Akiko Fujita

    Host

    Akiko Fujita is an Anchor and Reporter for Yahoo Finance. She was previously an anchor at CNBC International, where she hosted Squawk Box Asia and covered the tech sector across the region.

  • Immigration a facet of 'inflation neutral' job gains: Economist

    Job growth estimates for the month of April fell behind expectations with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting 175,000 jobs were added to the US economy against forecasts for 240,000. Could this cooling labor print be a good sign to come for the Federal Reserve as officials struggle with the inflation-side of their dual mandate? S&P Global Ratings Chief US Economist Satyam Panday joins The Morning Brief to weigh in on how April's jobs data could contribute to a soft landing scenario and immigration's role in strengthening the US labor market. "In the last few months, we have come to find some evidence... showing that we have undercounting population growth in the US basically due to immigration arising in the last one and a half years," Panday tells Yahoo Finance. "So I think that does sort of explain some of the upside surprises and it does also help in some of the wage growth tempering. But overall... it goes both ways. They both produce and they also consume at the same time, so it is a net-net positive, so far, normalizing the labor market as well as keeping the economic growth sort of getting surprised on the up side. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan.

  • These three things released bond market 'pressure': Strategist

    Stocks are on the rise as bond yields slump following the April jobs report. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Co-Head of Broad Markets Fixed Income Vishal Khanduja joins Morning Brief to break down what the weaker-than-expected report means for the economy. April saw an unexpected jump in unemployment as hiring and wage growth both slowed. Khanduja notes that following the Fed's decision to leave rates unchanged, the bond market is at a point "where it releases a lot of that pressure that was building up." Khanduja says there were three things that happened this week to help relieve that pressure: the US Treasury's quarterly refunding announcement, a more "dovish FOMC," and the cooler April employment report. He tells Brad Smith and Akiko Fujita that two to three more reports like April's could guide the Fed's decision to move toward cuts. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Melanie Riehl

  • Google antitrust case: Closing arguments underway

    Closing arguments are set to conclude in the US Justice Department's antitrust case against Alphabet's (GOOG, GOOGL) Google. The DOJ alleges that Google's deals to make its search engine the default on web browsers and devices allowed it to maintain an unfair monopolistic grip on the market. Yahoo Finance's Alexis Keenan breaks down the details as closing arguments continue. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Market Domination Overtime. This post was written by Angel Smith

  • Block to use 10% of bitcoin profits... to buy more bitcoin

    Shares of Block (SQ) are moving up Friday morning — gains eventually pulling back after the market open, but remaining in the green — after the fintech company posted its first-quarter earnings results, revealing a 22% gain in gross profit, compared to one year ago. The company announced that they plan on using 10% of those profits from bitcoin (BTC-USD) products, to buy more bitcoin as an investment. Morning Brief Anchor Brad Smith breaks down the latest development for Block as it leans heavier into investing in bitcoin For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Nicholas Jacobino

  • Apple revenue is an 'iPhone plus services story': Analyst

    Apple (AAPL) shares are climbing after the tech giant announced the authorization of a $110 billion share buyback program. Oppenheimer Senior Analyst of Emerging Technologies and Services Martin Yang tells Brad Smith and Akiko Fujita that despite weak iPhone sales, Apple is on track to "enter into a stronger iPhone cycle with accelerating earnings growth." He also highlights the increasing revenue generated by Apple services, calling this "not only an iPhone story, but an iPhone plus services story." For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Melanie Riehl

  • Amgen surges over confidence in early obesity drug results

    Shares of Amgen (AMGN) are jumping Friday morning after the company showed confidence in early results from a GLP-1 weight-loss drug that is in development to treat obesity. The pharmaceutical giant beat first-quarter revenue estimates while reporting a loss of $113 million. Yahoo Finance Senior Health Reporter Anjalee Khemlani joins The Morning Brief to break down the latest developments from Amgen and its outlook on use cases for the drug in question, MariTide. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Nicholas Jacobino

  • Stocks surge on cooling jobs data for April

    All three of the major market averages (^DJI, ^IXIC, ^GSPC) are surging Friday morning after a cooler-than-expected jobs report for the month of April, adding 175,000 jobs in the month, below estimates of 240,000. The Nasdaq Composite shot up as high as 2% following the market open. Morning Brief Co-Hosts Akiko Fujita and Brad Smith review the market and sector gains this morning. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan.

