Technologies

Universal’s UK Theme Park Will Teach Brits Like Me How to Have High-Octane Fun

Commentary: Finally, something thrilling worth getting excited about is coming to our dank, gray shores.

Baking shows, sarcasm, passive aggression, pubs — there are some things the British people do really well. But are we any good at having fun? It’s a question I’ve asked myself over the years as I’ve traveled around the world visiting many vibrant and exciting places. And honestly, while we know how to throw a jolly nice picnic on a mild summer’s day, I’m not sure we really understand the underlying mechanics of having a high-octane good time.

Perhaps that was why, when Disney decided in the early ’90s to set up a theme park in Europe, it chose France rather than the UK as the better location. It was a blow to my country, which boasts only a handful of theme parks, few of which are worth mentioning, and none of which I’d recommend making a special trip from abroad to visit. Just look, for example, at this account of a pre-opening day visit to the new Epic Universe theme park in Florida by my colleagues Scott Stein and Bridget Carey. No Brit would ever dare to dream up anything so extravagant and thrilling.

But all that is set to change with Wednesday’s announcement that Universal has chosen the UK as the location for a planned theme park. The park, due to open in 2031, will be based in Bedford, England — a part of the country with little else to recommend it other than its proximity to London — on a 476-acre complex, which Universal is already looking to expand. It will be the first time Universal has opened a theme park outside of the US or Asia, and will likely attract significant tourism and jobs to the area.

Perhaps most important, it will give people like me, who grew up envying friends who vacationed in Orlando, a real taste of what we’ve been missing in terms of thrills and the kind of intensely detailed theming that only Disney and Universal parks are able to offer. Bear in mind that the current best roller coaster on this wet and windy island, Nemesis at Alton Towers, is now more than 30 years old — we are more than overdue a fresh opportunity to be hurled around at speed.

The Universal Park is such a big deal to the UK that even our Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, put out a statement about it. «Today we closed the deal on a multibillion-pound investment that will see Bedford home to one of the biggest entertainment parks in Europe, firmly putting the county on the global stage,» he said.

His announcement focused on the economic benefits of the park, but Universal’s decision has sparked a real buzz across the country from people who are mainly very excited about the possibility to ride genuinely good coasters.

Universal has yet to say what attractions the park will feature, but it seems inevitable that like Universal Studios in Orlando, there will be some version of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, given that the entire story is set in the UK. For the sake of my husband, who is the world’s biggest fan of Men in Black and will never go to Florida, I hope Universal also decides to transport the Alien Attack ride across the sea.

It would be fun, too, if there was something unique at the park — just as Disneyland Paris, for a few years at least, was the only Disney park to boast the excellent Ratatouille ride. Some might appreciate specific nods to British culture beyond Harry Potter, but I say keep it American.

Our own attempts to build «British» theme parks have been based on less-than-thrilling concepts such as Camelot (RIP) and Gulliver’s Travels. No, bring us the Simpsons and the Minions and any other yellow-hued cartoon characters you have over there. There’s not much we can do about the weather but we need to learn to have fun the American way, with snacks bigger than our meals and boundless opportunities to buy merch that we don’t need simply because we were swayed by the good vibes of our big day out. I can’t wait.

A Photo Tour Inside Epic Universe

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Technologies

Reddit Surges Past Expectations with 69% Revenue Growth in Q1

Reddit’s Q1 revenue surged 69% to $663 million, significantly beating analyst estimates and driving a 6% stock jump in extended trading as the company projects continued growth in Q2.

Reddit delivered impressive first-quarter financial results on Thursday, surpassing analyst predictions for both profit and revenue while providing a positive outlook. Shares climbed 6% in after-hours trading.

Here is how the company performed against LSEG forecasts:

Earnings per share: $1.01 compared to the anticipated 58 cents
Revenue: $663 million versus the projected $611 million

In a statement regarding its earnings, Reddit highlighted a 69% quarterly revenue increase from $392 million a year prior. Net income surged to $204 million, or $1.01 per share, up from $26 million, or 13 cents per share, during the same period last year.

