Core Insights - The iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF (IXUS) provides broad exposure to developed and emerging markets at a lower cost compared to the iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG), which focuses solely on emerging markets and has seen stronger recent returns [1][2] Cost and Size Comparison - IXUS has an expense ratio of 0.07%, while IEMG has a slightly higher expense ratio of 0.09% [3][4] - As of February 2, 2026, IXUS has a one-year return of 35.9% and a dividend yield of 3.24%, whereas IEMG has a one-year return of 41.5% and a dividend yield of 2.75% [3] - IXUS has assets under management (AUM) of $51.9 billion, while IEMG has a significantly larger AUM of $120.0 billion [3] Performance and Risk Analysis - Over the past five years, IXUS has experienced a maximum drawdown of 30.05%, compared to IEMG's 37.16% [6] - A $1,000 investment in IXUS would have grown to $1,305 over five years, while the same investment in IEMG would have grown to $1,106 [6] Portfolio Composition - IXUS holds 4,173 stocks across developed and emerging markets, with a focus on financial services (21%), industrials (15%), and basic materials (13%) [7] - IEMG consists of 2,725 stocks from emerging economies, with a significant emphasis on technology (26%), financial services (21%), and consumer cyclicals (12%) [6][10] - Both ETFs have Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing as a top holding, but IXUS diversifies its exposure across various sectors and regions, while IEMG is heavily concentrated in technology [10][11] Investment Implications - International stocks have outperformed U.S. markets in 2025, driven by a weaker dollar, attractive valuations, and strong earnings growth, making both IXUS and IEMG viable options for investors [8][9] - IXUS is suitable for investors seeking comprehensive international exposure with stability, while IEMG appeals to those willing to accept higher volatility for potential long-term growth in emerging markets [11]

Core Insights - Amazon's stock price fell over 5% following the announcement of a significant capital expenditure plan of $200 billion for 2026, raising concerns among investors [1][6]. Financial Performance - Amazon's fourth-quarter net sales increased by 14% to $213.4 billion, with advertising sales rising 23% to $21.3 billion [3][5]. - Amazon Web Services (AWS) reported sales of $35.6 billion, with revenue growth accelerating to 24%, contributing to a full-year sales total of $128.7 billion and operating income of $45.6 billion for 2025 [3][5]. - The company's operating income for the fourth quarter rose 18% to $25 billion [5]. Market Outlook - For the first quarter of 2026, Amazon projects net sales growth of 11% to 15%, estimating sales between $173.5 billion and $178.5 billion, with operating income expected to be between $16.5 billion and $21.5 billion [6]. - CEO Andy Jassy expressed confidence in generating strong long-term returns on invested capital, particularly due to increasing demand for Amazon's AI offerings [7].

Monetary Policy and Economic Outlook - The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is expected to maintain the key rate at 5.25%, indicating a pause in the rate-cutting cycle for now, with a focus on maintaining liquidity surplus in the market [3][4][5] - The recent U.S.-India trade deal is seen as beneficial for the Indian rupee, potentially alleviating currency pressures and improving RBI's ability to manage rate surpluses [2][4][5] - India's GDP growth outlook remains strong at 9% to 10% in real terms, with earnings growth projected at 12% to 13% over the next 12 months [7][19] Investment Opportunities - The textile manufacturing sector is highlighted as having a significant advantage in exporting due to lower tariffs compared to Southeast Asia, which could lead to increased market share for smaller industries [18] - Financials and consumer sectors are identified as areas of improving business momentum, with expectations of better outcomes driven by regulatory support and global consumption trends [21][23] - Despite the positive outlook, competition remains intense, and companies must be evaluated on their ability to maintain margins and navigate competitive pressures [23][24] Challenges and Market Dynamics - The IT sector faces potential threats from AI developments, which could impact job numbers and overall economic activity, creating uncertainty for the sector's future [12][14] - Foreign companies may struggle to penetrate the Indian market due to differing consumer preferences and the need to adapt products to local tastes [25][26] - The overall market is experiencing outflows, with $19 million recorded last year and $3 million already this year, indicating challenges in attracting foreign investment [10]

