Microsoft jumps 15% while Meta sinks nearly 8% as the AI trade splits

Microsoft shares rose 15 percent on Wall Street on Thursday, 30 July 2026, while Meta fell nearly 8 percent. According to CNBC, it was Microsoft's best day since 2008 and added close to $450 billion to its market capitalisation.

Microsoft reported fiscal fourth-quarter revenue above analyst estimates on Wednesday, 29 July 2026, along with 43 percent growth at its Azure cloud business, also ahead of market expectations. The company said paid seats for Microsoft 365 Copilot had risen to more than 30 million, up from more than 20 million in April 2026, and it reiterated its 2026 capital expenditure forecast.

Meta, by contrast, missed expectations on both earnings and revenue guidance for the current quarter. It guided to revenue of $61 billion to $64 billion, against the $63.15 billion analysts expected according to LSEG data. Meta's free cash flow fell 91 percent from a year earlier to $784 million. The stock declined for an 11th consecutive session and is down more than 20 percent over that stretch.