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Meta could be Forced to Uncouple from Instagram and Whatsapp [Read It And Eat 15-04-2025]


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Major Headline


  • Meta faces landmark antitrust trial that could force Zuckerberg to spin off Instagram and WhatsApp

  • A historic antitrust case against Meta began in Washington on Monday, with the FTC arguing that its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp stifled competition. Lawyers allege Meta overpaid to neutralize rivals, referencing a 2012 memo where CEO Mark Zuckerberg discussed the importance of “neutralizing” Instagram as a threat. Meta argues the acquisitions enhanced user experience and were lawfully approved at the time.

    A win for the FTC could break up Meta’s empire, forcing it to divest Instagram and WhatsApp. Zuckerberg and former COO Sheryl Sandberg are expected to testify during the weeks-long trial. BBC


  • Bank of Canada may pause rate cuts as inflation, Trump tariffs cloud outlook

  • The Bank of Canada is expected to hold interest rates steady this week after months of aggressive cuts, as shifting U.S. tariff policy and sticky inflation inject uncertainty into the economic outlook. Markets, once confident of another cut, now give a 58% chance of a pause. Analysts say policymakers may be preserving stimulus firepower in case of recession. BoC has already cut rates by 225 basis points in 10 months to 2.75% — the midpoint of its neutral range. Wednesday’s decision will be accompanied by a new, less definitive economic forecast reflecting the volatility of global conditions. Reuters


  • Nvidia to invest $500B in U.S. AI infrastructure, bringing supercomputer production to Texas

  • Chip giant Nvidia plans to produce up to $500 billion worth of AI infrastructure in the U.S. over the next four years, as the industry races to localize production amid Trump’s push for domestic manufacturing. As part of the plan, Nvidia is building two supercomputer manufacturing plants in Texas through partnerships with Foxconn and Wistron. The company expects production to begin in 12–15 months, while its next-gen Blackwell AI chips are already being made at TSMC’s Phoenix facility. Yahoo Finance


  • UK takes the European innovation crown with £3.2B in Q1 VC funding

  • The UK is sprinting ahead in Europe’s innovation race, raising more venture capital than France, Germany, and Spain combined in Q1 2025. According to HSBC Innovation Banking, British startups pulled in £3.2 billion — an 8% jump from last quarter — with the second-highest average deal size recorded since 2020. Healthtech was the big winner, notching its second-best quarter ever and dwarfing enterprise software. Megarounds from Isomorphic Labs (£455M) and Verdiva Bio (£312M) powered the sector’s growth.  CityAm



Minor Headline


  • JPMorgan beat Q1 earnings and revenue estimates on strong equity trading and investment banking, but warned of 'considerable turbulence' ahead for the U.S. economy  CNBC


  • Morgan Stanley beat Q1 earnings and revenue estimates on record trading activity and gains from Twitter’s LBO debt deal CNBC


  • Wells Fargo beat Q1 earnings estimates but missed on revenue, citing potential economic drag from rising tariffs  CNBC


  • BlackRock beat Q1 earnings estimates but missed on revenue as client anxiety rose amid market uncertainty, though AUM hit a record $11.6T Reuters

  • Goldman Sachs beat Q1 estimates with a 27% surge in equities trading revenue, offsetting weakness in wealth management and investment banking as profit rose 15% to $4.74B CNBC


  • The U.S. plans sweeping pharmaceutical import tariffs within two months, threatening drug prices and India’s generic supply dominance  Financial Times


  • Conifer secures $20M seed round from top tech VCs to scale its drop-in electric motor for bikes  Techcrunch


  • Topgolf creators raise $34M to launch Poolhouse, a tech-powered cue sports chain blending billiards and entertainment Financial Times


Gen Z Word of the Day:  

Crash Out

Meaning: To do something reckless without regard for the outcome

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