Group 1: Retail Investor Trends - Retail investors are increasingly active, with 37% of individuals aged 25 having made investment transfers from checking accounts since age 22, a significant increase from 6% in 2015 [1] - Retail investors are becoming more sophisticated, and their sentiment is of interest to the market, particularly through platforms like Robinhood, which lists the 100 most-owned stocks [2] Group 2: Popular Stocks Among Retail Investors - The most-owned stocks on Robinhood reflect a strong interest in large-cap companies, particularly in the tech sector, many of which are expected to benefit from advancements in artificial intelligence [5] - The top 10 most-owned stocks on Robinhood include Nvidia, Apple, Tesla, Amazon, Microsoft, AMC Entertainment, Ford Motor Company, Meta Platforms, Alphabet (Class A), and Netflix [6] - Notably, AMC gained popularity during the pandemic's meme-stock craze, while Ford's stock has been volatile due to its transition to electric vehicles and external challenges [7][8] Group 3: Investment Recommendations - Among the most-owned stocks, Amazon and Microsoft are highlighted as the two best investment opportunities currently [9] - Amazon faced challenges last year due to tariffs affecting its e-commerce operations, but it has established a robust supply chain and logistics network capable of rapid product delivery [10]

Company Overview - Commercial Metals Company is a leading producer and recycler of steel and metal products, with a diversified presence in both domestic and international markets [5] - The company operates an integrated business model by sourcing scrap metal, producing finished and semi-finished steel products, and supplying fabricated steel and construction-related services to end markets [7] - It serves steel mills, foundries, manufacturers, distributors, construction companies, and infrastructure projects across the United States, Poland, China, and other international markets [7] Financial Performance - As of January 30, 2026, Commercial Metals Company reported a revenue of $8.01 billion and a net income of $437.66 million [4] - The company's shares were priced at $76.87, reflecting a 58.9% increase over the prior year, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 by 44 percentage points [3] - The dividend yield stands at 0.94% [4] Recent Developments - Artemis Investment Management LLP initiated a new stake in Commercial Metals Company by acquiring 1,501,906 shares during the fourth quarter of 2025, with an estimated transaction value of $103.96 million [1] - This new holding represents 1.26% of Artemis's 13F reportable assets under management after the trade [2] - Despite the stock's EV/EBITDA ratio increasing from 6 to 9, Artemis still sees potential upside in the stock, indicating confidence in the company's future performance [8]

All right, Diane King Hall is with me and we continue to take a look at some of these big tech names and what a week it was for Microsoft in particular, Apple, too. Let's uh hear some details. >> Yeah, we've got uh some analyst activity across the Mag 7 to kick off the week here.Uh and this is Philip Securities taking a look at both Apple and Microsoft and you've got upgrades for both of them. We'll start out with Microsoft. They've upgraded Microsoft to buy from accum accumulate.They are keeping the price ...

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You know that expectations for a company are sky high when it can report a 60% year-over-year jump in profits, a 17% rise in revenue, a 45% increase in users of its flagship product, and $12.7 billion returned to shareholders that quarter ... and the stock still tanks by 10% the next day. Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) was the victim of this expectations hit last Thursday, as Wall Street digested its Q2 2026 earnings report released the day before. The sell-off wiped away a staggering $357 billion from the tech ...

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]