Microsoft profit tops $36.6bn days after offering buyouts to 60,000 staff

Microsoft said its profit for the three months to September rose to more than $36.6bn, just days after announcing it would offer buyouts to about 60,000 workers, cutting its workforce by over a quarter, to curb costs while spending heavily on AI infrastructure. Its shares rose nearly 2.9% in after-hours trading in New York as investors weigh whether AI spending will pay off.