Nvidia Swings, Walmart Slides, Nike Falls

On this episode of Stock Movers:
- Nvidia (NVDA) shares traded higher amid a broader relief rally in tech stocks and the S&P 500. The relief brought by the US shutdown’s end gave way to volatility this week as a host of Fed speakers threw cold water on bets for further policy easing. Hot areas favored by momentum traders such as artificial-intelligence whipsawed and Bitcoin was barely up for 2025.
- Walmart (WMT)'s Chief Executive Officer Doug McMillon, who over a decade ushered the big-box behemoth into the Internet age, will retire in February. He’ll be replaced by US head John Furner — long viewed as the heir apparent. Furner, 51, takes over as Walmart faces a fast-moving shift toward artificial intelligence, an uneven US economy, and a rapidly changing global workforce. The company recently inked a partnership with OpenAI, which will allow shoppers to directly make purchases through ChatGPT. The retailer has said automation has helped it keep headcount steady at about 2 million employees globally. Investors were initially rattled by the change at the top, with the company’s shares sliding as much as 3.6% on Friday.
- Nike (NKE) has ended an initiative that gave employees an extra week off each year to promote mental health and wellness. Nike’s annual “Wellness Week,” which started in 2021, had been held each August, with the world’s largest sportswear company powering down its corporate headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, to give staff more time to unwind. Chief People Officer Treasure Heinle told staff this week that the program was instituted as the world endured Covid-19, but the company is now in a “pivotal moment” that requires changes in how employees approach their work, according to a replay of the meeting reviewed by Bloomberg News. Shares of Nike fell.

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