ASX 200 LIVE: Australian shares to lift 1 per cent; Microsoft’s soars and revives the beleaguered AI trade

ASX 200 LIVE: Australian shares to lift 1 per cent; Microsoft’s soars and revives the beleaguered AI trade

Microsoft surged 17% on strong earnings, adding $500 billion in market cap—historic single-day record. The rally signals market validation of Microsoft's AI strategy versus Meta's undefined ROI, sharpening vendor differentiation for enterprise budget allocation.