Group 1: Metal Market Dynamics - The silver and gold markets are experiencing significant declines, with silver hitting a trading limit down and gold also nearing a limit down at the close [2] - The supply-demand dynamics for metals show no signs of reversal, with increasing terminal inventories and reduced purchasing willingness from downstream sectors due to high prices [2][4] - The demand for aluminum remains weak, while Indonesia's electrolytic aluminum production capacity is increasing, alleviating previous electricity shortages [3] Group 2: Broader Economic Narratives - The recent surge in metal prices is primarily driven by macroeconomic narratives rather than supply-demand fundamentals, with geopolitical tensions leading to a preference for physical assets over dollar-denominated assets [4][5] - Historical price determinants tend to favor supply-demand relationships over macroeconomic narratives, which may mislead investors at high price levels [5] Group 3: AI Investment Trends - Microsoft's recent stock drop, despite solid earnings, highlights a potential shift in capital allocation towards AI, with investors voting against companies that increase AI spending without corresponding output [6][8] - The trend suggests that large companies may need to optimize AI capital expenditures, which could pressure hardware-related narratives [8] Group 4: AI as a Productivity Tool - Current AI applications often do not enhance productivity significantly, as many businesses could achieve similar results by hiring data analysts instead of relying on third-party AI services [13][14] - The lowering of barriers in software development due to AI advancements may lead to businesses developing their own solutions, reducing reliance on external vendors [15] Group 5: Future of AI Applications - The focus on AI applications may need to shift, particularly in consumer-facing sectors where the utility of AI remains limited [16] - Businesses leveraging cloud services and AI models are likely to benefit from cost reductions and the creation of new business models, potentially leading to the emergence of new industries [17]

Macro Dynamics - The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council approved the "Modern Capital Metropolitan Area Spatial Coordination Plan (2023-2035)", aiming to cultivate an innovation triangle in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, enhancing collaboration and resource flow [2] Housing Market - Shanghai has initiated a program to purchase second-hand housing for affordable rental housing, targeting new citizens, young people, and graduates to meet their rental needs [3] - The first batch of housing to be acquired will focus on matching housing types, layout, and transportation convenience to support talent in the city [3] Energy Sector - The China Electricity Council reported that by 2025, the country will add 550 million kilowatts of new power generation capacity, with wind and solar power accounting for 440 million kilowatts, representing 80.2% of the total [4] Financial Institutions - Citigroup warned that gold valuations have reached extreme levels, with global gold expenditure as a percentage of GDP hitting 0.7%, the highest in 55 years, indicating potential risks for gold prices [7] - Deutsche Bank remains bullish on gold, maintaining a target price of $6,000 per ounce despite recent price drops, citing ongoing positive factors for gold investment [8] Market Data - On February 2, A-shares experienced a significant decline, with all three major indices dropping over 2%, and more than 4,600 stocks falling, including 123 hitting the daily limit down [12] - The Hong Kong Hang Seng Index fell by 2.23%, with the technology index down 3.36%, and significant declines in precious metals and semiconductor stocks [13] Company Dynamics - Midea Group announced a share buyback of 26.94 million shares, representing 0.35% of its total share capital, at a total cost of 1.998 billion yuan [17] - Chip-on-Board Technology reported a revenue of 394 million yuan for 2025, a year-on-year increase of 11.52%, but a net profit decrease of 4.91% [18] - GoerTek has repurchased 40.54 million shares, amounting to 1.14% of its total shares, for a total expenditure of 1.108 billion yuan [19] - Microsoft saw a market value drop of $381 billion following disappointing earnings and forecasts, indicating a shift in investor sentiment towards tech stocks [20] - Amazon is expected to report strong fourth-quarter earnings, with analysts predicting over 28% upside potential in the next 12 months [21]

As the XLK and VGT hover near all-time highs, the tech sector is facing what I would call a crisis of identity. This week’s reactions to earnings from the 'Magnificent 7' are confirmation of that.I write about stocks I’m personally interested in adding to my portfolio. I’m not a professional advisor, but I study business and economics and analyze markets full-time. My writing is meant for both complete beginners — I avoid unnecessary complexity — and advanced readers, as I always aim to offer a distinct and ...

Core Insights - The Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF (QQQM) has a low yield of 0.51%, primarily due to its focus on growth-oriented technology companies that reinvest profits rather than distribute them as dividends [2][8] - The fund's largest holdings, particularly NVIDIA, significantly impact its overall yield, as NVIDIA contributes little to no dividends despite its substantial weighting of 8.47% [3][8] - Apple and Microsoft are the main contributors to QQQM's dividend income, with both companies showing a strong commitment to returning value to shareholders through consistent dividend increases [4][5] Yield and Income Generation - QQQM's yield is notably lower than the S&P 500's typical yield of 1.8% to 2.0%, reflecting the fund's composition, which is heavily weighted towards growth stocks that either pay minimal dividends or none at all [5][8] - The fund has maintained consistent quarterly distributions since its launch in October 2020, supported by a low expense ratio of 0.15%, which helps preserve income for shareholders [6] Performance and Investment Appeal - Over the past year, QQQM has achieved a total price appreciation of 22.3%, and since its inception, it has increased by over 108% [7][8] - Investors are primarily attracted to QQQM for its exposure to leading technology and innovation companies, viewing dividends as a secondary benefit rather than the main reason for investment [7]

