#partnership

Well it is that time of year and month etc with IBM Q3 earnings up 10/22. Stock hits all time high and then.....drop 15-25 points after 10/22?

https://www.investors.com/news/technology/ibm-stock-breakout-anthropic-ai-partnership/

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) and OpenAI today announced a 6 gigawatt agreement to power OpenAI’s next-generation AI infrastructure across multiple generations of AMD Instinct GPUs. The first 1 gigawatt deployment of AMD Instinct MI450 GPUs is set to begin in the second half of 2026.

AMD’s strong leadership in high-performance computing systems and OpenAI's pioneering research and advancements in generative AI places the two companies at the forefront of this important and pivotal time for AI.

Under this definitive agreement, OpenAI will work with AMD as a core strategic compute partner to drive large-scale deployments of AMD technology starting with the AMD Instinct MI450 series and rack-scale AI solutions and extending to future generations. By sharing technical expertise to optimize their product roadmaps, AMD and OpenAI are deepening their multi-generational hardware and software collaboration that began with the MI300X and continued with the MI350X series. This partnership creates a true win-win for both companies, enabling very large-scale AI deployments and advancing the entire ecosystem.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/loffler-companies-expands-partnership-with-xerox-to-lead-service-and-sales-coverage-across-the-upper-midwest-302573910.html

"Loffler will take on full responsibility for servicing all existing Xerox direct customers while also assuming sales coverage for SMB clients across Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota."

Just the start.

If anything, this makes some reasonable sense. Since IFS has experience making x86, which a large % of equipment is optimized for... so that's would make any transition 100x easier vs a non x86 design. AMD get's access to a US supplier to appease the Administration, and get a 2nd source instead of TSMC, which would give them both some diversification, and more importantly, some possible pricing relief. The biggest hurdle is AMD willing to send money to their biggest PC and Server competitor... or are the benefits offset that risk. Given IFS isn't going to be profitable with or without AMD... there's actually a reasonable chance AMD would sign on to IFS (prob with some old legacy designs just in case IFS sc--ws the pooch... like they have the last 15 years).

The work began around a year ago, and preliminary agreements were reached by Intel's then-CEO Pat Gelsinger and Nvidia's Jensen Huang even before that. (A year ago, Joe Biden was president, though no one suggested his administration was involved, either.)

--> Did LBT steal the credit without giving credit to PG who worked with Jensen on the joint product a year ago ?

https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/cpus/teams-at-nvidia-and-intel-have-been-working-in-secret-on-jointly-developed-processors-for-a-year-the-trump-administration-has-no-involvement-in-this-partnership-at-all

Garbage AMD is finished lmao

Intel-Nvidia partnership will be like Google and YouTube.

Intel will the next trillion dollar chip company by next year

i think both parties will be made stronger for this. Intel needed this. Nvidia is advantaged with this, but was succeeding without.

https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/cpus/nvidia-and-intel-announce-jointly-developed-intel-x86-rtx-socs-for-pcs-with-nvidia-graphics-also-custom-nvidia-data-center-x86-processors-nvidia-buys-usd5-billion-in-intel-stock-in-seismic-deal

The recent collaboration between Nvidia and Intel is a complex strategic maneuver with significant implications for Intel's ambitions in AI and GPUs. It can be seen as both a smart move to leverage its core strength (x86) and a potential risk to its own competing product lines.
Here's a breakdown of the key considerations:
A Sign of x86 Expansion and Reinforcement

