Alphabet and Tesla earnings fuel AI‑capex worries, push U.S. markets down
Alphabet reported second‑quarter 2026 revenue of $119.8 billion, an 24 % year‑over‑year rise driven by Google Cloud’s 82 % surge and strong advertising. The company beat earnings expectations but lifted its full‑year capital‑expenditure outlook to $195‑205 billion to fund AI infrastructure, causing its shares to slip about 3 % after hours.
Tesla’s quarter showed revenue of $28.2 billion, up 26 % year‑over‑year, yet adjusted earnings per share fell to $0.33 versus $0.50 expected and operating margin dropped to 1.4 %. Free cash flow turned negative and the firm signaled capex exceeding $25 billion for the year. The stock fell roughly 14‑15 %.
Investors reacted to the massive AI spending plans, dragging U.S. indices lower: the Dow fell about 1 %, the S&P 500 around 1.2 % and the Nasdaq roughly 2 %. Rising oil prices above $100 per barrel and heightened Middle‑East tensions added pressure. The combined earnings and spending outlooks sparked broader market volatility.