Microsoft and Meta Fuel $500 Billion Surge in AI Stocks

Wall Street's AI leaders added a combined half-trillion dollars in market value late Wednesday as quarterly reports from Microsoft and Meta Platforms demonstrated the payoff from their massive bets on artificial intelligence. Microsoft surged 8% in extended trading, adding $288 billion to its valuation, while Meta jumped 9%, boosting its worth by $152 billion.

The rally extended to other tech giants, with Nvidia climbing 1% and Amazon gaining over 2% ahead of its earnings report. These companies have driven the market's recent ascent through their aggressive AI investments, now yielding tangible results that excited investors.

Meta's bullish revenue forecast and increased capital expenditure guidance—up $2 billion for AI "superintelligence" development—ignited the late-session frenzy. Microsoft's blowout quarter, powered by Azure cloud growth, further validated its AI strategy.