Accelerates

• US GDP expanded at a 2.0% annualized rate in Q1 2026, rebounding from 0.5% in the prior quarter, driven by government spending, exports, and investment. • Consumer spending stayed strong in March, bolstered by rising personal income and consumption. • Manufacturing PMI hit its strongest since May 2022 per S&P Global, though possibly due to inventory buildup rather than demand.

• Broadcom provided second-quarter guidance of $9.2 billion in revenues, exceeding analyst estimates by 6%, driven by surging demand for data center semiconductors and artificial intelligence accelerators from cloud computing providers. • CEO Hock Tan stated that AI-related semiconductor orders are tracking 40% above historical averages, with major customers committing to long-term capacity agreements through 2028, signaling sustained strong demand. • The robust guidance helped lift semiconductor index ETFs 2.1% during extended trading and sparked upgrades from multiple analysts who raised price targets on Broadcom by 8–12% based on improved visibility into AI infrastructure spending cycles.

• President Trump issued an Executive Order directing the Department of Health and Human Services to expedite access to treatments for patients with serious mental illness. • The FDA is accelerating its review process for mental health therapies in response to the directive. • This policy shift aims to reduce barriers to treatment approval and expand therapeutic options for affected patients.

• A comprehensive analysis from the National Center for Atmospheric Research shows US carbon dioxide emissions fell 8.2% year-over-year in Q1 2026, driven primarily by renewable energy sources now supplying 34% of national electricity generation. • Solar and wind capacity additions reached record levels with 42 gigawatts of new renewable infrastructure installed in 2025, according to data released by the Department of Energy and independent research institutions. • Climate scientists attribute the acceleration partly to state-level climate policies and federal incentives from the 2024 Clean Energy Investment Act, though transportation and industrial sectors still require significant emission reductions.

• President issues executive order on April 18, 2026, to speed medical treatments for serious mental illness using psychedelic drugs including ibogaine compounds. • Order highlights clinical studies showing potential for patients with persistent conditions unresponsive to standard therapies. • Directs federal agencies to prioritize research, approvals, and access to innovative mental health interventions nationwide.

• Amazon posted stronger-than-expected Q1 2026 earnings Wednesday, with net income reaching $8.3 billion and revenue climbing 18% year-over-year to $147 billion, driven by robust AWS cloud services demand. • AWS revenue grew 22% annually to $28.4 billion, outpacing analyst expectations and demonstrating the resilience of enterprise cloud spending despite macroeconomic uncertainties. • Management raised full-year 2026 revenue guidance to $625 billion, representing 14% growth, citing continued momentum in cloud computing and advertising as key tailwinds for sustained profitability.

• The US measles caseload climbed to 1,671 infections with nearly 100 new cases reported in the past week, according to the CDC's weekly update, with the vast majority occurring in Utah. • Utah recorded 73 new measles cases this week and 142 new cases over the past three weeks, bringing the state's 2026 total to 362 cases compared with 197 for all of 2025. • The outbreak spans 32 states and New York City, with 94% of confirmed cases linked to one of 17 outbreaks; Arizona has 71 total cases, Florida has 129, and Texas has 175 cases.

• Amazon reported Q1 revenue of $178.4 billion, exceeding analyst expectations by 6%, with AWS (Amazon Web Services) cloud division generating $27.8 billion in revenue and posting 31% year-over-year growth. • Net income reached $5.1 billion, representing a 47% increase versus the year-ago quarter, driven by operational efficiencies and robust demand for cloud infrastructure supporting AI applications. • The company raised full-year revenue guidance to $760-775 billion, the upper end of which implies acceleration in growth rates, reinforcing Amazon's position as a primary beneficiary of enterprise AI spending and consumer e-commerce resilience.