Group 1: Semiconductor Stocks Performance - U.S. semiconductor stocks experienced a significant rally, with the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rising over 4.5% [2] - ASML surged more than 8%, reaching a historical high, while Micron Technology and Intel both increased by approximately 8% [2] - Other notable gainers included ARM and AMD, which rose nearly 6% [2] Group 2: Chinese Stocks Surge - Chinese stocks listed in the U.S. saw a collective surge, with the Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index increasing by nearly 3.9% [5] - Baidu's stock skyrocketed over 12% after submitting a mainboard listing application for its subsidiary Kunlun Chip [5] - Other Chinese companies like Yatsen and NetEase also saw significant gains, with increases around 7% [5] Group 3: Precious Metals and Commodities - Precious metals, particularly gold, experienced a sudden pullback after reaching $4,400, currently hovering around $4,336, with a slight increase of 0.4% [7] - Silver also saw a rise of 4% at one point but later adjusted to a 2% increase [7] Group 4: Oil Market Decline - Crude oil futures collectively declined, with WTI and ICE Brent both dropping over 1.2% [11] - Current prices for WTI and ICE Brent are $56.70 and $60.11, reflecting decreases of 1.25% and 1.22% respectively [11] Group 5: Cryptocurrency Market Recovery - The cryptocurrency market is witnessing a rebound, with Bitcoin surpassing $89,000 and Ethereum, SOL, and XRP all increasing by over 2% [12] - Dogecoin saw a notable rise of over 10% [12] - A total of over 90,000 individuals faced liquidation, amounting to $235 million, with more than 78% being short liquidations [12]

Core Viewpoint - ASML shares experienced an intraday increase of over 8% following a double upgrade by Aletheia Capital, which raised its price target significantly based on improved earnings estimates for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 [1] Group 1: Price Target and Upgrade - Aletheia Capital upgraded ASML's stock rating from Sell to Buy and increased the price target to €1,250 ($1,500 per ADR) from €640 ($750) [1] - The new valuation is based on a 30x fiscal 2027 earnings multiple, reflecting expectations for increased investment and semiconductor capacity upgrades [1] Group 2: Demand Catalysts - Key catalysts for ASML's growth include stronger-than-expected demand for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography tools from DRAM manufacturers and resilient demand for deep ultraviolet (DUV) systems from China in fiscal 2026 [2] - A potential surge in demand from TSMC in fiscal 2027 is also anticipated [2] Group 3: TSMC's Impact - Aletheia estimates that TSMC could install 40 to 45 EUV tools as it expands advanced capacity by 40% to 50% in 2027, which could lift total EUV shipments to 75 to 80 units, nearing ASML's maximum capacity [3] - This expansion is expected to drive low-NA EUV revenue up by approximately one-third in fiscal 2026 and accelerate by 50% to 60% in fiscal 2027 due to higher volumes and a richer product mix [3] Group 4: Sales Growth Projections - Aletheia projects ASML's sales growth to reach the mid-teens in fiscal 2026 and accelerate to the mid-twenties in fiscal 2027, significantly exceeding both company guidance and consensus expectations [4]

Core Viewpoint - ASML is positioned to benefit significantly from the ongoing AI infrastructure buildout, as it manufactures essential semiconductor production equipment that supports AI technology [1][2]. Group 1: Market Position and Demand - ASML holds a dominant position in the semiconductor equipment market, with a 90% share in advanced lithography machines, crucial for producing cutting-edge processors [6][7]. - The demand for AI infrastructure is projected to increase dramatically, with Nvidia estimating that spending could reach up to $4 trillion by the end of the decade [4]. - ASML's equipment is vital for companies like Nvidia to manufacture their processors, indicating a strong interdependence within the AI supply chain [5]. Group 2: Financial Performance - ASML reported a 21% increase in revenue, reaching nearly 23 billion euros, and a 40% rise in diluted earnings per share to $17.38 in the first nine months of 2025 [6]. - Services revenue for ASML rose by 39% to 6 billion euros, accounting for approximately 26% of total sales, highlighting the long-term revenue potential from equipment servicing [10]. - The company's gross margin remains impressive at around 52%, indicating strong profitability [10]. Group 3: Investment Potential - ASML's share price has increased by 49% over the past year, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's 15% return, yet it maintains a relatively low price-to-earnings ratio of 34 compared to the tech sector's average of 54 [11]. - The longevity of ASML's equipment, which remains in use for nearly three decades, presents a substantial long-tail revenue opportunity through ongoing service contracts [9][10]. - The combination of ASML's market dominance, high margins, and service revenue potential makes it an attractive long-term investment in the context of the AI buildout [12].

