U.S. tech roundup: Amazon pulls back from physical retail as layoffs, nuclear permits and LinkedIn’s $5B quarter reshape the landscape

A compact set of developments this week sketches a changing terrain for American tech and retail. One large e‑commerce company is exiting its branded grocery and cashierless store experiments and winding down an associated biometric payment program while also trimming corporate ranks further, a decision that accelerates an existing workforce reduction. That same firm confirmed another tranche of cuts that adds materially to layoffs already announced last year, amplifying uncertainty in the Seattle area and among suppliers. Against that backdrop, a regional debate over expanding capital‑gains taxation has provoked vocal opposition from founders and investors who warn it could alter incentives for building companies locally. At the same time, LinkedIn reached a new revenue threshold, topping $5 billion for a quarter and demonstrating that targeted product pivots can deliver material top‑line growth inside a larger technology conglomerate. In energy, a private advanced nuclear developer expects imminent federal approvals for components of a first‑of‑a‑kind reactor, moving potentially transformative infrastructure closer to reality. The e‑bike maker that entered bankruptcy attracted bidders in an auction, with assets slated to transfer to a buyer for just over thirteen million dollars subject to court sign‑off. Other travel and platform companies have made further headcount reductions, part of a broader retrenchment across consumer internet and travel services. Taken together, the items reflect both consolidation and selective expansion: companies are pulling back from experiments that failed to scale while doubling down where revenue or regulatory progress justifies investment. For regional economies that relied on rapid hiring cycles, the new round of job losses increases near‑term downside risks for commercial real estate and consumer demand. Conversely, record results at larger platforms and progress on advanced energy projects suggest pockets of durable growth and investment will persist. The week closes with a practical arithmetic: fewer experiments, more focus on profitable units, and a policy debate that could change the calculus for entrepreneurs and capital providers in the months ahead.