Key Points With Google Gemini soon powering Siri, Apple will get a much-needed AI boost. The collaboration could result in Gemini eventually becoming the underlying AI model on billions of devices. Teaming up with Apple could help Alphabet outpace OpenAI in the AI race. 10 stocks we like better than Alphabet › Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) looked like an artificial intelligence (AI) laggard just a few years ago compared to its new rival OpenAI and its popular ChatGPT bot. But oh, how tim ...

Market Overview - U.S. equity markets faced a significant downturn on January 20, 2026, primarily due to escalating geopolitical tensions and President Trump's renewed tariff threats against several European nations [1][2] - The S&P 500 fell by 2.1%, marking its largest drop since October and turning negative for the year 2026 [2] - The Dow Jones Industrial Average decreased by 870 points (1.8%), while the Nasdaq Composite dropped by 2.4% [2] Geopolitical Impact - President Trump threatened to impose 10% tariffs on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland starting February 1, with a potential increase to 25% by June 1 if the U.S. is not allowed to purchase Greenland [2] - European markets also experienced declines, with France's CAC 40, Germany's DAX, and Italy's FTSE MIB all recording losses [2] Safe-Haven Assets - In response to market volatility, gold futures surged to a record high above $4,760 per ounce, while silver futures also reached an all-time high, surpassing $95 per ounce [3] - The yield on the 10-year Treasury note increased by seven basis points to approximately 4.29% [3] - The U.S. dollar index fell nearly 0.8% to 98.61, while West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose by 1.8% to about $60.55 per barrel [3] Technology Sector Performance - Technology stocks, particularly the "Magnificent Seven," faced significant declines, with Nvidia down 3.6%, Amazon down 3.7%, and Tesla off more than 3% [4] - Other major tech companies like Apple, Alphabet, Microsoft, and Meta Platforms saw declines ranging from 1.2% to 4.5% [4] Corporate Earnings - Microsoft remains a strong favorite among analysts, with 97% rating it as a "buy" and a median price target of $631 per share, indicating a potential 37% return over the next 12 months [5] - The company is heavily investing in AI data centers, planning to increase its total AI capacity by over 80% this year and nearly double its data center footprint over the next two years [5] - Companies like 3M and Fastenal reported quarterly results, with shares declining by approximately 7% and 2.5%, respectively, after announcements [6] Upcoming Earnings Reports - Netflix is scheduled to release its quarterly earnings report, with investors closely watching its all-cash deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery [7] - Other companies expected to report include Interactive Brokers Group, Progress Software, and United Airlines Holdings [7] Economic Indicators - The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for December showed inflation steady at 2.7% year-over-year, with the core rate at 2.6% year-over-year, both above the Federal Reserve's 2% target [9] - November's retail sales report indicated a broad-based gain of 0.6%, suggesting resilient consumer demand [9] Upcoming Economic Events - The week ahead includes crucial economic data and corporate earnings reports, with 31 S&P 500 companies set to release their fourth-quarter results [8] - Key economic data points to watch include GDP, Jobless Claims, Personal Income and Outlays, and the PMI Composite Flash [13]

Market Overview - Risk-off sentiment intensified, leading to significant losses in U.S. equities, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 both declining around 2%, marking their worst sessions in over three months [1] - The so-called Magnificent Seven stocks collectively lost approximately $700 billion in market capitalization, with Nvidia and Apple experiencing the largest declines [2] Company-Specific Losses - Nvidia Corp. lost $174.90 billion, a decrease of 3.86% [3] - Apple Inc. saw a market cap loss of $172.92 billion, down 4.58% [3] - Other notable losses included Alphabet Inc. (-$103.28 billion, -2.59%), Amazon.com Inc. (-$90.24 billion, -3.53%), and Tesla Inc. (-$60.54 billion, -4.16%) [3] Precious Metals and Safe-Haven Assets - Gold prices surged by 1.9% to $4,760 per ounce, reaching record highs as investors sought safe-haven assets amid rising geopolitical and trade risks [4] - The shift towards gold indicates a growing belief that U.S. actions regarding tariffs may be imminent [5] Economic Implications of Trade Conflicts - Economists warn that a potential escalation into a transatlantic trade conflict could significantly impact economic growth, with estimates suggesting a 1% reduction in U.S. GDP if a 25% tariff is imposed on European countries [6] - Global GDP growth could slow to approximately 2.6%, below the recent 2.8%-2.9% range, marking the weakest pace since 2009, excluding the pandemic year [7] Treasury Yields and Market Dynamics - U.S. Treasuries did not provide the expected safe-haven support, with rising yields pressuring bond prices even as equities fell [8] - Factors contributing to higher Treasury yields include rising deficits, escalating tariff threats, geopolitical tensions, and concerns over Federal Reserve independence [9]

