Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) closed Thursday at $507.03, down 0.61% on the session. The stock is still up 21.1% year-to-date, ahead of the S&P 500’s 12.54% rise over the same period.MSFT YTD stock price chart. Source: Google Finance On September 15, Microsoft announced a quarterly dividend increase of 9.6%, raising its payout to $0.91 per share. The move marked the company’s 23rd consecutive year of dividend growth, representing a 10% increase from the prior quarter. At recent levels, the yield stands near 0.7% ...

Core Viewpoint - Lithium Americas' stock experienced a significant increase of over 90% following news of the Trump administration seeking a 10% equity stake in the company, along with renegotiated terms for a $2.3 billion Department of Energy loan [1][5]. Group 1: Stock Performance - The stock price of Lithium Americas rose from $3.07 to $5.85, reflecting a dramatic turnaround in market sentiment [4]. - As of September 23, 2025, there were 27.58 million shares shorted, with a short interest of 13.29% of the float, indicating potential for a short squeeze [2][4]. Group 2: Government Involvement - The Trump administration's involvement is seen as a strategic move to gain control over critical raw material supply chains, similar to previous actions with companies like Intel and MP Materials [5]. - A White House official emphasized that while the administration supports the project, it is not providing "free money," indicating a focus on fair taxpayer treatment [5]. Group 3: Strategic Partnerships - The project is crucial for General Motors, which holds a 38% stake in Lithium Americas, and GM's shares rose nearly 2.5% following the news [6]. - The administration's involvement could accelerate Lithium Americas' strategic positioning and provide necessary capital for operations at the Thacker Pass Lithium Mine, the largest known lithium deposit in North America [5].

Amid the ongoing United States stock market rally, several equities have experienced increased buying pressure, pushing their valuations closer to the coveted $1 trillion market capitalization mark.With the new year on the horizon, the following two U.S. companies are increasingly showing the potential to break into the trillion-dollar club, driven by ambitious fundamentals.Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL)At roughly $867 billion in market value, Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) is only 15% away from the trillion-dollar threshold ...

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 ...

Despite U.S. stocks hitting new highs, American economist Peter Schiff has suggested that equities remain in a historic bear market when measured against gold.According to Schiff, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, priced in gold, has fallen more than 24% in 2025, extending to about 33% since the end of 2023 and nearly 70% from levels seen in 2000, he said in an  X post on September 23.U.S. stocks are in a historic bear market that is far from over. Priced in gold (real money), the Dow Jones is down over 24% ...

Palantir (NASDAQ: PLTR) has been on a remarkable streak, soaring nearly 140% since January, fueled by the broader market enthusiasm for artificial intelligence (AI).Accordingly, Bank of America (BofA) Securities analyst Mariana Pérez Mora raised her PLTR stock price target from $180 to $215 while maintaining a “Buy” rating on Tuesday, September 23.Following a discussion with Akshay Krishnaswamy, the company’s Chief Architect, Pérez Mora reportedly cited stronger growth across Palantir’s applications as one ...

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) has lagged its “Magnificent Seven” peers through most of 2025, but Dan Ives, Global Head of Tech Research at Wedbush Securities believes a rebound is on the horizon as the company enters what he calls its strongest upgrade cycle in years. On September 22, Ives raised his Apple stock price target to $310 from $270, the highest on Wall Street, while maintaining an Outperform rating.Ives explained that his firm is tracking shipping times and seeing particularly strong demand for iPhone 17 ...

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]