Core Viewpoint - The Vanguard Information Technology ETF has significantly outperformed the market over the past decade, primarily driven by the AI boom, but it lacks exposure to key companies in the AI sector, making it potentially less attractive for investors seeking broad AI stock exposure [1][2]. Group 1: ETF Performance and Composition - The Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT) has increased by approximately 670% over the past decade, compared to a 270% gain for the S&P 500 [1]. - The ETF tracks the MSCI US IMI Information Technology 25/50 index and holds stakes in 320 companies, with nearly 59% of its value concentrated in the top 10 holdings [3]. - The top three holdings—Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft—account for nearly 45% of the ETF's assets, indicating a high concentration risk [4]. Group 2: Missing Key Companies - The ETF does not include major players in the AI ecosystem such as Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta Platforms, which are classified in different sectors [5][6]. - Alphabet and Meta are categorized under the communication services sector, while Amazon falls under consumer discretionary, thus excluding them from the ETF's holdings [6]. - The absence of these companies is significant as Amazon and Alphabet are two of the largest cloud infrastructure providers, holding market shares of 29% and 13%, respectively, which are crucial for AI model training and operation [7]. Group 3: Implications of Missing Companies - The exclusion of Amazon, Alphabet, and Meta from the ETF limits its exposure to the AI megatrend, as these companies play vital roles in cloud services and AI development [8].

At the Fed, Warsh, 55, is expected to favor lower interest rates but stop short of the more aggressive monetary easing linked ‌to some other potential nominees. ‌With Powell's term ending in May, Warsh, if confirmed by the Senate, would take the helm of a central bank he has argued should scale back its role in the economy and rethink its approach to monetary policy. "Markets are calibrating to Trump's pick ‌of Kevin Warsh ... and the outlook for monetary policy," said Michael Hans, chief investment office ...

Core Insights - Apple's revenue growth is accelerating, while Meta's outlook is strong but impacted by rising costs [1][2] Group 1: Apple - Apple reported a 16% revenue growth in its fiscal first quarter, a significant increase from 8% in the previous quarter [7] - The growth was driven by the successful iPhone 17 family, which contributed to a 23% year-over-year growth in the iPhone segment [7] - In Greater China, Apple's revenue rose 38% year over year, indicating strong demand in this key market [8] - For fiscal Q2, Apple expects revenue growth of 13% to 16% year over year, despite anticipated supply constraints for iPhones [9] - The services segment grew by 14% in fiscal Q1, with a gross profit margin significantly higher than that of the products segment, suggesting a potential shift in revenue reliance [10] Group 2: Meta - Meta reported fourth-quarter revenue of $59.9 billion, a 24% increase year over year, although this was a deceleration from 26% growth in Q3 [4] - The company's earnings per share of $8.88 exceeded analysts' expectations but only reflected an 11% year-over-year increase, while costs surged by 40% [6] - Meta's first-quarter revenue guidance suggests a midpoint of $55 billion, indicating a 30% year-over-year growth, but this includes a 4% foreign exchange tailwind [5] - Management anticipates that the full-year fiscal 2026 revenue growth rate will be below Q1 levels, indicating potential challenges ahead [5] Group 3: Investment Comparison - At current valuations, Apple is considered a better investment due to faster earnings per share growth and a more durable business model [11] - Apple's price-to-earnings ratio is 33, slightly higher than Meta's 30, but the valuation gap is justified by Apple's stronger business fundamentals [12] - While Meta is viewed as an attractive stock, Apple is deemed the superior buy at this time [13]

Market Overview - The S&P 500 managed a gain of 1.4% in January, breaking a two-week losing streak, which historically indicates a positive year ahead [3] - The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) rose by 12.9% in January, while the S&P 600 small-cap index increased by 5.5% [1][2] - Energy sector led the market with a 14% increase, driven by a rally in crude oil prices [6] Sector Performance - Software stocks faced a decline, with an average drop of 14.5%, while semiconductor stocks like SanDisk and Micron saw significant gains of 140% and 45% respectively [4][5] - Financials underperformed due to disappointing earnings, while tech stocks finished slightly in the red [6] Apple Inc. Insights - Apple reported a strong quarter with revenue growth guidance of 13-16% and gross margins expected between 48-49% despite potential inflation in memory prices [17][18] - Concerns about memory chip pricing were acknowledged, but Apple's strong demand for the iPhone 17 lineup may provide pricing power [18][21] - The strategic partnership with Google is seen as a potential advantage for Apple in the AI space, despite skepticism about its current AI capabilities [22][36] Precious Metals Market - Silver experienced a historic drop of 30% in a single day, attributed to a stronger dollar and profit-taking after a significant run-up [12][14] - Despite the drop, silver finished January with a 19.6% increase year-to-date [13] Economic Indicators - The dollar's strength is impacting various markets, including cryptocurrencies and commodities, with analysts watching for potential shifts in interest rates under the new Fed chair nominee Kevin Walsh [11][51] - The labor market shows signs of stagnation, with zero job growth projected for 2025, raising concerns about the overall economic health [64]