• Playing to its Strengths: The partnership allows Intel to lean into its most dominant position: the x86 CPU and its vast ecosystem. By building custom x86 CPUs for Nvidia's data center platforms, Intel is solidifying its role as the "head node" for AI workloads. Even in a GPU-accelerated world, a CPU is still required to manage the system and run the operating system, and Intel's x86 processors are the default choice in most data centers.
• IDM 2.0 and Foundry Services: This deal is a major win for Intel's IDM 2.0 strategy, which aims to make Intel a leading foundry for other companies. Manufacturing custom x86 chips for Nvidia, a major customer and the market leader in AI, is a massive vote of confidence in Intel's manufacturing capabilities.
• Expanding Market Reach: The collaboration on consumer-level "x86 RTX SoCs" with integrated Nvidia GPU chiplets allows Intel to offer a more compelling product in the growing AI PC market. This could help Intel regain some of the market share lost to AMD in gaming and high-performance laptops. It's a way to integrate a world-class GPU into its x86 platform without having to design one from scratch for every product line.
  A Risk to Intel's AI Accelerator and GPU Ambitions
• Competitive Headwind for Gaudi: The collaboration poses a direct, existential risk to Intel's Gaudi AI accelerator line. If Nvidia is using custom Intel CPUs for its AI platforms, it suggests that Nvidia believes the optimal solution involves pairing its GPUs with a customized x86 CPU, not with a competing AI accelerator like Gaudi. While Intel's Gaudi has shown strong performance and price-to-performance metrics, it has a tiny market share compared to Nvidia's overwhelming dominance. This partnership could signal that Intel is prioritizing its foundry business and its core x86 platform over the uphill battle of competing directly with Nvidia's GPUs.
• Potential for Cannibalization: The "x86 RTX SoC" product for PCs could cannibalize demand for Intel's own discrete Arc GPUs. While Intel is still developing Arc, the deal gives them a compelling alternative to offer PC manufacturers and consumers who want a powerful, integrated solution with a market-leading GPU. This could reduce the incentive for Intel to continue investing heavily in its own consumer-level GPU designs.
• Shifting Focus: While Intel has consistently stated its commitment to both Gaudi and Arc, a deep partnership with the market leader in both of those areas could lead to a strategic shift. Intel may decide that its primary role in the AI ecosystem is to be the foundational CPU provider and a leading foundry, rather than a direct competitor to Nvidia in every market segment.
  In conclusion, the partnership is a double-edged sword. It's a pragmatic and low-risk move that leverages Intel's core strengths, reinforces its IDM 2.0 strategy, and gives it access to the most powerful AI ecosystem. However, it also creates a direct and formidable competitor to its own in-house AI and GPU products, potentially signaling a de-emphasis on those ventures in favor of a more strategic, and perhaps more profitable, partnership with the market leader.

The key differences between Nvidia's recent collaboration with Intel and the Itanium partnership between Intel and HP lie in the nature of the partnership, the strategic goals, and the market context.
Itanium (Intel & HP)

• Aimed at a New Architecture: The Itanium project was a joint effort to create a brand-new, 64-bit instruction set architecture (ISA) called IA-64. This was a direct attempt to challenge and replace the dominant x86 architecture, particularly in the high-end server and enterprise market. It was a massive, ground-up undertaking to redefine a computing standard.
• Focus on a Single Product Line: The partnership was centered on the Itanium processor family, with the goal of creating a "unified computing infrastructure." HP, which had been developing its own PA-RISC processors, partnered with Intel because the cost of proprietary chip development was becoming prohibitive.
• High-Risk, High-Reward: The project was a huge gamble for both companies. It required significant financial investment (billions of dollars) and a long development timeline. The success of Itanium depended on its widespread adoption, which would require software developers to port their applications to the new architecture.
• Ultimately a Failure: The Itanium project is widely considered a failure. It was plagued by delays, performance issues, and a lack of software support. In the meantime, the x86 architecture, particularly with the introduction of AMD's 64-bit extensions (x86-64), evolved to meet the needs of the server market. This led to Itanium becoming a niche product used almost exclusively by HP (and later, HPE) for its high-end servers.
  Nvidia & Intel
• A Partnership of Complements, Not Replacements: The Nvidia and Intel collaboration is not about creating a new, competing architecture. Instead, it's about integrating the strengths of their existing platforms. Intel's expertise is in CPUs and the x86 ecosystem, while Nvidia's is in AI and accelerated computing with its GPUs.
• Focus on Integration and Ecosystems: The partnership aims to create new products by combining their technologies. This includes Intel building custom x86 CPUs for Nvidia's AI infrastructure and Intel creating system-on-chips (SoCs) that integrate Nvidia's RTX GPUs for personal computers.
• Strategic and Commercial: The deal is a commercial partnership with clear business goals for both sides. For Intel, it secures a major customer for its foundry services and helps it compete more effectively in the AI market, where Nvidia has a dominant lead. For Nvidia, it gives them access to Intel's CPU and x86 ecosystem, and a potentially more secure and diversified supply chain.
• Lower Risk, High Potential: This collaboration is less of a "bet the company" move than Itanium was. It leverages existing, successful architectures and technologies. The risk is lower because they are not trying to create a new market from scratch; they are trying to gain a greater share of existing markets by offering compelling, integrated products. The investment from Nvidia in Intel stock further solidifies the financial alignment of the two companies.
  In summary, the Itanium partnership was a bold, but ultimately unsuccessful, attempt to create a fundamentally new computing standard to displace x86. The Nvidia-Intel collaboration, in contrast, is a more pragmatic and strategic alliance to combine the strengths of two industry leaders, leveraging their established technologies and ecosystems to compete more effectively in the evolving data center and PC markets.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/nvidia-bets-big-intel-with-5-billion-stake-chip-partnership-2025-09-18/

