Overview
- Microsoft shares fell as much as about 3% before trimming losses after it said aggregate AI sales quotas have not been lowered and that the report conflated growth goals with quotas.
- The Information had reported, citing Azure salespeople, that divisions reduced growth targets for tools like Foundry after fewer than one-fifth hit a 50% goal last fiscal year.
- Investors are balancing such signals against record AI spending, with hyperscalers expected to devote roughly $380–$400 billion this year to chips, servers and data centers.
- Questions about the durability of backlogs and funding also surfaced around Oracle, where analysts weighed a reported OpenAI‑linked commitment against more than $100 billion of debt and rising capex.
- Sentiment remains fragile even as some results improve, with Salesforce topping Q3 expectations and raising revenue guidance while buyers still seek clearer proof that AI products drive growth.