JD.com Eyes £1.9 B Takeovers After €2.2 B Ceconomy Bid; Slate Sells 180,000 EV Preorders
AMZN•JD.com launched in Britain under Joybuy, eyeing Currys and Argos takeovers and placing a €2.2 billion bid for Ceconomy, prompting calls for UK probe into Chinese state subsidies. Bezos-backed Slate turned 180,000 reservations into preorders for its $24,950 EV pickup as OpenAI’s $115 billion GPU spending outpaces AI supply.
1. JD.com UK's Expansion and Bid Activity
JD.com has entered the UK market under the Joybuy banner and is exploring takeover bids for Currys and Argos while submitting a €2.2 billion offer for German retailer Ceconomy. These moves have sparked demands for parliamentary scrutiny of alleged Chinese state subsidies that may distort competition.
2. Slate's $24,950 EV Pickup Reservations
Slate, backed by Jeff Bezos, has converted 180,000 reservations into paid preorders for its $24,950 two-door EV pickup. The company plans to offer financing options targeting $400 monthly payments and sees demand across major US markets from first-time buyers to affluent enthusiasts.
3. OpenAI's GPU Infrastructure Spending
OpenAI is set to invest $115 billion in AI infrastructure through 2029, driving massive demand for high-performance GPU chips. This spending is reshaping investment flows, with Nvidia emerging as a primary supplier over other tech giants due to its semiconductor leadership.
4. AI Supply Constraints and AWS Implications
Global AI hardware demand now exceeds supply, with major cloud providers struggling to secure capacity. Persistent shortages are likely to push up utilisation rates and pricing on services such as AWS, positioning Amazon to benefit from tightening AI infrastructure availability.
