Billionaire investor Stanley Druckenmiller was busy buying and selling stocks in Q4, but one of his more interesting purchases was in Wolfspeed (NYSE: WOLF). He added 187,000 shares in the quarter, currently worth under $4 million, so this was a very small starter position for him. Wolfspeed is a maker of silicon carbide material and silicon carbide chips. Because silicon carbide performs better at high temperatures than silicon, it is popular in electric vehicles (EVs), as these chips can help increase E ...

Core Viewpoint - Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) has experienced significant stock volatility in 2026, with a notable decline following its Q4 2025 earnings announcement, leading to a 23% drop from its recent high and a 24% drop from its all-time high established in late 2025 [1] Group 1: Stock Performance - AMD's stock started the year at approximately $210, surged to over $250 by the end of January, and then fell sharply after the earnings report [1] - The stock is currently down nearly 23% from its recent high and about 24% from its all-time high [1] Group 2: Market Position and Competitors - AMD has historically been compared to Intel and is now often compared to Nvidia, particularly in the artificial intelligence sector [2] - The company has struggled to capture significant market share in data center computing units, but management believes recent changes will help improve this situation [3] Group 3: Financial Performance and Projections - AMD's management provided guidance indicating that the data center division is expected to grow at a 60% compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2030, while the overall CAGR is projected to be around 35% [3] - In Q4, AMD reported a revenue growth of 34%, meeting internal expectations, with data center revenue increasing by 39% year over year, which is below the 60% CAGR forecast but shows improvement from a 22% growth in Q3 [3] Group 4: Future Outlook - While AMD's recovery is not yet complete, the company is perceived to be on the right track, and the recent sell-off is viewed as unwarranted [4] - There is an expectation that results will improve throughout 2026, suggesting a potential buying opportunity for investors [4]

JPMorgan Chase has confirmed that it terminated bank accounts belonging to former US resident Donald Trump and several businesses associated with him in the weeks following the 6 January 2021 attack on the US Capitol. The bank’s disclosure was made through a recent court filing in response to an ongoing lawsuit brought by Trump against both JPMorgan and its CEO, Jamie Dimon. Trump’s suit seeks $5bn in damages and claims that his accounts were closed due to political motivations, which he argues interrup ...

I like finding bargains. Of course, finding a good investing deal is more complicated than finding a bargain at the store. But good bargain stocks exist. In my view, cosmetics company e.l.f. Beauty (NYSE: ELF), cybersecurity specialist Rubrik (NYSE: RBRK), and website pioneer GoDaddy (NYSE: GDDY) are three bargain stocks for 2026 and beyond. Allow me to give a brief investment thesis for each one. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known compan ...

Feb 23 (Reuters) - Bharti Airtel will invest 200 billion rupees ($2.2 billion) in its financial ‌arm over the next few years, ‌India's second-largest mobile carrier by number of users said ​on Monday, as it steps up its push into digital lending. The capital will be infused into its subsidiary, Airtel Money, which received a ‌non-banking financial company (NBFC) ⁠license from the Reserve Bank of India on February 13. Airtel's expansion comes ⁠as competition intensifies in India’s non-bank lending secto ...

Core Insights - Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin sold approximately $3.67 million worth of Ether over the weekend, raising concerns about potential price declines below the $1,500 level if selling pressure continues [1][7]. Sales Activity - Buterin sold 1,869 ETH in the last 48 hours, coinciding with a drop in Ethereum's price from $1,988 to $1,875, a decline of about 5.7% [2]. - Since early February, Buterin has sold around 8,800 ETH, valued at approximately $16 million at current prices [2]. - Earlier in February, he sold nearly 3,000 ETH for about $6.6 million over several days [3]. Market Impact - Despite the sales, analysts suggest that the scale of Buterin's transactions is relatively small compared to overall market liquidity, with Ethereum's daily trading volumes often reaching around $17 billion [4]. - Buterin's sales this month represent about 0.1% of a typical day's trading volume, indicating limited direct impact on price [5]. - However, the psychological effect of these sales may lead to weaker market sentiment, prompting more traders to exit [5]. Current Holdings - Buterin remains one of Ethereum's largest individual holders, currently owning approximately 224,104 ETH, valued at around $439 million at the current trading price of about $1,950 [6].

