Market Overview - US stock futures showed stability after a two-day tech sell-off, with S&P 500 futures up 0.1% and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.3% as investors awaited Amazon's earnings and assessed Alphabet's AI spending plans [1][3] - The tech sector experienced a significant decline, with nearly $1 trillion wiped off the value of software stocks tracked in an iShares ETF over the past week [2][7] Company Earnings and Forecasts - Alphabet announced a substantial increase in AI investment, projecting up to $185 billion, which led to a decline in its shares [3] - Amazon's AWS cloud unit is expected to report a 21% increase in sales in its upcoming quarterly report [3] - Snap reported a strong fourth quarter with revenue of $1.71 billion, exceeding Wall Street estimates of $1.7 billion, and earnings per share of $0.03 [12][16] - E.l.f. Beauty raised its full-year 2026 sales outlook to between $1.6 billion and $1.61 billion, up from a previous range of $1.55 billion to $1.57 billion, and reported a 38% increase in net sales to $489.5 million [14][16] - Qualcomm's stock fell around 11% after reporting a revenue increase of 5% year over year to $12.3 billion, but provided a dim outlook for the second quarter due to a memory chip shortage [26][28] Market Sentiment and Trends - The recent tech sell-off was driven by concerns over AI potentially disrupting existing business models, rather than fears of a bubble [8][9] - Silver prices plunged by as much as 17%, erasing previous gains, as market sentiment turned negative across various asset classes [4][22] - Bitcoin fell significantly after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent ruled out a government bailout for the cryptocurrency, with prices nearing the critical $70,000 level [5][11] Capital Expenditure and Partnerships - Alphabet's forecast for capital expenditures in 2026 reached $180 billion, positively impacting partners like Broadcom, which saw its stock rise by 5% [20][21] - Oracle also increased its capital expenditure forecast to around $50 billion, indicating a broader trend among tech companies investing heavily in AI infrastructure [21]

Core Viewpoint - The earnings reports from major companies, particularly Alphabet, are influencing market dynamics, with a focus on capital expenditures and AI integration impacting investor sentiment [2][4][22]. Market Overview - The trading day saw significant volatility, with the Nasdaq dropping as much as 2.5% and the S&P 500 down 1.1% at one point, but closing with the S&P down only 35 points (0.5%) and the Nasdaq down 350 points (1.5%) [5][6]. - The Dow Jones Industrial Average experienced a gain of over 200 points (0.5%), while the Russell 2000 finished down by approximately 0.9% [6]. Company Earnings Highlights - Alphabet's stock fluctuated, showing a decline of over 3% at its lows and down about 2% heading into earnings [2]. - Alphabet's capital expenditures (CapEx) for 2026 are projected between $175 billion to $185 billion, significantly higher than the previous estimate of $119.5 billion [12][15]. - Fourth-quarter revenue for Alphabet was reported at $13.83 billion, exceeding estimates of just above $11 billion, while operating income was slightly below expectations at $35.9 billion [12][13]. - Google Cloud revenue for the fourth quarter was reported at $6 billion, surpassing the estimate of $6.2 billion [13]. Sector Performance - The technology sector, particularly big tech, faced downward pressure, with a decline of about 1.9% [8]. - Energy stocks performed well, increasing by over 2%, while materials, real estate, and healthcare sectors also showed positive performance [8]. Notable Company Performers - Super Micro reported a strong outlook, with shares up nearly 14% due to robust demand for data center equipment [9]. - Eli Lilly was another top performer, gaining 10% after providing an optimistic sales forecast for the year [10]. Investor Sentiment and Future Outlook - Analysts have not issued any sell ratings on Alphabet, indicating a generally positive outlook despite the stock's recent performance [4]. - The integration of AI tools like Gemini is expected to drive future growth, with monthly active users reported at 750 million [16][24]. - CEO Sundar Pichai emphasized that investments in AI and infrastructure are expected to drive revenue growth across Alphabet's services [22].

