The latest Market Talks covering Technology, Media and Telecom. Published exclusively on Dow Jones Newswires at 4:20 ET, 12:20 ET and 16:50 ET.

1622 ET - Wireless companies are cheering the passage of Republicans' massive spending bill, which offers them new tax breaks and fresh chances to bid on federal spectrum auctions. The bill orders the U.S. to privatize an estimated $85 billion worth of wireless rights, opening them up for future sale to cellphone carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile. Republicans reached a compromise on the auction authority, which lapsed in 2023, after adding safeguards for some airwaves used by military and intelligence agencies. (andrew.fitzgerald@wsj.com; @drewfitzgerald)

1612 ET - Kudos start to pour in from Corporate America following Congressional approval of President Trump's Big Beautiful Bill. AT&T says it's going to ramp up spending in its fiber infrastructure with an added 1 million customer locations annually starting in 2026, largely due to pro-investment policies laid out in the legislation. The company thanked Trump for making spectrum availability a priority, days after the president called out the carrier for issues he had during a conference call with supporters. (kelly.cloonan@wsj.com)

0921 ET - Datadog is set to take Juniper Networks's spot in the S&P 500, bucking investor expectations for Robinhood or Applovin to join the index ahead of it, Wedbush analysts say in a research note. The monitoring-software maker was selected over those names because its platform continues to gain momentum in the observability market, particularly with its AI focus, the analysts say. Datadog is well positioned to keep gaining share in the observability space as its new go-to-market momentum boosts deal flow for advanced capabilities in monitoring cloud migration and digital transformation projects, they say, maintaining an outperform rating on the stock. Shares rise 9.6% to $147.94 premarket. (dean.seal@wsj.com)

0920 ET - Nintendo's Switch 2, with manufacturing in Vietnam, will likely get pricier following a finalized trade deal between the U.S. and Vietnam, but any ensuing pullback in its stock will likely be a buying opportunity, Wedbush says in a research note. The new agreement with Vietnam imposes a 20% tariff on Vietnamese imports to the U.S. "We anticipate Nintendo will pass nearly all tariff-related costs to U.S. consumers, resulting in an estimated 18%-20% price increase," say the analysts. They add that pullbacks in Nintendo shares into the holiday period present a solid buying opportunity "as we think demand will continue to outpace supply through the balance of the year despite anticipated price hikes." (denny.jacob@wsj.com; @pennedbyden)

0829 ET - Netflix will drive revenue growth with price increases in 2025 and its ad-tier will push revenue higher in 2026, Wedbush says in a research note. Netflix added over 41 million subscribers globally in 2024 establishing "a virtually insurmountable lead in the streaming wars," the analysts say. Netflix raised prices across its subscription tiers in certain regions in the first two quarters of 2025 with limited churn, as it provided a vast library of content and the option to trade down to less expensive tiers, they say. The company is now positioned to accelerate ad-tier growth in the coming years by adding and improving live events, expanding ad partnerships and broadening its content strategy, the analysts say. (dean.seal@wsj.com)

0445 ET - Tech "nationalism" has been a major headache for businesses in Asia over the past year, says Arthur Lang, group chief financial officer at Singtel. Countries have been incorporating technology advancements into economic and political statecraft, with the U.S. and China driving a "bifurcation of technologies" by getting others to take sides, leading to protectionism in the industry, Lang says. In projects like laying submarine cables and building digital infrastructure, "major powers are asking companies to take a side, whether it should be build by Chinese companies, or U.S. or Western companies," Lang says. That is affecting businesses as they try to balance geopolitics with technology goals. (kimberley.kao@wsj.com)

0410 ET - Southeast Asia is becoming a global hub for artificial intelligence, says Google's Sapna Chadha. Amid the "polarized world" of geopolitics, the region is instead developing frameworks around AI ethics and coming together with discussions to drive innovation faster than other parts of the world, the Google vice president says during a panel at the 9th Asean Conference organized by SBF. Companies don't pick sides in the region, making it a unique space for opportunity, Chadha says. According to Google's research, about 70% of businesses in the region see return on investment in AI in less than six months, and the pace of innovation is a reason why Google is heavily investing in infrastructure in the region, Chadha adds. (kimberley.kao@wsj.com)

2141 ET - Malaysia's tech sector outlook may remain cautious as earnings recovery faces headwinds, including weak non-AI demand, CIMB Securities analyst Mohd Shanaz Noor Azam says in a note. While AI-related chip demand and smartphone sales remain strong, broader sector growth is uneven, he says. Upside catalysts include resilient hyperscaler spending, China's chip localization push, and rising defense tech demand. However, currency volatility, rising operating costs, and potential demand volatility amid the end of the U.S. reciprocal tariff grace period could be near-term headwinds, he says. CIMB maintains a neutral rating on Malaysia's tech sector, and selects Malaysian Pacific Industries and Inari Amertron as preferred picks due to their strong fundamentals. (yingxian.wong@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 03, 2025 16:50 ET (20:50 GMT)

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