{"id":73360,"date":"2026-10-21T07:08:16","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T11:08:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/at-oracle-debuts-ai-agent-studio\/73360\/"},"modified":"2026-10-21T07:08:16","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T11:08:16","slug":"at-oracle-debuts-ai-agent-studio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/at-oracle-debuts-ai-agent-studio\/73360\/","title":{"rendered":"AT&#038;T and Philip Morris Beat Q3 Estimates; Oracle Debuts AI Agent Studio"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>AT&amp;T (<a href=\"\/stock\/T\">T<\/a>)<\/strong> surpassed third-quarter expectations with <strong>adjusted EPS of $0.65<\/strong> and <strong>$32.3 billion in revenue<\/strong>, leading the company to raise its full-year earnings guidance to approximately <strong>$2.40 per share<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Philip Morris International (<a href=\"\/stock\/PM\">PM<\/a>)<\/strong> reported record quarterly net revenue and an <strong>adjusted EPS of $2.36<\/strong>, beating estimates as smoke-free products now account for over <strong>40% of total revenue<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Oracle (<a href=\"\/stock\/ORCL\">ORCL<\/a>)<\/strong> launched <strong>AI Agent Studio for Industry Applications<\/strong>, a low-code platform designed to help organizations deploy specialized AI agents into specific business workflows.<\/li>\n<li><strong>U.S. Mortgage Applications<\/strong> fell <strong>5.3%<\/strong> for the week ending October 16, as the <strong>30-year fixed mortgage rate<\/strong> climbed to <strong>7.41%<\/strong>, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Geopolitical tensions<\/strong> escalated as Ukrainian President <strong>Volodymyr Zelenskyy<\/strong> criticized ongoing speed restrictions on <strong>Starlink<\/strong> services and discussed peace deal requirements involving a national referendum.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Corporate Earnings Highlights<\/h2>\n<p>AT&amp;T (<a href=\"\/stock\/T\">T<\/a>) delivered a robust third-quarter performance, reporting <strong>revenue of $32.3 billion<\/strong>, a <strong>5.3% increase<\/strong> year-over-year. The telecommunications giant saw <strong>379,000 wireless postpaid phone net adds<\/strong> and record growth in its fiber segment, reaching more than <strong>1 million Advanced Connectivity customers<\/strong> for the second straight quarter. Consequently, the company raised its <strong>FY2026 adjusted EPS guidance<\/strong> to approximately <strong>$2.40<\/strong>, up from its previous range of $2.25 to $2.35.<\/p>\n<p>Philip Morris International (<a href=\"\/stock\/PM\">PM<\/a>) also posted strong results, with <strong>organic revenue rising 7.1%<\/strong>, significantly ahead of the <strong>5.35%<\/strong> analyst estimate. The company\u2019s transition toward a smoke-free future continues to gain momentum, led by the growth of <strong>IQOS<\/strong> and <strong>ZYN<\/strong> nicotine pouches. Despite the earnings beat, the company slightly adjusted its <strong>FY adjusted EPS forecast<\/strong> to a range of <strong>$8.29 to $8.44<\/strong> (previously $8.35 to $8.50), primarily citing unfavorable currency impacts.<\/p>\n<h2>Technology and Innovation<\/h2>\n<p>Oracle (<a href=\"\/stock\/ORCL\">ORCL<\/a>) introduced its <strong>AI Agent Studio for Industry Applications<\/strong>, aimed at accelerating the adoption of autonomous enterprise tools. The platform provides a <strong>no-code and low-code environment<\/strong> for customers to build, test, and manage AI agents tailored to specific industry processes, such as finance, human resources, and supply chain management. This move builds on Oracle&#39;s existing <strong>Fusion Applications<\/strong> suite, integrating AI directly into daily business operations to reduce manual labor and improve efficiency.<\/p>\n<h2>Economic Indicators and Geopolitics<\/h2>\n<p>The U.S. housing market faced renewed pressure as <strong>mortgage applications dropped 5.3%<\/strong>, following a previous decline of 2.7%. The <strong>MBA 30-year mortgage rate<\/strong> remained elevated at <strong>7.41%<\/strong>, deterring potential buyers and leading to a shift toward <strong>Adjustable-Rate Mortgages (ARMs)<\/strong>, which reached their highest share of applications since late 2025.<\/p>\n<p>On the international stage, President <strong>Volodymyr Zelenskyy<\/strong> reported &quot;very productive&quot; talks with U.S. special envoy <strong>Steve Witkoff<\/strong> but expressed frustration over <strong>Starlink<\/strong> speed limitations. Zelenskyy noted that any potential peace deal to end the conflict with Russia would require a <strong>national referendum<\/strong>. Meanwhile, <strong>Donald Trump<\/strong> warned that peace talks could come to a &quot;complete halt&quot; if negotiations do not progress, while pressuring Kyiv to reach a settlement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways AT&amp;T (T) surpassed third-quarter expectations with adjusted EPS of $0.65 and $32.3 billion in revenue, leading the company 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