• Nvidia stake follows big investment from US government
• Nvidia's $5 bln investment makes it one of Intel's largest shareholders
• Intel-Nvidia partnership poses risk to TSMC and AMD
• Collaboration aims to enhance AI and computing capabilities

This is more than OK given that Nvidia has plenty of money to lose.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/t-joins-forces-gigs-launch-135804177.html

Talks cover crude storage in Singapore, refining capacity, and trading co-operation

Staff Writer, Zawya Projects

Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Organisation (SOMO) is close to signing a preliminary agreement with ExxonMobil covering crude storage, refining, and trading in Asia, according to a report by state-owned Iraq News Agency (INA).

SOMO Director General Alaa Nizar Al-Shatri said the discussions focus on securing storage capacity in Singapore and other Asian locations, as well as potential cooperation on refining and profit-sharing in crude and product trading.

He described Asia as the fastest-growing hub for refining and demand, calling it a strategic priority for Iraq, which is already among the top three to four suppliers of crude oil to China.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani confirmed Saturday that the government held talks to reactivate the Iraqi-Syrian export line and has already started to extend a pipe (Basra-Haditha) with a length of 685 kilometers, which is located in this direction.

Last week, SOMO had signed a memorandum of understanding with Oman’s OQ to develop a 10-million-barrel crude storage project at Ras Markaz near Duqm.

At the end of August, Iraq’s Oil Ministry signed agreements with U.S.-based Schlumberger and Chevron to advance oil and gas projects and said it is also making progress in talks with Kuwait on the joint development of cross-border fields.

In May 2025, a Zawya Projects report said SOMO is pursuing long-term partnerships with major refiners across Asia, Europe, the Americas, and several African markets.

(Writing by Majda Muhsen; Editing by Sona Nambiar and Anoop Menon)

https://www.zawya.com/projects/oil-and-gas/iraqs-somo-nears-storage-refining-deal-with-exxonmobil-in-asia-j6te89dc

This was done solely for profit. In a time of a weak job market, aggressive inflation, and the dawn of AI, they just crushed people’s lives for money. At a recent summer regional, Penny stated a few times, “over my dead body will this place be sold”. When you have to be that declarative, then you know the field and home office no longer trust you. She is the female version of Andy Sieg. She also stated she is rewriting the Partnership. To change the required age of MP retirement? Perhaps we have a dictator on our hands. Perhaps to change the by-laws to make it easier to sell? She has hired inexperienced EJ leaders for her ELT…external hires, in a sense creating a board of directors. And when she sells, guess what? The GPs get the premium or excess paid for the equity…you as a LP will only get your capital back. Reminds me of 2008 with another proud St. Louis institution - Anheuser Busch. August the 4th was incompetent Iike Penny and he too “invited the barbarians in the gate” meaning the executives from InBev which allowed them to plan the takeover.

So thank you heir dictator you truly are a “penny stock” - you bring little to no value and come with many disclaimers.

Steve B is chasing low margin IT business rather than trying to be the market share leader in what is a high margin copier business. Although is a declining business it not disappearing and there should be a better balance of revenue and margin contribution. The deal with HCL has cost them a fortune in lost revenue and profit because HCL can’t bill timely and accurately. What shame for an iconic brand.

I think we all know who broke up with who.