  • US on a 'two-track labor market' for skilled work: Economist

    The US Bureau of Labor Statistics' jobs report revealed that the US economy added 175,000 jobs in April, below expectations of 240,000, with annual wage growth also below expectations at 3.9%. Although numbers came in below expectations, some sectors fared better than others when adding jobs and increasing wages. Glassdoor Chief Economist Aaron Terrazas joins The Morning Brief to give insight into the April jobs report and how it paints a picture of the current job market landscape. Terrazas elaborates on the type of companies that are hiring and where wages stand: "They're two very different groups of companies right now. Companies that hire kind of workers with graduate degrees, they have pulled back on hiring, pulled back on wages. Whereas, again, for front line service, until perhaps this month, hospitality, leisure, construction, all of those were still going very fast." He continues with: "When you look at the time that workers stay unemployed after a layoff, it has been flat, below pre-pandemic levels for workers with less than a college degree. It's been basically flat for workers with exactly a bachelor's degree. It has been skyrocketing for workers with a graduate degree. This is kind of an inverse labor market compared [to] most of what we've seen the past 20 years." For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Nicholas Jacobino

  • April jobs report has some 'good news' for the Fed: Economist

    The April employment report was cooler than economists had been expecting, with the US adding 175,000 jobs compared to the estimated 240,000. Citi Senior Global Economist Robert Sockin and State Street Global Markets Senior Global Multi-Asset Strategist Dan Gerard join Morning Brief to discuss the April report. Sockin notes that the unemployment rate remains at a relatively low level, despite rising to 3.9% in April. The United States added fewer jobs than predicted and wage growth slowed, which Sockin explains may be indicative of "a moderating job market rather than a job market that's falling off a cliff" and could be "good news" for the Federal Reserve. Gerard notes that the jobs report is still "a pretty decent number given where rates are," especially as post-pandemic normalization is still underway. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Melanie Riehl

  • US added 175,000 jobs in April, unemployment rate rises

    The US added 175,000 jobs in April, fewer than the 240,000 jobs economists polled by Bloomberg were expecting. The unemployment rate ticked higher to 3.9% versus the 3.8% estimate. Average hourly earnings rose 0.2% month-over-month and 3.9% year-over-year. The expectation had been for 0.3% and 4.0% respectively. Yahoo Finance's Brad Smith and Akiko Fujita report the breaking details. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Stephanie Mikulich.

  • What are chips and why are they so important?

    Chip stocks are on the rise, making up nearly 10% of the S&P 500 (^GSPC) and accounting for nearly half of this year's gains. Yahoo Finance's Akiko Fujita breaks down why semiconductors are so important. "They are a critical component in almost everything that we use. So any news, any shortages will trickle across industries well beyond semis," Fujita explains. Chips can be used in devices ranging from smartphones to automobiles, and the United States continues to lead in research and development. Most notably, semiconductor manufacturing is rising to meet the demands of the artificial intelligence boom. In just the last year, global chip sales came in over $500 billion and are expected to hit a trillion dollars by the end of the decade, according to McKinsey. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Wealth! This post was written by Melanie Riehl

  • Markets see 'shallow' rate cut path through 2026: Strategist

    The Federal Reserve announced its decision to hold interest rates at their current levels on Wednesday. Fed Chair Jerome Powell reiterated the central bank's need to observe further progress in taming inflation before initiating a rate-cutting cycle. Joining the Morning Brief to provide insights into the rate cut outlook is UBS Global Management Head of Taxable Fixed Income Strategy Leslie Falconio. Falconio highlights that the market had adopted a hawkish stance leading up to the Fed meeting, effectively pricing out numerous rate cuts — with markets now factoring in just one rate cut in 2024 and "a very shallow cutting path" in 2025 and 2026. She acknowledges the market's speculation about a potential rate hike, emphasizing that "the important part" was Fed Chair Powell's clarification on the path forward for rate cuts. Addressing the inflation target, Falconio emphasizes the Fed's need for "continued progress lower" in economic data. While the target remains at 2%, she believes that the exact figure may not necessarily need to be attained, as long as the disinflationary trend persists. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Angel Smith

  • Inflation fears may impact the presidential election. Here's how.

