WSJ Tech News Briefing

Episode: TNB Tech Minute: Nvidia, Arm Shares Rise Following Meta Deal

Date: February 18, 2026
Host: Julie Chang

Overview

In this Tech News Briefing episode, host Julie Chang delivers a rapid roundup of the day’s top tech stories shaping the markets and industry discussions. Major stories include Meta’s landmark chip deal with Nvidia, Mistral AI’s acquisition to bolster computing power, and a new wave of debt as tech giants race to expand data centers for AI—signaling crucial shifts in hardware, acquisition strategies, and corporate finance within Big Tech.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Meta’s Massive Chip Deal with Nvidia

• Meta’s Strategy:
  Meta has reached an agreement to purchase “tens of billions of dollars worth of chips and other hardware” from Nvidia to advance its AI infrastructure.

• Hardware Focus:
  Acquisition includes “millions of Nvidia’s Blackwell and Rubin graphics processing units, and a significant deployment of Grace and Vera central processing units”.

• Goal:
  The hardware will power Meta’s data centers and AI development.

  "Meta has struck a deal with Nvidia to buy tens of billions of dollars worth of chips and other hardware for its AI needs."
  — Julie Chang, [00:16]

• Market Response:
  Pre-market gains for both Nvidia (+2%) and chip designer ARM (+1.5%). ARM benefits as its technology is used in Nvidia’s CPUs; Meta’s own stock remains largely unchanged.

  "Nvidia shares rose 2% in pre market trading and shares of chip designer ARM rose 1.5%."
  — Julie Chang, [00:37]

2. Mistral AI Acquires Coyeb for Cloud Computing Boost

• Acquisition Details:
  Mistral AI has acquired Coyeb, an infrastructure startup, to enhance its internal processes and computing capacity.

• Strategic Purpose:
  Coyeb’s “cloud computing platforms and team will help developers run and scale AI without infrastructure snags” so they can focus on actual coding, rather than maintenance.

• Team Integration:
  All 16 Coyeb engineers, including three co-founders, will join Mistral AI in March, pending regulatory approval.

  "Coyeb's 16 engineers, including its three co founders, will join in March. The deal is subject to regulatory approval and financial terms were not disclosed."
  — Julie Chang, [01:13]

3. AI Data Center Boom Drives a Surge in Corporate Debt

• Market Trend:
  The increasing competition to build out large-scale data centers is causing a significant rise in corporate borrowing among U.S. tech companies.

• UBS Forecast:
  UBS analysts predict $360 billion in new debt issuance in 2026, up from a prior estimate of $300 billion, driven by expected capital expenditures by sector leaders.

• Scale of Spending:
  Combined investments from Amazon, Meta, and Google could reach $770 billion—an increase of 23% over prior forecasts.

• Global Borrowing:
  U.S. tech companies are also expected to seek international borrowing avenues.

  “The race to build data centers is fueling an AI debt boom, upending expectations for U.S. corporate borrowing.”
  — Julie Chang, [01:26]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Meta’s AI Ambitions:

  "Meta has struck a deal with Nvidia to buy tens of billions of dollars worth of chips and other hardware for its AI needs." ([00:16])

• Market Reaction:

  "Nvidia shares rose 2% in pre market trading and shares of chip designer ARM rose 1.5% pre market." ([00:37])

• AI Infrastructure M&A:

  "Mistral said Coyeb's cloud computing platforms and team will help developers run and scale AI without infrastructure snags so they can focus primarily on writing code." ([01:05])

• AI Debt Boom Context:

  “UBS analysts now forecast $360 billion in new debt issuance from investment grade U.S. technology companies in 2026, up from $300 billion.” ([01:34])

• Hyper-scale Spend:

  “If Amazon, Meta and Google follow through on their planned investment, total spending by so-called Hyperscalers could hit $770 billion, which UBS says is 23% higher than its previous forecast.” ([01:45])

Important Segment Timestamps

• Meta–Nvidia Deal & Market Reaction: [00:16–00:44]
• Mistral AI Acquires Coyeb: [00:44–01:13]
• Data Center Expansion & AI Debt Boom: [01:13–01:55]

Tone & Takeaway

Julie Chang delivers the news in a focused, matter-of-fact style, emphasizing seismic movements in AI hardware procurement, M&A activity to drive computing innovation, and the financial implications of the AI infrastructure race. The episode captures a moment of accelerating investment and competitive dynamics, with implications for tech sector growth and financial strategy.

This summary covers the main content of the episode, omitting advertisements and promotional segments.