Stock Market Today (LIVE): Google Maps Gets a Gemini Brain

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Google Challenges Rivals With AI Maps

10:00 am — GOOG -1.4%

Alphabet (GOOG 2.23%) is overhauling its most popular utility with “Ask Maps,” a Gemini-powered chatbot designed to handle complex, conversational queries. With over 2 billion monthly users, Google Maps remains the top navigation app, but analysts have long flagged the service as under-monetized. By integrating personalized AI that suggests stops based on battery life or specific amenities, Google aims to increase user “dwell time” and fend off emerging AI search rivals. While ads aren’t included at launch, the move signals a major step toward transforming the 20-year-old app into a high-intent revenue engine for the agentic era.

• Mining Location Data: The feature utilizes 20 years of proprietary mapping intelligence and renewable energy data to offer insights — like finding public tennis courts with lighting — that static GPS cannot provide.
• The Invisible Paywall: Although currently ad-free, the infrastructure allows Google to eventually integrate sponsored placements into AI-driven recommendations, potentially unlocking a multi-billion dollar revenue stream.

Palantir Sticks With Anthropic’s Blacklisted AI

10:05 am — PLTR +0.7%

Palantir Technologies (PLTR +1.46%) CEO Alex Karp confirmed at the company’s AIPcon 9 that its software remains integrated with Anthropic’s Claude, despite the start-up’s recent blacklisting by the Department of Defense. While the Pentagon labeled Anthropic a “supply chain risk” for refusing to strip safety guardrails, Karp noted that military operations in Iran still rely on the model via Palantir’s platform. Shares rose 1% as investors weighed the company’s essential role as the “brain of the battlefield.” To mitigate future disruption, Palantir is already preparing to integrate alternative large language models, ensuring its $10 billion defense contract pipeline remains insulated from shifting geopolitical alliances.

• The Integration Moat: Replacing Claude isn’t a simple toggle; Palantir must rewrite complex mission workflows and prompts, a process that could take months and millions in engineering costs.
• A Patriotic Pivot: By signaling a move toward other models, Palantir is positioning itself to capture market share from rivals while maintaining its status as the military’s primary AI gateway.

Opening Bell

9:35 am — XOM +0.4%, CVX +0.6%, MS -3.5%

The Dow plunged 547 points Thursday as Brent crude futures retook $100 per barrel. Selling accelerated after Energy Secretary Chris Wright admitted the U.S. Navy is currently “not ready” to escort tankers through the shuttered Strait of Hormuz. While ExxonMobil (XOM +1.40%) and Chevron (CVX +2.13%) found bids, broader markets buckled under the threat of a prolonged supply freeze. Even a massive 172-million-barrel release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve failed to offset the panic caused by fresh attacks on foreign vessels. Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley (MS 4.18%) pressured the financial sector after restricting withdrawals from its private credit fund, further dampening investor sentiment.

Top of the Morning

9:10 am — NTDOY -1.2% in pre-market trading

Shares of Japanese gaming company Nintendo (NTDOY 2.36%) are up over 15% this week due to a catalyst that it seems the company itself didn’t even see coming. Pokémon Pokopia, a Switch 2 exclusive Pokémon-themed life simulation spinoff game, has sold over 2.2 million copies in its first four days on the market, making it the fourth best-selling game on the Switch 2 console and already one of the most successful Pokémon spin-offs of all time.

Reports suggest Nintendo’s internal expectation for Pokopia was 8 million units over its lifetime, and the game has already cleared more than a quarter of that in under a week. Physical copies are not only selling out at retailers globally, but Amazon has reportedly been raising prices on remaining inventory as well.

This is surprising because Pokopia isn’t a classic mega-hit like a Mario game or mainline Pokémon title.

[.]

8:45 am — NFLX -0.67% in pre-market trading

Netflix (NFLX 0.37%) is betting big — up to $600 million big — on Ben Affleck’s AI start-up, InterPositive. As a long-term shareholder, I’m weighing the “wow” factor against the “why.”

The bull case is simple: operating leverage. If InterPositive’s “human-centric” AI can streamline the grueling VFX and post-production cycles, Netflix isn’t just buying a tool; they’re building a proprietary production engine. It’s about shortening the gap between a creator’s vision and the global “Play” button, potentially slashing budgets while maintaining “prestige” quality.

As a part of the acquisition, Ben Affleck will join as a Senior Advisor. He developed the tools specifically to assist filmmakers, rather than replace them. The tools aren’t built to train on films without permission or generate new projects without the base film.

However, as a Foolish investor, I’m watching the “creative friction” closely. $600 million is a hefty premium for an early stage firm, and “AI” remains a polarizing word in Hollywood. There’s a delicate balance between tech efficiency and alienating the talent Netflix needs to survive.

[Read more.]

6:15 am — ORCL -0.61% in pre-market trading

Shares of Oracle (ORCL 1.36%) closed over 9% higher yesterday on what the Street appears to believe were exceptional third-quarter results.

I can understand why. Oracle told investors that, among other things, remaining performance obligations (RPO) soared 325% year-over-year to $553 billion. Taken at face value, those figures would tell you that Oracle has established itself as a foundational provider of AI data center infrastructure. Hard to not love that, right?

Maybe. Page six of the 10-Q quarterly report offers context that I find … troubling.

[Read more.]

