Let's get back to the broader markets and talk about what to expect going into year end. All as the Dow tracks for its fifth positive quarter in a row. S&P NASDAQ pacing for their seventh positive quarter in eight.Joining us here this morning at Post 9, Deutsche Bank chief US equity strategist and global strategist Binky China. Binky, it's great to have you in. >> Thanks to you.So year end 7K >> and 10 year almost four and a half, right. >> That's right. >> Market can deal with that.>> Uh I believe so. Yeah ...

Private Market Investment Opportunities - Private markets offer meaningful innovation, earnings growth, and diversification opportunities, especially given the concentration in public markets [4] - The value of the "private Mag 7" has grown by $12 trillion since the end of 2022, nearly quadrupling in less than three years [5] - Innovation in AI and other sectors is increasingly happening within private markets due to the need for patient strategic capital and the abundance of capital seeking investment opportunities [3] Valuation and Growth in Private Companies - Rapid revenue growth is being observed in the private AI company ecosystem, with companies reaching $10 million in annual revenue in approximately 12 months, a significant improvement from the previous decade [6][7] - Valuation expansion in certain parts of the private AI ecosystem is justified by the meaningful profitability improvements [7] Software as a Service (SaaS) and AI Investment Strategy - Software as a service is seen as a $3 trillion to $5 trillion opportunity [7] - Approximately 95% of software companies, as of March of this year, are private, suggesting that investing in private companies is crucial for participating in the AI trade [8] - A "barbell approach" is recommended, focusing on both the infrastructure layer (dominated by hyperscalers and semiconductors in public markets) and the application/platform technology layer, which is primarily in private markets [8][9][10][11] Public Market Investment Strategy - Active management is key for investing in the AI revolution in public markets, as the leaders of the future may differ from the leaders of the past [13][15] - Investment should be in a basket of high-quality companies with cash flow positive, durable earnings growth, and visible capex and revenue drivers [14]

Summary of CenterPoint Energy's 2025 Investor Update Call Company Overview - **Company**: CenterPoint Energy - **Event**: 2025 Investor Update Call - **Key Management**: Jason Wells (CEO), Aziz Soto (COO), Jason Ryan (EVP of Regulatory Services), Chris Foster (CFO) Core Industry Insights - **Industry**: Utility Sector - **Focus**: Energy demand growth, capital investments, regulatory environment, customer experience Key Financial Updates - **2025 Non-GAAP EPS Guidance**: Increased from $1.74-$1.76 to $1.75-$1.77, representing a 9% growth from the previous year [5][53] - **2026 Non-GAAP EPS Guidance**: Initiated at $1.89-$1.91, targeting at least the midpoint, which indicates an 8% growth from the new 2025 guidance [5][53] - **Capital Investment Plan**: Announced a $2 billion increase to the customer-driven capital investment plan through 2030, totaling $65 billion over the next 10 years [6][8] Growth Projections - **Peak Electric Load Demand**: Anticipated to increase nearly 50% to over 30 gigawatts by 2031 and nearly double to 42 gigawatts by 2035 [7] - **Investment Breakdown**: $33 billion expected from 2026-2030 and $32 billion from 2031-2035 [8] - **Incremental Capital Opportunities**: Over $10 billion identified for additional investments, including smart meter deployment and data center-related projects [9] Operational Efficiency - **O&M Reduction**: Targeting a 1%-2% reduction in operating and maintenance costs annually through 2035 [11] - **Dividend Growth**: Moderating to approximately 6% over the 10-year plan, with a payout ratio expected to remain above 45% [10][51] Regulatory Environment - **Rate Cases**: Successful outcomes in five general rate cases over the last two years, improving equity ratios and returns on equity [33][34] - **Legislative Support**: New laws in Texas facilitating faster regulatory processes for utility projects, enhancing the ability to meet growing energy demands [36][37] Customer-Centric Initiatives - **Customer Experience**: Investments aimed at improving safety, reliability, and resiliency of energy systems [8][30] - **Affordability Focus**: Striving to keep average customer charges in line with historical inflation rates while investing in system modernization [39][43] Economic Context - **Texas Growth**: Texas added over 560,000 residents annually from 2020 to 2024, driving a 7% cumulative growth rate, benefiting the utility's service territories [17] - **Houston's Industrial Expansion**: Houston's diverse industrial base, including energy, manufacturing, and healthcare, is expected to drive significant increases in energy demand [18][19] Conclusion - **Long-Term Vision**: CenterPoint Energy is positioned to capitalize on the explosive growth in energy demand, with a robust investment plan aimed at enhancing customer outcomes and delivering value to investors [55][56]

