Alphabet

According to Gartner, the global public cloud services market is expected to reach US$$266 billion in 2020, a 17% increase year-over-year, led by segments Software as a Service (“SaaS”) and Infrastructure as a Service (“IaaS”), which are expected to grow to US$$116 billion and US$$50 billion, respectively. [more]

Last week, Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Microsoft, reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings, as most of these big tech companies strongly outperformed against the broader market during the COVID-19 pandemic. With large cash balance and solid cash flows, these Tech Giants are poised to seize opportunities in this unsettled market. [more]

In this past week’s PGC Conference, a key topic of discussion was the changing trends in the gaming industry, with speakers and keynote presentations from companies including Doppio Games, Gameloft, Headup, and Netmarble. [more]

The pandemic may have slowed down demand for office spaces temporarily however, overall supply in the market maintained stability. According to Altus Group, a commercial real estate services firm, in Q1/2020, the vacancy rate in Canada dropped to 9.5% compared with 10.3% year-over-year. [more]

The Federal Reserve and the Treasury Secretary announce new extensive measures to support the economy, which brings comments from Duquesne Family Office, Blackrock, Miller Value Partners, The Leuthold Group, and Appaloosa Management. [more]

This past week, the tech companies that dominate online reported Q1 earnings, including companies Alphabet, Amazon.com, Apple, Facebook, and Microsoft. Google and Microsoft saw an increased demand for cloud services and enterprise offerings but reduced online advertising sales. [more]

S&P 500 and S&P/TSX indices screens highlight companies with strong balance sheets and cash flows, which reduce liquidity risks and allow companies the ability to acquire distressed assets. Cash Kings – Alphabet, Microsoft & Facebook in the U.S. and Onex & Kirkland Lake in Canada [more]

As the Covid-19 pandemic socially isolates most economies across the world, the business world is quickly changing from office space to remote environments. Companies adapting online focus on three areas of digital transformation: (1) cloud storage, (2) workplace communication, and (3) video conferencing. [more]