Stocks in motion: Bank results, new deals and controversy

Why is it up? Why is it down? Here's a few comments on the unusual variations affecting stocks on the NYSE today. Only when they are reliable and documented: we avoid nonsense whenever possible! Variations are taken at the time of writing.

Up:

Western Digital Upgraded by Deutsche Bank

Western Digital's stock rose by 4.4% after Deutsche Bank upgraded the company to Buy from Hold and raised the price target to $65 from $45. The upgrade reflects a positive outlook on the company's future performance.

Synopsys and Ansys Deal Impacts Stock Prices

Synopsys announced its plan to acquire Ansys for $35 billion, with Ansys shareholders set to receive $197 in cash and 0.3450 share of Synopsys stock for each share they own. This acquisition is expected to close in the first half of 2025. Following the news, Synopsys shares rose by 4.1%, while Ansys shares dropped by more than 4.2%. The deal is seen as a significant move for Synopsys to expand its market in AI and electronic design automation.

Down:

Baidu Stock Declines Amid Military Collaboration Controversy

Baidu's stock fell by 3.5%, following reports that linked its Ernie Bot chatbot service to Chinese military labs. The company has refuted these claims, stating that it has not entered into any business collaboration with the authors of the academic paper or any affiliated institutions. Baidu emphasized that Ernie Bot is available to the general public. Despite Baidu's clarification and the South China Morning Post's correction of its report, investor concerns led to a decline in Baidu's market value.

Morgan Stanley Shares Drop After Q4 Earnings Decline

Morgan Stanley's stock experienced a nearly 4% drop after the company reported a marked decline in its Q4 profit. The decrease in earnings has raised concerns among investors, contributing to the downward pressure on the stock price.

Boeing Announces Additional Quality Inspections for 737 Max

Boeing's stock decreased by 6.5% as the company announced plans for additional quality inspections on its 737 Max aircraft following a recent incident involving an Alaska Airlines flight. Boeing is taking measures to ensure the safety and quality of its aircraft, which includes deploying a team to Spirit AeroSystems and opening facilities to 737 operators for oversight inspections.