Hello and welcome to Asking for a Trend. I'm Josh Lipton and for the next half hour, we are breaking down the trends of today that'll move stocks tomorrow. There's a lot to keep track of, so we're focusing on what you need to know to get ahead of the curve here.Some of the trends we're going to be diving into. Despite some stomach turning moves on Wall Street this week, markets posted gains for the month of January. We're looking at some of the top trades, including that massive unwind in Silver's rally.And ...

Apple’s earnings confirmed resilient demand and record-breaking iPhone sales, while investor attention quickly shifts to supply constraints and the company’s evolving AI strategy.NASDAQ : AAPLAppleToday's Change( 0.62 %) $ 1.60Current Price$ 259.88Key Data PointsMarket Cap$3.8TDay's Range$ 252.22 - $ 261.9052wk Range$ 169.21 - $ 288.62Volume3.5MAvg Vol47MGross Margin46.91 %Dividend Yield0.40 %Apple (AAPL +0.62%), consumer electronics and services giant, closed Friday at $259.48, up 0.46%. The stock traded i ...

Why are US stocks falling and who are biggest losers and gainers? US stock markets ended lower as investors assessed President Donald Trump’s decision to nominate Kevin Warsh to lead the Federal Reserve. The move created uncertainty over future interest rate policy. At the same time, gold and silver prices dropped sharply after a long rally. Inflation data and earnings updates also influenced trading. These factors together pushed major US indexes lower by the close of Friday’s session.Why are US stocks fal ...

Market Overview - Major indexes experienced a decline, with technology shares remaining under pressure. President Trump's selection of Kevin Warsh as the Federal Reserve chair has somewhat alleviated concerns regarding Fed independence due to his hawkish stance on inflation [4][5] - Despite the overall market weakness, the S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq are still on track for a positive January, each up more than 1% for the month so far [5] Commodity Market - Gold spot prices fell 16% from the previous day's highs, while silver dropped 39%, indicating market comfort with Warsh's hawkish lean. However, both metals remain significantly higher for the month (+12% for gold and +14% for silver) and for the past year (+72% for gold and +164% for silver) [6] Bond Market - Bond yields increased following a higher-than-expected December core producer price index, which rose by 0.7% compared to the anticipated 0.3% [7] Equity Market Performance - Apple shares declined despite reporting better-than-expected Q1 earnings and revenue, driven by strong iPhone sales. In contrast, SanDisk's stock surged by 22% due to positive guidance [7] - The equity markets showed volatility throughout the week but ended January on a higher note, with small caps leading the gains while the Nasdaq lagged [7] Currency and Cryptocurrency - The dollar has depreciated for the third consecutive month, while Bitcoin exhibited typical volatility, initially dropping but recovering by the end of the trading day [8] Trend Tracking Indexes (TTIs) - The domestic TTI remains bullish, closing at +6.52% above its moving average, while the international TTI closed at +10.51% above its moving average, both maintaining their respective "Buy" signals [12][13]

I aim to provide alpha-generating investment ideas. I am an independent investor managing my family's portfolio, primarily via a Self Managed Super Fund. You can expect my articles to deliver a clearly structured, evidence-based thesis.I have a generalist approach as I explore, analyze and invest in any sector so long there is perceived alpha potential vs the S&P500. The typical holding period ranges between a few quarters to multiple years.A bit about how I approach research and coverage of a stock:I build ...

I aim to provide alpha-generating investment ideas. I am an independent investor managing my family's portfolio, primarily via a Self Managed Super Fund. You can expect my articles to deliver a clearly structured, evidence-based thesis.I have a generalist approach as I explore, analyze and invest in any sector so long there is perceived alpha potential vs the S&P500. The typical holding period ranges between a few quarters to multiple years.A bit about how I approach research and coverage of a stock:I build ...