    Persistently high inflation has emerged as a significant challenge for Americans, and in this election year, the economy could potentially sway voters' decisions at the ballot box. To shed light on this pressing issue, Yahoo Finance's Senior Columnist Rick Newman breaks down the underlying causes of inflation in key sectors like oil and gasoline while also exploring the potential ramifications for the presidency. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Angel Smith

  • Apple leans further into AI, reportedly poaches Google talent

    Apple (AAPL) is reportedly poaching artificial intelligence developers from Google (GOOGL, GOOG), according to the Financial Times, with the goal of bolstering its own AI division and build out an AI lab in Zurich, Switzerland. Apple has been acquiring a range of AI firms as it eases into integrating artificial intelligence systems into its devices. The iPhone maker is scheduled to report fiscal second-quarter earnings after Thursday's market close. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan.

  • Nio's EV deliveries soared by 134% year-over-year in April

    Chinese EV maker Nio's (NIO) vehicle deliveries soared by over 134% year-over-year in the month of April. Morning Brief Co-Hosts Akiko Fujita and Brad Smith break down Nio's latest delivery figures as Chinese electric vehicle companies are in a heated price war with competitor Tesla (TSLA) in China's auto market. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan.

  • Fed rate hikes are off the table and it's a 'relief': Strategist

    The Federal Reserve decided to hold rates steady, marking the sixth meeting in a row in which it has done so. While some on Wall Street have argued that rate hikes were on the table, causing concern, Chair Jerome Powell put those worries to bed in his press conference after the decision. JPMorgan Asset Management Chief Global Strategist Gabriela Santos joins The Morning Brief to discuss the Fed's decision and how it will impact the market. Santos explains that the Fed has made a reassuring decision and should gradually move rates down: "Ultimately, I think it was a relief just to hear that hikes really aren't on the table and they had actually been priced in before the meeting yesterday." For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Nicholas Jacobino

  • Qualcomm posts Q1 beat, upbeat guidance on smartphone demand

    Qualcomm (QCOM) stock is being lifted Thursday morning by upbeat sales forecasts, topping fiscal second-quarter earnings estimates on the top and bottom lines.  The Morning Brief Anchors Akiko Fujita and Brad Smith review the semiconductor company's revenue figures and what it signals for smartphone demand. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan.

  • DoorDash: Q1 orders up 21% YoY despite weak Q2 forecast

    Shares of DoorDash (DASH) fell sharply during Thursday's trading session after the company issued weak second quarter guidance. The food delivery platform lowered its expectations for adjusted EBITDA, forecasting a range of $325 million to $425 million for the upcoming quarter. Yahoo Finance's Brooke DiPalma breaks down the details, shedding light on the strategic investments DoorDash has been making to boost profitability on its platform. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Morning Brief. This post was written by Angel Smith

  • Airbnb exec. talks newest experience booking category: Icons

    Airbnb (ABNB) announced a new category of experiences called “Icons,” where customers can do anything from staying in the house from the Pixar film Up for a week to listening to unreleased Prince tracks in the Purple Rain home. Airbnb Chief Business Officer Dave Stephenson joins Yahoo Finance's Akiko Fujita to discuss the company’s newest marketing strategy. Stephenson explains that following the success of the Barbie Dream House stay last year, Airbnb decided to further pursue unique stays and experiences across the globe. “We can do some unique things in communities all around the world when you travel… this is just one way that we can show how we are doing so much more than just stays on Airbnb,” he says. As the busy summer travel season approaches, Stephenson has a positive outlook on how Airbnb’s “Icons” will drive growth and engage customers in unforgettable ways. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode. This post was written by Melanie Riehl

  • Carvana, Ebay, MGM Resorts: After hour movers

    Shares of Carvana (CVNA) are surging after hours on Wednesday as the company posted its first quarter earnings, revealing it surpassed Wall Street expectations with revenue of $3 billion against an expected $2.68 billion. In addition, CEO Ernest Garcia III claimed the company delivered the best results in its history. Shares of eBay (EBAY) are sliding after the company posted its first quarter earnings, beating Wall Street expectations on both the top and bottom line but missing on expectations for its second quarter forecast. MGM Resorts (MGM) stock rises as the company beat Wall Street expectations on the top and bottom line with its first quarter earnings. The company's success is partly due to boosted revenue from its segment in China, growing almost 70% year-over-year. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode. This post was written by Nicholas Jacobino