Core Viewpoint - Deutsche Bank has raised its price target for Welltower Inc. to $195 from $179, maintaining a Buy rating due to strong earnings growth potential [1] Group 1: Earnings Growth and Financial Position - The company is well-positioned for earnings growth, supported by favorable demand-supply dynamics in senior housing and a healthy acquisition pipeline backed by $9.5 billion in healthcare leasing liquidity [1] - Revenue per occupied room growth is outpacing expense growth, with occupancy gains providing visibility into sustained internal earnings expansion [2] - Management has increased its 2025 normalized FFO per share guidance to $5.06–$5.14 from $4.90–$5.04, indicating an annual earnings growth of 18.1% [3] Group 2: Acquisition Opportunities - Deutsche Bank highlighted acquisition opportunities arising from challenging capital markets, including assets in lease-up and stabilized portfolios across the U.S., U.K., and Canada [2] - Elevated acquisition activity and rising industry occupancy are expected to drive momentum into 2026 and 2027, suggesting further upside potential [3]

Market Broadening & Economic Improvement - Piper Sandler anticipates a broadening market, driven by improvements in both macro and microeconomic factors, rather than a significant surge [2][3] - The market broadening is expected to be more about breadth than magnitude, indicating wider participation across sectors [2] - Stabilized interest rates and subsequent rate cuts by the Federal Reserve are seen as catalysts for economic improvement, positively impacting smaller businesses, lower-end consumers, housing, and manufacturing [5][6] - The anticipation of improved economic conditions is leading to anticipatory indicators showing positive signs [6] Labor Market & Monetary Policy - A soft labor market has alleviated inflation fears, allowing interest rates to decline and the Federal Reserve to implement rate cuts [8] - The current economic backdrop is described as "Goldilocks" in a post-inflation shock world, characterized by a simultaneous increase in the unemployment rate and the stock market [11] - The Federal Reserve's data-dependent approach, particularly concerning the unemployment rate, has influenced market perceptions and expectations regarding potential rate cuts [9][10] Tariffs & Market Uncertainty - The market exhibits a diminishing sensitivity to fear and uncertainty, including potential tariffs, as investors have become accustomed to navigating a "wall of worry" [13] - Investors are adopting a "show me first" approach, reacting to concrete events rather than preemptively fearing potential negative impacts from tariffs or other uncertainties [13]

Steve, um, earnings, Fed easing, that's the bull thesis right there in front of you. Anything to anything to hit out on that. >> Well, let's simplify it.Don't fight the Fed. So, whether the Fed goes in October, whether they go again before the end of the year, and there's some debate about that as the economy continues to look strong, and we've seen somewhat a moderation in inflation, meaning it's not ticking up. The last couple numbers came in.Okay. So look, while I don't think anybody's happy with valuati ...

