Google-parent Alphabet (GOOGL, GOOG) is reportedly in advanced talks to buy cybersecurity startup Wiz for $30bn, according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
WSJ said in its report on Monday that this would be Google's (GOOGL, GOOG) largest deal ever and could come together soon.
Wiz provides cloud-based security solutions using artificial intelligence (AI). A deal would build onto Alphabet's (GOOGL, GOOG) Google cloud business, which generated revenue of $11.9bn (£9.2bn) in the fourth quarter.
A spokesperson for Alphabet (GOOGL, GOOG) had not responded to Yahoo Finance UK's request for comment at the time of writing.
Shares were little changed in pre-market trading on Tuesday, with the stock down 13% year-to-date. The stock has slumped since the release of its fourth quarter earnings last month, as cloud revenue missed estimates of $12.1bn.
The company also dramatically expanded its capital expenditures for the year ahead, from $57.9bn to a planned $75bn. Investors have been increasingly cautious over the level of spending by major tech companies since Chinese startup DeepSeek released its lower cost AI model, which rocked the sector in January.
Shares in electric vehicle (EV) company Tesla (TSLA) fell 4.8% on Monday, with the stock now down 41% since the start of the year.
Shares have halved in value, as of Monday's closing price of $238, since hitting an all-time high closing price of $479.86 in December on the back of US president Donald Trump's election win.
Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk has faced increasing backlash over his involvement with the Trump administration, heading up the the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). His cost-cutting initiative across federal agencies, seeing mass layoffs, has sparked protests at Tesla dealerships across the US.
Meanwhile, data released last month has shown falling sales in Tesla (TSLA) in Europe, where Musk has also made high-profile inventions in politics.
The Financial Times reported on Tuesday, that short sellers had made $16bn in profit from betting against Tesla (TSLA) shares.
Tesla shares were down nearly 1% in pre-market trading on Monday, which came as Chinese EV maker BYD (002594.SZ) unveiled a new ultra-fast five-minute charging system.
Shares in BYD (002594.SZ) rose on Tuesday, after the carmaker said its new platform would enable EVs to charge as quickly as it takes to refill with petrol.
BYD's so-called "super e-platform" will be capable of reaching a peak charging speed of 1,000 kilowatt (kw), which would allow cars to travel 400 kilometres (248 miles) on a five-minute charge.
The 1,000kw charging speed would be twice as fast as the 500kw offered by Tesla's latest version of its superchargers.
"In order to completely solve our user's charging anxiety, we have been pursuing a goal to make the charging time of electric vehicles as short as the refuelling time of petrol vehicles," BYD founder Wang Chuanfu reportedly said at a livestreamed event on Monday, according to Reuters.
BYD said it would build more than 4,000 ultra-fast charging units across China for use with new platform.
The stock surged last week after it was announced that chip industry veteran Tan, who has previous served on Intel's board, was taking the helm. Tan is taking over from interim co-CEOs David Zinsner and Michelle Johnston Holthaus. The duo succeeded former CEO Pat Gelsinger, who was ousted by Intel's board in late 2024.
Reuters reported on Monday that Tan has considered major changes to Intel's chip manufacturing methods and its AI strategy in a bid to turnaround the struggling technology giant.
At a town hall last week, Tan reportedly told employees that Intel would need to make some "tough decisions".
Last year, Intel posted an annual loss of $19bn, which marked its first since 1986, according to Reuters.
On the London market, shares in Close Brothers (CBG.L) slid nearly 21% on Tuesday morning, after the financial services firm swung into a loss after being hit by setting aside funds for the motor finance scandal.
The company reported a loss of £103m ($133m) for the first half of 2025, in results released on Tuesday. Close Brothers (CBG.L), which is one of the UK's largest providers of car loans, had put aside £165m for potential payouts relating to the car finance commission scandal.
The scandal over how consumers have been sold car loans has opened up the possibility that lenders could end up paying out tens of billions of pounds in compensation.
Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell (AJB.L), said: "Close Brothers (CBG.L) has been in the motor finance business for more than 30 years but the mis-selling scandal it is now caught up in means the near 150-year-old institution will be rueing the day it ever got involved.
"Hopes the government might step in to limit the pain for the likes of Close have been somewhat frustrated and the next milestone is a Supreme Court date to hear appeals against the initial rulings from the Court of Appeal," he added.
“It looks like a result will come over the summer and shareholders will be watching nervously to find out the scope of redress Close Brothers (CBG.L) is likely to face."