Company Overview - Intelligent Bio Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ:INBS) announced plans to raise $10 million through a private placement, leading to a significant drop in its share price [1] - Following the announcement, shares of Intelligent Bio fell 19.7% to $7.65 [1] Stock Movements - Lavoro Limited (NASDAQ:LVRO) saw a substantial increase of 181%, reaching $1.2900 [4] - Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:IRWD) rose 57.7% to $5.32 after issuing FY26 guidance, expecting US net sales of Linzess to be between $1.125 billion and $1.175 billion [4] - Brand Engagement Network, Inc. (NASDAQ:BNAI) jumped 56% to $3.6290 after entering a Vendor Services Project Agreement with a global advertising agency [4] - ChowChow Cloud International Holdings Limited (NYSE:CHOW) increased by 39.7% to $0.8500 due to year-over-year revenue and net income growth in H1 2025 [4] - Sidus Space, Inc. (NASDAQ:SIDU) gained 29% to $4.0314, marking a 470% surge over the past month [4] - Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ:BIDU) rose 12.1% to $146.57 after announcing a proposed spin-off and Hong Kong listing of its AI unit [4] Declines - Outlook Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:OTLK) experienced a significant decline of 58% to $0.6632 after receiving a complete response letter from the FDA regarding its biologics license application [4] - ESH Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ:ESHA) fell 23.5% to $14.68 [4] - Nuvve Holding Corp. (NASDAQ:NVVE) declined 15.3% to $2.1500 after announcing the closing of a private placement [4]

Core Viewpoint - Chinese assets experienced a strong start in 2026, with significant gains in various indices and stocks, indicating a continuation of the structural bull market from 2025 and a clear investment theme for the year ahead [1][2]. Group 1: Performance of Chinese Assets - The Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index surged nearly 4%, while leveraged ETFs for Chinese stocks saw increases of over 10% and 8% respectively [2]. - Major Chinese stocks performed well, with Baidu Group rising over 12%, and other notable gains from companies like WanGuo Data and JinkoSolar, which increased by over 8% and 7% respectively [2]. - The Hong Kong market also showed strong performance, with the Hang Seng Index up 2.76% and the Hang Seng Technology Index up 4% [2]. Group 2: Currency Movements - The offshore RMB/USD exchange rate broke above 6.97, reaching a high of 6.9662, marking the strongest level since May 2023 [3]. - Factors contributing to the RMB appreciation include a strong Chinese stock market, increased demand for currency conversion from export companies, and a weakening US dollar [4]. Group 3: Global Market Trends - Global markets continued their strong performance from 2025, with Asian markets achieving their best opening since 2012, led by gains in AI and semiconductor stocks [5]. - Major US tech stocks also saw gains, with the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rising over 4% and ASML ADR increasing by over 8% [6]. - Investor sentiment remains optimistic, with significant net inflows into global equity funds, totaling $26.54 billion in the last week of 2025 [6].

Core Viewpoint - Semiconductor stocks experienced a significant rally, with major companies reaching all-time highs, indicating strong market performance and investor confidence in the sector [1]. Group 1: Stock Performance - ASML and Micron Technology both achieved historical highs, each rising over 7% [1]. - Intel's stock increased by more than 7%, reflecting positive market sentiment [1]. - AMD and Applied Materials saw gains of over 5%, contributing to the overall strength of the semiconductor sector [1]. - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and Marvell Technology rose by over 4.7%, showcasing robust performance among key players [1]. - Broadcom's stock increased by over 3%, further highlighting the upward trend in semiconductor stocks [1]. - NVIDIA's stock rose by 3%, indicating continued investor interest in leading technology firms [1].

