netflix control over some of Hollywood's most successful stories and characters, including the Harry Potter and DC Comics franchises. Warner Bros' prolific television studio also produces many of Netflix's hits, including original series like "Running Point," "You" and "Maid." HBO and its companion streaming service would add more prestige dramas, and subscribers.

Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos told investors last week that while the company is traditionally "more builders than buyers," it does evaluate acquisitions based on criteria such as the size of the opportunity and whether it would strengthen the company's entertainment offerings. Sarandos indicated Netflix would not be interested in acquiring Warner Bros Discovery's cable television networks, which include CNN, TNT, Food Network and Animal Planet. "We've been very clear in the past that we have no interest in owning legacy media networks," Sarandos said in the company's third-quarter investor video. "There is no change there."

Warner Bros Discovery announced last week that it would begin evaluating options, after receiving a trio of unsolicited offers from Paramount Skydance(PSKY.O), to acquire the entire company. The company said its board would consider whether to move forward with its planned split, which would separate the Warner Bros film and television studios, HBO and the companion HBO Max streaming service from its television business, or pursue a sale of all or parts of the company. Reuters

• Snowflake exec shared unauthorized guidance in street interview 

Snowflake had to make a Securities and Exchange Commission filing this week after an executive shared unauthorized financial guidance in a street interview video on Instagram posted on Sunday. The data-storage company said in the 8-K filed Monday that the executive, who was not named, is not a "designated spokesperson authorized to disclose financial information" under Snowflake's Corporate Disclosure Policy. "As a result, investors should not rely upon such statements," the company wrote.

The video, which the filing notes was posted by Instagram account "theschoolofhardknockz," features host James Dumoulin asking Snowflake Chief Revenue Officer Mike Gannon about financial advice for business owners and his company's revenue. "So we're going to exit this year probably just over about $4.5 billion," Gannon said. "We're getting to $10 billion in a couple of years." 

Gannon, who was appointed CRO earlier in March, said that he watches "theschoolofhardknockz" often and congratulated Dumoulin on its success. The account, which counts 7.6 million followers, interviews millionaires, including athlete Shaquille O'Neal, Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright, and actor Tom Cruise, on the street for business advice.  In the SEC filing this week, Snowflake reaffirmed its previously issued guidance for the third quarter and full fiscal year 2026, which was originally issued in late August.

The report offered a sales guidance of $4.395 billion in revenue for the full year, a little over $100 million less than Gannon's estimation. The company also noted that its third-quarter earnings results will be in accordance with its standard practices and that its guidance philosophy remains the same. Snowflake shares are up almost 70% year-to-date. CNBC

Minor Headlines 

• Apple CEO forecasts holiday quarter iPhone sales that top Wall Street estimates Reuters

• UK energy watchdog plans to tackle 4.4 billion pounds consumer debts Reuters

• Swedish AI startup Legora raises $150 million at $1.8 billion valuation Reuters

• China signals sharper pivot to consumption as imbalances worsen Reuters

• Chipotle stock craters as company says young people without jobs can't afford their food anymore Yahoo.Finance

• Pentagon's DOGE unit to revamp military drone program, sources say Reuters

• Romanians rush to visit new cathedral, world's largest Orthodox Church Reuters

• Trump directs nuclear weapons testing to resume for first time in over 30 years BBC