Core Viewpoint - NuScale Power's stock experienced a significant increase of 23.4% in January, driven by political support for nuclear energy and an analyst upgrade from Bank of America [1][6]. Group 1: Political and Regulatory Environment - The U.S. House of Representatives Energy Subcommittee held hearings on January 5 to discuss a nuclear acceleration roadmap, indicating bipartisan support for expanding nuclear technology in the energy grid [2]. - The timeline for nuclear energy development includes operational experimental reactors by July 4, 2026, multiple small modular reactors (SMRs) by the end of 2027, and nuclear power on military bases by 2028, reflecting a renewed urgency in the industry [3]. Group 2: Company-Specific Developments - NuScale holds the only SMR design certification from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which positions the company favorably for regulatory streamlining and faster deployment [5]. - Bank of America upgraded NuScale's stock from "Underperform" to "Neutral" on January 9, setting a price target of $28, citing positive factors such as a licensing agreement with the Tennessee Valley Authority and the advantages of its light-water reactor design [6]. Group 3: Market Dynamics and Challenges - The stock rally faced challenges when Microsoft reported earnings that raised concerns about AI infrastructure spending, which could impact growth for companies like NuScale that are linked to AI demand [7][8]. - The energy demand driven by AI has been a key factor in NuScale's stock performance over the past two years, and any decline in this demand could negatively affect the company's stock [8].

Core Viewpoint - Clearway Energy (CWEN) has made significant changes that support its ambitious growth guidance, projecting a Cash Available For Distribution (CAFD) of $2.90-$3.10 by 2030, indicating a 7%-8% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2030 [2][4]. Group 1: Growth Potential - CWEN's growth rate of 7%-8% is unusual for a yield-co, which typically focuses on steady cash flows to pay dividends, limiting retained cash for further investments [3][4]. - The current high demand for energy and CWEN's expertise in developing large-scale energy assets position the company favorably to meet its growth targets [4][6]. - CWEN's parent company has a pipeline of over 11 GW, which will be dropped down into CWEN at strong CAFD yields, enhancing growth prospects [6][8]. Group 2: Market Dynamics - The demand for incremental power development has surged, while the ability to build new power sources has been constrained by regulatory challenges [5][8]. - Power purchase agreement (PPA) pricing has nearly doubled, positively impacting CWEN's yield and organic growth potential [8][19]. Group 3: Project Developments - CWEN has several repowering projects that utilize existing infrastructure, leading to faster completion times and higher returns, with targeted CAFD yields of about 10.5% [14][17]. - The company has 863 MW of repowerings locked in with power purchase agreements, contributing to its growth strategy [17][19]. Group 4: PPA Pricing Trends - PPA prices have increased significantly since 2022 due to the elimination of most tax credits and rising power demand, which benefits CWEN's development yields [32][33]. - The upward trend in PPA pricing improves the organic growth outlook for CWEN, as contracts signed in recent years are likely to roll over at higher rates [35][36]. Group 5: Share Structure and Valuation - CWEN has a split share structure with CWEN and CWEN.A, where CWEN.A is trading at a discount while providing the same claims to dividends and cash flows [38][39]. - The current valuation suggests that a 16X CAFD multiple is reasonable, given the long-term growth potential and the company's ambitions to maintain CAFD/share growth of over 5% beyond 2030 [37][40].

Group 1 - The article discusses various methods for earning passive income from cryptocurrency holdings, including staking, crypto lending, yield farming, and decentralized finance (DeFi) [1][2] - Platforms like Aave and Compound currently offer annual percentage yields (APYs) of 4.79% and 3.27% on USD Coin, respectively [1] - Staking is highlighted as a safer method for generating yield compared to crypto lending, which has limited consumer protections [2][3] Group 2 - Certain cryptocurrencies, such as Ethereum, Solana, and Cardano, provide yields to investors as rewards for contributing to network security through staking [3] - The Bitwise Solana Staking ETF claims that Solana holders can earn up to 7% average returns, with expectations of more staking ETFs being approved by the SEC this year [3] - The article compares potential earnings from staking $50,000 on various cryptocurrencies, showing that Solana offers the highest APY at 4.25%, resulting in a 1-year gain of $2,125 and a 5-year gain of $11,567.33 [5] Group 3 - Passive income from crypto is expected to increase in 2026 as ETFs make staking more accessible, but users should be cautious of fees associated with different platforms [6] - For example, Kraken's Auto Earn program only rewards users on half of the assets staked, and some platforms may take up to 25% of earnings in fees [6]

Investors were watching closely when Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) released its latest financial report after the market close on Wednesday. As one of the "Big Three" cloud providers and a force in artificial intelligence (AI), the company is among several bellwethers of what's happening in the space. Furthermore, what's happening at one company can offer additional insight into a competitor's results, providing greater context. Amazon's results sent the stock reeling but provided an unexpected tailwind for Alph ...