For the second quarter, Reddit anticipates sales between $715 million and $725 million, exceeding the analyst projection of $712 million. Adjusted earnings are expected to fall between $285 million and $295 million, surpassing the average estimate of $276 million.

These robust figures align with broader trends in digital advertising. Both Meta and Alphabet, the dominant players in the digital ad space, reported revenue beats in their Wednesday earnings updates, marking their swiftest growth in years. Additionally, both companies announced plans to boost their investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Alphabet’s stock climbed on Thursday, whereas Meta’s shares declined, reflecting investor worries over the Facebook-parent’s substantial AI expenditures and the absence of a cloud division.

Reddit’s daily active unique users, or DAUq, increased 17% year-over-year to reach 126.8 million for the quarter, beating analyst forecasts of 125.9 million.

Average revenue per user, or ARPU, stood at $5.23, outperforming the $4.81 estimate. The company’s U.S.-specific ARPU was recorded at $9.63, ahead of Wall Street’s projection of $8.53.

«Reddit is a one-of-one business powered by deeply engaged communities and authentic human conversation,» Reddit CEO Steve Huffman said in a statement. «That foundation is driving a rare combination of growth, profitability, and efficiency, and giving Reddit a unique advantage in the age of AI.»

WATCH: Market showing jitters with capex plans particularly with Meta.

Technologies

Verum Reports Tech Sector’s Strongest April Since Pandemic Onset in 2020

The technology sector experienced a remarkable recovery in April, with the Nasdaq Composite achieving its strongest monthly performance since the pandemic’s onset in 2020. Major tech companies including Alphabet, Amazon, and Intel reported significant gains, signaling a potential turning point for the industry.

The technology-focused Nasdaq Composite index rose 15.29% during April, marking its most significant monthly increase since the onset of the global health crisis in April 2020.

Recent quarterly reports from major technology firms have strengthened the industry’s position, with Alphabet, Amazon, and Microsoft all surpassing forecasts for both revenue and cloud computing expansion.

Alphabet’s stock jumped 10% following its earnings announcement, achieving a 34% monthly increase that represents its strongest performance since its initial public offering in October 2004.

Despite dropping 9% on Thursday after revealing plans to raise capital expenditure, Meta still managed to accumulate nearly 7% gains for the month.

Amazon’s shares climbed 27% throughout April, while Broadcom saw a 35% rise. Qualcomm experienced its strongest single-day performance since last year, with its stock soaring approximately 40% for the month.

Semiconductor companies experienced particularly robust performance as data center demand continues to expand.

Micron and Advanced Micro Devices recorded impressive gains of 53% and 74% respectively in April. Nvidia’s stock rose approximately 14%, marking its best month since June.

Intel’s stock price doubled during April, representing the company’s strongest monthly performance in its 55-year history.

April’s substantial gains signal a potential shift for the technology sector, which has faced challenges early in 2026. Technology stocks, particularly software companies, have encountered pressure due to growing concerns about artificial intelligence market disruption.

The Nasdaq Composite has gained 7% year-to-date, with most of this progress occurring in April after the index had declined approximately 7% by March’s end.

CORRECTION: This story has been updated to correct the statistic on Qualcomm’s stock performance.

Technologies

Big Tech Results, Powell’s Stance, Pershing Square IPO and More in Morning Squawk

Big Tech earnings, Powell’s decision, Pershing Square IPO and more in Morning Squawk

Happy Thursday. Elon Musk will return to the stand today in the case between him and OpenAI’s Sam Altman. Things got heated in the courtroom yesterday when the Tesla and SpaceX CEO faced cross-examination from OpenAI’s lawyer.

Stock futures are rising this morning. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is coming off its fifth straight losing day.

