Microsoft announced a reduction of its full‑year capital expenditure target to $170 billion, down from $175 billion, while reporting $18.6 billion in free cash flow that beat expectations. Alphabet disclosed a negative free cash flow of over $9 billion for the third quarter, causing its shares to tumble between 8% and 10% in after‑hours trading. In the same period, Azure revenue grew 48% and Google Cloud revenue topped $30 billion, surpassing forecasts. Both firms face AI‑related spending pressures, with Alphabet revealing $98.5 billion in contingent AI commitments.
Yahoo Finance
3 stories since 28 October 2026, newest first
29 October 2026
Americans vote on Tuesday, 3 Nov, in midterm elections that will decide control of the House of Representatives and the Senate. All 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats and 36 governorships are contested. Republicans hold majorities in both chambers, with 218-214 in the House and 53-47 in the Senate, while Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take the Senate. Commentators and polls place Democrats in a favourable position, particularly for the House, and the Senate is described as too close to call. Ballot counting could take days or weeks in some cases. Voters are also deciding thousands of state and local races and ballot measures.
28 October 2026
The US Federal Reserve kept its benchmark interest rate in a 3.75 to 4.00 per cent range on 28 October 2026, according to the Federal Open Market Committee. The decision was a 10 to 2 vote. Two members, Governor Lisa Cook and Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack, wanted another quarter-point increase. The Fed had raised rates in September for the first time since 2023. Consumer prices rose 3.7 per cent from a year earlier in September, while core inflation rose 2.6 per cent. The decision came six days before the US midterm elections, where inflation is a key issue.