Core Viewpoint - Google is significantly increasing its capital expenditures for artificial intelligence, which is expected to benefit Broadcom and other companies associated with Alphabet [1][2]. Group 1: Google's Capital Expenditures - Google anticipates spending up to $185 billion on capital expenditures this year, nearly double its spending from the previous year [1]. - This increase in spending is part of a broader trend among technology companies investing in data centers focused on artificial intelligence [2]. Group 2: Broadcom's Role - Broadcom is involved in the production of Google's tensor processing units (TPUs), which are used for AI software that does not rely on standard Nvidia chips [3]. - The company is expanding its custom chip business, focusing on application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), which may offer greater efficiency for certain AI workloads [4]. - Broadcom is also selling Google's TPU Ironwood rack systems to Anthropic, another AI lab, indicating its growing involvement in the AI sector [4]. Group 3: Market Dynamics - Custom AI chips are primarily beneficial for large, sophisticated firms known as hyperscalers, with Broadcom developing custom chips for five separate customers, referred to as "XPUs" [5]. - Major companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta are also working on their own custom chips, although Broadcom has only publicly named Google and Anthropic as customers [5]. - Hyperscalers typically require partnerships with semiconductor companies like Broadcom to incorporate necessary intellectual property and facilitate chip manufacturing [6].

Market Overview - The S&P 500 opened flat while the Nasdaq fell sharply, primarily due to AMD's 14% decline after a weaker-than-expected Q1 forecast, impacting the tech sector negatively [1] - Other semiconductor stocks also suffered, with Broadcom down 3% and Micron down 8%, contributing to a broader sell-off in tech stocks [1][2] Employment Data - ADP's private payrolls report for January showed only 22,000 jobs added, significantly below the expected 45,000, contributing to a cautious market sentiment [2] - The official nonfarm payrolls report is delayed due to a partial government shutdown, which has now ended [2] Bond and Currency Markets - Bond yields displayed mixed results, with long-term yields rising while short-term yields fell [3] - The dollar recovered some losses from the previous day, while Bitcoin reached a new low around $72,000 [3] Precious Metals - Precious metals showed resilience, with gold briefly climbing above $5,000 and silver gaining nearly 3% [3] Trend Tracking Indexes (TTIs) - The domestic TTI closed at +7.71% above its moving average, indicating a bullish signal effective from May 20, 2025 [8][9] - The international TTI also showed positive momentum, closing at +12.14% above its moving average, with a buy signal effective from May 8, 2025 [9]

Taiwan Semiconductor (NYSE:TSM ) is the backbone of the entire semiconductor sector, but it has only started trading like it in recent years. ...

Core Viewpoint - AMD's recent earnings report showed a revenue beat of $600 million, but the stock price fell 9%, indicating market concerns about future growth and execution risks [1][4]. Financial Performance - AMD reported a revenue beat of $600 million for the fourth quarter, but $390 million of this was attributed to a one-time windfall from unexpected sales in China [5][6]. - For the first quarter of 2026, AMD anticipates only $100 million in revenue from China, a 75% decrease from previous expectations, leading to a potential shortfall of $400 million to $800 million [6]. Cost Management - AMD has consistently failed to control operating expenses, exceeding guidance by approximately $200 million for four consecutive quarters, which has negatively impacted data center operating margins [7][8]. - The company is currently valued at 40 times forward earnings, relying on the assumption that profits will grow faster than revenue, which is contingent on effective cost control [8]. Technology Dependencies - AMD's new MI450 chip relies on UALink switches that will not be available in volume until 2027, which could limit the chip's performance and deployment [9][10]. - The production of necessary HBM4 memory chips is sold out for 2026, with AMD being the third priority supplier, which could lead to increased costs or shipment delays [14]. Customer Financial Health - OpenAI, AMD's largest customer, is facing significant financial challenges, having lost $12 billion in a single quarter and requiring over $100 billion in emergency funding [15][16]. - The deal with OpenAI is contingent on successful funding, and any delays could impact AMD's revenue significantly [16]. Market Sentiment - Wall Street is pricing AMD's stock for perfection, assuming all critical factors align favorably; any failure in two out of six key areas could lead to a valuation drop to 25-30 times earnings, representing a potential downside of 25% to 40% [22]. - Analysts express caution, with some firms downgrading price targets while maintaining buy ratings, indicating a lack of confidence in AMD's near-term execution [23]. Future Outlook - AMD's growth is heavily dependent on external factors, including technology readiness, customer financial stability, and effective cost management, which are currently outside the company's control [24]. - Investors are advised to monitor upcoming earnings calls for indications of revenue trends and management's ability to meet guidance [25].