Core Viewpoint - The Magnificent 7 index of major U.S. tech stocks experienced a decline of 3.08%, closing at 198.30 points [1] Group 1: Stock Performance - Nvidia saw a drop of 4.38% [1] - Tesla decreased by 4.17% [1] - Apple fell by 3.46% [1] - Amazon declined by 3.40% [1] - Meta Platforms dropped by 2.60% [1] - Alphabet (Google A) decreased by 2.42% [1] - Microsoft experienced a decline of 1.16% [1]

Core Insights - Chamath Palihapitiya, a prominent venture capitalist and pioneer of the SPAC movement, is focusing on the commodities market for investment opportunities in 2026 [1][4] - Palihapitiya's background includes significant roles at AOL and Facebook, and he currently manages a venture capital firm called Social Capital [2][3] - His bold prediction for 2026 emphasizes investing in precious metals, particularly copper, as a key asset [10] Industry Trends - The current trend among sell-side analysts is to invest in hyperscalers like Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta Platforms, which are integrating AI into their ecosystems [6][7] - Chip designers such as Nvidia, AMD, Broadcom, and Micron Technology are seen as strong investment choices due to the AI infrastructure boom [7][8] - Palihapitiya suggests that the real opportunity lies in the raw materials necessary for building AI infrastructure, specifically highlighting copper as a hidden winner [9][10]

Core Viewpoint - Alphabet was the best performer among the "Magnificent Seven" stocks in 2025, with a stock increase of over 65%, significantly outperforming Nvidia, which gained nearly 39% [1] Group 1: AI Impact and Investor Perception - The primary reason for Alphabet's outperformance was its ability to shift investor perceptions regarding the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on its business [2] - The Gemini model received widespread acclaim as a leading large language model (LLM), enhancing investor confidence in Alphabet's AI capabilities [2] Group 2: Revenue Growth and Market Position - Google search revenue accelerated due to AI-powered features like Lens and Circle to Search, and a favorable ruling in its antitrust trial allowed Alphabet to maintain its distribution advantage [3] - The ruling confirmed Alphabet's ability to keep its Chrome browser and Android operating system, further solidifying its position as a primary gateway to the internet [3] Group 3: Custom AI Chips and Cost Advantage - Alphabet's tensor processing units (TPUs) have been recognized for their significance, providing a structural cost advantage in LLM training and inference [4] - The company developed TPUs over a decade ago, giving it a competitive edge in the custom AI chip market, allowing it to avoid the "Nvidia tax" [4] Group 4: Cloud Computing and Future Growth - Google Cloud emerged as a significant revenue driver in 2025, with customers utilizing TPUs for their AI workloads [6] - A notable $21 billion TPU order from Anthropic through Alphabet's partner Broadcom indicates strong demand, with projections suggesting that deploying 500,000 TPUs could increase Alphabet's revenue by approximately $13 billion [6]

