During the pandemic, YouTube was one of Alphabet’s prime growth engines as more people were glued to their screens while stuck at home. The video site continued its rapid expansion last year as the economy reopened and ad spending soared.
French election could be a bigger shock to markets than Brexit or Trump
French voters are expected to hand Emmanuel Macron five more years in office on Sunday, favoring the president over far-right candidate Marine Le Pen after a strong showing in a fiery debate. But investors remain on edge.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng closes 4% higher, as Chinese stocks gain on hopes of more policy support
Shares in Asia-Pacific rose on Friday, with technology stocks in the region jumping following big gains on Wall Street that saw the Nasdaq Composite surging 3%.