AI Investment and Market Dynamics - Big Tech companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Meta are making prudent AI investments to match customer demand, supported by long-term contracts [1] - Some entities are creating special purpose vehicles for AI investments, funded by tens of billions of debt, which could be a sign of a potential bubble [1][2] - Nvidia's practice of investing in companies like OpenAI, which then commit to Nvidia's chips, is considered an unhealthy behavior, especially when funded by high-leverage debt [1] - OpenAI, while not currently selling ads, is expected to eventually enter the advertising market and take market share from Meta, Google, and ByteDance (TikTok) [5][6] Ad Market Performance - Meta's ad revenue grew 22% last quarter, while Google's grew 12%, but the gap is expected to narrow [4] Apple's Performance and Geopolitical Risks - The strength of the current iPhone upgrade cycle is uncertain, and Apple's stock is currently expensive relative to its growth potential [7][8] - US-China trade tensions pose a risk to Apple, adding volatility, but this risk is largely priced in [10] - There is a slow decoupling from China, with Apple pulling production out of China and Nvidia moving production out of Asia [10][11]
Big Tech earnings preview, plus the impact of the US-China trade war