Nvidia’s (NASDAQ: NVDA) stock is back in the spotlight after the chipmaker announced a landmark $100 billion partnership with OpenAI to deploy 10 gigawatts of advanced AI data centers.Described by CEO Jensen Huang as “the biggest AI infrastructure project in history,” the rollout will expand progressively as each gigawatt comes online, securing long-term demand for Nvidia’s GPUs, networking systems, and software stack.For OpenAI, the deal ensures access to unmatched compute power, while for Nvidia, it cemen ...

Core Viewpoint - U.S. stocks are in a historic bear market when measured against gold, despite nominal gains in stock indices [1][2][3] Group 1: Market Performance - The Dow Jones Industrial Average, when priced in gold, has declined over 24% in 2025, 33% since the end of 2023, and nearly 70% since 2000 [1][2] - The current stock market gains are viewed as an illusion created by inflation, which distorts the real performance of equities [2][3] Group 2: Gold's Role - Gold has reached new record highs near $3,800, reflecting a nearly 44% year-to-date gain, reinforcing its status as a safe-haven asset amid inflation [4] - Schiff argues that gold reveals the underlying weakness of U.S. stocks and cautions that ignoring gold may lead investors to overlook the depth of the ongoing market decline [5]

Core Insights - Palantir's stock has surged nearly 140% since January, driven by market enthusiasm for artificial intelligence [1] - Bank of America analyst Mariana Pérez Mora raised the stock price target from $180 to $215 while maintaining a "Buy" rating [1][2] - The upgrade follows a previous increase in price target from $150 to $180 on August 5, coinciding with Palantir's quarterly revenue surpassing $1 billion for the first time [2] Company Performance - Stronger growth across Palantir's applications was cited as a primary reason for the stock upgrade [2] - Following the upgrade, PLTR shares rose 1.41% in pre-market trading, reaching $179.36 [3] Strategic Developments - BofA highlighted momentum in Palantir's Maven Smart System, recently selected by NATO for military operations [4] - The firm’s Ontology architecture and Forward Deployed Engineers (FDEs) market strategy were described as "the secret sauce" for growth [4] Partnerships and Contracts - A new strategic partnership with the UK Ministry of Defence was announced, valued at up to £750 million, marking Palantir's first billion-dollar contract outside the U.S. [5] - The bank forecasts government sales to exceed $8 billion by 2030, increasing the CAGR estimate for 2025–2030 from 27% to 30% [5]

Core Viewpoint - Apple is expected to enter a strong upgrade cycle, with a stock price target raised to $310 from $270, indicating optimism for a rebound in performance [1] Group 1: Demand and Sales Expectations - Strong demand for iPhone 17 Pro models is being observed, with shipping times indicating a high interest level [2] - The iPhone 17 Air is anticipated to be a significant success, with 30% of customers in U.S. stores specifically seeking this model [3] - Apple is projected to ship between 240 million to 250 million iPhones in the current cycle, surpassing the consensus estimate of around 230 million units [4] Group 2: Market Position and Future Outlook - Apple has lagged behind peers like Nvidia and Microsoft in 2025, but the iPhone 17 cycle could restore momentum and investor confidence [5] - The company has a large base of 315 million iPhone users who have not upgraded in four years, providing a substantial opportunity for growth [2]

Group 1: S&P 500 Outlook - A Wall Street analyst suggests a 25% chance for the S&P 500 to reach 9,000 by 2026, with the index currently at 6,664, up nearly 15% year-to-date [1][2] - Evercore ISI strategist Julian Emanuel believes AI adoption is still in early stages, with only 25% uptake, indicating potential for further market gains [2][3] - Goldman Sachs raised its 12-month target for the S&P 500 to 7,200, citing stronger-than-expected corporate earnings in 2025 [4] Group 2: Market Dynamics and Strategies - The current market environment is compared to the mid-1990s, where internet adoption led to significant gains despite overvaluation concerns [3] - Goldman Sachs recommends positioning in companies with floating-rate debt and small- to mid-cap stocks, which are sensitive to an accelerating economy [5] - Morgan Stanley's Michael Wilson projects the S&P 500 could reach 7,200 by mid-2026, advising investors to view short-term pullbacks as buying opportunities [7] Group 3: Diverging Views Among Strategists - JPMorgan's Mislav Matejka warns of potential downside for equities as the Fed continues easing, with valuations likely to be reassessed amid weak economic data [7] - Oppenheimer's John Stoltzfus expects a brief dip post-rate decision but maintains confidence in the economy's underlying strength [8]

Warren Buffett’s holding company Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) has fully divested its stake in the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) leader BYD (SHE: 002594) after more than 15 years of continued investments, according to the latest reports. Berkshire first invested in the automaker in 2008 under Charlie Munger’s guidance, acquiring about 225 million shares worth approximately $230 million and amounting to some 10% stake at the time.The divestment was not as sudden as it may appear, as Buffett started sellin ...