Core Viewpoint - U.S. stock futures are indicating a lower opening as investors react to weaker global manufacturing data, rising borrowing costs, and renewed concerns in the AI sector [1] Premarket Trading and Futures Movements - E-mini S&P 500 contracts are down approximately 0.7% to 1.2%, while Nasdaq 100 futures are down roughly 1% to 1.5%, indicating a cautious start for the broader market [2] - Dow Jones Industrial Average futures are also trading lower, down between 0.1% and 0.9% [2] Economic Indicators - Manufacturing PMI figures from Europe, particularly Italy and Spain, remain below the 50-point contraction threshold, indicating a slowdown in factory activity and higher input costs [3] - Rising 10-year bond yields in countries like India and South Korea highlight increasing borrowing costs for governments and corporations globally [3] Major Market Indexes and Trends - The performance of major market indexes such as the S&P 500, Nasdaq Composite, and Dow Jones Industrial Average is expected to face challenges due to premarket sentiment [5] - The tech sector, which has benefited from the AI boom, appears particularly vulnerable to current market concerns [5] Earnings Releases - More than 100 S&P 500 companies are set to report earnings this week, which could lead to significant market volatility [8] - Notable earnings reports are anticipated from tech giants like Alphabet, Amazon, and AMD [8] Major Stock News and Developments - Nvidia shares are down approximately 1.5% to 2% due to reports that its plan to invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI has stalled, raising concerns about the sustainability of the AI-driven tech rally [14] - Oracle stock rebounded sharply, climbing 5% after announcing plans to raise $45 billion to $50 billion for expanding its cloud infrastructure [15] - Apple reported a record-breaking first quarter for fiscal 2026 with revenue of $143.8 billion, up 16% year-over-year, leading to a target price upgrade from $230 to $260 [17] Healthcare Sector Developments - The healthcare sector faced significant declines after the U.S. government proposed only a 0.09% increase in Medicare reimbursement rates for private insurance plans in 2027, contrasting sharply with a 5.06% increase for 2026 [19] Precious Metals and Commodities - Precious metals are experiencing a significant rout, with gold falling 5.8% and silver slumping 12.3% in early trading, following a substantial drop that erased a combined $7.4 trillion in market value [20] - Oil prices are also under pressure, with Brent crude down 4.5% at around $66 a barrel amid ongoing U.S. and Iran negotiations [20]

Core Insights - Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) has experienced significant capital expenditures, particularly in artificial intelligence, which has led to a decline in share prices due to slower-than-expected cloud revenue growth [2][3]. Financial Performance - In the fiscal second quarter, total revenue increased by 17% to $81.3 billion, while costs rose by 19%, leading to concerns about profitability [2]. - Azure sales grew by 39%, slightly above forecasts, but investor sentiment was negatively impacted by the overall financial performance [2]. - For the third quarter, Microsoft projects Azure growth of 37% to 38% and total revenue close to $81.2 billion [3]. Capital Expenditures - Capital spending reached $37.5 billion, marking a nearly 66% year-on-year increase, with a significant portion allocated to computing chips [2]. - The cloud backlog has doubled to $625 billion, with OpenAI contributing nearly 45% of this total [3]. Market Reaction - Following the announcement of increased spending and slower cloud growth, Microsoft shares fell by 6.5% in after-hours trading [2]. - Year-to-date, the stock is down by 8.34% as of January 29, 2026 [4]. Competitive Landscape - Investor concerns have been heightened due to competition from Google's Gemini and other AI rivals [3]. - Executives have warned that rising memory chip costs could further pressure profitability [3].

Microsoft Corporation ( MSFT ) reported strong Q2 FY26 earnings last Wednesday, yet its shares dropped the most since 2020, falling 9.99% the following day, as investors didn't appreciate slowing cloud growth in face of elevated valuation.I’m a Financial Analyst at a Fortune 500 company, investing with a long runway—30 years to retirement and plenty of compounding ahead. I write about building a thoughtful portfolio that balances strong growth potential with solid fundamentals. My focus is on high-quality b ...

Core Insights - The FPA Crescent Fund achieved a return of 3.09% in Q4 2025, with annual returns reaching 17.65%, outperforming the global market's 79.0% of the MSCI AWCI index [1] - The fund emphasizes a "value-aware" investment strategy, avoiding speculative sectors and focusing on long-term investments [1] Company Highlights - Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is highlighted as a key stock in the FPA Crescent Fund's portfolio, with a one-month return of -9.00% and a 52-week gain of 4.71% [2] - As of January 30, 2026, Microsoft shares closed at $430.29, with a market capitalization of $3.195 trillion [2] - The FPA Crescent Fund reflects on its past ownership of Microsoft from 2010 to 2020, noting the company's significant value creation under its current management [3] - The fund's analysis questions whether Microsoft could continue to deliver equity-type returns despite potential stagnation in earnings, acknowledging the transformative impact of AI and cloud technologies on the business [3]

Quick Read First Trust NASDAQ-100 Equal Weight fund (QQEW) restructured in December 2025 to select 50 companies using quality and growth scores. QQEW returned 12.4% over the past year but lagged because mega-cap tech stocks dominated 2025 returns. QQEW charges 0.55% annually, three times QQQ’s 0.18% fee. Investors rethink 'hands off' investing and decide to start making real money The Nasdaq-100 is dominated by a handful of massive companies, with the top three accounting for more than 20% of the ...

The share price of Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) cratered last week -- down 11% on Thursday, the largest one-day drop in the tech giant's stock since March 2020. Shares rebounded a tiny bit in the afternoon to end 10% down on the day. What's going on? And what should investors expect now? Microsoft released results Thursday morning for its fiscal second quarter, ended Dec. 31, 2025. Based on the headline numbers, you would have expected a great reaction from Wall Street. Revenue of $81.3 billion in the quarter ...