Core Insights - U.S. stocks experienced an upward trend, with the Nasdaq Composite increasing by over 1% on Friday [1] Company Highlights - Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:IRWD) saw a significant share price increase of 57.7%, reaching $5.32, following the release of its FY26 guidance [1] - Ironwood anticipates 2026 Linzess U.S. net sales between $1.125 billion and $1.175 billion, with total revenue expectations of $450 million to $475 million, and adjusted EBITDA projected to exceed $300 million [1] - Aimei Health Technology Co., Ltd (NASDAQ:AFJK) rose by 34.2% to $85.90 [3] - SELLAS Life Sciences Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:SLS) increased by 22.2% to $4.6050 after a prior gain of 14% on Wednesday [3] - Sable Offshore Corp. (NYSE:SOC) gained 20.2% to $10.94, with a Buy rating reiterated by Benchmark analyst Subash Chandra and a price target maintained at $20 [3] - T1 Energy Inc. (NYSE:TE) rose by 17.7% to $7.86 [3] - TROOPS, Inc. (NASDAQ:TROO) increased by 16.8% to $3.7400 [3] - SkyWater Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:SKYT) saw a rise of 16.1% to $21.09 [3] - Critical Metals Corp. (NASDAQ:CRML) gained 12.2% to $7.79 [3] - Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ:BIDU) rose by 12.1% to $146.57 after announcing a proposed spin-off and Hong Kong listing of its non-wholly owned AI unit Kunlunxin [3] - Denison Mines Corp. (NYSE:DNN) increased by 10.3% to $2.9350, reporting readiness to commence construction of its flagship Phoenix ISR project and issuing a capital cost update [3] - Sandisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) rose by 10.1% to $261.28 [3] - Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated (NASDAQ:CORT) increased by 9.2% to $37.98 [3] - Astera Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALAB) gained 9.1% to $181.53 [3] - ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ:ASML) rose by 8.7% to $1,163.31 [3] - Fluence Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:FLNC) gained 8.4% to $21.45 [3] - Vertiv Holdings Co (NYSE:VRT) rose by 7.4% to $174.08 after Barclays upgraded its rating from Equal-Weight to Overweight and raised its price target from $181 to $200 [3] - Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) increased by 7.1% to $39.51 [3]

Market Performance - The US stock market opened higher on January 2, with the Dow Jones up 0.19%, the S&P 500 up 0.58%, and the Nasdaq up 1.03% [1] - Chinese concept stocks also opened higher, with the Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index rising 3.55% [1] Chinese Stocks - Notable gains among Chinese stocks include Baidu up over 10%, Futu Holdings up 6.84%, and Bilibili up 6.87% [1] - Other significant increases include Netease up 6.77%, Tiger Brokers up 5.54%, and Alibaba up 4.55% [1] Semiconductor Sector - The semiconductor sector saw broad gains, with ASML rising over 5%, Micron Technology up over 3%, and TSMC up over 2% [1] South Korean Market - Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix both reached all-time highs, with Samsung up 7.17% and SK Hynix up 3.99% [2] - The Kospi index in South Korea surpassed 4,300 points for the first time, driven by large tech stocks and investor optimism regarding artificial intelligence [2] AI Investments - Samsung SDS announced an investment of 427.3 billion KRW to build a new AI data center in Gumi City [3] OpenAI Developments - OpenAI is reportedly enhancing its audio AI models in preparation for the launch of its first AI-driven personal hardware device [4] - The device is expected to focus on audio interaction, with improvements being made to the audio model's accuracy and response speed [4]

Core Viewpoint - ASML Holding is positioned as a strong investment opportunity for the next decade, driven by AI demand and favorable market conditions in the semiconductor equipment sector [1][3]. Price Target Adjustments - Citi analyst Andrew Gardiner raised ASML's price target to EUR 1,200 from EUR 1,050 while maintaining a Buy rating [1]. - Deutsche Bank also increased its price target for ASML to EUR 1,150 from EUR 1,000, keeping a Buy rating [2]. - Bank of America raised its price target to $1,331 from $1,092, highlighting FY2027 as a critical inflection point for the company [3]. Market Outlook - Citi anticipates that AI-driven demand will be a primary catalyst for growth in the European semiconductor equipment sector, leading to positive earnings revisions across the industry [1]. - Bank of America expects an increase in lithography intensity as ASML captures a larger share of spending in the DRAM market, with profit margins projected to widen due to a favorable product mix [3]. Company Overview - ASML Holding provides lithography solutions for the development, production, marketing, sales, upgrading, and servicing of advanced semiconductor equipment systems [4].

Group 1 - The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index opened slightly higher, currently up by 0.4% [1] - ASML shares increased by 1.6% [1] - Micron Technology shares rose by 1.1% [1] - TSMC shares gained 1% [1]