Core Viewpoint - The upcoming earnings season is critical for sustaining the current bull market, with a focus on commentary regarding 2026 and structural opportunities rather than just Q3 numbers [2][3][5] Earnings Outlook - Q3 reports will emphasize commentary on future earnings potential, particularly for 2026, rather than just current performance [3][4] - There is a possibility of reaching $300 in earnings as the season progresses [4] Productivity and Margins - Margin expansion is expected to continue into next year, driven by productivity improvements and efficiency measures [5] - Companies need to achieve high return on equity (ROE) to maintain above-average valuations [5] Market Dynamics - A healthier bull market is anticipated, characterized by broad participation rather than speculation [6] - Earnings growth could reach 10-12%, with a mix of high-growth companies and others contributing positively [7] Sector Performance - Consumer discretionary sectors may see upgrades, particularly if lower rates provide tailwinds [8] - Small-cap stocks could benefit from a cyclical upturn, reducing reliance on Fed rate cuts [9] Investment Strategy - A suggested strategy includes pairing NASDAQ investments with small-cap stocks while potentially overlooking large-cap value [10] - The current macro backdrop is favorable for risk assets, including equities and credit [11][12]

Joining us this morning, City research director of US equity strategy, Drew Credits with us. Drew, welcome back. Good to see you. >> Hey, good to see you, Carl.>> I got to say, um, making your way through September with no major hiccups on the headline uh, indexes kind of has the desks today saying maybe we averted weak seasonality and we can look forward to an up Q4. What do you think. >> Yeah, it's funny.It's going to be very dependent on the earning season. to us the the pressure's actually grown with a ...

Core Insights - Intensifying geopolitical tensions have led to a significant increase in global defense budgets, benefiting Defense ETFs which have outperformed the broader market [1][4] Drivers Behind the Outperformance - Global defense spending is surging due to geopolitical fragmentation, with NATO members targeting 5% of GDP for defense by 2035, up from 2% in 2014 [2] - Non-NATO countries like India and China are also increasing their defense budgets, with India seeing a 9.5% year-over-year increase and China a 7.2% rise [3] Market Dynamics - Major defense contractors are securing long-term government contracts across various defense technologies, providing stable revenue streams that are less affected by economic downturns [4] - The upcoming third-quarter earnings cycle is expected to show strong performance for Defense ETFs, driven by these favorable conditions [5] Earnings Expectations - The Aerospace sector, which includes defense stocks, is projected to report earnings growth of 249%, compared to a 5.2% increase for the S&P 500 [6] Notable Defense ETFs - **Global X Defense Tech ETF (SHLD)**: Year-to-date gain of 82.3%, top holdings include Palantir and Lockheed Martin [7][8] - **SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (XAR)**: Year-to-date gain of 38.9%, top holdings include Kratos Defense and AeroVironment [9] - **iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA)**: Year-to-date gain of 41.5%, top holdings include GE Aerospace and Boeing [10][11] - **Invesco Aerospace & Defense ETF (PPA)**: Year-to-date gain of 33%, top holdings include RTX Corp. and Lockheed Martin [12] - **Themes Transatlantic Defense ETF (NATO)**: Year-to-date gain of 51.6%, top holdings include GE Aerospace and Airbus Group [13]

Group 1: Earnings Expectations - Q3 earnings for the S&P 500 index are expected to increase by +5.3% year-over-year, with revenues up by +6.1% [2][9] - This anticipated growth would mark the lowest earnings growth pace since Q3 2023, which had a growth rate of +4.4% [2] - Positive revisions in earnings estimates have been noted for Q3, contrasting with the trends observed in the first two quarters of the year [3][5] Group 2: Sector Performance - Since July, Q4 estimates have increased for 7 out of 16 Zacks sectors, including Tech, Finance, and Energy [7] - The Tech sector is expected to continue as a growth driver, with earnings projected to increase by +12% in Q3 2025 and +8.7% in Q4 2025 [10] - Despite positive revisions in some sectors, 8 out of 16 sectors are experiencing pressure on Q4 estimates, particularly in Consumer Discretionary and Medical sectors [10] Group 3: Company-Specific Reports - Nike is expected to report earnings of $0.28 per share on revenues of $11 billion, reflecting year-over-year declines of -60% and -5% respectively [11] - Carnival is projected to report earnings of $1.32 per share on revenues of $8.07 billion, with year-over-year increases of +3.9% and +2.3% respectively [12] - Nike's stock has decreased by -8.4% year-to-date, while Carnival's shares have increased by +23.1% in the same period [11][12]