By Matt Tracy and Saeed Azhar Feb 23 (Reuters) - Software companies are delaying debt deals as higher borrowing costs and tougher scrutiny from lenders weigh on the sector, at a time when mounting pressure from artificial intelligence threatens their business models, industry sources said. Software firms both in the U.S. and elsewhere have already paused or postponed fundraising efforts as ‌lenders and investors expect AI to upend the industry. These concerns have been underscored in loan markets, where ...

Core Viewpoint - The global AI build-out is causing a significant memory shortage, impacting various tech sectors, but Samsung is benefiting from this situation by raising prices on its next-generation HBM4 chips by up to 30% [1]. Group 1: Samsung's Position - Samsung's stock has reached an all-time high due to its ability to leverage the chip shortage for price increases [1]. - The company may face increased costs for its flagship smartphones, potentially raising prices by $70 to $140 to cover silicon costs [2]. Group 2: Impact on Apple - Apple relies on Samsung for approximately 60% of its memory components and is expected to face margin pressures due to the memory shortage [3]. - While Apple may initially try to maintain prices to gain market share, it is likely to implement its own price increases to protect margins [3]. Group 3: Industry Sentiment - The rise in memory pricing is negatively impacting sentiment across the IT hardware sector, with some industry participants referring to the situation as "RAMageddon" [4]. - Companies like Dell have already raised PC prices by up to 20% due to increased costs from the memory shortage [6]. Group 4: Broader Industry Effects - The demand for memory chips is affecting the availability of chips for smartphones, PCs, and gaming consoles, leading to potential delays in product releases, such as the PlayStation 6 [6]. - The AI boom is expected to impose a lasting "hardware tax" on future smartphone upgrades if current market trends persist [7].

Core Insights - The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate has dropped to 5.86%, while the 15-year fixed rate is at 5.41% [1][17][18] Current Mortgage Rates - The current national average mortgage rates are as follows: - 30-year fixed: 5.86% - 20-year fixed: 5.82% - 15-year fixed: 5.41% - 5/1 ARM: 5.97% - 7/1 ARM: 6.10% - 30-year VA: 5.50% - 15-year VA: 5.06% - 5/1 VA: 5.24% [6][17] Mortgage Payment Calculations - For a $300,000 mortgage at a 30-year term with a 5.86% rate, the monthly payment would be approximately $1,772, resulting in $337,826 paid in interest over the loan's life [8] - For the same mortgage amount at a 15-year term with a 5.41% rate, the monthly payment would increase to $2,437, with total interest paid being $138,650 [10] Adjustable Mortgage Rates - Adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) typically start with lower rates than fixed rates but can increase after the initial period. For example, a 5/1 ARM has a fixed rate for the first five years [11][12] - Recent trends show that ARM rates can be similar to or even higher than fixed rates, emphasizing the need for careful comparison when selecting a mortgage type [13] Factors Influencing Mortgage Rates - Lenders offer lower mortgage rates to borrowers with higher down payments, excellent credit scores, and low debt-to-income ratios. Strategies to secure lower rates include saving more, improving credit scores, and reducing debt [14] - Borrowers can also consider buying down their interest rates through discount points at closing, which can affect long-term savings [15][16] Future Rate Predictions - Forecasts from the MBA suggest that the 30-year mortgage rate will remain around 6.1% through 2026, while Fannie Mae predicts a rate near 6% by the end of the year [19]

Core Insights - The Federal Reserve has conducted a "rate check" on the dollar-yen exchange rate, indicating potential active intervention in currency markets [1] - The U.S. Treasury has requested the Fed to quote a large yen purchase to depreciate the dollar and strengthen the yen [2] - The dollar has recently appreciated against the yen, nearing the ¥160 level, but has seen significant fluctuations [4] Group 1: Federal Reserve Actions - The Fed's January meeting minutes reveal that private market participants expected the dollar to weaken, but stronger U.S. economic performance has tempered those expectations [2] - The dollar depreciated significantly following reports of the Fed's "rate checks" on the dollar-yen exchange rate [3] Group 2: White House and Currency Strategy - The "rate check" suggests the White House's preference for a weaker dollar to enhance the affordability of U.S. goods for foreign buyers, thereby supporting exports [5] - Analysts view this move as an indication of a more proactive approach by the White House in foreign exchange matters, aiming to prevent the USD/JPY from exceeding 160 [6] Group 3: Market Reactions - The U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) has fallen 8.61% over the past year, yet President Trump has expressed indifference towards the dollar's decline, emphasizing his stance against currency weakening by other nations [7]