No recommendation
No news or research item is a personal recommendation to deal. Hargreaves Lansdown may not share ShareCast's (powered by Digital Look) views.
(Sharecast News) - Microsoft has announced plans to invest a further $8bn in the United Arab Emirates over the next four years, taking its total spending across the country to more than $15bn over a seven-year period.
By the end of 2025, Microsoft will have invested $7.3bn in the UAE since the start of 2023. That comprises a $1.5bn equity investment in sovereign AI company G42, $4.6bn in advanced AI and cloud datacentres, and $1.2bn in local operating expenses and cost of goods sold.
Then, from 2026 to the end of 2029, the company will spend a further $7.9bn, $5.5bn of which will go towards expanding AI and cloud infrastructure, and $2.4bn in planned local operating expenses and cost of goods sold.
"This is not money raised in the UAE. It's money we're spending in the UAE. And as we do everywhere in the world, we're focused not just on growing our business but also on contributing to the local economy. This involves bringing together three critical factors - technology, talent, and trust," said Microsoft's vice chair and president Brad Smith in a blog post on Monday.
The news, which kicked off a week of annual energy and technology conferences across Abu Dhabi and Dubai, also included the announcement that the US government has approved plans for Microsoft to export Nvidia chips to the UAE.
Microsoft is the first company under the current Trump administration to secure export licences from the Commerce Department to ship GPUs to the UAE, and will ship the equivalent of 21,500 Nvidia A100 GPUs to the UAE.
"Some of our most important work involves exporting world-leading technology from the United States to the UAE. This includes the GPUs essential to power AI in our datacentres across the country that support the UAE's people and institutions," Smith said.
Microsoft shares were up nearly 1% at $522.65 by 0955 in New York, which Nvidia jumped 2.7% to $207.93.
Investors were also reacting to the news of a $9.7bn deal between data centre operator Iren to Microsoft with access to Nvidia's advanced GB300 GPUs.
The value of investments can go down in value as well as up, so you could get back less than you invest. It is therefore important that you understand the risks and commitments. This website is not personal advice based on your circumstances. So you can make informed decisions for yourself we aim to provide you with the best information, best service and best prices. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment please contact us for advice.