Market Performance - The three major indices closed with slight gains, with the Dow Jones up 0.17%, the Nasdaq up 0.26%, and the S&P 500 up 0.16% [1] - Bank stocks collectively retreated, while technology stocks showed mixed performance, and Chinese concept stocks surged [1] Banking Sector - Citigroup experienced a significant drop of 2.98%, while other banks like Bank of America, JPMorgan, Zions Bank, US Bancorp, and Union Bank saw declines of over 1% [3] - Goldman Sachs was an exception, rising by 1.13% [3] Technology Sector - The technology sector displayed mixed results, with Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) rising by 2.22%, Google increasing by 1%, and companies like Tesla, Nvidia, and Apple showing slight gains [3] - Qualcomm faced a notable decline of 4.79%, Intel dropped by 3.27%, and META fell by 1.7% [3] Chinese Concept Stocks - Chinese concept stocks opened strong and maintained high levels throughout the day, with China Golden Dragon rising by 4.26% [3] - Alibaba surged by 10.17%, Bilibili increased by 8.95%, Xpeng Motors rose by 8.44%, and JD.com was up by 4.73%, while Pinduoduo saw a decline of 1.51% [3] Gold Market - COMEX gold prices opened strong and reached a new high, closing up 2% at $4608.8 per ounce, with a trading range between a low of $4520.8 and a high of $4640.5 [3]

Group 1: Nvidia - Nvidia's stock rose by 0.47% with a trading volume of $29.365 billion, and the company stated it will not require customers to pay upfront for H200 chips, countering reports of strict payment terms for Chinese clients [1] - The company emphasized it will never ask customers to pay for products not yet received, addressing concerns over potential policy changes affecting its ability to sell H200 chips in China [1] Group 2: Tesla - Tesla's stock fell by 0.39% with a trading volume of $23.921 billion, as Elon Musk announced plans to make the platform's recommendation algorithm public within a week, aiming for regular updates every four weeks [1] - Musk indicated that the recommendation algorithm will increasingly rely on AI, particularly the Grok chatbot, to enhance the quality of information flow [1] Group 3: Microsoft - Microsoft's stock declined by 1.36% with a trading volume of $12.982 billion, as the company committed to covering operational electricity costs for its U.S. data centers amid concerns over rising utility costs for consumers [2] - Microsoft plans to collaborate with utility companies to ensure power supply and improve data center efficiency while reducing water usage [2] Group 4: AMD and Intel - AMD's stock increased by 6.42% with a trading volume of $12.277 billion, as KeyBanc Capital Markets upgraded both AMD and Intel to "overweight" with target prices of $270 and $60 respectively, citing strong demand for server CPUs [2] - Intel's stock rose by 7.33% with a trading volume of $7.858 billion, reflecting similar positive sentiment in the semiconductor market [3] Group 5: Meta Platforms - Meta Platforms' stock decreased by 1.69% with a trading volume of $11.263 billion, as estimates suggest that a recent nuclear data center agreement may require over $14 billion in investment [3] Group 6: Google - Google's Class A shares rose by 1.24%, reaching a historical high with a trading volume of $11.203 billion and a market capitalization of $4.05 trillion, following a significant partnership with Apple to support AI functionalities in upcoming products [3] - Citigroup's report highlighted Google's Gemini model's capabilities and infrastructure advantages, reaffirming its position as a top choice in the internet sector with a target price of $350 [3] Group 7: Amazon - Amazon's stock fell by 1.57% with a trading volume of $9.285 billion, as reports indicated the company is seeking discounts from suppliers, with reductions ranging from low single digits to as high as 30% [3] Group 8: Financial Sector - Visa's stock dropped by 4.46% with a trading volume of $6.684 billion, amid concerns over potential impacts on profitability from proposed credit card interest rate caps [4] - JPMorgan's stock fell by 4.19% with a trading volume of $6.018 billion, as the bank reported projected total revenue of $185.6 billion for 2025, a 3% increase year-over-year, but a decrease in net profit compared to 2024 [5]