Uber and Nissan to Launch Tokyo Robotaxis by 2026

8:00 am — UBER -0.31% in pre-market trading

Uber Technologies (UBER 1.51%) and Nissan Motor have finalized a deal with AI start-up Wayve to launch autonomous robotaxis in Tokyo by late 2026. The partnership will integrate Wayve’s “mapless” AI driving system into the Nissan LEAF, allowing the electric vehicles to navigate Tokyo’s dense urban streets via the Uber app. This marks Uber’s first autonomous foray into Japan, a market currently facing severe driver shortages. While the initial pilot will include safety operators, the move is part of a broader strategy to scale robotic fleets across 10 global cities. For Nissan, the collaboration offers a high-tech lifeline as it seeks to recover from recent restructuring costs by monetizing its EV portfolio through autonomous “mobility-as-a-service.”

• Regulatory Navigation: Uber is sidestepping local hurdles by operating through licensed taxi partners, ensuring compliance with Japan’s strict transport laws while scaling its autonomous footprint.
• Mapless Edge: Unlike competitors that rely on expensive HD mapping, Wayve’s “embodied AI” learns from real-time data, potentially allowing Uber to launch in complex cities faster and with lower overhead than rivals.

This Morning’s Breakfast News

7:30 am — TBBB -2.15% in pre-market trading

BBB Foods (TBBB 10.55%) fell over 2% ahead of the opening bell as results showed a higher-than-expected net loss, marking the fourth consecutive quarter where the company hasn’t surpassed consensus earnings per share estimates. Revenue rose by 34.4% versus the same period last year.

• “While EBITDA margin is an important metric, we do not manage the business to achieve a specific margin target in any given quarter”: CEO K.Anthony Hatoum guided investors away from focusing on profitability and instead pointed to “opening successful stores, continuously improving value for our customers, and operating with increasing efficiency.”
• “BBB Foods’ business model encourages expansion, and Hatoum has definitely favored aggressive growth strategies”: Reviewing the company earlier this week, Fool contributing analyst Dan Caplinger said “shoppers have consistently visited BBB Foods stores more frequently over time, and when they go, they have also tended to spend more.” The stock is beating the S&P 500 by 17% since the July 2025 Rule Breakers recommendation.

U.S. Launches Trade Probe into 16 Nations

7:25 am

The U.S. has launched Section 301 unfair trade practice probes into countries including China, the European Union, and India, potentially paving the way for new levies this summer to replace existing tariff policies.

• “We expect that this investigation will uncover a variety of unfair trading practices related to excess capacity and production in manufacturing”: U.S. trade representative Jamieson Greer expects to conclude the investigation before the current temporary tariff measures expire in July. Of the 16 countries included, Canada is a notable exception of a large trading partner not mentioned.
• India pushes export incentives to lure U.S. Big Tech: India is planning more smartphone manufacturing boosts where companies use locally made components, a move that will benefit Apple (AAPL 2.15%), who account for almost 75% of the country’s smartphone exports.

Atlassian Cuts 1,600 Jobs in Bold AI-First Pivot

6:00 am — TEAM +2.39% in pre-market trading

Atlassian (TEAM +1.35%) is eliminating 1,600 roles–roughly 10% of its global staff–as it aggressively pivots toward an “AI-first” business model. In a candid memo, co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes noted that while AI isn’t strictly replacing workers, it has fundamentally altered the skill mix required to compete. The restructuring coincides with the departure of CTO Rajeev Rajan, who will be replaced by two “next-generation” AI-focused leaders. For investors, the $225 million to $236 million in anticipated restructuring charges represents a steep but necessary price to “self-fund” AI R&D and enterprise sales, especially as the company faces increasing pressure to prove its software tools remain essential in an automated era.

• Surgical Skill-Swapping: Unlike the broad pandemic-era cuts, these reductions specifically target R&D and engineering roles to clear “headcount room” for specialists in generative AI.
• Financial Rebalancing: By curbing headcount now, Atlassian aims to accelerate its path to sustained GAAP profitability, a key demand from shareholders after a volatile 2026 for the stock.

ICYMI: Wednesday’s Scoreboard

5:30 am — NXT unchanged in pre-market trading

Nextpower (NXT 2.33%) was the subject of the latest Scoreboard video.

Before the Opening Bell

5:15 am

Wall Street is grappling with a dual threat as stock futures decline in the face of a widening conflict in the Middle East. Oil prices surged past $100 a barrel on Thursday following reports of tankers being struck near the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for 20% of global supply. While February’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) arrived at a predictable 2.4%, the “war premium” on energy is stoking fears that inflation will prove stickier than anticipated. Investors are now pivoting to Friday’s Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) report to see if the Federal Reserve still has room to ease rates or if the energy-driven spike in gasoline will force a more hawkish stance through the spring.

• The Hormuz Stranglehold: Major energy players like Chevron (CVX +2.13%) and ExxonMobil (XOM +1.40%) are in the spotlight as the International Energy Agency coordinates a record 400-million-barrel reserve release to offset the blockade.
• Inflationary Tug-of-War: Despite core CPI cooling, the 18% jump in pump prices since February’s end threatens to derail the Fed’s path toward a soft landing, making the upcoming PCE reading a high-stakes catalyst for volatility.

This article was created using Large Language Models (LLMs) based on The Motley Fool’s insights and investing approach. It has been reviewed by our AI quality control systems. Since LLMs cannot (currently) own stocks, it has no positions in any of the stocks mentioned. Emily Flippen, CFA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Sanmeet Deo, CFA has positions in Alphabet, Netflix, and Palantir Technologies. Tim Beyers has positions in Alphabet, Apple, BBB Foods, and Netflix. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Apple, Atlassian, BBB Foods, Chevron, Netflix, Nextpower, Oracle, Palantir Technologies, and Uber Technologies and is short shares of Apple. The Motley Fool recommends Nintendo. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.