Meta’s $100M AI War, U.S.–UK Trade Pact, and Streaming’s Takeover of TV

Money Masters' Market Movers 25

June 18, 2025

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Dear Money Master,

Major global shifts are unfolding as the U.S. and U.K. finalize a landmark post-Brexit trade agreement. Key tariffs on British aerospace and automotive exports are being eased, giving U.K. carmakers a 100,000-vehicle quota at a 10% duty rate. In other economic updates, U.K. inflation held steady at 3.4% in May, with falling transport costs offsetting food price hikes. Meanwhile, Japan’s exports dropped 1.7%, led by a steep 25% plunge in auto shipments to the U.S.—marking the largest decline in eight months.

In tech, Meta is finally monetizing WhatsApp with ads in its "Updates" tab—a first since the $19B acquisition. It’s also offering $100M sign-on deals to lure OpenAI talent as it ramps up its AI race. Tencent is charging into Europe’s cloud market by leaning on WeChat and gaming. SoftBank raised $4.8B through a T-Mobile share sale, bolstering its war chest. On the earnings side, Jabil hit an all-time high on strong AI demand, and OpenAI scored a $200M Pentagon contract for next-gen military AI.

Read of the Day: Streaming Overtakes Traditional TV — Here's What It Means for Viewers 🎥🎡

📰 Your Daily Financial Digest - June 18th, 2025

🌍 Economics & Finance:

  1. U.S. and U.K. Finalize Post-Brexit Trade Deal 🤝
    Tariffs on UK aerospace and auto sectors are being slashed while quotas on steel and aluminum are set. British carmakers secured an annual U.S. quota of 100,000 vehicles at a 10% tariff. Read More

  2. UK Inflation Holds at 3.4% in May 📉
    Consumer prices held steady, with core inflation dipping to 3.5%. Declines in transport and motor fuel offset rising food and furniture prices. The pound edged up to $1.345 post-release. Read More

  3. Japan’s Exports Fall 1.7%, Biggest Drop in 8 Months 📦
    Auto shipments to the U.S. plunged nearly 25%, highlighting tariff tensions. Overall exports to China and the U.S. also dropped, shrinking Japan’s Q1 GDP. Read More

💻 Technology:

  1. Tencent Bets on WeChat and Gaming to Conquer Europe’s Cloud Market ☁️
    Tencent will leverage strengths in video optimization, low-latency gaming, and WeChat-style super apps to challenge Amazon, Microsoft, and Google in Europe. The firm already partners with Orange to support mobile app services. Read More

  2. Meta Offers $100M Bonuses to Poach OpenAI Talent 💸
    Sam Altman revealed Meta dangled $100M sign-on deals to lure OpenAI staff for its “superintelligence” AI lab. So far, none have defected, but Meta’s aggressive hiring includes a $14.3B investment in Scale AI. Read More

  3. SoftBank Raises $4.8B from T-Mobile Share Sale 💰
    The Japanese tech giant sold 21.5M shares at $224 apiece, a 3% discount to market price. SoftBank remains T-Mobile’s second-largest shareholder. Read More

💹Earnings:

  1. Jabil Hits All-Time High After Beating Q2 Estimates 📈
    Revenue surged nearly 16% to $7.83B, driven by AI infrastructure demand. Core EPS of $2.55 beat forecasts, and full-year guidance was raised. Read More

  2. Yum! Brands Names CFO Chris Turner as New CEO 🌮
    The parent of Taco Bell and KFC will see Turner take the helm on Oct. 1. He succeeds David Gibbs, who retires after 37 years with the company. Read More

  3. OpenAI Lands $200M Pentagon Contract for AI Tools 🔐
    The U.S. Defense Department awarded OpenAI a one-year deal to prototype frontier AI systems for military and enterprise use. Read More

🔍 Article of the Day: Streaming Overtakes Traditional TV — Here's What It Means for Viewers 

Television has just hit a major milestone. For the first time in history, more people are watching shows on streaming platforms like YouTube and Netflix than on traditional cable or broadcast TV. Powered by free options, flexible viewing, and changing habits, streaming is no longer the future—it’s the present. This article explains how we got here, why it matters, and what it means for the way we all watch TV.

Finance Headlines, Translated for Humans

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