Core Insights - Artificial intelligence (AI) is identified as the greatest investment opportunity of the current era, with a strong emphasis on the urgency to invest now [1][13] - The energy demands of AI technologies are highlighted, with data centers consuming as much energy as small cities, leading to concerns about power grid strain and rising electricity prices [2][3] Investment Opportunity - A specific company is presented as a critical player in the AI energy sector, owning essential energy infrastructure assets that are poised to benefit from the increasing energy demands of AI [3][7] - This company is characterized as a "toll booth" operator in the AI energy boom, collecting fees from energy exports and positioned to capitalize on the onshoring trend driven by tariffs [5][6] Financial Position - The company is noted for being debt-free and holding a significant cash reserve, amounting to nearly one-third of its market capitalization, which provides a strong financial foundation [8][10] - It also has a substantial equity stake in another AI-related venture, offering investors indirect exposure to multiple growth opportunities without the associated premium costs [9] Market Trends - The article discusses the broader trends of AI, energy, tariffs, and onshoring, emphasizing the interconnectedness of these sectors and the company's strategic positioning within them [6][14] - The influx of talent into the AI sector is mentioned, indicating a continuous stream of innovation and advancements that will drive future growth [12] Future Outlook - The potential for significant returns is highlighted, with projections suggesting a possible 100% return within 12 to 24 months for investors who act quickly [15][19] - The company is described as undervalued, trading at less than seven times earnings, which presents a compelling investment case in the context of the AI and energy sectors [10][11]

Core Viewpoint - Positive developments for major technology stocks are emerging early in 2026, benefiting investors in tech-focused ETFs like Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) and Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF (QQQM) [1] Group 1: Company Developments - Nvidia (NVDA) received significant praise at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), being the largest holding in QQQ and QQQM [2] - Apple (AAPL) and Alphabet (GOOGL) announced a partnership where Apple Foundation Models will utilize Google's Gemini models and cloud technology, enhancing user experiences while maintaining privacy standards [2] - Alphabet's market capitalization surpassed $4 trillion for the first time, making it the fourth U.S. company to achieve this milestone, joining Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia [3] Group 2: Analyst Insights - Goldman Sachs reiterated a "buy" rating for Microsoft (MSFT) and raised its price target from $630 to $655, indicating a potential upside of approximately 35% [3] - Analyst Gabriela Borges noted that Microsoft's strategic investments are designed to create opportunities for significant upside while minimizing risks associated with specific vendors or approaches [4] - Palantir (PLTR) was upgraded by Citi from "neutral" to "buy," with a new price target of $235, up from $210, as it is seen as a beneficiary of AI expansion, particularly in defense and national security [4][5]

Alphabet just joined one of the rarest clubs in markets, companies worth roughly $4 trillion or more, according to Reuters and real-time quote data. The company’s class A shares pushed its market value to around $4 trillion in intraday trading on Monday, Jan. 12, as the stock traded near a record high, with GOOGL changing hands around $331 and the market cap hovering just under $4 trillion at the close, reported MarketScreener. Only a handful of companies have ever traded at or above that level, with Nv ...

Core Insights - The race for artificial intelligence supremacy among major tech companies has intensified since the launch of ChatGPT by OpenAI and Microsoft, with other companies like Alphabet also investing heavily to catch up [1] - The ultimate leaders in the AI large language model (LLM) space remain unpredictable, similar to the internet boom of the late 1990s [1] AI Investment Strategies - Investors can benefit from the AI revolution by focusing on "pick and shovel" stocks rather than trying to identify the ultimate leader in the LLM race, akin to merchants during the California Gold Rush [2] Company Summaries CoreWeave - CoreWeave specializes in cloud computing, providing high-end GPU computing power specifically for AI applications, distinguishing itself from traditional cloud services [3] - The company has secured a $2.6 billion debt financing facility and has $25 billion in capital commitments, indicating strong demand and financial backing [4] - Recent share price fluctuations were influenced by debt concerns and the expiration of the IPO lock-up period, but insider selling is expected to decrease moving forward [6][7] Nebius Group - Nebius Group is a leader in AI infrastructure, offering a cloud platform designed for intensive AI workloads and vertical integration of proprietary software and hardware [8] - The company has a significant partnership with Nvidia, ensuring priority access to GPUs, and has secured a $17.4 billion multi-year deal with Microsoft, which could grow to $19.4 billion [9][10] - Following the Microsoft deal, Nebius' market cap was surpassed by the contract value, suggesting strong future revenue growth potential [11] Astera Labs - Astera Labs manufactures high-performance semiconductors and software for AI applications, addressing data transmission bottlenecks in AI data centers [13] - The company has established strong partnerships with industry leaders like Nvidia, Intel, and AMD, positioning it well within the AI infrastructure space [14] - Analysts predict double-digit growth for Astera Labs through 2026, with the company consistently exceeding Wall Street expectations since its public debut [15]