Core Insights - Walmart has achieved a market valuation of $1 trillion, becoming the first retailer to reach this milestone, with its shares rising nearly 26% over the past year, placing it alongside major tech companies like Nvidia and Alphabet [1] Company Performance - Over the past decade, Walmart's stock has surged 468%, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's 264% gain, attributed to its dual strategy of appealing to both higher-income and lower-income customers [2] - In the last five years, Walmart has expanded its online marketplace to over 500 million items, introduced one-hour delivery, launched Walmart+ to compete with Amazon Prime, and developed a $4 billion advertising business that has improved margins [2] Technological Investments - Walmart has made significant investments in AI, focusing on supply-chain automation to enhance the freshness of produce, speed up deliveries, and improve inventory forecasting, which has contributed to beating US same-store sales estimates for 15 consecutive quarters [3] - The retailer's early and aggressive AI investments have generated investor optimism, particularly as grocery shopping increasingly shifts online [3] Market Position - Walmart captures $1 out of every $4 spent on groceries in the US, positioning itself favorably amid economic challenges faced by low and middle-income households due to inflation and a cooling job market [4] - The company has been recognized as a significant player in the tech sector, being added to the Nasdaq-100 Index, which includes the most valuable non-financial companies [8] Future Outlook - John Furner, the new global CEO, faces the challenge of accelerating technology investments in an AI-driven market while competing against rivals like Amazon, Aldi, and Costco [6] - Analysts predict Walmart could approach a $2 trillion market capitalization in the coming years, driven by its strong performance in food retailing and ongoing technological advancements [11]

Core Insights - The article highlights the growing importance of AI stocks in the stock market, particularly focusing on companies like Nvidia and OpenAI that are at the forefront of generative AI technology [1] Industry Overview - The AI sector is experiencing a boom, but selecting individual winners is challenging due to competitive pressures and risks faced by leading companies like Nvidia and TSMC [2] - TSMC, while a dominant player in chip manufacturing, faces competition from Intel and is also impacted by geopolitical risks due to its location in Taiwan [2] Investment Vehicle - Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are presented as a smart alternative for investors seeking exposure to the stock market without the need to pick individual stocks [3] - The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) is highlighted as a top performer since its inception in 2011, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 [4][6] ETF Performance - The SMH ETF has a strong historical performance, particularly during the AI boom, and includes major chip stocks such as Nvidia (19.3% of net assets) and TSMC (10.2%) among its top holdings [6][7] - Recent performance of ASML and Intel indicates that the AI boom is benefiting even those companies that have previously lagged behind [8] Future Growth Potential - The demand for semiconductors is expected to grow due to technological advancements, with increasing reliance on semiconductors in various products and infrastructure [11] - Despite a trailing price-to-earnings ratio of 46, the growth potential of companies within the SMH ETF, such as Nvidia's 62% revenue growth, suggests that the ETF may be undervalued on a forward basis [12] Diversification Benefits - The VanEck Semiconductor ETF offers a good alternative to the S&P 500 by providing exposure to international stocks like TSMC and ASML, which are not included in the index [13]

Broadcom stock (NASDAQ: AVGO) plunged about 6.6% in heavy trading on Tuesday as investors digested worries that rapid AI-driven sales could squeeze margins. Tuesday's slide took the Broadcom stock pri... ...

Walmart hits $1 trillion market cap - UPI.comTrending[Trump, Harvard][Artemis II][Canada crash][Tulsi Gabbard][World record teacher][Grok probe][Disney president][Camera mystery][U.S. News]Feb. 3, 2026 / 2:13 PM1 of 5 | The Walmart Marketplace sign shines at the 2023 SEMA Show at the Las Vegas Convention center in 2023. Walmart just reached the $1 trillion market cap. File Photo by James Atoa/UPI | [License Photo]Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Walmart's stock rose by 1% Tuesday to launch the company into the $1 trillion c ...