Stocks
Microsoft Shares Gain as Analysts Boost Azure Outlook
Microsoft shares rose by 0.8% in pre-market trading to $502.01, outperforming the largely flat broader market.
A BNP Paribas analyst reaffirmed his positive stance on Microsoft with a price target of $549, highlighting Azure's contract repricing strategy as an underappreciated growth driver.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's attendance at a White House state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping adds geopolitical visibility to the company's global cloud and AI ambitions.