Core Insights - Alphabet's stock experienced a significant increase of 65% last year, driven by successful AI investments and a favorable antitrust ruling [1][2] Group 1: Stock Performance - The stock was in the red for most of the first half of the year before a turnaround occurred, leading to a dramatic shift in investor sentiment [2] - A major catalyst for the stock was a court ruling on September 3, allowing Google to retain control of its Chrome web browser and Android operating system, resulting in a 9% stock jump [5] - On November 24, the stock rose by 6% following positive reactions to the Gemini 3 release and Berkshire Hathaway's investment in the company [6] Group 2: Financial Performance - Alphabet reported a 14% revenue increase to $289 billion and a similar growth in operating income to $93.1 billion through the first three quarters [4] - The company has maintained its dominant market share in search and has shown consistent growth in its Google Cloud segment [4][7] Group 3: Future Outlook - In early 2026, Alphabet secured a significant partnership with Apple, which will use Gemini as the AI behind Siri, positioning Gemini 3 as a leading AI model [9] - The expansion of Waymo's autonomous vehicle service is anticipated to become a major revenue stream for the company [9] - 2026 is expected to be another strong year for Alphabet, building on its recent successes [10]

Core Viewpoint - Google and Apple have announced a long-term partnership to enhance Apple's AI capabilities, utilizing Google's Gemini model and cloud technology for future developments, including a personalized upgrade for Siri [3]. Group 1: Partnership Details - Apple and Google have reached a multi-year cooperation agreement, where the next generation of Apple's foundational models will be based on Google's Gemini model and cloud technology [3]. - The collaboration aims to enhance Apple's AI functionalities, with a significant upgrade to Siri expected this year [3]. - Apple has evaluated Google's AI technology as the strongest foundation for its models, expressing excitement about the innovative experiences it will unlock for users [3]. Group 2: Financial Implications - Reports indicate that Apple plans to pay approximately $1 billion annually to utilize Gemini technology as part of this agreement [5]. - Following the announcement of the partnership, Alphabet's stock price saw an increase, pushing its market capitalization above $4 trillion [5]. Group 3: Industry Reactions - Elon Musk expressed dissatisfaction with the partnership, suggesting that it represents an unreasonable concentration of power given Google's existing dominance with Android and Chrome [5].

Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) stock remains undervalued based on average analyst price targets. Moreover, shorting out-of-the-money (OTM) puts has been working, and premiums are high. For example, a 1-month 5% OTM put option currently yields 2.50%. GOOGL is at $335.75 in morning trading on Tuesday, January 13. It's already up over 7% YTD from $313.00, where it closed on Dec. 31, 2025. More News from Barchart GOOGL stock - last 3 months - Barchart - Jan. 13, 2026 I discussed Alphabet's valuation in an article l ...

The market does like a good comeback story. After being dismissed and bound for irrelevance after the emergence of OpenAI's ChatGPT, Alphabet's (GOOGL) (GOOG) Google has made a sensational splash in AI over the past year with its Gemini 3 model. And now it is starting 2026 with a bang by surpassing the $4 trillion market cap barrier for the first time. Although market fluctuations occasionally cause it to dip below the $4 trillion mark, Alphabet's market cap has now surpassed Apple's (AAPL) for the first t ...