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This is the world in brief from The Economist.

Our top stories.

Technology stocks tumbled over worries that vast AI spending, particularly on data centers,

was not generating sufficient returns.

The tech-heavy NASDAQ index closed 0.7% lower.

Microsoft's poor results prompted the sell-off.

Although its cloud computing unit saw revenues rise by 38% on a year earlier,

the firm's capital expenditure rose by 66%.

Its shares fell by 10% on Thursday, the biggest drop since 2020.

America's Senate potentially averted a partial government shutdown before this weekend's deadline,

passing spending bills for five agencies and agreeing to temporarily

extend the deadline on the sixth, final package, funding for the Department of Homeland Security

while negotiations continue. Democrats are demanding restrictions on the Trump administration's

immigration crackdown. However, the House of Representatives

which must approve these changes is in recess until Monday. Meanwhile, Donald Trump said he would

announce his choice for the next chair of the Federal Reserve next week. America's president has repeatedly pressured the central bank's

current chair, Jerome Powell, whose term expires in May to lower interest rates faster. They were

...