TSMC Bets Big on AI Chips; BBC Goes YouTube-First; Europe Deploys to Greenland; and Trump Receives Venezuela’s Nobel Medal

16th January 2026

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. is signaling renewed confidence in AI-driven growth, announcing record capital spending of $56 billion and reporting a 35% rise in net profits that underscores strong demand for high-performance chips. In media, the BBC is taking a historic step by launching programmes specifically for YouTube, blending public service content with new digital monetisation opportunities to reach younger audiences. On the geopolitical front, European forces are deploying to Greenland amid rising U.S.–Danish tensions, highlighting the strategic importance of the Arctic and growing great-power competition. And in a symbolic White House gesture, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to President Trump, drawing global attention to political developments in Venezuela. All this and more in today’s Read It And Eat!

Major headlines

• TSMC’s Record Spending Signals Renewed Confidence in AI-Driven Tech Growth

  

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, has reignited optimism across the global tech market after announcing plans to significantly ramp up investment and reporting strong financial performance. The company revealed it will increase capital spending to a record level of up to $56 billion this year, underscoring its confidence in long-term demand for advanced chips, particularly those powering artificial intelligence.

In its latest quarterly results, TSMC reported a 35% rise in net profit, exceeding market expectations and reinforcing its dominant position in the semiconductor supply chain. The strong earnings were largely driven by sustained demand for high-performance computing and AI-related chips, which continue to attract massive investments from global tech giants. This performance has been widely interpreted as a positive signal for the health of the broader technology sector.

Following the announcement, sentiment across tech and semiconductor stocks improved, with investors viewing TSMC’s outlook as confirmation that the AI boom still has momentum. As a key supplier to companies like Nvidia, Apple, and AMD, TSMC’s aggressive expansion plans suggest confidence that demand for cutting-edge chips will remain strong, helping lift the wider tech market and reinforce AI as a central growth theme in global equities.Yahoo Finance

• BBC to Launch First-Ever YouTube-First Programmes in Strategic Shift

The BBC is set to strike a landmark content deal with YouTube, marking the first time the British public broadcaster will produce programmes specifically for the platform. The move reflects the BBC’s effort to generate new revenue streams and remain relevant as audiences increasingly shift from traditional television to streaming and digital platforms.

Under the planned arrangement, the BBC will create tailored shows designed for YouTube, which will later also be made available on its own platforms, including BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds. This strategy allows the broadcaster to meet audiences where they already are, particularly younger viewers who now spend more time on social and video-sharing platforms than on linear TV.

The deal represents a significant evolution in the BBC’s distribution strategy, blending public service broadcasting with commercial digital reach. While BBC content in the UK remains ad-free, YouTube distribution especially for international audiences opens up new monetisation opportunities, highlighting how even legacy media institutions are adapting to the realities of the global streaming economy. Reuters 

• European Forces Deploy to Greenland Amid Rising US–Danish Tensions

European military personnel from France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, and the UK have begun arriving in Greenland as part of a limited reconnaissance mission, signaling growing European concern over security in the Arctic. A small French military contingent has already reached Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, according to officials, marking the first phase of a broader multinational presence.

The deployment comes against the backdrop of renewed tension sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump’s continued assertions over Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark. While the number of troops involved remains small, the move is widely seen as a symbolic show of European solidarity with Denmark and an effort to reinforce stability in a strategically vital region increasingly shaped by great-power competition.

French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that the initial deployment would be strengthened in the near future, with additional land, air, and sea assets expected. The development underscores the growing geopolitical importance of the Arctic, where climate change, natural resources, and strategic positioning are driving heightened military and diplomatic activity among Western allies.BBC News

• Venezuela's Machado presents Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C. Machado described the act as a symbolic gesture, saying she offered the medal in recognition of what she characterized as Trump’s commitment to freedom and support for Venezuela’s struggle against authoritarian rule.

After the meeting, Trump publicly expressed gratitude, calling Machado “a wonderful woman” and thanking her for the gesture of mutual respect. A framed display of the medal was shown by the White House, containing an inscription praising Trump’s leadership and efforts, though the symbolic nature of the gift was emphasized by both sides.

Despite the transfer of the physical medal, the Nobel Peace Prize title itself cannot be legally transferred or shared, meaning Machado remains the official laureate even if the medal is now in Trump’s possession. Machado’s move has drawn international attention for its unusual nature and political undertones as Venezuela navigates ongoing political uncertainty following the ousting of Nicolás Maduro. MSN 

Minor Headlines 

• Harvey is opening a Paris office and has hired a vice president of EMEA sales Non-Billable

• Quinn Emanuel’s London office has surged to a 68% profit margin, one of the most profitable law firms in the City. Non-Billable

• Spotify raises its prices again for 3rd time in 3 years Techcrunch

• MrBeast platform gets $200 million investment from Tom Lee's Bitmine CNBC

•  Wall Street’s five giant banks reported a record $134 billion of trading revenue from last year Bloomberg

• Social media companies purge 4.7mn accounts after landmark Australia ban Financial Times 

  
  

Earnings Headlines  

Financial Services / Banking

• JPMorgan beat Q4 earnings and revenue estimates on strong trading, though IB fees fell 5% and profit fell 7% due to a one-time Apple Card charge (CNBC)

• Bank of America beat Q4 earnings and revenue estimates as stronger-than-expected net interest income and equities trading offset flat IB fees (CNBC)

  
  

• Citigroup beat Q4 earnings and revenue estimates on a 35% surge in IB fees and strength in banking, wealth, and institutional services, though net income fell 13% due to a Russia-exit charge (CNBC)

  
  

• Wells Fargo missed Q4 earnings estimates on $600M severance costs as it cuts headcount to the lowest among peers and aims for growth in capital markets (BBG)

  
  

• Goldman Sachs beat Q4 earnings and revenue estimates as trading revenue jumped and investment banking activity rebounded, though expenses rose on compensation (CNBC)

  
  

• Morgan Stanley beat Q4 earnings on strong wealth management and trading performance, offsetting flat investment banking fees (CNBC)

  
  

• BlackRock beat Q4 earnings on strong ETF flows and institutional asset growth, lifting revenue and AUM expectations (BBG)

Transportation

• Delta Airlines missed Q4 revenue estimates but beat on earnings as premium demand continues to surge (CNBC)

Information Technology 

• Infosys issued a Q3 beat-and-raise on strong deal wins and financial services demand, offsetting a profit decline from a one-time charge and lifting shares on hopes of an IT sector recovery (RT)

  
  

• TSMC beat Q4 earnings on strong chip demand from high-performance computing and smartphone segments, though supply-chain costs weighed on margins (CNBC)