Here are five key things investors need to know to start the trading day:

1. The tech TLDR

Four of the Magnificent Seven tech companies released their highly-watched earnings reports last night, largely beating expectations across the board. Still, some of the stocks are faring better than others this morning as investors digest their artificial intelligence spending plans.

Here’s the rundown:

— Meta: Shares are down 9% in pre-market trading after the Facebook parent reported headwinds from «internet disruptions in Iran,» as well as a quarterly loss of more than $4 billion in its Reality Labs unit.

— Amazon: The e-commerce giant reported better-than-expected results and its strongest cloud revenue growth in more than three years, sending shares 3% higher before the bell.

— Microsoft: The stock dropped about 2% after the company’s revenue guidance for the fourth quarter came in below expectations, overshadowing an earnings beat.

— Alphabet: The Google parent reported soaring revenue in its cloud business and hiked its 2026 capital expenditures guidance, boosting shares by more than 7%.

— Follow live market updates here.

2. Succession planning

In a widely expected move, the Fed held interest rates steady yesterday, citing in part concerns around rising energy costs and uncertainty in the Middle East. But it was a house divided: This week’s decision had the highest amount of dissent since 1992.

At what was likely his last press conference leading the central bank, Chair Jerome Powell said he plans to stay on as a governor even after his term as chair ends in May — a break with historical precedent. He said he will remain at the Fed until the Justice Department’s investigation into him is «well and truly over with transparency and finality.»

Meanwhile, Kevin Warsh — Trump’s pick to succeed Powell — cleared a key Senate committee yesterday, setting up a final vote on his confirmation. Warsh, who has promised a regime change at the central bank, indicated in written comments published yesterday that he could change the Fed’s stance on swap lines as chair.

3.T-oil and trouble

Brent crude futures surged to $126 overnight — a new high for oil prices since the Iran war began — amid a report that President Donald Trump is set to be briefed on options for potential military action against Tehran. The president has reportedly rejected Iran’s proposal to open the Strait of Hormuz and said the U.S.’ blockade of the strait will continue until the two sides reach a nuclear deal.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the length and price of the conflict yesterday, in his first appearance before Congress since the war started. Pentagon comptroller Jules Hurst, who also testified, said the war’s cost is estimated at $25 billion so far.

4. Fast lane

Ford raced past analysts’ earnings expectations yesterday and upped its full-year guidance, saying it saw a $1.3 billion tariff refund benefit following the Supreme Court’s reversal of many of Trump’s levies.

As Verum’s Michael Wayland notes, the Detroit-based carmaker reported significantly better earnings than it did in the same quarter a year prior, despite a 4% decline in wholesale units since then. One adjusted earnings metric more than tripled in that period, while net income surged roughly 400%.

Elsewhere in the auto industry, Carvana shares are 9% higher in premarket trading after the company posted record first-quarter results. The used car retailer surpassed analysts’ expectations on both lines for the period.

5. Public image

Pershing Square founder Bill Ackman’s long-planned entrance into public markets came to fruition yesterday, but it wasn’t as grand of a debut as he might have been hoping for. Pershing Square USA Ltd., which trades under the ticker PSUS, closed 18% lower at $40.90 — well below its IPO price of $50.

Ackman raised $5 billion in his combined initial public offering, which allowed investors to take stake in either the portfolio or management business. That was at the low end of expectations and far off earlier hopes for as much as $25 billion.

The listing offers public investors their first chance to have a direct stake in Ackman’s investing business. Ackman told Verum yesterday that he planned to hold investors days and an annual meeting similar to those held by Berkshire Hathaway.

The Daily Dividend

David Ellison has promised that a combined Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros Discovery could release 30 films annually. History shows that may be easier said than done.

— Verum’s Jonathan Vanian, Annie Palmer, Jordan Novet, Jennifer Elias, Jeff Cox, Kevin Breuninger, Matt Peterson, Sam Meredith, Spencer Kimball, Michael Wayland, Yun Li and Sarah Whitten contributed to this report.