Core Insights - The active tech ETF TTEQ is signaling a buy as it concludes a strong year, making it an attractive option for investors looking to refresh their tech holdings for 2026 [1] - TTEQ has achieved a 21% return over the past year and crossed the $100 million AUM mark recently, indicating strong performance and investor interest [1] Performance Metrics - As of December 26th, TTEQ's price was $32.89, above its 50 and 200-day Simple Moving Averages (SMAs), suggesting positive momentum [1] - The fund's Relative Strength Index (RSI) indicates it is not in "Overbought" territory, providing a favorable entry point for investors [1] Investment Strategy - TTEQ employs a bottom-up portfolio construction approach, focusing on innovative firms that are expected to disrupt their sectors and are essential to global technology infrastructure [1] - Unlike passive index funds that may carry concentration risk, TTEQ offers fundamentals-driven exposure to emerging tech companies [1] Unique Features - The fund has the flexibility to invest in AI technologies, exemplified by its recent investment in OpenAI, and can adjust its strategy based on market conditions [1] - TTEQ is positioned as a long-term satellite strategy, making it a compelling addition for investors in the crowded tech space [1]

Group 1: Microsoft - Microsoft's free cash flow (FCF) remains the most resilient among the Big 5 hyperscalers, projected at approximately 22%, while peers trend toward negative territory with FCF margins around 5% or lower [1][2] - The Big 5 hyperscalers are expected to spend nearly $700 billion in capital expenditures (capex) this year, reflecting a 65% year-over-year increase [1] - Despite strong FCF, Azure growth is stagnating in the high-30% range, with 365 Commercial Cloud growth at about 14%, while competitors are gaining market share [3] Group 2: Amazon - Amazon's fourth-quarter 2025 results were solid, with $213.4 billion in revenue and $24.98 billion in operating income, slightly above expectations, but the stock dropped about 11% due to lower-than-expected operating income guidance and increased capex for 2026 [4][5] - The backlog for Amazon Web Services (AWS) rose 22% sequentially to $244 billion, indicating strong demand, alongside continued retail momentum and robust advertising performance [5] - Amazon's guidance for first-quarter operating income of $16.5 billion–$21.5 billion is about 15% below consensus at the midpoint, influenced by higher costs related to Amazon Leo and international investments [6]

Core Insights - CleanSpark (CLSK) reported a first-quarter fiscal 2026 loss of $0.10 per share, which was wider than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of an $0.08 loss [1] - The company experienced a loss from continuing operations of $1.35 per share, contrasting with earnings of $0.83 per share in the same quarter last year [1] - Revenues increased by 11.6% year over year to $181.2 million, but this figure missed the consensus estimate by 2.12% [1] Financial Performance - CleanSpark's first-quarter fiscal 2026 gross profit decreased by 7% year over year to $85.6 million, with a gross margin contraction of 940 basis points to 47.2% [4] - The company reported an operating loss of $316.6 million, compared to an operating income of $210 million in the year-ago quarter [4] - Adjusted EBITDA loss was $295.4 million, a significant decline from positive Adjusted EBITDA of $321.6 million in the previous year [5] - The net loss for the quarter was $378.7 million, primarily due to fair value adjustments related to bitcoin [5] Strategic Transition - CleanSpark is transitioning from a pure-play bitcoin miner to a broader energy, compute, and infrastructure platform, aiming to capture opportunities in high-performance computing (HPC) and AI data centers [2] - For 2026, management is focusing on expanding its power and land portfolio, monetizing available megawatt capacity, and accelerating the development of AI-focused data center infrastructure [3] - The company's multi-year roadmap includes phased execution plans targeting construction milestones and tenant visibility in 2026, scaling operations and diversifying tenants in 2027, and building multi-campus, giga-scale project capabilities by 2028 [3] Balance Sheet Overview - As of December 31, 2025, CleanSpark had cash and cash equivalents of $458 million, a significant increase from $43 million as of September 30, 2025 [6] - The total long-term debt, net of debt discount and issuance costs, was $1.79 billion as of December 31, 2025 [6] - The company held 13,099 Bitcoin, with an approximate market value of $1.15 billion, and had $400 million of available liquidity under its line of credit [7]