Group 1 - Alphabet (GOOGL) has reached a market cap of $4 trillion, joining Nvidia (NVDA) in this elite category, and has initiated a multi-year partnership with Apple (AAPL) to enhance iPhone AI technology [1] - GOOGL's stock experienced a slight gain of 0.4% after three consecutive losses, closing below $340 and testing its 30-day moving average [3] - Other megacap companies like Apple and Nvidia have also seen declines after reaching significant market cap milestones, indicating a trend among large-cap stocks [5] Group 2 - Historical data shows that stocks crossing a trillion-dollar market cap have an average return of 24.86% one year later, with positive returns 75% of the time [7] - For stocks that have crossed the $4 trillion threshold, Alphabet, Apple, and Nvidia are included, with Microsoft (MSFT) showing a significant pullback of 10.4% within a month of reaching its peak [8] - Despite short-term volatility, long-term returns for Big Tech remain attractive for buy-and-hold investors, with other companies like Eli Lilly (LLY) and Walmart (WMT) also aiming for significant market cap milestones [9]

Group 1 - The Magnificent 7 are no longer moving together and are dragging down the broader market instead of leading it [1] - Alphabet (GOOGL) and Amazon (AMZN) have shown positive performance, with GOOGL up 7.14% and AMZN up 2.49% year-to-date as of January 16, 2026 [2] - The rest of the Magnificent 7, including Nvidia (NVDA), Tesla (TSLA), Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), and Meta Platforms (META), are all in the red, with significant declines [2] Group 2 - Alphabet is experiencing a surge in optimism due to its in-house TPU chips and AI tools, achieving a market cap of $4 trillion [4] - Amazon is recovering after a period of underperformance, indicating a positive shift in its trajectory [4] - Apple is facing challenges, with its stock down significantly and a 20-day moving average off more than 10% from its all-time high [5][6] Group 3 - Meta Platforms is currently the worst performer among the Magnificent 7, facing high capital expenditures exceeding $100 billion, leading to investor caution [7] - The rough starts for several Magnificent 7 companies do not signify the end of the tech trade, but valuations are expected to be more conservative this year [8]

Market Overview - Stocks experienced a sharp decline on Tuesday due to rising tensions over President Trump's efforts to acquire Greenland, with a pledge to impose 10% tariffs on eight NATO members by February 1, increasing to 25% by June 1 if no deal is reached [1] - The 10-year Treasury yield reached 4.299%, the highest level since September 3, indicating increased market volatility [1] - The S&P Short Range Oscillator remains slightly overbought at 5.11%, leading to a cash position for potential buying opportunities [1] Company Insights - Alphabet shares fell 1.6% amid market volatility, with the company being highlighted for potential buying opportunities [1] - Meta is noted as "no longer expensive" after a nearly 17% drop over the last three months, with ongoing investments in AI contributing to its current challenges [1] - Texas Roadhouse stock rose nearly 1% following a buy rating from TD Cowen, which anticipates strong comparable sales growth through 2027 and a peak in beef prices, citing a 10% drop in USDA Choice prices from September highs [1] - TJX Companies is viewed positively as it is expected to benefit from the bankruptcy of luxury retailer Saks Global, with predictions of significant inventory influx into the off-price channel [1] Additional Stocks Mentioned - Other stocks discussed include 3M, KeyCorp, DR Horton, Tapestry, and ServiceNow, indicating a broad interest in various sectors [1]

Core Insights - The "Magnificent Seven" tech stocks, including Nvidia, Apple, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Tesla, experienced a decline of 1% to 2% at the start of the trading week due to rising geopolitical concerns leading to a broad market sell-off [1][8] - President Trump's threat of higher tariffs on several European countries unless the U.S. is allowed to acquire Greenland has contributed to market volatility [2][8] - Other tech and AI companies, such as Broadcom, Advanced Micro Devices, Oracle, and Palantir, also saw stock declines, impacting major indexes [4] Market Reactions - Investors are shifting from riskier assets like tech stocks to traditional safe havens such as gold amid heightened market volatility [5] - Analysts from Wedbush view the current sell-off as a buying opportunity, anticipating that tariff threats will subside as negotiations occur at the World Economic Forum [6] - UBS analysts expect the recent volatility to follow a familiar pattern, suggesting that tensions over Greenland should not alter the overall positive outlook on global equities [7]