Investment Exit - Berkshire Hathaway has fully exited its investment in BYD, marking the end of a highly successful investment period [1][6] - The initial investment of 225 million shares in 2008 for $230 million saw a peak value of around $9 billion in Q2 2022, representing a nearly 3,900% increase over 17 years [2] Investment Performance - The exit was gradual, with Berkshire starting to reduce its holdings in August 2022, selling nearly 76% of its stake by June 2023, which brought ownership below 5% [2][3] - By early 2024, the value of the investment had declined from $5.1 billion in Q3 2022 to $1.7 billion in Q2 2024, and by Q1 2025, it was reported at zero [3] BYD's Market Challenges - BYD is currently facing significant challenges, including its first quarterly profit decline in three and a half years, attributed to slowing demand and price wars in China's EV market [7] - Domestic sales, which constitute 80% of BYD's deliveries, have decreased for four consecutive months, leading to a reduction in its 2025 sales target by up to 16% [7] Global Expansion and Competition - Despite expanding into Asia and Latin America, BYD's entry into Europe is hindered by tariffs up to 35%, and it faces a complete barrier in the U.S. due to 100% tariffs [8] - Although BYD became the world's largest EV maker in 2023, its goal to achieve over half of its sales outside China by 2030 appears increasingly uncertain [8]

Core Insights - The S&P 500 has reached record highs in 2025, but some individual stocks have experienced significant declines, with the worst performers losing between 47% and 62% of their value this year [1][2]. Group 1: Worst Performing Stocks - The Trade Desk (NASDAQ: TTD) is the worst performer, down 62.2% due to concerns over ad spending and competition, yet it maintains a strong position in programmatic advertising and high client retention [2][3]. - Lululemon Athletica (NASDAQ: LULU) has dropped 55.6% as North American demand slows, but it continues to show strong margins and brand loyalty while expanding internationally [2][7]. - Centene Corp. (NYSE: CNC) is down 47.6% amid regulatory uncertainty and reimbursement concerns, but it remains a major provider of government-backed healthcare plans with a diversified portfolio [2][11]. Group 2: Investment Opportunities - The Trade Desk's stock is trading at multi-year lows, presenting potential upside once industry challenges are resolved, currently priced at $44.47 [4]. - Lululemon's stock correction may offer a discounted entry point into a globally recognized brand, currently valued at $169.62 [8]. - Centene's scale and cost efficiency suggest that its recent selloff may be sentiment-driven, with potential for recovery once policy risks stabilize, last valued at $31.77 [13].

Electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) has received a notable boost from Wall Street after Piper Sandler analyst Alex Potter raised his price target on the stock to $500, up from $400.The revision follows Potter’s recent trip to China, where he assessed the competitive landscape among EV manufacturers. Notably, Tesla shares have been under pressure in recent months, weighed down by rising competition from lower-cost Chinese EV makers.Potter noted that while Chinese automakers pose strong competi ...

Group 1 - Intel stock experienced a significant rally, surging nearly 30% on Thursday, but closed the week down more than 3% at $29.58, despite a weekly gain of over 20% [1][2] - The surge was primarily driven by investor enthusiasm surrounding Intel's $5 billion deal with Nvidia, marking the largest single-day jump in Intel's share price in decades [2][7] - Intel's 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) climbed above 71, indicating the stock is in overbought territory, which typically signals a potential short-term pullback [2][4] Group 2 - The stock faced resistance near the $30.50 level, suggesting it may have reached a temporary peak, with downside risks becoming more pronounced [5] - Potential support zones are identified around $25, where the 20-day simple moving average is positioned, and a deeper retreat could push the stock toward the $23 region near the 50-day average [6] - In addition to the Nvidia deal, Intel has lowered its 2025 non-GAAP operating expense outlook, strengthened its balance sheet through asset sales, and tied major foundry investments to firm customer commitments, reflecting greater financial discipline [7][8]